After I got engaged I decided to go to Belize for 3 weeks and get home 11 days before my wedding (actually I decided to go to Belize a long time ago, the wedding just threw in an interesting decision of whether to go or not). While it was incredibly stressful to get prepared to go and to get home so late and it was definitely NOT a vacation, it was also a great experience.
We worked our butts off. I didn't even get a tan until the last two days I was there. Pathetic. For 3 weeks 5 other nursing students and I and two professors did blood pressure and diabetes screenings in clinics, hospitals, and community centers and taught health education including teeth brushing, hand washing, HIV/AIDS education, nutrition, safety, etc. in schools in the villages in the Cayo District of Belize.
(Belmopan Hospital)
(The whole group including our ProBelize leaders) The days were long. It was HOT and HUMID. When I say that, I mean that we soaked through our shirts and didn't even care because there was nothing you could do about it. People had salt lines on their shirts from the sweat. Nasty. But it was rewarding and a great experience.
The poverty was incredible and hard to take in.
(A typical house- this is actually relatively nice even if it is small). It was not something I will forget soon. At times it seemed there was so little we could do it was almost hopeless. I wish I could include more pics, I have thousands, but in an effort to protect identities of the Belizean people I've tried to somewhat hide faces. I truly came to love these people though. I hope someday I can return to San Ignacio and the villages that we visited.
Thanks to Tropical Storm Andrew the Marine Biology group from Marymount joined us in San Ignacio too.
(Both Marymount groups) They have a much more exciting story from Belize than we do. That's a very long story though. Let's just say they had to be rescued by helicopter. Their village ended up under water. We just got days and days and days of pouring rain (it NEVER stopped).
(POURING) That's the condensed and somewhat altered version. But hey, it's a blog. Have some more pics. If you want the real stories from Belize, ask me.
    (Just so you know we stayed in an absolutely INCREDIBLE resort pictured here)   (roughing it in the jungle, haha)  (the damn bird that came through the cage and bit me, yes, actually bit me at the zoo. Great story.)  (Xunantunich Mayan Ruins)   (We also had the amazing opportunity to go to Tikal, Guatemala which was an experience of a lifetime! I climbed those stupid very slick stairs in the rain, not smart, but incredible views!)  (the last day we got to go to Caye Caulker and go snorkeling, it felt like a completely different country, but it was beautiful and fun too!)
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(Both Marymount groups) They have a much more exciting story from Belize than we do. That's a very long story though. Let's just say they had to be rescued by helicopter. Their village ended up under water. We just got days and days and days of pouring rain (it NEVER stopped). 
(roughing it in the jungle, haha) 
(the damn bird that came through the cage and bit me, yes, actually bit me at the zoo. Great story.) 