Therapy Adventures International

Program Reviews

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Elena
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

DPT Service Trip

This was my first time out of the U.S. and I am so happy that this was my first experience. It was such a meaningful and eye-opening experience that I will never forget. With Therapy Adventures I felt like we were truly making a difference in people's lives and I am so thankful for the work they did to get us patients to see and treat. I would highly recommend this experience to any DPT student or DPT if they ever wish to participate in a service trip. This experience allowed us to utilize our skills as students and also encouraged us to have to think outside of the box in a lot of situations.

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
The most nerve racking moment for me was when my group went snorkeling. I had never done this before the trip and our first stop had sharks in the water. I was very nervous about getting in the water but through the reassurance of my classmates, professors, and the tour guides I was able to jump in and have an awesome experience with everyone that I will never forget. The waters on the island are so beautiful and I am glad I didnt allow myself to miss out on this opportunity.
Pros
  • Learning about a new culture
  • Getting to explore a new country while practicing your skills
  • Learning how to work with/treat different cultures with certain language or socioeconomic barriers
Cons
  • Adjusting to the way of living compared to in the US
  • Having to encounter bugs and one day a scorpion where we were staying
  • Having to adjust to the heat in comparison to the weather back home
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Penny
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Physical Therapy Service Trip to Belize

We recently took 10 of our DPT students to Belize with Therapy Adventures to work with many of the children in need in the area. Everyone we communicated with, from Amy at Therapy Adventures, to Juan Carlos at the TEC, Wilfred our bus driver to Dunia with the Ministry of Education were very welcoming and accommodating to make are trip the best it could be. They went above and beyond to meet our dietary needs, opened up the zoo for a night time tour (as were were always busy during the day) to a fantastic snorkeling adventure. All of the school personnel, kiddos and families were very receptive to working with us and the students and learning how they could integrate our recommendations into the kids daily lives to improve their mobility. It was a great experience and look forward to taking another group down again in the future!

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Jessica
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Belmopan, Belize

We were able to travel with Therapy Adventures to Belize for 6 nights, 7 days. Every single person from Therapy Adventures to the Tropical Education Center where we stayed was eager to make us feel comfortable and to answer questions. The food was wonderful and we felt immersed in the culture of Belize as soon as we landed at the airport. Safety was never a concern at any point. The days were spent seeing children and developing home exercise programs. The families were appreciative and it was a wonderful learning experience overall for both the students and faculty. We did have a close encounter with a friendly snake that made it's way to the living quarters; however, it was quickly removed. You will not regret working with Therapy Adventures to make this once in a life opportunity happen.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
My advice would be to relax and enjoy the experience! You do not have to know all the answers. Just be present, learn, and take in as much as you can!
Pros
  • Friendly staff
  • Food
  • Overall learning experience
Cons
  • Unwanted creatures/bugs
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Abigail
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Belize Physical Therapy Service Trip

Throughout the entire trip, it was very evident that everything was thought of and planned out. We felt very welcomed, taken care of, and accommodated. Even when our days lasted longer than we expected, we never felt looked over. Our days were planned out very well with our experience kept in mind. They were able to adjust the times of breakfast and dinner to allow us to be on time and spend the full time with the kids we were working with! Our meals were wonderful and we were able to visit so many places to get the full experience in Belize!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
One night we were able to take a tour at the Belize zoo and see all of the animals that are distinct to the area! We saw jaguars, kinkajous, ocelots, and porcupines! These animals are nocturnal, so it was such a cool experience to take a night tour.
Pros
  • Our group was able to stay in close proximity at the TEC.
  • The TEC provided great food!
  • All of our needs were accommodated by the staff!
Cons
  • It took a couple days to get used to the heat and how to use the air conditioning.
  • We had a couple issues with the showers running cold, but we had a large group staying together and we were all using our showers at the same time.
  • We had one morning where we had a scorpion in the doorway of one of the rooms.
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Samantha
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Belize Service Abroad

During our time there we developed treatment plans and educated caregivers and parents about disease progression, future health concerns, and safe caregiving practices.

