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Andre Norfleet: Student Report from 2015 Alternative Summer Break in Belize

Andre Norfleet Working in Belize
Andre Norfleet works on an engineering service project in Belize in May 2015.

The trip to Belize was a great and rewarding experience for me, not only because of the physical labor tasks that we accomplished but also because of some of the lessons that I took home with me. Our group had the goal of getting the foundation created for the future foster child transition house and I was very fortunate to be part of a group that was focused on getting the job done and encouraging each other. Our group exceeded its initial expectations of finishing the foundation within the week and got a solid head start on the art-bagging process. This leads me to the first important lesson that I took home from this experience: “teamwork makes the dream work.”

The importance of teamwork is one of the critical components of success in both the engineering profession as well as many other tasks. This past week I saw that a group of people focused on a central goal can make some really positive things happen. Despite the fact that only two people out of our six person group initially knew each other we still were able to form a cohesive unit because everyone sincerely wanted to help the cause and kept positive attitudes about the hard work that we had to do. The art-bagging process provided us a way to put our individual strengths and ideas together and it showed me that a team of people can be much more efficient and rewarding than a person acting individually.

Another important lesson that this experience taught me is the importance of appreciation. I have always known that we have many privileges that we take for granted here in the United States but upon arriving in Belize I saw firsthand that many of the native people do not have the luxuries we possess in the States. Despite this I noticed right away that many of the people I met have brighter outlooks on things than many of us, who take our blessings for granted and constantly complain. My observations gave me the understanding that we are all dealt different hands and life and we have an obligation to play those cards to the best of our ability without worry about the cards that we haven’t been dealt.

As for the down time that we had to explore San Ignacio and the country of Belize, I absolutely loved it. I might be a little biased because I am a city kid who doesn’t get outdoors much and it was my first international experience but the scenery of the palm trees with the vast mountain backdrop constantly kept me mesmerized! We got an opportunity to explore the Mayan ruins of Xunantunich, horseback ride beside the river, and canoe along the Macal River, all of which are activities that I will most likely never have the chance to do again so I am very grateful that I got to partake.

I am very glad that I was able to be a part of this trip. I felt like I made a positive contribution, gained engineering knowledge, worked with positive and hardworking students, stayed with an excellent and very kind family at their guest house, and even figured out how to maneuver through customs in the process.