Belize Study Abroad: Worland resident goes on medical mission

Through Mayville State University in Mayville, North Dakota and the group People Inspire People, my dream to study abroad became a reality. My journey started when I was applying for nursing school. The nursing school at Mayville State University is fairly new, but offers many opportunities for their students. This was the first year a group of nursing students from Mayville would be traveling to Belize for two weeks for a medical mission.

Myself, eight fellow students, and a faculty advisor traveled to Punta Gorda, Belize from May 14 to May 28. While in the country, we were given the opportunity to live with local families, immerse ourselves in the Belizean culture, while also learning about their country.

Even though our trip began in May, preparation began in January.

It took a lot for us to prepare for this trip. We had monthly meetings where we discussed the mission work we would be doing as well as other activities we would be participating in. At our last meeting we put together boxes for us to take of all the donations we received from surrounding businesses. I was also fortunate enough to receive support and donations from a local Worland business as well, McDonald’s.

For each of our activities that we had planned while we were in Belize, we had to gather bulk medical supplies, as well as supplies for our health education projects. We were able to gather all of the supplies that we needed in order to effectively provide health screenings, teach health education, community service, and to provide first aid as necessary.

Each of us prepared health education projects before the trip that we presented multiple times throughout different health education days conducted in community and school classroom settings.

Incorporating a variety of interactive and application based approaches, Belizean students, parents, and community members were educated on topics including composting, recycling, environmental concerns with Styrofoam products, plant nurseries, planting trees, and the benefits of organic instead of processed foods.

In addition, we provided health screenings and education related to diabetes, hypertension, foot care, and vision/visual acuity. We also conducted a foot care clinic, providing nail care, health education, and screenings to many older adults in need.

We also provided community service in the form of building a seedling house for the San Pedro Columbia School. The extreme temperature changes of the climate in Belize presented unique challenges during the days of construction, but we pulled together and worked hard in spite of the heat. We completed the project in just two days.

The seedling house will provide an ongoing environment free of insects and excess sun. Seedlings will receive appropriate water amounts in which they may grow and then be transplanted into the school gardens. The children in the schools will continue to support the gardens and this seedling house will be essential to ensure growth of the garden plants.

Our Group also participated in a variety of educational, cultural, and adventure activities during our time in Belize. We learned about the culture and history of Belize from a local historian, toured a chocolate factory and learned about how chocolate is made from the cacao bean, hiked in the jungle and learned about plant medicine from a traditional Garifuna healer. During our hike through the jungle, our tour guide told us how the Mayans used the different trees and plants for survival. We had many demonstrations including how to make stitches from ants, how to drink from vines, and eat termites. Our group also spent two days in the jungle at an ecological conservation center learning about rainforest biology and biodiversity, organic agriculture, music, and art. In addition, we participated in Creole drum lessons and enjoyed swimming in a cave and snorkeling about the Belize Barrier Reef.

This was an experience of a lifetime. Not only did we get to see the Caribbean way of life, but we got to interact and work with the people, spread our knowledge and care to them. Every student went to Belize with an open mind and left with a touched heart and a new culture experience. Experiences like these can challenge us to adapt to the new surroundings, but it is an eye opener to what it is really like in the world. I would highly recommend this experience to others.

Taylor Maya, a graduate of Worland High School, is attending Mayville State University. She worked as a summer reporter and photographer with the Northern Wyoming Daily News in 2015 and 2016.