Due to the limited availability and high cost of healthcare services, our treatment was often the only care these kids would receive for a long time. Knowing this, we adapted to limited resources and devised treatment methods that families could continue at home without supplies.

It is difficult to grasp the impact of a single visit, but for these children, it alleved pain and gaining the knowledge to maintain their mobility and participation in life. For parents, it meant seeing their children run outside and play with their siblings again, while for others it helped improve communication with their non-verbal children.

It's easy to overlook what we take for granted, such as easy communication, good health, and access to care. Therapy Adventure allowed us to make a significant difference in the lives of these children and their families, who would otherwise face increasing health complications with little support.

What was your funniest moment?
One of our instructors was not very comfortable with the idea of snorkeling with sting rays and sharks but managed to get in the water and have a great time. There were a few shrieks and many laughs.
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Jazzmine
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Belize

This trip to Belize with Therapy Adventures was an unforgettable and enriching experience. We stayed at the Tropical Education Center and we had the opportunity to go to two different locations to treat patients. As a first-year physical therapy student, it provided me with hands-on learning opportunities that I may not have gained in a traditional classroom setting. The experience of connecting with the local community and seeing the impact of our work was incredibly rewarding. I learned so much and this trip deepened my passion for the field.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Have fun, try something new!
Pros
  • Fun
  • Great experience for students to gain experience
  • Confidence Booster
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Meredith
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Belize

This was the most amazing experience and opportunity. My PT school traveled to Belize and stayed at the Tropical Education Center. The first two days, we visited school in Orange Walk and treated patients there. The second two days, we treated patients in Belize City at the Therapy Adventures Clinic. As a first year student, I got to apply skills I have just learned and even take on some new skills I have not yet learned with the help of my other cohorts and professors. This experience was so fulfilling and I’ll never forget it!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
We got to go snorkeling in the 2nd largest coral reef in the world! Swimming with sharks was a first but such a fun and amazing experience.
Pros
  • Great for gaining confidence/experience as a student
  • Meeting new people/ learning about the culture
  • Fulfilling experience to know you made a difference in the kids’ lives
Cons
  • Some issues figuring out which patients were coming in compared to the schedule we received beforehand
  • Long days
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Olivia
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Belmopan Belize

I loved my experience in Belmopan, Belize with Therapy Adventures! We stayed at the Tropical Education Center and I felt like they treated us like family there. The communication as far as travel plans and transportation was very easy and I felt that we were well taken care of. I loved interacting with the kids and getting to play with them while providing information to the parents. It was an eye opening experience that allowed me to increase my creativity as a practitioner and a student. I learned how to navigate different family interviews and make the most out of limited resources. Overall I would definitely do this again.

What would you improve about this program?
We treated 4 days and documented after treating which was a lot of work to do in such a short amount of days. So something I would change is treat for 5 days to spread some of the work and decrease the day to day case load because it took almost 6 hours to document after treating.
Pros
  • A great cultural emersion and meeting the kindest kids and parents
  • Providing services to people who wouldn't normally receive them
  • Learning to adapt and think on our feet in unfamiliar situations
Cons
  • Some disorganization as far as which client was coming when
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Malea
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

USI MSOT, Great time!

I learned so much from this experience! I built strong interpersonal skills and learned how to navigate cultural differences which will benefit well in my future career. The staff were all extremely kind and supportive throughout the duration of our stay. The onboarding process was straightforward and easy to complete. We were provided with traditional Belizean food from the Tropical Education Center for the entirety of the trip and it was delicious and great to experience. Would work with Therapy Adventures again!

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Emily
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Once in a lifetime chance!

I went with Therapy Adventures to Belize to fulfill one of my program fieldwork requirements for my Master of Occupational Therapy and it was amazing!!! Definitely a unique opportunity to follow an OT in another country, learn about another culture, and have excursions on our days off! They took care of us very well - all food, transportation, and lodging was included and planned for us. We spent our time at a local school for children with disabilities and a clinic with an SLP and BCBA and we came with an OT. I would definitely recommend to OT students!

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
We ate a cashew fruit on our hike to do cave tubing!