One of the unique (and most exciting) aspects of the Belize side of CCSP is the opportunity to complete an internship in a foreign country. Thanks to the hard work of our Internship Coordinator, Brindley, our students get to spend 2 weeks working for a local Belizean organization that best fits their personal passions and future career goals. In addition, most students also have the chance to live off-campus with a Belizean family the whole time. These weeks are consistently some of the most life-changing experiences of the semester, and this time around was no exception. Here's what our 16 Belizean interns had to say about it!
Connie McKinney
Belize Botanic Gardens
I spent the past two weeks working at the Belize Botanic Gardens, near San Ignacio. I'd been to the Gardens before with CCSP, but really enjoyed the opportunity to work there every day for nine days. I did all sorts of gardening things: weeding (shocker!), raking, planting, and pruning. I also was lucky enough to do some things I don't normally get to do in my own backyard, like picking starfruit and kumquats, and learning how to graft and propagate by cutting. It was definitely a good combination of learning and doing. I loved working outside and getting to know the staff at the BBG - they're all characters for sure. My homestay, which was right on Chaa Creek Road, was also wonderful; I was able to stay with a very large family which reminded me a lot of my own family, to learn a little bit of Spanish, and to eat delicious Belizean food. Honestly, the best part of the internship and homestay was... all of it. I am so grateful to have been able to get to know Belize in a more hands-on, intimate way. These two weeks have definitely been the best part of the semester so far.
Danielle Northuis
Cayo Deaf Institute
I spent my two weeks working at the Cayo Deaf Institute. CDI is a boarding school for deaf children ages 6-16 where they receive schooling in vocalization, interaction with speaking people, and a general primary and secondary education. CDI is run by Mennonites so I was required to follow Mennonite practices and dress. This meant wearing a full length dress or skirt with a high neckline and my hair pulled back when not in my room. The majority of my time was spent interacting with the children and trying to practice my sign language. I have taken two sign classes back in the States, but it was a very different experience to actually speak with deaf people. It was very challenging at times as the younger children would sign very quickly and I would have a hard time understanding what they were saying to me. The children did catch on by the end of the first week, and after that were better at signing slower so I could understand. I had a wonderful time being able to experience speaking sign language on a daily basis and I hope to continue my sign language education when I get back to the States.
Curtis Abney
Friends for Conservation and Development
These past two weeks, for me, have been a blast. I got to spend 7 days and nights in the Chiquibul Forest Reserve with the research team from Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD). I worked mostly on forest trail maintenance, hacking away scrub and unruly plants with a machete, but I also got to go out with the research team and do game species monitoring out in the jungle. It was an amazing experience and I was able to see a part of Belize that many others would not dare to go. Upon arrival, Scarlet Macaws welcomed me into the reserve. They vocalized and flew directly above me, and perched long enough for me to take pictures of them. Snakes, red brocket deer, howler monkeys, keel-billed toucans, and other jungle fowl accompanied me throughout the week. We drank and cooked with fresh rainwater, and showered with the water taken directly from a freshwater spring in a cave! It was true jungle living. In addition to all of these experiences, I was able to learn countless things about the Macaws, about the conservation issues and successes of Belize, and see the true beauty of the majestic Chiquibul Forest - a gem that I hope Belize never loses.
Sallie Rosenberger
La Loma Luz Adventist Hospital
Scrubs have become a glorious thing. Over the past two weeks, I learned to survive off two pairs of them while completing my 75-hour internship at La Loma Luz Adventist Hospital in Santa Elena. While some of the days passed by slowly, I found jobs that kept me busy throughout the hospital. I shifted to different departments each day and was able to experience the pharmacy, vital signs room, emergency room, laboratory, and nurse's station. Some of my tasks included pricing and shelving medication, recording vitals numbers such as height, weight and blood pressure, entering invoices, restraining children's legs while they got injections, rolling cotton balls, making new pages in drug record books, recording lab tests for a census, transporting clipboards from various rooms, and observing two surgeries. The surgeries, a tubal litigation and a C-section, were a highlight of my two weeks. I, alone with fellow student Stacie Martin, changed into clean scrubs, put on a hair net and foot coverings, tied on my mask, and was excited to see some of the real components of the human body! Once I got past the hot, sweaty feeling, I was in my element and enjoyed everything the doctor was showing us. Throughout the two weeks I have reinforced that nursing is the field in which I want to be and am excited to begin my career.
