I just arrived in Belize. It is such a beautiful place but definitely an adjustment. The hardest part about day 1 was being so excited to see everything and meet everyone while also being so exhausted from traveling all day. We stayed in Belize city on the first night. I was excited to meet all the people in my group and find out who my roommate would be. I was assigned a group of four in a tiny room. It was definitely an adjustment as I’ve only ever shared a room with one person, let alone a bathroom with four people. However, we were so excited to be here it didn’t matter too much and we made it work. It’s so beautiful here with all new plants and animals, and also lots of bugs. The humidity is also an adjustment but it’s nice feelings the ocean breeze and we were able to all hang out in the pool before dinner. The people are so nice and welcoming. I decided to study abroad to meet new people and experience other cultures. It was surprising to me how similar Belize is to the United States. They speak Creole here and they are the only country in Central America that doesn’t speak Spanish. Creole is a simplified English. Today we are taking a boat to the Turneffe Atoll at Calabash Caye. I am excited to go snorkeling and see the beach. However, I am a little nervous because they just told us there are crocodiles and boa constrictors on the island. I hope I don’t see any. The boat ride is about an hour and a half and since Calabash Caye is a research station there is no shops or stores. Luckily, we are staying in the dorms at University of Belize. It will be interesting to see how it is similar and different to The University of Alabama.
