Communication Sciences & Disorders in Belize

The therapy abroad trip to Belize was one of my favorite trips I’ve ever been on! Being able to observe and help facilitate speech therapy services was an incredible opportunity! I’m so thankful I got to experience this trip with my cohort friends! Being able to participate in clinicals first hand is not something we can do in the U. S. My time at therapy abroad validated there is no other career path for me. I learned so many skills that I will definitely use in my future as a speech pathologist!

This was one of the best trips I've been on. It was a perfect mixture of learning and fun. We worked in preschools and did clinical work for half of the trip and got to enjoy the beauty of Belize for the other half of the trip. The supervisors on our trip were very knowledgeable and I learned so much from them, which will be useful in my future. I loved learning about Belize's culture and the country itself. It was a very enriching experience that I am so grateful for. I definitely recommend this program!

This trip was a trip of a lifetime! I had the opportunity to travel alongside 16 other students from my undergraduate program at UGA. I definitely recommend getting a group together & going with people from your school! It made for a great adventure for all of us that I’m sure we’ll talk about until we graduate! & it helped we all at least knew of each other. We did a 7-day program over our schools spring break. We packed so much into 7 days but it was so fun! We had a great mix of both work and fun activities! We were able to do screenings in preschools and were accompanied by 2 wonderful SLP supervisors that Therapy Abroad found and placed with our group. The SLPs were so knowledgeable and very relevant in the field of Speech Pathology. I learned SO much from them, especially since both of them had two different areas of expertise within the field. We were immersed into the culture of Belize and were able to learn a lot about the country from our interactions with the locals there. Therapy abroad did a great job of giving us plenty of exposure to the culture in the areas of Belize we visited. One of the days we did a walking tour of San Ignacio led by a local guide and it was eye opening and very informative. We also got to go to the Maya ruins which was so cool!!! Also the food was delicious!!! Overall, I had a great experience and would recommend this program to anyone seeking adventure and some hands on experience in the field of Speech Pathology!!!

There was a lot packed into the one week we went to Belize. It was a beautiful country with lots for us to do and amazing experiences. There was great food, great hotel rooms/cabins, and beautiful scenery. Group flights made traveling easy and it nice to pay everything up front so we didn’t have to worry about anything while on the trip. This trip was a good mixture of educational experience, vacation, and fun. One thing that really stood out to me was how nice and accommodating everyone was in Belize, especially at the hotels we stayed in.

I absolutely loved attending this trip with Therapy Abroad. The overall program was very organized and each day was filled with fun events and delicious food. We always had three meals a day of food native to Belize, including homemade dressings and desserts by one of the leaders. I was able to learn a lot about the culture in Belize as we attended numerous cultural events. I loved being able to immerse myself with the native people of Belize to understand how they live and their ancestors lived. I also learned more about speech-language pathology, especially through the knowledgeable group leaders that helped guide us during the entire trip. In addition, the other students in the same group were all very nice and open to learning new things in a new country. I enjoyed giving back to the community through providing speech and hearing screenings as well as administering speech services to local children. This experience allowed me to not only appreciate the country of Belize but provide services that the natives would not have otherwise received. I highly recommend students attend a study abroad with Therapy Abroad. The amount of support, organization, guidance of experts in the field, and cultural awareness one will receive is above par. You will surely experience another country at a more deep level and begin to appreciate it more.

This experience was opened my eyes to the provision of therapy services outside of the US, and how culture and background play a role in how we as professionals are to provide care to those in our communities. Therapy Abroad provided an immersive experience in Belize, teaching about the people, the country, and their need for more therapy resources and services. It was a beautiful and memorable trip, and an amazing way to start the rest of my career as an SLP! I got to know 10 other students and 2 professionals with the same goals for providing quality care to others, and gained hands-on and observational experiences!

I am so grateful to have had the experience to volunteer in Belize this past summer. I signed up for this trip not knowing a single person, which was a huge step outside my comfort zone. However, once I arrived at the airport and was greeted by the staff and other students with rice and beans, I was excited for the two weeks ahead.

We received incredible academic instruction and I feel my cultural competency is what developed the most over the course of the trip. The supervisors were really good at sharing their own experiences to teach us what to do (and even admitting their mistakes to teach us what not to do). I had never treated a client before, so it was so helpful to have their feedback at all times throughout the day, while also hearing the perspective of our other supervisors who were from San Ignacio and surrounding areas. Not going to lie, it is hard work and you will be tired at the end of the day, but it is well worth it and I wouldn't trade my experience for the world.

We had lovely buffet-style breakfasts made fresh by the hotel owner. Every day was a different combination of eggs, bread products, fruit, bacon, or other breakfast meat, etc. They made sure to accommodate all food allergies/sensitivities while still giving us a taste of numerous cultural dishes. The watermelon juice was incredible- definitely drink it to stay hydrated. And take your water bottle everywhere you go. It is very hot!

I definitely recommend branching out and trying to get to know almost everyone in the program because each university teaches in a slightly different way and there is a lot we can learn about the field (and about life) from others. Keep a journal and write not just about what you learned, but about how you felt and the progress you and your client made. Do not hold back- say yes to things that scare you. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

I can say that the only real complaint I have is that we did not always follow the itinerary and I feel some things were missing due to COVID. We were unable to complete home visits or conduct speech and hearing screenings which were two things I was really looking forward to. It would have been very educational to see what home life is Iike in Belize, but despite the strict laws surrounding covid in Belize, I feel the program directors did an incredible job making sure our experience was worthwhile.

If you are hesitant about committing to Therapy Abroad, don't be. The experience is unlike any other, you are able to gain hands on SLP experience and explore a beautiful new country. I learned so much about Belizean culture, the history and diversity of the country is astounding, and I also was able to apply this new understanding of cultural differences within our therapy sessions. The knowledge I gained while in Belize will definitely help me as I move forward in my career as a speech pathologist. The SLP supervisors are very involved and great mentors, I am so thankful for their help. The other students were also amazing, and made the trip even more fun.