Week Five(ing) & Thriving

We write to you from the bus bringing us back to Belize City where we will reunite with Primary for our final week of teaching. That’s right, our FINAL week! This pst week was by far the speediest one yet. On Monday morning we were introduced to all of the students at Ecumenical during devotion. We got to listen to the singing of the Belize national anthem as well as multiple prayers. The rest of the week was jam packed with lessons surrounding abuse, mental health and healthy sexual relationships. In preparation for exams, we were able to highlight the importance of taking care of your mental health!On Wednesday, we teamed up with the Belize Family Life Association and led mini stations surrounding multiple topics. The students were able to participate in games of trivia and the classic condom relay. This was a great opportunity to get to know some of the students outside of the classroom.Our favourite moment from the week was the Ecumenical Prom! We got dolled up in our teaching polos and skirts (pants for Jack) and headed to the school. One of the main differences between a Belizean prom and one in Canada would be the entrances. Students pulled out all the stops to impress their classmates and the majority of the Dangriga population. Students rolled in on horse-drawn carriages, ‘night club’ themed floats and in Barbie boxes. It was a spectacular evening and we feel so lucky to have been invited!It was so hard having to say goodbye to another group of incredible students this past week. They were all filled with bundles of enthusiasm and an eagerness to participate. Some of our favourite things to do with the students included games of ‘Spud’, ‘QHO says’ and ‘Would you rather’. At the end of this week we are all a little bit more confident in Punta dancing and the lyrics to ‘Scooby Doo Pa Pa’. Thank you to all of the staff and students at Ecumenical who were so welcoming and made our time at the school unforgettable. A special thanks to Ms. Mayorga for being so supportive and inclusive.In addition to our time at Ecumenical, we finished up our peer educator sessions at Delille high school. The girls who participated learned about mental health, being a good bystander and abuse. We loved having open discussions with the group about their concerns and finding solutions that would further benefit their classmates.Before heading back to Belize City, we explored Dangriga a little further. We were lucky enough to participate in a drum lesson, attend the mango festival, learn about the traditional Maya chocolate making and ride horses through the jungle.We are so excited to be back with our other half for this final week and finish off our time teaching with primary aged students. That’s all for now, but keep your eyes peeled for our FINAL blog post next week.