"Without chocolate, life is a mistake" Part 1

-Juan, Owner of Ixcacao Maya Belizean Chocolate Farm

The first half of our inland trip has been amazing. Today was our chocolate farm excursion, but first let me brief you on prior events.

Monday was spent traveling from San Pedro to Punta Gorda, located in Belize's southern-most district. Sounds easy? Think again.

The day started off with a 90-minute water taxi ride I knew only too well (read The Best Day Ever if you don't know what I'm alluding to).

We made it to Belize City and took a cab to the bus station. After waiting an hour and a half, our bus arrived. 

So the Belize way of public transit is first come, first serve. We were aware of this and planned accordingly--all fourteen of us stood ready at Gate 1, waiting for the gate to be opened so we could board the bus. 

The man came to open the gate, and for one reason or another, he chose to open Gate 3 instead. A huge rush of people fled to the gate, and we had to push and shove through to stay in the fight for a seat. We needed fourteen seats on that bus, and we were gonna get them.

We finally made it through the gate, a little desperate now because of the large crowd trying to board the bus. Someone yelled that we could get on in the back too, so a bunch of us ran behind the bus. It was locked. We began walking back around, but the driver opened the back door for us. In the hype, there was a standstill moment where no one was boarding. I knew time was running out, so I said, "Alright, I'm getting on," and jumped aboard. The others in the group followed. Miraculously, all of us got a seat, which is good because those without seats had to get off and wait for the next bus. (Does this sound like musical chairs or what?)

Next came a six-hour bus ride down the coast. No AC, windows down, more and more passengers climbing aboard. I don't really have words to describe how it felt, but this picture of Dr. Catapano and me seems to sum it up:

My view from the back:

For the last bit, there was a group of soldiers, who managed to squeeze in the very back of the bus:

The views were amazing, though:

One more:

We finally made it to Punta Gorda, grabbed a bite to eat at a place called Grace's, and crashed for the night.

On Tuesday, we were hoping to go diving with whale sharks, but it didn't work out. Luckily, Molly found the opportunity to take Garifuna drum lessons for 25 Bz, so ten of us did that. Our Garifuna teacher, Ronald McDonald (seriously), was so kind. He and his wife were leaving that afternoon for Easter vacation, but he squeezed us into his schedule last minute.

Our one-hour lesson lasted well over an hour and a half. In addition to learning how to play the bass drums, we also learned a lot about the resilient Garifuna people and their culture.

Afterwards, a couple of the girls and I went kayaking in a creek right outside of town. It was only 10 Bz for an hour, and it  was definitely worth it! (Pictures to come.)

Comparing Cultures

2.5 weeks in, 3 weeks to go...

Can't believe we're halfway through! We are spending the next week inland, touring the Toledo and Cayo Districts. We will be visiting a chocolate farm, the zoo, ATM, and Maya ruins. Several of us also plan to do a day trip to Guatemala. I'm sure I'll post more information when we get back (or throughout the week, if I can get a strong enough Internet connection).

Why are we going inland?

Easter is huge in Belize, so all the schools enjoy a two-week break. When we come back from our week on the mainland, we will spend the second week completing service projects around the island.

While I'm still here in San Pedro, I just wanted to jot down a few cultural differences before I forget them. It's actually fairly easy to adopt another culture's way of life. For example, when you go out to eat, you begin eating as soon as you receive your food, instead of waiting for the whole table to get their meals. This is because a lot of the food is freshly made, so it takes a while to prepare each dish. We've accepted this very quickly, I think; you get your food and eat. However, it will be really awkward when I get back to North Carolina and start shoving my face before everyone has gotten their food, right?

As far as food goes, pricing works pretty similarly to Wilmington... Everything on the beach is more expensive! On the street furthest from the beach (known as Back Street), you can get very cheap food. Last night, a group of us went to a place on Back Street called Neri's. I got an empanade and two tostadas for $1.25 US. On the otherhand, a plate of chicken nachos at our favorite beach-front Mexican restaurant costs $9 US (which doesn't sound too bad, really, but it's the cheapest dish on the menu).

