From the Inside Looking Out...

I cannot believe that I am halfway through my last week in San Pedro. My time here has flown by, and I am so excited to see how I can apply all I have learned to my class and life in the United States. School this week has been great! I've had a lot of pull-out opportunities and have even been working with some of the kids from other classes who are presenting difficult behaviors for the interns who are in there. I am so glad that my friends and classmates feel that they can come to me and ask for help with these behaviors! Additionally, I am SO glad that all of us here have different teaching strengths, it creates a great pool of resources to use and refer to as we need them.

Last night, I got to go on a night snorkel at Hol Chan Marina. This is my second time snorkeling at this location, and it wasn't a let down! A huge sea turtle swam right in front of me and I even saw an octopus! Personally, I liked the day snorkel better (partly because the water was super cold last night), but am glad that I got to experience both!

Today, with the three other special education interns here, I went inland to Belize City one more time to visit the Stella Maris School for students with disabilities. I absolutely love this school and how they are so determined to help their students reach their goals. We interviewed a lot of the students for the documentary we are making and we even interviewed the school librarian, Marlin, who was a student at Stella Maris before becoming employed there! His story really embodies all the work that Stella Maris is doing and I can't wait to share our documentary with all of y'all so that you can see everything that this school and their students have to offer!

As my time in Belize is coming to an end, I've really been spending some time reflecting on my experience here. I am so thankful that I had this opportunity and am beyond grateful for all of the love and support that I received at home throughout my journey. While I'm excited to return home, here are just a few things that I'll miss about Belize:

• The cultural experience - I've learned so much about acceptance and differences, and I never want to end this personal growth
• The sense of community - Everywhere I go in San Pedro, I feel extremely welcomed. This island has a way of making you feel at home
• The kids - This one is a no-brainer. Those sweet kids, they've touched me in so many ways. 
• Taco Stand Dinners - I mean come on, who can beat a huge, delicious dinner for just $3 American? 
• Fresh Fruit Juices - Orange, Watermelon, you name it. It doesn't get better. 
• My Cohort - This trip has brought me so much closer to people that I never would have known otherwise. I am so appreciative of all of the friendships that I have made on this trip. We have bonded in a way that I can't explain, as this experience has molded us into a unit that simply fits. From the outside looking in, you wouldn't understand it, but from the inside looking out, you could never explain it.