Justin Thompson-Henney
Sustainable Harvest International
These past two weeks, I worked with another student from CCSP with SHI-Belize, a NGO that works with rural village communities to improve environmental awareness, nutrition, agroforestry, family food sovereignty, and empowerment through education. They give advice to farmers about farming practices and help them start to reforest their land. I worked directly with the SHI extension officers in two fairly remote K'ekchi (Mayan) villages only accessible by one
very rough road. My work was primarily manual labor, constructing mobile chicken coops, solar-dryers to dry their cacao seeds, and composting latrines. I also spent a good amount of time helping farmers to plant cacao seedlings in their gardens or forested farm areas.
The homes I stayed in are traditional Mayan one-room, thatched-roof houses. Sleeping in hammocks was much less of an issue than the cold. It is technically "winter" here, but I still sweat during the day, so I wasn't expecting to be cold at night. Anyway, our host families spoke a bit of English, but mostly K'ekchi, and I did learn a few words. I improved my tortilla making skills and learned how to make a bowl from a fruit called a calabash. Overall, my internship was an unbeatable, albeit short, look into Belizean village life and the efforts to improve subsistence farmers' lives by upgrading their farming practices.
Catie Gammon
Belize Zoo
Interning at the Belize Zoo was a phenomenal opportunity! I was able to go behind the scenes to participate in animal feeding and care. In addition to preparing food and cleaning enclosures, I interacted with all of the animals in the zoo! Many of the Belizean native species living there are endangered, making the experience even more unique! Getting to know the tapirs was one of my favorite parts. I was also able to socialize with colorful birds such as toucans and scarlet macaws. Multiple times I experienced the zoo's jaguar encounter - getting up close and personal with Junior-Buddy! One evening, I went on a night tour to see all the nocturnal animals - one of the standouts being the kinkajou! I participated in visitor education by sharing my new knowledge about certain animals. Working with the locals employed by the zoo allowed me to gain insight on the roles of zoo keepers and veterinarians and was also culturally enriching. This was certainly a once-in-a-lifetime internship that I can't wait to share with family, friends, and veterinary schools that I plan to apply to in the future!
Carissa Bernard
San Jose Succotz Roman Catholic School
As an elementary education major, the opportunity to spend two weeks in a primary school in Belize was absolutely thrilling! This internship has honestly been the most incredible experience of my life. I spent most of my time going throughout the classes and helping individual students with math and writing. I also graded their homework, often with the student right beside me, so we could go over their mistakes and make changes together. I did a few things in front of the class. In one class I taught a math lesson, and in another class I led them in Bible songs and read stories. During recess breaks throughout the day, I got to know the students more personally as they told me about their families and home life. I spent the early mornings and the late afternoons helping the teachers with whatever tasks they needed to complete. I helped them with grading papers, straightening their classrooms, cleaning, and preparing classroom aids for the next day. During this time, the teachers told me all about their families, life stories and advice for teaching. I learned great lessons from these teachers, especially what it means to sacrifice for students. The teachers spend almost all of their income to decorate their classroom or provide resources for their class. I am so thankful for these two weeks, because I am certain that I would never get this opportunity in the U.S. I will miss hearing, "Miss Car" echoing throughout the classrooms and I will miss the precious students and the loving teachers. My goal after this internship is to support this school in whatever way the Lord calls me to, whether financially or with practical resources. I will be sharing this idea with friends and family back home. This Christmas, my goal is to send them at least two pencil sharpeners that attach to the wall, and at least 40 handwriting practice books.
Amber Wentz
Cyrila's Chocolate
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| In the process of sifting cacao wine |
I interned at Cyrila's Chocolate located in the village of San Felipe. I worked and lived with Juan Cho and his family for two weeks to experience the organic, sustainable business of making chocolate that they have built from the ground up. We were able to see the entire process, from planting and harvesting the cacao and sugar cane, to making, molding, and packaging the chocolate. The K'ekchi Maya culture is rich in the village of San Felipe and in the small facility of Cyrila's. Juan Cho and his family are the most considerate, friendly people, an incredible delight to share life with. It was inspiring to see a small, humble business that was seeking to improve the lives of families and care for the land they worked. It was a unique and unforgettable experience to work in a different culture and learn how things are done. I was able to experience many procedures and was entrusted with tasks and responsibilities right alongside the Maya King and Chocolate Queen. I enjoyed seeing the dreams and future planning that Juan and Abelina strive for in their lives and business and I will certainly be keeping in touch to see how these exciting endeavors progress. Thank you for a wonderful two weeks!