Something else about Belize that is common in many countries is that you can't flush the toilet paper. It all goes in the trash can. This was difficult to remember at first, because it's just muscle memory to toss the TP in the toilet. Now it's just the way it is, and I can't help but try to estimate how much toilet paper I'll accidentally put in my trash at home. Eek!

I've been hand-washing all my clothes here, and I'd be lying if I didn't say I miss my washer and dryer! Like most of the girls, I wash my clothes in the sink, transport them to the shower to rinse them off, then carry them behind the restaurant to the clotheslines. I'd imagined line drying being fun and magical, but it's not.

In general, everything is informal and relaxed here. It's definitely not as structured or fast-paced as it is in the States. While I do love structure, this place seems to take away all your worries and ill-feelings. See you in a week!

Dear Wilmington Friends,

How's it going, friends? I've had a fantastic week here in Belize.

Someone at the hotel bought a new puppy. His name is Jambo...

I decided I love puppies. Who else loves puppies?

On Friday at school, we had a beach party. All of my friends got to play in the water...

We also ate nachos with some spicy cheese dip...

It was delicious! Also, I tried a meat pie. They are quite tasty as it turns out.

Yesterday we went snorkeling, which is like scuba diving, but you stay at the top of the water. We snorkeled at the coral reef in Belize. I searched for some colorful fish, but instead I found some sharks...

Here are some more pictures from snorkeling. Can you tell what kind of animals are in each picture?...

I hope you all enjoyed your spring break!

-Ms. Gibson

Ms. Lexi, the Special Educator

I feel like I've really been able to assume the role of special education teacher at Isla Bonita, comparable to what I'd be doing in the States. I knew I would be doing pull out teaching here, developing small group and one-on-one lessons, but I didn't expect to complete other special education duties as well.

For example, I've helped create behavioral intervention plans (very informal plans, of course) for numerous students. Rudy had a difficult time concentrating on work in and out of the classroom, so I made this chart for him:

It essentially funtions as a token system; every few instances of observable work Rudy completes, he earns a purple circle. When he earns four circles, he gets one minute playing with whatever toy he carries in his pocket that day (usually a Hot Wheels car).

I've also helped another teacher set up a behavioral system for Mark, one of the students I pull out for reading group. He now has to "earn" joining the 10:00 reading group by getting 10 tally marks or less on his chart. (Each tally mark means the teacher had to remind him to be quiet, get back to work, etc.) He also has the opportunity to earn five minutes of free time with Ms. Lexi (we like to play Pictionary on my tablet) at the end of the day, using the same system.

Additionally, I didn't expect to do consulting with the other teachers on individual and classroom strategies. Someone needed an idea for engaging students in learning time telling, and I showed her my notebook clock manipulative I made for Zachary:

She had her students make similar clocks in their math notebooks. Another teacher talked about trying to do a tanagram activity in her class, but the student with the visual impairment struggled piecing the triangles into the square. I suggested that if they did the activity again, she outlined the student's square with pipe cleaners so she could feel the square's edges.

Thirdly, although I brought supplies for me to create materials (contact paper, file folders, construction paper), I didn't expect them to be used so well. Here is something I created for both Rudy and Khaled for teaching how to spell their names using forward chaining:

Lastly, I certainly didn't anticipate teaching a student who is nonverbal, her entire class, and her teacher how to talk using their hands. I am definitely not a sign language expert, but I think our lessons are going well. Students from other classes are picking up signs, even Dayanara, the student with the visual impairment. Kids all over school will come up to me and sign, "How are you?"

I'm also doing things I had no idea I'd do. I do after-school tutoring with Brisa (good thing I have tutoring experience). I also work with students I wouldn't typically teach; the Florida Center for Reading Research has really helped propel my lessons with them. I've had to come up with modifications for various students on the spot, which is (a) really challenging and (b) not enough time to make it pretty. But it doesn't have to be pretty, I guess; it just has to work.

