Life Back In The States.

& Just like that before I knew it my time in Belize came and went. My time there flashed before my eyes and it's hard to believe that I'm already back home. My time in Belize now feels like a dream. I mean...Wasn't I just crying in the car on the way to the Airport to leave to go to Belize? I have no idea how those five and a half weeks went by so fast. I have been back in North Carolina for a week and a half now and have missed Belize every single day.


Now...There are a few things about Belize that I won't miss like:

- THE BIKE LOCK.
- The random catcalling.
- The bell ringing at Pedro's.
- Putting toilet paper in the trash can.
- Wearing sunscreen almost every minute of every day.
- The dust from the dusty roads always being in my eyes.
- Fearing I'll be eat up by Sand Flies anytime I'm outside at night.


But there are SO MANY things about Belize that I will miss (& IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER) like:

- Sunday BBQ.
- Eating fryjacks.
- The palm trees.
- The incredible sunsets.
- The beautiful blue water.
- The adventurous excursions.
- Relaxing at Caribbean Villas.
- Karaoke Nights at Pedro's with Raul.
- Going to the beach during the School Day.
- Being a 5 - 10 minute walk from the Beach.
- Relaxing in a hammock every day after School.
- Listening to Reggae Music while riding through town.
- Drinking Coke out of a glass bottle ALL THE TIME.
- All of the precious Standard Four Girls I love so much.
- Getting to eat Supper for only $4.00 (US) or less every night.
- The teachers at Isla Bonita that I had the opportunity to get to know.
- Each of the women I formed relationships with from the San Pedro Town Library.
- Always seeing familiar faces while walking or riding my bike around San Pedro Town.
- The students at Isla Bonita I got to work with (Nayeli, Dyanara, Lorena, Genieve, and Julio).
- Walking into the Standard One Classroom and hearing "HUG FOR TEACHER!" which was always followed by a hug from sweet Kevin.


As you can see the list of things I will miss about Belize DEFINITELY outweigh the list of things that I won't miss about Belize. & On that note I am reminded about the first day I was back in Wilmington after returning from Belize. I saw a man sitting in the Student Union On Campus after I finished eating lunch and on his Laptop was there was a Flag of Belize. I looked at him with a sad face and told him that I just got back from studying abroad in Belize. He asked me about my program and why I was there so I told him. It turns out he's from Belize (he was born in Orange Walk and lived in Belmopan) and is here studying at UNCW. As I was listening to him I talk I realized that I missed hearing the Belizean Accent as well. I just couldn't believe that my FIRST DAY back in Wilmington I ran into someone who was from Belize. I mean...What were the odds of that?


When I would see people after returning back from Belize people would ask me: "Are you happy to be back home?!" & I would kind of just look at them for a minute, scrunch my face, and shrug. That was too hard of a question for me to answer. Now don't get me wrong...I love North Carolina with everything in me but I wasn't ready to come back quite yet. I was perfectly fine with being in Belize. My time there just went by too fast and I didn't get to do everything I wanted to do. Which only means I'll have to go back one day and you best believe that I plan on it too. I am POSITIVE that my International Field Experience in Belize was NOT my one and only time there. I already have a list of things that I want to do the next time I'm in Belize (go paddleboarding, eat at Estelle's, go snorkeling off the dock Caribbean Villas, go snorkeling off Ramon's Dock, volunteer at Camp Starfish, visit Sarah's Classroom at Ambergris Caye Elementary School when her students are there, etc.) But anyway...It wasn't that I didn't miss everyone here in North Carolina. Since being back I've realized how much I've missed everyone and everything here but I HAD THE TIME OF MY LIFE IN BELIZE. I was just so busy since there was always something to do and so much going that I didn't have time to worry about missing home or the people who were here which is a good thing since I never got homesick while I was there. I'm so glad that I was able to make the most of the times that I had in Belize and am so appreciative that I even had the incredible opportunity to go there and was able to call it home for five and a half weeks. I may not have been ready to leave Belize but as I slowly adjust to being back home I can say it is good to be back home.


The main things I've had to adjust to since being back home were:

- Actually putting toilet paper in the toilet.
- The sun setting two hours later than what I was used to.
- Driving again (it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be).
- Keeping up with the hustle and bustle of my life here in NC.


One of my main concerns about coming home was having to get used to busy-ness of life here in the States again but it hasn't been as bad as I thought it was going to be. I believe I was still on Island Time when I got back so I had to pick up my pace JUST A LITTLE BIT but I honestly believe (and hope) that a part of the Island Life ALWAYS stays with me from here on out for the rest of my life. I am not the same person now that I was when I left to go to Belize and I know that I've changed for the better. I may not be able to pinpoint all of the changes and things I have learned that are now a part of me at the moment but I'm sure as time goes on I will slowly but surely figure out the impact my time in Belize had on me and I'm looking forward to discovering what those will be. I honestly feel like I could just ramble on and on about the amazing time I had while I was in Belize but then this post would probably be even more confusing and all over the place than it already is (I hope you've been able to bear with me). I'll just go ahead and say that the five and a half weeks I spent in Belize were honestly the most incredible five and a half weeks of my life. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget. I have officially left a piece of my heart in Belize but I look forward to the day that I'll be going back to visit again!


Now...A lot has also happened in the short time I've been back home. I have been catching up with friends and family, I went to the Dentist, I picked up the keys to my new apartment I'll be living in next year, I paid for my first month of rent at my new apartment, I picked up my Cap & Gown, I picked up my Summa Cum Laude Honor Cord, I tried picking up my Study Abroad Stole (they were out so hopefully they come in sometime between now and Friday), I finished filling out the Paperwork for my Teaching License at my Final Seminar, I celebrated my 23rd Birthday, I shopped for new dresses to wear for my Graduation Weekend, I attended my Neighbor's Wedding, and I also took my Cap & Gown Pictures. If that sounds tiring to you imagine actually going through it...I've been pretty exhausted since returning back to the States. & The thing is...The craziness isn't even over yet. I still have to finish up my Final Assignments, attend The Red Carpet Event where our Belize Cohort will be showing our Documentaries, Graduate College, move out of my current apartment into my new apartment, and celebrate my Graduation at my Graduation Party. By Mother's Day all of the Graduation Festivities will be over and I will begin getting settled into my new apartment before starting a Summer of work in the following week. It would be pretty accurate to say at this point that REALITY HAS OFFICIALLY HIT ME. I am graduating College and am one step closer to entering into the real world. Granted...I'm still staying in Wilmington for one more year to take more courses for a Licensure Add-On to my Degree and will technically still be a College Student but I WILL STILL BE A COLLEGE GRADUATE. & THAT JUST DOESN'T SEEM POSSIBLE. I feel like I just transferred here to UNCW and it's hard to believe that after a long, hard, but amazing three years here I am almost a Licensed Teacher. I have worked so hard to get to this point and I can't believe it's happening and as each day passes I continue to get closer and closer to achieving my dreams. I have been a basketcase of mixed emotions ever since the day I left Belize but I hope through it all that I'm able to soak up every minute (mixed emotions and all) and enjoy this huge accomplishment that I have acheived and will be celebrating this week.