Belize

In high school I had the opportunity to go on a humanitarian mission to Belize, Central America. Mission 2 Belize’s main goals were to finish up an elementary school they began to build a few years prior to my trip. Help promote the school schools opening and facilitate a summer program. We delivered provisions (rice, beans, flour, and powdered milk) as a gift to all families in the community. Educated people in sustainable farming techniques and worked toward selling a collective farm to improve the welfare of the people. While we were there we lived as the average Belizean. We did not stay in a hotel and commute to our various projects. We lived on the church/school compound, used public transportation, ate whatever the pastor’s family was having, and used out houses.

I bring this up because of our current assignment. Our test asks us to give up something that we feel we “cannot live without.” We all have fears about what life would be like without our luxuries and are presented with an opportunity to overcome it and learn something about ourselves. I had a magnified version of this test in Belize. I didn't have air conditioning in 100 plus degree weather! I didn't have a cell phone, Internet, hot showers, I-pods, fast food, or bottled water. Very large portions of the population live this way everyday while it was only a few weeks for me. One thing I will make clear is that Belize is not the bush. The urbanization and technology have a place here. Its beauty has made it a tourists dream. About 70% of the population works in the service industry (CIA). Many of the people I met worked in the tourism, side by side with our technological indulgences. Even with an experience with our air conditioners, big televisions, flushing toilets, and whatever, that they cannot come home to- they survive. They are truly happy. By experience I know that without these things I can survive and have joy.

I would encourage anyone to experience life in this way, if only for a while. It has been the most enriching experience of my life Belize has given me enthusiasm to continue to serve my community and communities abroad for the rest of my life. Spend time with family somewhere or go on a humanitarian trip; just experience what life is like somewhere else. As Wendell Berry Autumn said in his interview with Jordan Fischer-Smith, there really is a difference between talking about problems and having problems. The only way to truly understand is to "share the fate of that community-- participate in its losses and grief's and hardships and pleasures and joys and satisfactions, so that [you] don't have this ridiculous immunity that [you] now have in [your] specializations and careers. Then [you'd] begin to learn something. New knowledge would come from that, and it would be better than 'information'" (Wendell).

Comment me if you want info on my trip or other trips :]
Sources:
 https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bh.html
(From Prof Hirsch’s email) http://arts.envirolink.org/interviews_and_conversations/WendellBerry.html  
Picture: I took this picture on my trip to Belize. This is the school we worked on during the day and slept 
in at night