Volunteer with Therapy Abroad

This was an overall incredible experience. I’ve learned a lot about the field I aspire to work in from a perspective that I wouldn’t get in USA. The time spent working with the students was insightful, and truly made me feel that I am headed towards a career that will be fulfilling and right for me. I have no regrets about coming on this trip.

There was a lack of organization and communication from staff that left me and other students confused about what to expect. Not having a reliable itinerary or plan made it difficult to coordinate and prepare for activities that would be beneficial for students. This made me feel as if, in my 8 days here, we did not benefit and impact the students as much as we could’ve.

Food was awesome!

I truly loved this trip. Going into it, I was open minded and ready to get involved. Each day I feel I got to learn something new and it taught me to be flexible each day. I was happy that I got to experience hands on therapy with children and also experience other activities in Belize. I was in awe of the beautiful nature and had the best time meeting to students in my group. During this trip, it made me appreciate what I have and I hope a made a beneficial impact. I am thankful I got to attend this trip and I hope one day I am able to attend again.

I had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed the trip. The only issue that I really had was with food allergy accommodations - my chicken allergy was taken care of, but my egg allergy (which is the one I’m more allergic to) was never listed as an allergy of mine. I really enjoyed going cave tubing and I also really enjoyed the clinical experience. Before this program I had not had the chance to get to do hearing screenings and other types of testing, and it was fun to do so during my time volunteering.

I loved the experience of working with others and learning about the culture of a new country. It was engaging and fun, interesting and definitely something I have never experienced before. I loved snorkeling and zip lining, learning about the history of Belize and knowing more about this country I have never visited before. I really enjoyed this experience and hope to come back soon, maybe with family and friends! It was a wonderful way to explore speech language pathology while seeing a new country.

I am so glad I chose to spend my spring break with Therapy Abroad in Belize! This is my second trip to Belize with this company and I couldn’t be more appreciative of what it has offered me clinically and socially! I have taken all of my time here and have made the most of it. It has allowed me to feel confident in my future career, and even boost my resume for grad school applications. I have made so memorable connections on trips with Therapy Abroad, and each new experience is one I will always appreciate it.

I participated in the Communication Sciences and Disorders Program in Belize in May of 2022. Here, students ran a Tykes Camp, in which we planned STEM, gross motor, and linguistic activities for child clients. The camp provided me with an accurate simulation of a what a future therapy session may look like. That program was the first hands-on opportunity I had received in my undergraduate learning and I am forever grateful. I enjoyed it so much that I recruited students from my university (Penn State) to create a custom program. Therapy Abroad assisted me in narrowing down dates, providing information and flyers, and meeting with me to discuss the best way to increase participation. I traveled with Therapy Abroad again in May of 2023 for a Custom Communication Sciences and Disorders program in Belize.

Therapy Abroad did a great job of introducing us to cultural differences, and providing Belize's history during our orientation. The town of San Ignacio is a cultural hub with markets, restaurants, shops, and activities. Not to mention, the people are extremely friendly in town. I felt safe throughout the entire trip and the safety measures taken by Therapy Abroad exceeded my expectations. The visit to Helping Hands helped me learn more about the culture, the importance of communication in everyday life, and the opportunities the center provides to the community. During this program, we also had the opportunity to visit a few local schools and engage in speech and hearing screenings for children. The diverse caseload ranged in age, ability, and needs which made each session unique and interesting. We assisted our supervisors in report writing, by sharing our data and notes. The SOAPS note skills I gained on both programs have helped me greatly at the graduate school level. We also visited the archeological site of Cahal Pech, led by knowledgeable, passionate tour guides. My favorite excursion activities were canoeing in the caves and snorkeling on the island of Caye Caulker. Therapy Abroad does a fantastic job of providing balance between learning and fun. I appreciate the skills I have taken with me and will be more aware of cultural differences in my future practice.

After traveling with them on two programs, I will attest that no program is exactly the same. I loved that I had the opportunity to interact with different "clients," established new friendships, and participated in another type of excursion. Therapy Abroad has made a lasting impact on my life and my future career. The first program I went on reinforced my decision in pursuing speech-language pathology and the second solidified my career goals of becoming a travel SLP. I hope to participate in a future program.

Having the opportunity to travel to Belize in the speech-language pathology program was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Going into this trip as a recent graduate, I hardly knew any of the girls I was traveling with. Ultimately, this was the best case scenario; I established meaningful relationships and learned how to connect with those I wouldn't have had a chance to otherwise. While being in a new country can seem scary, the level of organization provided an overarching sense of safety and security. The accommodations--which were charming and comfortable--exceeded my expectations. Everyone was very welcoming and the people I encountered elevated the trip through diverse culture and language. I especially loved how the program focused on the rich cultural heritage of the country, and the amazing and hard-working people who dedicate their lives to molding the children of their community with love and attention. Everyday was packed with exciting experiences, which I accredit to Therapy Abroad's amazing ability to blend service and fun. Besides our time working with children in Belize, my favorite activities involved Zumba in the park and canoeing through a history-rich cave. I accrued greater perspective at every turn and our time working directly with the local population provided a glimpse of the global impact I can make as a future speech pathologist. Overall, this experience solidified my passion for speech therapy by promoting cultural-linguistic diversity---while inspiring me to continue down this path as I move forward with my career.

My experience with Therapy Abroad has been amazing and life-changing. It has given me a unique opportunity to expand my view of the world in a safe environment while also gaining quality experience in the speech-language pathology field. In Belize, I gained experience in the schools providing speech, language, and hearing services to the community, which furthered my love for the field. I was sad when my time in Belize with Therapy Abroad was over, but I came back with a new sense of accomplishment, feeling I positively impacted the world so much that I will be traveling with them again this spring!