I will never forget the memories I made in Belize. As I sat in the airport, which was an experience in itself, I kept thinking about Belize. I miss the people, the water, all of the species I saw, and the friends I made during those 18 days. I miss waking up to just the sound of waves. At home, you can hear cars passing or honking, neighbors outside, and dogs barking. I miss my friends and research team. We made so many great memories while goofing around in the water. Belize is such a beautiful country with such rich history. I will miss the beauty I woke up to every morning.
I truly believe I came home a different person than when I left. I mean I can juggle now, so I'm basically a whole new woman. This trip has changed my perspective of international travel. I was always scared to travel abroad, but this trip helped me to embrace changes in your environment. It taught me to be comfortable in the uncomfortable. I've noticed, since coming home, I try to be as conservative as possible about water and plastic use. In Belize, they run off rain water that they save during their wet season. In the U.S, we are so accustomed to endless amounts of water. I try to take shorter showers to lessen my water waste. I also try to use reusable items instead of one-use plastic.
As good as the food was in Belize, I did miss Chick-Fil-A. As soon as I got to the Atlanta airport, I walked straight to a Chick-Fil-A. I also missed fast cell service. Belize did not have great service, in fact, we didn't have cell service the first 5 days of our trip. I didn't realize how dependent I was on cell service until this trip, but I learned that life can go outside of my phone. Those first 5 days were the best because everyone got to know each other without social media or something getting in the way.
Some advice I would give to those who are studying abroad is try new things and talk to people. I don't mean like trying drugs or anything dangerous, but if a group is going out fishing, go with them. If there is some optional activity, go on it. Make memories with the other students on your trip. I know that the trip is a class that you have to take seriously, but make sure to have fun. Most likely, your study abroad trip will be the best thing you ever do, so make the most of it.
