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INSTITUTE EVALUATION
WHAT STUDENTS & VILLAGERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE INSTITUTE FOR VILLAGE STUDIES
"There are not enough words in the English language to describe the learning and growth that occurred for me in Belize. The experience was amazing. The students were all very excited and learned very quickly, producing magnificent work. One on one tutoring was very intense. I did my best to teach everything the students were studying. Ironically, several times I felt like I was the one being tutored."
"I am moving on from the Maya Centre today with tears in my eyes and happiness in my heart. My stay here in this small village has changed my life forever!"
"Last night Liberato's family surprised me. They invited all the kids I've been teaching into their home as a going away part for me. The students gave me presents of carefully written letters, necklaces, bracelets and exquisite slate carvings. All very prized possessions. I felt like a princess. Their appreciation was overwhelming! And I bawled with a gleaming smile."
"I have found that shedding layers has been an especially important task if I am going to be an effective teacher for, and learner from, these children. Everything I have been taught about children and how to be a good teacher has been thrown up in the air and my job is to put that puzzle back together.
Belize as a whole has taught me more that I ever thought possible. I feel at home here. I feel at peace and in harmony with such a foreign place. Scenery, people, culture, and life here are beyond amazing. I deeply love and respect the beauty that is Belize. Listen to your heart and pursue your dreams with passion."
"The generosity and kindness of this culture is powerful. I am thankful for everyone here. They have welcomed me as a teacher, as a friend and as part of their family. Being here and teaching these kids has been the BEST learning experience of my life. And I am strengthened by the many little spirits who have touched my soul. I am sad to be leaving, but I am comforted by the fact that I KNOW I will return. It is a place with a great magnitude of peace, happiness, simplicity, and hope. I am grateful to all!!! Thank you for you support in helping me walk down this untravelled path of enlightenment. It truly has changed my life forever!"
"We are so much happy to have [Ellen] and we will never forget such land mark historic event in Maya Center and especially in the life of our school. Without [the institute] this would not have come to realization."
Liberato Saqui
Principal
St. Jude RC
Belize
"In the summer and fall quarters of 1998, I participated in an immersion program in Belize…designed under The Institute of Village Studies. I designed my own learning contract that focused on subjects such as language and culture of the Garifuna, Mayan, Creole and Mexican people. My goal was to develop a greater understanding of these subjects and gain hands-on experience to further my skills for teaching English in the United States and abroad.
"During the first six weeks of the summer program I studied, lived and traveled with ten other students in the small village of Hopkins, Belize. In Hopkins I taught at the Hopkins Youth Summer School. It was a fun and educational program that aimed at helping students further their skills in literacy, math, history, sports and sciences.
"By working with primary and secondary students I witness the rewards for high school students teaching elementary students. Together these students created an interactive learning environment. The high school students acted as positive role models which created a stronger sense of responsibility for them. I saw how this community development project built a stronger community by bringing people together to improve their village.
"After the summer program with the Institute ended, I continued by study in Belize at The Maya Center, a small Mayan village at the Base of Coxcomb Jaguar Sanctuary. I taught English as a Second Language, Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. The twenty six students I taught varied in ages from nine to fifteen.
"I designed an eight week curriculum that focused on enriching the students' English skills in preparation for Belize's National Selection Exam…which is a prerequisite for all Belizean children who want to continue on to High School. The objective of my program was to strengthen the students' Receptive, Literal Comprehension and Inferential Comprehension abilities. By designing and teaching a curriculum I was able to further my skills creating lesson plans, class games, activities and classroom management.
"In my teaching I found it extremely important to use a liberating pedagogy, aware of cultural differences and respectful of village dynamics. I often asked the children to teach me about their interests, dreams and goals in learning so I could better understand their motivation for schooling. I was surprised to find that many of them were interested in learning about computers. As a result, I volunteered time after class to teach students computer basics. In return my students taught me about their language, history and culture. This created a fun exchange for growing and learning in the classroom.
"The greatest part of my learning experience was the knowledge I gained from being in a culture so different from my own. I learned what it is like to be the person who is distinctly different from the majority. Many times cultural and communicative different were hard to overcome, and because of this I kept an open mind and a sense of humor about these challenging obstacles. In this way I learned a greater respect and appreciation for differences.
"Participating in the immersion program in Belize I broadened my language skills by learning more about the Garifuna, Mopan Mayan, Creole and Spanish languages.. By being submerged in different cultures I learned a lot about cultural education. I also gained practical experience in teaching, classroom management and curriculum development. These adventures gave me personal enrichment by helping me see things from different perspectives and opening my eyes to the vastness of the world. Through this experience I grew as an individual, a student, a leader and a teacher. I am proud of the work I did."
"I am back in Hopkins for the second time. It feels wonderful to be back. When I came here the first time, I felt like I got to know myself on a level I had not explored before. Now that I am here again I feel that I am rediscovering that part of me that is so easily forgotten when I am back in the states. A couple of nights ago Craig spoke about how we all come over here with layers-- a layer of media, a layer of materialism, a layer of specific comforts that all have to be stripped away in order to get at your raw self and function in a way that is not ethnocentric here. This concept really rang true for me. I can literally feel my layers peeling away the more time I spend immersed in this culture.
