Our students were so thoughtful. After they meet some of the staff’s children, one student, Alyssa purchased soccer balls and a doll to leave for the children.

Here is Alyssa’s story: “On Wednesday during lunch I had noticed that a few of the tour guides were playing volleyball, and being a volleyball player asked to join. Carlos one of the tour guides started making jokes with me saying they are pro so it’s going to be tough to compete with them. During the “game” I saw a few kids running around. I started talking to the little boy who is about 8 years old named Jaimito. I asked him to join in on the game and he hopped right in. Eventually the game had ended but I was still hanging around and met the two little girls, one named Sumi who is 11 and Mirani who is 2. After a few minutes of playing volleyball with the children I had to leave for our next trip but had promised them that when I came back I would hang out with them again.
As promised when we got back I ran up to them grabbed the volleyball and we started playing again. As we played they seemed to be more comfortable with me and started talking more. Sumi could speak the most English and was helping me learn Spanish. I tried talking to Mirani and I forgot it was only Spanish she spoke and she was also only two so it was very few. I would say hola and she would make an adorable face and noise at me, and I would try saying whats up in Spanish and she would do the same. I then tried tu bonita (you are beautiful) and she shined a smile my way and said Si (yes).
I introduced the kids to Katy and my other roommate Jessica and we all started to play another game of volleyball. We were running around and all acting like children. At one point Jaimito started whispering to Sumi about me. I demanded to know why they were giggling so much and pointing at me. As I soon found out Jaimito gave me a nickname. Nades Sonas (big nose) I started laughing as well. He also gave Katy and Jessica nicknames. Like, big ears and big mouth. For the next few hours we were making jokes back and fourth and having a ball. They were some of the coolest kids I have ever met.
I noticed as the days past when we would play the kids had some real talent at soccer and volleyball but they had told me that they really enjoyed soccer. My next plan was when we would go shopping in San Ignacio I would buy a soccer boy for the oldest kids and a little doll for Mirani.
After we got back Saturday with two soccer balls and a doll in my bags I had found out that the children went home because their mom had been in labor and had her fourth child, a girl. We all signed the ball for the children and had Pablo deliver those. We also signed the schools name on the other ball and left it for the resort. Something that I can look forward to seeing to when I come back next year (hopefully)” – Alyssa

We are very excited and very sad on this last day of our trip.  Excited to see all the animals at the Belize Zoo and sad that we have to leave this wonderful place.

“The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center was started in 1983, as a last ditch effort to provide a home for a collection of wild animals which had been used in making documentary films about tropical forests.  Today, The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center is settled upon 29 acres of tropical savanna and exhibits over 150 animals, representing over 45 species, all native to Belize. The zoo keeps animals which were orphaned, rescued, born at the zoo, rehabilitated animals, or sent to The Belize Zoo as donations from other zoological institutions.”  – http://www.belizezoo.org/

Entrance to the Belize Zoo

The biggest thrill at the Zoo would have to be meeting Junior the Jaguar.  Born shortly after his mother was brought to the zoo because she was killing sheep, Junior has quickly become a star.

Monica & Autumn petting Junior

For a small fee visitors can enter a cage within the jaguars enclosure and get really close to Junior.  Instructor Kathy Tosa even got a “kiss” on her forehead from Junior!  Alyssa also enjoyed holding a boa constrictor.

Although the internet was not available during the last few days of our trip.  I am posting a brief description and some photos for Saturday Jan 7th, 2012.

On Saturday we visited two different Mayan Sites near San Ignacio. Xunantunich and Cahal Pech.

Climbing the stairs

Our Group

Xunantunich is locate atop a ridge above the Mopan river within sight of the Guatemalan border. The pyramid known as “El Castillo”, the second tallest structure in Belize (after the temple at Caracol), at some 130 feet tall. Its name means “Stone Woman” in the Maya language (Mopan and Yucatec combination name), and, like many names given to Maya archaeological sites, is a modern name; the ancient name is currently unknown. The “Stone Woman” refers to the ghost of a woman claimed by several people to inhabit the site, beginning in 1892.

Hanging out on top of the temple

The views of both Belize and Guatemala were just amazing!

Cahal Pech

Cahal Pech

It is a collection of 34 structures, with the tallest temple being about 25 meters in height, situated around a central acropolis.

Corbel Vault

The structures were much more intimate with small rooms and walk ways and arches known as corbel vaults. There is a small museum with a real skeleton!

One of the most exciting things we saw at Cahal Pech was a real excavation in progress!

The primary excavation of the site began in 1988. Restoration continues under the leadership of, Dr. Jaime Awe, Director of the National Institute of Archaeology (NICH), Belize.

Excavation in progress!

Skeleton

Collecting Stream Organisms

In the morning today we collected data for an ongoing stream monitoring project.  We collected little organisms from the stream and identified these organisms.  Most of these are insect larva that will become damselflies, mayflies, dragonflies.

