Program Reviews

I had the most amazing time with therapy abroad! I felt apart of the local community and met so many incredible people. I was really nervous for the experience initially but after the first few hours in Belize I felt so comfortable! I did not want to leave and cried at the airport when I had to say my goodbyes! Highly recommend the program! Now that I have Graduated with my masters I am ready to go back as a supervisor and supervise students that were in my place last year to learn and grow as a future speech therapist.

This trip was so much better than I could have ever imagine. I felt safe every step of the way, the communication from staff and mentors was timely and accurate, and every person made sure the trip was as smooth and fun as possible. The “guides” went above and beyond to explain things to us or make us more comfortable. I left the trip with friends and professional mentors that I still talk to!! I also recommend the trip for resume/skill building. I learned so much about the career and day-to-day of an SLP while on this trip. I was immersed in clinical work and exposed to such a breadth of information in a digestible way.

I found Therapy Abroad on google so I went into my trip a little nervous. Let me say that the trip to Belize exceeded my expectations. I gained more knowledge about the field of communication sciences and disorders than any class I had taken in college. My supervisors were extremely knowledgeable and helpful throughout the experience. Student clinicians were able to create their own lesson plan based on client evaluations and goals. This allowed me to see what would and wouldn’t work in a session across multiple populations. I recommend the Therapy Abroad trip to anyone interested in a CDS profession! The memories and friends I made on this trip will last a lifetime.

In Belize, our motto was “be flexible”. Getting thrown into treatment when we had never done it before was overwhelming, but I learned SO much!! The travel was seamless. The food was the same often. It was SUPER hot. We were all so so hot because it was 115°. We got to go deep sea fishing and snorkeling. Some days we only did therapy and paperwork then sat there and didn’t do anything because there wasn’t anything to do around where we were. Therapy abroad is a wonderful company, but I have heard that other trips are better than the Belize trip.

I think the trip was fantastic. It was an extremely rewarding and enriching experience. Everyone was very kind. The country itself is breathtakingly beautiful, and the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the local culture while providing essential Speech and Language Therapy services was truly fulfilling. I am grateful for the chance to contribute to such meaningful work.

However, there were moments during the trip where I felt rushed and a bit on edge, particularly when tasked with specific responsibilities. On the last day of the Tykes camp, instead of being guided and supported, I found myself being directed on what to do with the kids, which left me feeling somewhat overwhelmed. A bit more assistance in these situations would have been helpful.

But overall, it was a 10/10 experience and I would 100% do it again!

Some things I wish I would’ve known is that unscented bug spray doesn’t work as well as the scented kind. On days I used the unscented it felt like I was being bitten nonstop but when I used the scented they didn’t seem as bad. Also that mosquitoes are attracted to black clothing so try to avoid black clothing. I also wished I would’ve only taken a larger backpack as a carry on and one checked bag to avoid having to lug around multiple bags. I would also bring a larger water bottle to avoid having to fill it up multiple times since water can be hard to get at times. I would also recommend water shoes for Punta Gorda, since the water can be rocky at times. I also learned that you can get seasick while snorkeling, so I would make sure to bring Dramamine even if you don’t think you’re going to get sick. The last thing I wish I would’ve known is to bring as much unscented toiletries as possible as it keeps the bugs from biting you.

I had an amazing time on this trip. It was a great mix of academics and fun! I would have liked the trip to be even longer which shows it was a great time! 12 days would be a great amount to divide up the travel days and have an extra day or 2 in Caye Caulker! With more time, there is more free time for the students to explore as well. Zip lining, snorkeling, distillery tour, and the spice farm were my personal favorite activities during the trip! I loved a piece of ground and staying in the same room with all the girls, we had a blast!

As an SLP student who had the incredible opportunity to work with children in Belize, my experience with therapy abroad was both profoundly rewarding and enlightening. The chance to engage with children from diverse backgrounds allowed me to develop a more adaptable and culturally sensitive approach to speech-language pathology. Therapy abroad in Belize was an invaluable learning experience. It expanded my professional skills, deepened my understanding of cross-cultural practices, and reinforced my commitment to providing empathetic and individualized care. I highly recommend such opportunities to any SLP student eager to broaden their horizons and make a meaningful impact in diverse communities.

Overall, the trip was a very worthy experience! It was great getting to immerse myself in the community, learn about the healthcare system there, and getting to make an impact on families and individuals that do not have as much access to therapy services. The excursions were fun experiences. I really enjoyed zip lining, cave tubing, and snorkeling. Belize has the second largest barrier reef in the world, and we got to see so many things, including a manatee. The food was wonderful as well. Having everything included in the up front price was very convenient, as well as having a set schedule every day. I would definitely recommend it!

I had a a great time! Both settings of camp and individuals sessions was a good experience. I did enjoy the individual sessions more than camp.

I thought all of the meals were delicious. I would recommend having to go options, so they are not all formal sit downs.

All the excursions were a great experience! Especially the Mayan women’s group, snorkeling, cave tubing & zip lining. I would recommend allowing for more time for documentation during session days.

Overall, I would recommend this experience to other OT students as I think the clients could greatly impact from these services.