Today was my first day back working in the school here. I am thoroughly exhausted, but I have a feeling of intensified purpose and a compelling need to give what I can to the children in this school. Sometimes I am completely overwhelmed and I feel like I cannot possibly make a difference. But then I remember that it is the small contributions, the ones from your heart that can make a world of difference. If I can get through to even one child, I have accomplished my goal.
"I have found that shedding layers has been an especially important task if I am going to be an effective teacher for, and learner from, these children. Everything I have been taught about children and how to be a good teacher has been thrown up in the air and my job is to put that puzzle back together.
"Belize as a whole has taught me more that I ever thought possible. I feel at home here. I feel at peace and in harmony with such a foreign place. Scenery, people, culture, and life here are beyond amazing. I deeply love and respect the beauty that is Belize. Listen to your heart and pursue your dreams with passion."
"This month has literally changed my life. At seventeen, I found working with college students was definitely intimidating because I wanted to be on par with them. This motivated me to forge ahead, feel like a warrior, and strive to do my personal best. The college student's demeanor sometimes made me feel uncomfortable but I learned how to adjust, and I relaxed. As a result, my skill for identifying valuable lessons in everything has been greatly sharpened."
"The unique blend of cultures and lifestyles in Belize provided me with many opportunities to be flexible and stretch my comfort zone. I constantly found myself in unfamiliar situations where it became necessary to be culturally sensitive to my environment while maintaining my own values and beliefs. Living in both Garifuna and Mayan villages, I felt what it is like to be a minority and discovered ways to overcome racial barriers within myself that I was unaware of prior to this experience. To me, this is an important skill to have gained because it will be useful for future travel and international studies.
"In working with different healers, I learned the fundamentals of conducting ethnobotanical field research. In each situation it was important for me to be objective and to listen attentively and patiently to my teachers. As a student ethnobotanist, it was essential for me to be sensitive to the healers who were guiding and instructing me, and by showing them that I was dedicated and sincere, I was able to record amazing responses and a wealth of information. Two people who were particularly influential in this aspect of my study were Lenox Gladyn, a Garifuna healer, and Dr. Alfred Lau, a German botanist. I feel that I improved in my interviewing and field research skills, which will be useful to me as I hope to continue studying environmental field research in the future.
"Another important aspect of my learning in Belize was the knowledge I gained pertaining to conservation efforts, and the importance of ethnobotany as a tool for conservation. In a small Mayan village in southern Belize, I was able to participate in a village stay ecotourism program, which provided me with an understanding of the social and economic implications of conservation and development in Belize. I received information on a number of other conservation efforts currently taking place, and was able to examine the effects of large scale logging and agriculture industries on local communities. The influence of Western society on indigenous cultures is prevalent in Belize, and will inevitably affect the future sustainability of the land. However, I learned that proper education and awareness can prevent the massive destruction of native ecosystems, as many Belizeans have a strong sense of place and respect for the natural environment.
"My experiences taking Spanish and Conservation Biology fall quarter were extremely beneficial to my learning in Belize. I plan to continue my research through the spring by taking an enthnobotany class and by compiling a book about Belize. Traveling was a transformative experience for me at this point in my college career for it taught me a lot about myself, opened my outlook on people and the world, and created a sense of world citizenship within me."
"Looking back at what I gained having spent time in Belize, I have come to realize just how pivotal this experience was for me in terms of personal growth and self-development. While living in Belize I became more aware of myself and my immediate surroundings. I was observant of the local natives and their presence in their domicile and community. Overall, I admired their 'sense of place.'
"I spent many hours watching the locals as they washed their clothes or cooked their evening supper. During these times of observation I reflected upon myself. I realized how distant I am from these daily chores and rituals, and how less connected I am to my material belongings and humanly duties. I sensed their deep understanding and awareness for who they are, where they have come from, and the food which sustains them. This connection is so valuable, yet has been lost in many cultures today, especially ours.
"I felt a change in my energy when I lived in Hopkins. Without the confinements of rigorous schedules I…found myself living with the rhythms of the earth, rather than against them….observing this small scale system operate, I could feel the earth's energy more so than I have before. I lived more naturally and simply. I awoke with the sun and fell with the night. I ate the fruit of the land and fish from the sea. I felt good about myself.
"Now that I am back in the United States I carry with me this desire to seek out and find my 'place'. I have the desire to bring my life down to a smaller scale and learn about who I am and the history of my place. I want to begin to feel the rhythms of my 'place' and to better understand myself. This experience has allowed me the opportunity to view life in a manner more similar to the way I would like to live. I am now more aware of my sense of 'being'. I find myself more conscious of how I feel as a result of what is around me.
"This powerful life changing experience has led me to realize the importance of working to find oneself and appreciate each intricate part of life. I learned how to live in the moment, and how important it is to 'be'. I realize the power which lies within my surroundings and how my immediate environment is so influential to my actions, emotions, and lifestyle."