Overall, I feel like my professors, partnership teacher, and other mentors have really prepared me for this experience without me realizing it. Thanks for all your teachings and encouragement, everyone.

Major difference between what I do here and what I'll do in the U.S.: no paperwork here!

The Best Day Ever

It started like a normal day. I got up early, showered, ate the usual granola bar, and grabbed my bike for school.

Because I'd planned to take the doctoral student, Megan, to Caye Caulker to visit the Step-By-Step Tutoring Center during the late morning, I had reworked my daily schedule to maximize my time with each of my students. I worked on communication skills with Eliany and her mother during break, read Charlotte's Web with Brisa (Mark didn't earn it today...bummer), and practiced writing first names with my little ones (and naming the letters!). Seriously, let me brag on my awesome kiddos. My man, Rudy:

My man, Khaled, who didn't really understand what I meant when I asked for a picture holding up his name:

Last week, Khaled could not spell his name. The letters he did write, he wrote backwards. Now look at him. Way to go, Khaled!!

I was working with Zachary when Megan arrived at Isla Bonita to pick me up. This is where the crazy day really begins...

On the short bike ride from the elementary school to the water taxi dock, I didn't tie up my skirt. (I typically tie up my maxi skirts because I'm worried about them getting caught in the chains.) I thought it was such a short ride, literally right down the street, so I didn't tie it up today. And...it got caught in the chains. And Megan and I couldn't free my skirt.

Luckily, two random strangers came up and asked if we needed help. My response: "Um, sort of." Picture me glued to my bike by my skirt, one man holding up my bike, another one untangling my skirt from the chain, and Megan standing idly by. (Kidding, Megan had already tried to help.) Luckily, they got my skirt out of the gear, we said thanks, and away we went.

1. Lexi failed to tie up her skirt and paid for it.

We arrived in Caye Caulker early, so Megan and I grabbed lunch at a beach-front restaurant. Check out these fun swing seats:

After lunch, we grabbed a golf cart taxi and headed to the tutoring center. Once on the golf cart, I told the man our destination. I only knew the name of the tutoring center, not the location. He did not know where we wanted to go. Our conversation went something like this...

Me: Do you know where we're going?
Taxi driver: *silence*
Me: The Step-By-Step Tutoring Center...
Taxi driver: Tutoring Center?
Me: It's like a school.
Taxi driver: By the high school?
Me: No...I don't think so. *points Northwest* It's that direction.
Taxi driver: *thinks* ...By the lumber yard?
Me: Yes!!

We did make it to the tutoring center, and he gave us a discount because we were teachers.

2. Neither Megan, the cab driver, nor I knew where we were going.

Our visit at the tutoring center was very productive. The purpose of the visit was for Megan to talk with a student, her parent, and the teacher. The conversation between all of us was so engaging that we lost track of time. Eventually, I checked my watch and saw we had about 20 minutes until our 2:45 water taxi to San Pedro left. I told this to Megan, who informed me that it wasn't 2:45; it was 2:15.

3. We missed our return taxi to San Pedro.

No worries, we thought. We left the tutoring center soon afterward and walked back to the beach to check the time for the next water taxi. 3:45. No biggie.

3:40 rolls around, and I see the water taxi at the pier. We grabbed our bags and our tickets and boarded the taxi.

After about a half hour, I started to wonder...where were we? We should've arrived in San Pedro by then. I looked around and couldn't see the reef anymore. Not a good sign. I told Megan, "I'm, like, 80% sure we're on our way to Belize City." Megan pulled out the taxi schedule, and we examined it. There was a 3:45 to San Pedro...and a 3:30 to Belize City! So, while we had thought it was awesome the water taxi was five minutes early, it was actually another taxi that was 10 minutes late.

To confirm, Megan asked the elderly woman next to her. Sure enough, we were on a boat heading to Belize City.