Lauren Madison
San Antonio Women's Group
I spent my two weeks of internships at the San Antonio Women's Group, just a short distance down the road from our CCSP campus. The SAWG started about ten years ago when some women from the village started getting together to share recipes. Since then, it's evolved into a full-fledged co-op; the women learn to embroider, make pottery, and raise pigs and chickens, and then sell their art and animals for a profit to tourists and other villagers. The money they earn goes partly to help run the co-op and maintain its facilities. But most of the profits go directly to the sellers, who often use the money to educate their children, as Belizean education is pretty expensive.
During my time at the co-op, I learned to make pottery, mostly by pressing clay into molds and later detailing them. I did have a hand at the wheel, which I quickly learned is very difficult, requiring plenty of upper body strength and artistic ability that I lack. Then, during my second week, I learned to embroider for the first two days, and then spent my last two days killing, plucking, gutting and weighing chickens. I enjoyed the process of learning all these new trades, but I think the best part was getting to talk to these amazing women about Belize and about their lives as they shared their knowledge with me.
Mara McMurray
Toledo Institute for Development and Environment
Imagine traveling to one of the most beautiful places on earth and then learning that it may not be there in the future because of humans' exploitation. The Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE) is hoping to combat this problem by pouring all their energies into conserving this small paradise in southern Belize. I got the opportunity to experience a small portion of what they do over the past two weeks as an intern for TIDE. From the office, to the cayes, to the lab, to the jungle, I was able to get a sample of some of what TIDE is doing. Office work consisted of data entry and getting the chance to begin learning about TIDE. On the island, I got the opportunity to spend time on the sea with three researchers collecting samples and enjoying the Belizean sun. We even had an encounter with four manatees, and enjoyed freshly caught lobster and fish for dinner! The very next day I was tromping through the bush to check on the trail cameras which have been capturing photos of jaguars, tapirs, and the all-too-common illegal hunter scampering through the forest. My short time at TIDE was a wonderful experience that I am very thankful for, and I look forward to the next time I can explore the marine ecosystems of this world.
Dana Newswanger
Octavia Waight Centre
For my two week internship I had the privilege of working at the Octavia Waight Center. It is an elderly home in San Ignacio. Octavia Waight is the oldest nursing home in Belize; it is celebrating its 26th anniversary this year and is one of only three elderly homes in the country. I spent most of my time shadowing a nurse that has been helping the Centre since it first opened. I helped her work on physical therapy with the residents. Some afternoons we would drive into San Ignacio and visit widows or elderly people. Ms. Dorothee takes a lot of time to check on local elderly people that she knows are sick or recovering from an injury or surgery. When Ms. Dorothee wasn't around I helped in the office, washed dishes for the cook and hung out with the residents. Some spoke english but others switched from english to spanish. It was challenging to understand them sometimes but they were all so nice, and though I couldn't always communicate well, I still enjoyed spending time with them and watching them interact with each other. I had few structured tasks; most of the time I went with the flow. It's Belize; you don't rush, you soak in the experiences, and what an experience it was!
Justin Ahn
University of Belize Environmental Research Institute
For my internship, I was able to work with the Environmental Research Institute (ERI) of the University of Belize. I was given the responsibility of taking photos of the plants on Calabash Caye, a small island off the coast of Belize. Paired with German Lopez, the head ERI botanist, we were able to identify and capture pictures of over sixty plants. With these photos, I created a photo guide that could be used as a tool to identify plants quickly and with ease. The time spent working with the ERI was a great experience. I was able to immerse myself in the Belizean culture and help an organization create a useful tool and learn about how the ERI contributes to the well-being of Belize.
Jenny McCarty
Belize Zoo
For two weeks, I had an amazing opportunity to intern at the Belize Zoo. Ever since I was young, I have always dreamed of working at a zoo, so this experience was absolutely surreal. Unlike many zoo internships in the states, my internship encompassed all of the animals of the zoo.
