51AV

Student Recommendations

The following student recommendations were voluntarily collected from students near the end of their experience in Belize:

• “I had an amazing time doing in-depth ethnographic work towards solid, humanitarian goals. Plus, experiencing the food, cultural history, and wildlife of Belize was a blast!” - Miranda Kaplan
• “This Ethnographic field school has allowed me to be aware of the social and economic issues going on within our communities some of which I was blinded of. Not only does it allow you to study culture but it also allows you to build a relationship with your community member as well as the entire Ethnographic team.  It was an unforgettable experience one of which doesn’t come often.” - Lydia Alvarez
• “My overall experience in Orange Walk Town, Belize was very meaningful. I was able to connect and converse with community members who were genuine and also happy to see students from another country. Both professors were very easy to talk to and were very relatable. As for the students from other states, they were also very easy to get along with.” - Musseit M'Bareck
• “I had high expectations before enrolling into the ethnographic study; admittedly, I was not disappointed. Before we began the interviews, we had the opportunity to meet with various stakeholders that played a pivotal role in the study; during the interviews, we met with not only the cane farmers but also the village members, which gave us a holistic perspective as to what was occurring in the various villages. Additionally, it wasn’t just all work and no play. We went on numerous adventures that allowed us to get a better understanding of Belize. I have grown not only intellectually but also personally.” - Julia Arzu
• “The connections I have made and the skills I have learned from this field school will last me a lifetime. I was so fortunate to be able to share this adventure with so many other like-minded individuals.” - Jordon Myers
• “If you are looking for a field school that will allow you to immerse yourself into a culture, learn communication and interview skills, or simply eating delicious food, you should join this one. Knowing that the research you are a part of will potentially have a big impact for a community of kind-hearted people makes it all worth wild.” - Abigail Burbank
• “Orange Walk District is the perfect setting to get your ethnographic feet wet and immerse yourself in a community rich in culture, character, and natural beauty. I couldn’t have asked for a better field school experience.” - Madalyn Roberts
• “The Ethnographic Field School in Belize has been one of the best experiences of my academic career. Being able to have time like this in the field is extremely valuable. The experience provides both an element of authenticity that makes it so deeply immersive, and an element of amiability which that it thoroughly enjoyable. The best part is that neither element must compromise for the other.” - Christian Cansino
• “The field school was definitely a different experience;I learned about my culture, saw the struggles I most of the time just heard about and was able to analyze through participant observation the role of the farmers and the economy. All of this helped me grow as a person and as an anthropology student.” -  Christy Valdez
• “The program was really good, and while at time it dragged a bit, it was nevertheless a great experience. The people I’ve met, the friends I made, and the work we are doing here through this field school all contribute to a wonderful month of learning not just about Belize, but about ourselves.” - Jack Stephens"‘I am glad you guys are doing this, because we need help’ –Informant. If you want to make a difference in a community by simply conducting surveys, this is the field school for you. Not only will you be submerged in a new and exciting culture, you will also get better acquainted with fellow students. Throughout this field school you will become more aware of your surroundings and see how the littlest things can make a huge impact. Rather its conversing with an informant, or buying street tacos in town, you being in Belize will make a difference. There will be some bumps along the way, but it is worth it. You will learn a lot, not only about Belizean culture and the sugar cane farmers, but also about yourself. This trip is Vegetarian friendly, it might be a little bit harder to find food, but it’s available. It is worth the experience, and it will help you decide what route you would like to take in the unlimited focuses of anthropology." - Rachel Haupt
• "Ethnographic field school is the best way to learn about another culture through interaction with the community instead of from a textbook or a tour guide. Actually getting to sit down and talk to people about what matters to them is one of the most intimate experiences that will change your worldview." - Laura Oprisch
• "I've been to Belize as a tourist and now as an anthropologist and the biggest difference between the two experiences is that I have a much richer understanding of the people. How they live, work and play. A very rewarding experience." - Karin Floyd-Glutz
• "I’m really glad I got to have this experience in Belize because it taught me some interviewing skills that I would not have otherwise been able to learn and practice, which is so incredibly important." - Fantasia Mejia
• "You don’t even know what being sweaty means. Go to Belize!
• Get out of your comfort zone, learn about the world around you." - Autumn Gilbert
• "You will open all your senses to experience the wonder that the Belizean culture has to offer, and when you do, magic happens." - Andrea Shiverdecker
• "The Field School is no ordinary study abroad program – it's a chance to get true experience in the field of anthropology and immerse yourself in a different cultural environment. You'd better Belize it'll expand your horizons!" - Adriane Pontecorvo
• "Having no prior knowledge in anthropology or ethnography, I was iffy on participating on this trip with the thought, ‘What if this isn’t for me?’ Once I saw the pictures of the field school, I was hooked. I had to go to see all of the beautiful people and scenery for myself. Now, after completing the field school, I am wondering why I haven’t participated sooner! Some of my best memories have been formed here along with friendship bonds that will last for life." – Tessa Forwalt
  