4. We took a water taxi to Belize City instead of San Pedro.

A few minutes later, around 4:30pm, we reached the city. We talked to the men working for the taxi company, and they agreed to let us take the 4:30 from Belize City to Caye Caulker to San Pedro. The nice elderly woman we talked to offered to buy us tickets back to San Pedro (how sweet, right?), but we didn't need to get new tickets, anyway. After another stop in Caye Caulker, we finally made it back to San Pedro at 6:15. Here's our "we finally made it back" selfie:

We were on the water taxi so long, we got to see the sunset:

When we stepped foot back on San Pedro (I more or less tripped onto San Pedro... I stumbled over that darn maxi skirt getting off the water taxi), we decided to grab some chow before riding back to the hostel. Burgers for $5 Bz, you just can't beat that. Except...while we were waiting in line at the stand in the square, the strap of my sandal snapped.

5. I broke my shoes.

I'm now safely back at the hostel, one pair of sandals down, and I think I should go to bed before anything else goes wrong.

So, there you go. The best day ever. Ha!

Tutoring and Full Circle Project Stuff

Last Friday, I took a water taxi to Caye Caulker to visit the Step-By-Step Tutoring Center for children with varying abilities. An officer from the Ministry of Education visited the center to do an inspection, and she invited me along. I was able to complete some observations. The center is run by a licensed teacher who has very limited training in education. The dedication of this teacher is inspiring... Check out some crocodiles the students made when they learned about recycling:

On the way back to San Pedro, I convinced the officer we should ride on the top (open) floor of the water taxi. We took a selfie with the water in the background, and although I know she would absolutely LOVE if I posted it here on my blog, I'll just share this one:

To my homeschool group:

Hello, friends! Just wanted to give a quick update on how things are going here in relation to your contribution/participation.

First, thanks again for all the supplies you donated! (For those who are unaware, my homeschool group from North Carolina donated hundreds of dollars of school supplies to the schools here.)

Second, I gave the middle schoolers at Isla Bonita Elementary School your letters today (I did the Full Circle Project with my homeschoolers)! They have completed their letters and bracelets, which are ready to be brought back to the U.S. Exciting, yes?!

I also taught the Belizean middle schoolers about the U.S., as I taught the American homeschoolers about Belize. Well, I didn't teach them; they taught themselves. For both groups of students, I had them do research in small groups about the opposing country (topics ranged from food to animals to holidays), and they presented their research to the other groups.

Taking another trip to the Step-By-Step Tutoring Center in Caye Caulker with a doctoral student tomorrow! I'm looking forward to it.

Dear Wilmington friends,

¡Hola! It's Ms. Gibson! I'm writing from Belize. Guess what I did last night?...

I went crocodile hunting! We all went out on a boat and caught some crocodiles. We measured how long they were, gave them a name (my favorite was Squish!), and let them back in the water safely. Here's a picture of Squish...

This week, I got to meet some of our Belize friends. One of them is named Rudy...

Our friends are really excited to get the letters and bracelets you made for them. Then they will make some for you!

I also met a really pretty dog. Here in Belize, they call dogs "perros." What do you think of my perro friend?...

Remember how I told you the food here in Belize is different from the food we eat in Wilmington? Here is a picture of a delicious burrito I ate the other day...

Tell Mr. Z, Mrs. Hall, and Ms. Arnold I say, "¡Hola!"

-Ms. Gibson

Funny The Way It Is

As our first week of teaching comes to a close, I have been trying to reflect on what challeneges I've faced these past several days. There have been minor challenges--like forming a schedule and adjusting it for absent students. Teaching without Internet was difficult, but the staff at Isla Bonita graciously gave me access to their wifi, greatly expanding my resources. Finding a place to teach seemed challenging at first, but now I love not knowing where we're going to work...at the picnic tables, maybe? In the conference room? The balcony? The playground? We've done it all...

All those small issues are not really problems, just me settling into the San Pedro educational culture. It's very relaxed and informal here, and I love that. And, unrelated, I absolutely love riding my bike to and from school; I wish I could do that easily at home!

My biggest challenge here so far is finding opportunities to compare my teaching practice to those comparable in nature here in Belize. Special education is building rapidly in the United States and is obviously what I specialize in. Many of the wonderful educators at Isla Bonita have not received training in teaching students with disabilities, so I haven't been able to form an accurate comparison of our work.