Every day, I worked with a different keeper with different animals. I was also given the opportunity to interact one-on-one with toucans, aracaris, a mottled owl named Mona Lisa, and a couple of cheeky macaws. My favorite animals to feed were the jaguars. All of the jaguars are hand fed and I was able to sit next to jaguars with only a chain-link fence separating us. Not going to lie, it was a little intimidating at first. Some jaguars were aggressive in their eating habits while others were calm and would quietly eat their food. However, I was quick to get over the intimidation and absolutely loved feeding them (despite often getting splashed with chicken blood!). Sometimes, as the jaguar would take the food from my fingers, their sandpapery tongue would lick me. Never in the past would I have believed that I would be feeding jaguars and getting jaguar "kisses."
Nick Hemming
Cyrila's Chocolate
Two weeks ago, I traveled south to join Cyrila's Chocolate, an organic chocolate grower in San Felipe, Belize, for a two-week internship. My experience was both personally stretching and professionally beneficial, and instantly became a highlight during my semester in Central America.
Upon arriving in San Felipe, a small Mayan village in the Toledo district, my co-intern and I introduced ourselves to Juan and Abelina Cho, the owners and founders of Cyrila's Chocolate. We immediately felt at home. The next several days allowed us to dig into Mayan culture through a traditional Mayan homestay, learn the chocolate making process, and develop relationships with the Cho family. I spent my last several days using my public relations degree, when I assisted Juan in the office, handled communication tasks, and worked to enhance his online presence. The opportunity to work alongside these people - in a humble Mayan village with limited resources - was both rewarding and challenging, and provided insight into a sustainable way of life.
Stacie Martin
La Loma Luz Adventist Hospital
"Oh! He's big!" I smile as I remember those first words spoken by the father about his new son as the surgeon brought the 9 pound 6 ounce crying newborn into the world outside the womb - in this case, the major surgery room at La Loma Luz Adventist Hospital in Santa Elena, Belize, where I did my two week internship. In addition to this C-section, I also observed a tubal ligation - the first surgery I've ever seen. My internship was a humbling experience because the hospital really did not need any help, and of course because I'm only a second year nursing student I couldn't do much anyway. Nevertheless, the areas of the hospital I did get to observe in and do a few things in were the vital signs room, the hospital, the pharmacy, the laboratory, and the dialysis center. Over the course of the two weeks, I recorded vitals in patient charts, took a few vitals, bathed a day-old baby girl, folded hundreds of prescriptions for archival, priced and shelved meds, wrote labels with dosage instructions, rolled cotton balls, and did a little bit of paperwork. In addition to the two surgeries, I got to observe and learn about dialysis and also a myriad of lab tests, such as hematology, urinalysis, and microbiology. My favorite part of the internship was the wonderful staff; so many of the nurses and lab techs and maintenance staff are so genuinely kind and friendly and went out of their ways to make these two weeks an interesting and learning experience. I could truly see the light of Christ shining through them as they interacted with their patients, inspiring me as I pursue my nursing career.
Liz Vincent
Sustainable Harvest International
For my internship I had the opportunity to work with Sustainable Harvest International - Belize (SHI-B). Sustainable Harvest is an NGO that works with farmers in local Maya villages to promote sustainable land use, improve nutrition, and increase the capabilities of the communities. For two weeks I got to live and work in a few different Maya villages in the southwest corner of Belize. While there, I helped with a variety of projects including building mobile chicken tractors, solar latrines, solar dryers for cocoa beans, and wood-conserving stoves as well as planting cocoa seedlings and trees. These projects are all aimed at improving the lives of the villagers and improving the productivity of the farmers without harming the land. When I was not helping with various SHI projects I got to engage with my host family and members of the local community; I was able to learn some K'ekchi (the local Maya language), make bowls out of calabash fruit, help make those beautiful Maya bags that everyone gets when they come to northern Central America, and engage in meaningful conversations with the people about their lives in Belize and what they saw as being important for life and happiness. The two weeks I spent in the Maya villages was an incredible experience from which I will take away many lessons and new perspectives on sustainable development.
A huge thanks to all the organizations, businesses and families that hosted our students for two weeks!
