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Jessica Martinez: Student Report from 2016 Alternative Spring Break in Belize

Coconut Seedlings
Coconut Seedlings in Belize

My Spring Break trip to Belize was an adventure full of National Geographic moments, cultural immersion, and international bounding. This journey started with our host family, the Marins. I loved touring their sustainable farm and you can tell they put a lot of time and effort into their project, Barzakh Falah. Every plant and animal at the farm were specifically and strategically chosen to provide some benefit to the farm or its future residents. You can tell Barzakh Falah is a labor of love for the Marin family and I am privileged to have been a part of it. Before even stepping foot on a plane, I was worried about the physical labor part of the trip. Being a 5‘4“ petite woman whose favorite exercise is power napping, I was understandably concerned about how my body would handle the construction work. However, Jaime cleverly designed the construction set up so that the work relied more on intelligence than sheer muscle power. That combined with the almost mechanically efficient teamwork we developed really made the construction work quite manageable. In fact, we Tennessee Volunteers were so hard working, we accomplished twice the amount of work that a paid team of Belizean workers would have done (much to Jaime’s astonishment and delight). I was delighted by the fact that not only was I getting physically stronger every day, but the team I was working with was getting stronger every day as well. On Saturday, we were all strangers, but by Friday night, we were all sitting in Nancy’s living room laughing and playing spoons like we were the best of friends.

Jessica Martinez with an Iguana
Jessica Martinez with an iguana resting on her head at an Iguana Sanctuary.

Everyone was so nice in Belize. As soon as I got off the plane, strangers were going out of their way to try and help me find my way. Everywhere we went in Belize, everyone had a smile and was very kind and accommodating. I really enjoyed being able to give back to the community, working on the farm, and eating at local restaurants.

I also really enjoyed the food in Belize, despite getting sick on the second day. Honestly, I didn’t expect to like the food. I come from a German immigrant family, so the idea of eating nothing but spicy Caribbean food was not very thrilling. But wow, was I wrong; the cooking was amazing! We ate mostly home-cooked flavor (and veggie) packed meals. Honestly, I probably ate healthier there than I do on campus! Even my parents noticed how “fit and skinny” I looked after going to Belize. All the meals were surprisingly delicious combinations of chicken, rice, vegetables, the best tortillas you’ll ever have, and lots of fruit. Now that I’m back in the States I’m craving fruit like crazy since we ate so much of it there.

Jessica Martinez in front of Tikal Temple
Jessica Martinez standing in front of the Tikal Temple in Guatemala.

Our day trips around Belize were an experience in themselves. We had the amazing opportunity to visit three Mayan ruin sites: Xunantunich, Cahal Pech, and Tikal. I’ve been slightly obsessed with the Mayans since I was a child (a perk of being the child of a history teacher), and It was amazing to finally see Mayan cities. Also, since Tikal is not only an archeological preserve, but a national wildlife conservation park, we saw monkeys, parrots, toucans, snakes, and tarantulas in their native habitat! Later in the week, Jaime took us to a beautiful blue swimming hole and cave. The swimming hole was so refreshing, and the cave was breathtaking with its rock formations that sparkled like constellations in the light of our flashlights. Both looked like they came straight out of the cover of a magazine. Finally, one of my personal favorites was the iguana encounter. It was so much fun being able to hold the iguanas and watch them crawl all over us. Being a wildlife major, I really enjoyed discussing the conservation program, its strategies, and issues, and comparing them to the programs we have back home.

Albino Peacock
Albino Peacock

During this trip, we accomplished more than building Belize’s first root cellar. We forged friendships, conquered fears, and made memories we’ll treasure for the rest of our lives, but that’s what happens when you’re a Tennessee trail blazer!