• "An experience that you cannot pass up, Belize it!" – Samuel Velasquez
  
• "This field school helped tremendously in learning various ethnographic methods (especially of cognitive anthropology), and was very affordable for a study-abroad class. Considering all I have learned and experienced, it was well worth the investment. Dr. Hume is possibly one of the nicest professor’s I’ve ever had, and his patience with the students over the course of a month with all our silly questions and complaints is quite admirable. If you are looking for a field school that won’t break your budget, has a well-planned yet exciting schedule including some tourist-y activities, and exposes you to completely different and new living styles, food, people, languages, and sights without having a great grasp of a second language – this is it!" – Emily Stephen
  
• "The field school really prepares you for conducting independent ethnographic research. It is a great way to fully experience a culture and learn along the way." – Emily Fox
  
• "Expect bumpy roads, funny stories, impromptu rain, plenty of work, and an experience that you will tell for years." – Cailey Radcliffe
  
• "If you want to engage with a culture and a place unlike your own, go to Belize. If you want to learn how to conduct ethnographic interviews, go to Belize. If you want to attend a field school that contributes to the community it’s studying, go to Belize. If you’re an anthropology major, go to Belize. If you’re not, go to Belize." – Bronte Murrell
  
• "For anyone considering a career in cultural anthropology but not sure where to begin, this field school is the whole package. From classroom instruction to actual practice, the Ethnographic Field School in Belize is an immersive, international introduction to ethnographic methods." – Anna Cloud
  
• "This is a wonderful course for anyone who is contemplating conducting ethnographic research in their academic and professional careers. The field school gives students detailed instruction as well as practical field experience. It was tremendously helpful to be introduced to the process of partnering with local organizations, the structure of an interview, and engaging with an area and ways of life that are foreign to me. As a student who will be conducting ethnographic research for a Departmental Honors Thesis this upcoming fall, I have found this experience to be invaluable." – Allison Cate
  
• "The field school is an opportunity that allows you to truly experience anthropological field work first hand and immerses you in Belizean culture." - Stefan Kienzle
  
• "This field school will teach you about ethnography, Belize and yourself. It is an amazing way to find new perspectives on life and to connect with people from somewhere unlike your home." - Katie Ragland
  
• "Ethnographic field school is hard work, both physically and mentally. You will be pushed outside of your comfort zone, but whatever you put into it- you will get so much more in return. I am so happy to have gained this perspective and it was a true privilege to speak with people about their lives. It is an amazing experience." - Jade Underland
  
• "I learned so much about Anthropology on this trip. I was nervous since I had little experience but it was the best way to really know what Anthropology is. This field school is a great way to experience skills learned in class from mapping to actually collecting and recording data. I am so glad I got the opportunity to practice methods in the real world rather than just talking about it in a classroom." - Gabby Locke
  
• "This field school will put one both physically and mentally to the test, however, it will also put one in a situation where they get to involved in a completely new culture in a place that is nothing like home. Easy is the last thing that comes to mind when I think about it, but at the same time I would not trade this experience for anything. I learned more than I could have ever imagined." - Colin Bindas
  
• "The field school was an incredible experience, both as a student of anthropology and a maturing adult. It opened my eyes to the real-world implications of field-work, and the potential for this research to benefit the lives of others in ways that aren’t immediately obvious to someone sitting in an air-conditioned classroom." Ian Takaoka
  
• "Having the chance to work with a non-western culture this early in my anthropological career has been an amazing opportunity, benefiting me both academically and personally." - Gina Yoon
  
• "The fieldschool offered me the opportunity to practice what we learn in class first hand." - Stephanie Feltner
  
• "This was an amazing opportunity to conduct real ethnographic research as an undergraduate... It’s a one-of-a-kind experience for students that has opened my eyes in so many ways, and I feel lucky to have gotten to experience what it’s like to be immersed in a culture different from my own." - Adelle Bricking
  
• "The Ethnographic Field School in Belize was an exciting experience that acted as an exciting, intense introduce to ethnography." - Jessica Boggs
  
• "This field school is incredibly valuable when it comes to real life experience.  I would not trade this experience for the world." - Jesse Hendricks
  
• "The fieldschool gave me a hands-on approach to learning ethnographic methods. It has taught me a lot about applied anthropology and anthropology as a whole." - Nicholas Thaxton
  
• "If you plan to continue your anthropology degree past undergrad, I highly suggest you attend this field school. Not only is this an experience most anthropology students don’t receive until graduate school... This is an opportunity to apply what you have and will learn in class- you will come back to the states with a new understanding and refreshed appreciation for your discipline and of course Belizean culture." - Rosa Christophel
  
• "This field school has been an incredibly valuable and fulfilling experience for me. Coming from someone who has been interested in and fervently reading about anthropology for years, this experience was all that I had hoped for and more. I was looking forward to conducting actual research and become an anthropologist, as well as thoroughly becoming immersed in a culture that I had not been a 'part' of before, and my expectations were exceeded." - Sofia Javed
  
• "No experience could better prepare an anthropology major, or anyone, for the future." - Stephanie Zach