Sunday Reflection - Hannah Boyle

After a jam-packed week of teaching, snorkeling, and hiking, today was all about relaxation, and what better way to do that than to spend ALL day at the gorgeous Belizean Dreams Resort. I think I speak for everyone when I say that this place truly blew us all away. From the warm and accommodating staff that went above and beyond to make us feel welcome, to the amenities offered such as kayaking, paddle boarding, massages, hammocks, a pool, and a volleyball court, to its breathtaking view of the ocean, many of us found ourselves never wanting to leave. We were given the entire day to do whatever we wanted. I chose to simply lay on the beach, put in my headphones, and soak up the sun.

Then the day got even better as the sun started to set. We had just finished our beautiful, delicious dinner prepared by Chef Luis when a group of Garifuna drummers and dancers called “One Love” joined us by the pool. They performed various songs from their Belizean culture and encouraged us to jump in and sing and dance with them. At first, many of us were hesitant, but gradually more and more people joined in and soon everyone in our group was up and moving! There were two female dancers who demonstrated all of the dance moves for us to follow along and one of the male drummers lead us in call-and-repeats that we sang throughout the songs. Their dynamic energy made it easy for us to break out of our shells and let loose. My face and stomach still hurt from smiling and laughing so much! It was the perfect way to end this incredibly relaxing day, and I personally feel like it was one of the most fun times we’ve had on the trip thus far.

Although we miss our kiddos back at the schools, being surrounded by palm trees and the smell of salty air today was definitely just what we needed to get our minds right for the rest of our stay here in Belize.