I have, however, observed most of the classrooms at Isla Bonita Elementary School and at a tutoring center in Caye Caulker (more about that to come!), and I've been able to make comparisons between these classes and the general education classrooms in the States. They are very different from each other, and I find that so interesting. In the U.S., we are so concerned with research-based programs and approaches, and while I know that the teaching methods I've been taught to use work effectively, I have to wonder: don't the instructional strategies used here in Belize get the job done in the end? I understand the need for structure in special education classrooms, but I can't help but feel that the American educational system (and just America in general) needs to learn from San Pedro and relax a bit.

Meet Kyla

I wanted to share a little more about one of my students: Kyla.

She is in the Standard IV class (grade 6) at Isla Bonita, and I pull her out a few times each day to work with her on communication skills. Kyla has Down syndrome and is completely nonverbal. As I wrote yesterday, I decided that my focus for Kyla will be learning sign language. I've only worked with her two days, and I have to say that she's one of the best students I've ever had (in my two-year career as a student teacher).

She has the sweetest smile and genuinely loves to learn. I believe this is because she's practicing a method of communicating effectively--something she's never experienced before. After two days of working with Kyla, she is able to sign door, window, tree, flowers, bike, walk, chair, sit, stairs, numbers 1-10, her name, soda, water, juice, bathroom, pencil, paper, hello, goodbye, bag, shoes, shoelaces, and beautiful. We take walks around the school, and I point to something (e.g., door) and say/sign, "What's that?" She has picked up these words so quickly and generalizes with ease. In other words, no matter which window or tree I point to, she will use the appropriate sign. Her ability to generalize has huge implications on what's going on inside that beautiful mind of hers.

Imagine going a decade understanding what people are saying to you and not being able to say anything back. Imagine being around peers who think you have no clue what's happening, when you really do. I believe this occurs all the time (all around the world, U.S. included), and I believe this is Kyla.

Kyla's signing ability is impeccable. But it has no value if no one understands her, right? This is the exactly the thought process of Kyla's classmates, and through collaboration between their Belizean teacher, American teacher (thanks, Liz!), and me, we set up a time during the school day for me to teach the entire class some sign language. How thoughtful are those students, really!

On a lighter note, it "rained" (like, three sprinkles) today during lunch, and all of us American teachers rushed into the courtyard to feel the coolness of it. We looked like a bunch of goofs who've never seen rain in our lives, and I couldn't help but think of this scene from Holes.

How much am I loving this trip?

Too much? No, I don't think that's possible.

We're two days in to our teaching experiences here in San Pedro, and I think mine is going well. I'm still trying to piece together a schedule that will most benefit my students while also being as considerate to the other teachers as possible, which is tricky. I've also been gathering my pool of students, and I've nearly put together a little roster for myself. Let me introduce you to one of my students, Eliany:

I'm working with Eliany and her mother on communicating using photos.

So, my approach to this experience is to do what I know. On Monday, I just observed all eight classrooms. Based on what I saw (which wasn't much because a lot of my potential students were absent), I created a schedule for Tuesday for pulling out students to do some probing. That schedule was altered several times throughout the day, and after school, I revised it even more. I've learned a lot about my students, though. And I can show you because I kept data (note to self: photographs are really great for data collection). For example, I took a picture of Zachary after he wrote his name:

How proud of his work does he look? I also probed Kyla today; during my time with her, I gave her frequent, short breaks to draw on my tablet. I saved several of her "drawings." How interesting is this:

(She copied our names from my personal whiteboard). I've decided that Kyla and I will be working on communicating through sign language. She currently has no system to communicate, but today we worked on signing, and she seems really receptive to it. Here's a picture of her finger spelling her name:

Overall, there are nine students I will be working with. Additionally, I join a class during their reading lesson to read with a small group. After probing, I created some goals for each students, and these goals will help form my lessons. I'm loving all of this (even though it is definitely hot), and I'm feeling positive about the possibilities for the next several weeks.