The second half of orientation week was packed with activity as there was so much to experience in this new place! We got our hands dirty in the garden, both planting and harvesting and tearing up a chunk of our lawn so we can grow more food. Planting pineapple from the tops of the fruit we had eaten earlier that day was definitely a new experience!
Walking on ancient stones at Xuantunich (Shou-naan-tune-itch), an ancient Maya city, and learning about the history of the people who used to fill this region with their cities, temples, roads, and fields got us thinking about what it would have been like to live in the heart of the Mayan world 1500 years ago.
Music and dancing is an important part of Belizean culture, so we listened to, danced, and learned how to play the Marimba!
Becoming acquainted with the natural history and ecology of Belize took us to volunteer at Belize Botanic Gardens. Picking star fruit from trees and eating it, getting lost under giant Heliconia leaves, and observing many rare species of native orchids gave us a picture of the abundance and beauty of plant life that we will be living alongside for the rest of the semester!
The amazing Belize Zoo was our last stop of orientation week. Everyone got out of their comfort zone and made some new friends with a variety of creatures that also call Belize home!
The end of orientation week brought independent traveling! Now that the students have seen other parts of Belize and are back on campus, they can begin to appreciate Nabitunich. From with the amazing food prepared for us everyday by Miss Flora and Miss Shelley, to the simple pleasure of resting in a hammock while watching the sun go down over the pastures of the farm and the hills that fill the horizon, the Nab has so much joy to offer.
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