That rock was heavy!

The presence or absence of certain organisms indicate pollution levels.  We also collected snails. We learned that snails can be “right-handed”or “left-handed”: their shells can curve to the right or left.  Right handed snails are less tolerant of pollution.  Good news! We did not find any left handed snails.

Collecting stream organisms

Identifying Stream Organisms Under the Microscope

Analyzing water samples

In the atfernoon today we visited the Cave Branch Orchid Rescue and learned about orchid conservation. The orchids there were beautiful. Afterwards we went to a citrus orchard and found wild orchids. We removed a few of the wild orchids growing there and transported them to a new, safer location within the Sleeping Giant Rain Forest Resort. All of the new rescued orchids were placed on one tree and will be marked with our names on them and the date they were rescued.

Ochids Collected for Rescue

After returning from the Orchid Rescue project, we had the privilege to complete our oral history interviews with Carlos our guide and Rose, our hostess. This was a great experience and we learned a lot about the Belizean customs and the history of these individuals. What a pleasure to exchange information about our different cultures. We are learning to appreciate each other’s unique qualities, which is so important in today’s society.

Katy with Master Gardener Chan

Peace and love to all of you, from Belize, Kimberly and Kara.

Kara's Orchid

Orchid

Our internet connection in not always working, so do not be concerned about us if we do not post promptly each evening.

Tikal

Man, so what did we do today? I feel like it was something of some sort of importance. O yea, now I remember, we only ventured to the heart of Mayan civilization in Tikal, Guatemala, no big deal. There were dangers along the journey such as spider monkeys (I don’t know why they call them spider monkeys, I mean come on, they don’t even have eight legs), deadly tarantulas, about a mile long of leaf-cutting ants, all in their natural habitat, making an already promising journey even more thrilling. As we finally made it to the top of the four individual temples within the city, we received a small, yet riveting glimpse of what Mayan civilization looked like, a civilization that reaches back thousands of years. -Lance and Justin

View from Temple IV

Tikal was a breath taking experience to which pictures unfortunately do no justice to the actual experience. It was fun to see the leaf-cutter ants marching diligently along the trails and watching the howler monkeys interact with each other and seeing them respond to passersby. We saw a tarantula the size of an adult’s hand, which was scary enough to see and touch, let alone let crawl on your arm. The highest point of all was the challenge of walking up Temple 4. The rewarding view was looking over top of the trees and seeing the remaining temples within the forest. -Autumn & Monica

I can’t believe I did this! Usually a small spider less than a centimeter big is enough to scare me away but not this tarantula. With my classmates encouragement, I decided to hold it and allow it to climb up my arm. Frozen in disbelief, I did not move a muscle. This was quite an experience that I will never forget!- Misty

Concurring Fear of Spiders

Foot Print Cave

What a spectacular view on the way to Foot Print Cave!  The bus ride to our fantastic exploration to the ancient cave was awesome and thrilling. We went tubing down a river into the cave and saw artifacts left by the Mayans. –Kara & Kim

Medicinal Plant Trail

What a tasteful afternoon on the Medicinal Plant trail.  In addition to learning what plants are used to treat aliments from toothaches to high blood pressure, we had the opportunity to stimulate all of our taste buds with trying a variety of different species.  Extending from chewing on minty termites to a bitter tree stem, everything was new, exciting and interesting! We are looking forward to trying more new and outrageous native species.  –Alyssa, Katy, & Misty

Willy Wonka

 The Foot Print Cave in Belize was an amazing adventure: we tubed down a river to reach the cave, crawled around because the ceiling was low in places, saw fruit and insect bats hanging, and beautiful crystal covered walls. The stalactite formations drip down from the top. Other formations just flow. One particular formation (a stalagmite) was a caramel covered marshmallow wonder. It appears that Willy Wonka really does exist – and he lives in a cave in Belize!!  -  Autumn & Monica

Mayan Artifacts

In the Foot Print Cave after crawling over some very dangerous rock formations we stumbled upon a piece of history: the Mayan pottery shells which had been there so long they had started to become part of the cave. They had been used in ceremonies from hundreds of years ago, as the cave we were in represented the Mayan underworld. It’s about as close as you can get to the ancient Mayan practices in our time period. – Lance & Justin

Tube for river rafting

Cohune Nut

Tasting cohune nut

Cebia Tree

Mayan Artifacts

Tasting termites

The "marshmallow"

Mouth full of termites

Cave

We arrived safely in Belize and the field station. We enjoyed a wonderful Belizean dinner.

Our Home Away From Home

We are all starting to get very excited to go to Belize.  The snow finally started falling in Muskegon and we are going on to the warm rainforest! Follow are trip and see our exciting adventures. This photo shows the Sibun Education and Adventure Lodge where we will be studying.