"Looking back, the one thing I would do differently next time is spend [more] time working with the Mayan people, especially in the schools!"
"Overall, my stay in Belize was a time of immense self-growth and heightened understanding. Learning about the local environment through local peoples and becoming a part of memorable relationships in Belize has forever left an impression on me. I have developed a greater cultural sensitivity as well as an increase consciousness of my own impact.
"After some time in Belize, I separated from the group and went with one other student to tutor in the school at Maya Center, a village not far from Hopkins. I worked with children one on one and in small groups on everything from mathematics to English and reading comprehension…It was very rewarding for me to be able to give something to these people who were always very generous in their interaction with me, and I would have only wished that time would have allowed me to have dedicated myself to a longer stay there.
"I have become overwhelmingly aware of the issues of racism and ethnocentrism as well as the current displacement of economic and political power in the world. In synthesizing my experience, I also came upon new insights-one of such being the striking parallels between social diversity and biological diversity. I believe that the preservation of social diversity (i.e. cultural diversity) could hold just as much importance as the preservation of bio-diversity in the future.
"I would not trade anything for the knowledge gained in this experience, and I hope that it will stay with me through future travels and will be present in my daily decisions in the United States."
"While many of my studies have focused on muticulturalism, I never knew what it felt like to be immersed in an unfamiliar culture as a minority. Studying Belizean culture hadn't prepared me for the insights I would encounter. [I was] enlightened to my ethnocentrism, racism, prejudices, strengths, weaknesses, and my fears. Through working in Belizean schools and traveling abroad, I have learned a great deal about life and myself. Belize brought me closer to myself and to others than I have ever felt, seeing myself as a person developing, learning and exploring life.
"Living in Hopkins, I became acquainted with a simpler way of life. A place where time is of no consequence, where the food is exotic and delectable and the people are friendly. Through speaking and living with the natives I learned of the struggles in Belize, the influence American culture has had with consumerism accompanied by waste. I was in…a land of contradiction. Through traveling in Belize I learned the history of the Garifuna people, the Mayan people and of the land. I had the opportunity to meet with medicine men and learn about the indigenous herbal remedies. I experienced a new kind of medicine, [practiced] in a holistic light, curing mental and physical ailments naturally. By living in close quarters with 16 other people my strengths of group dynamics and of compromise developed. I became more aware of how I relate to others, as a part of the whole. I learned how social systems work, how important and essential group-think is, how an individual's decisions impact the entire group. From this I learned how to find a place of power from within myself rather than looking to others.
"Through teaching Standard I, the equivalent to the third grade, with Barbara Nunez at St. Augustine's School I learned about the culture, the socialization and the language of the Garifuna people. The education I received from teaching was threefold. While I was teaching the basics of writing, reading and mathematics, I was being taught by the children the norms and values of the Garifuna culture. I was watching the socialization of the children in progress, seeing how their actions and words reflected that of their elders. Not only did they teach me their culture, I was also shown to the degree I am immersed in my own culture, my ethnocentricity. I was able to see how I process all experience through Americanized filters, judging what I am confronted with. The first day I was in the Belizean schools, I walked in while religion was being taught. My first thought was "State" and "Church" are separate. I realized that applies only in America. I was no longer in a familiar country and the same rules didn't apply. By learning to set aside the American voice, I was able to better embrace the Belizean culture.
"Prior to going to Belize, American schoolchildren had drawn pictures and written stories for the Belizean children, depicting life in America. The Belizean children, in return, created a book of drawings and letters describing their reality. Upon returning, I presented the American children with the book, acquainting them with the Belizean lifestyle, explaining the similarities and differences of life in Belize to that in America. Through seeing [each other's] artwork and narratives, the children were able to see the similarities and differences between the cultures, creating a bridge of communication between the two.
"Winter Quarter…I challenged my boundaries, ventured far outside of my comfort zone and tested myself for strength. I passed some tests and failed others. Experiencing Belize taught me to face my challenges head on, looking within for answers. I encountered people and situations that [made me] question my values and tested my morals and strengths, events that impacted the core of who I am. Through living in a Garifuna village, I experienced the reality of being a minority, something that I will carry with me in my work. I gained insight on how to find truth and acceptance and my pace of power. Through my individual contract, I was able to see my ethnocentrism, how all of my experiences are filtered through my "Americanized" views. I gained perspective of myself, from my most miniscule workings to my role in the group and in the whole world, how all of the pieces fit together as a system. I became conscious of my place in the bigger picture of life and the world. My individual contract allowed me to see…the impact my environment and culture has on me and what impact I have on my immediate surroundings."
"My Belizean experience with the medicine man at his farm was my most consistent learning environment. He offered guided tours with instruction in identifying and preparing medicinal plants for healing purposes and ceremonial activities. I learned the local names and historical methods of practice for plants used to help diabetes, infertility, high blood pressure, eczema, coughs, colds, cramps, etc. This individual instruction appealed to me, having been interested in nutrition and botany for a long time. By being attentive and asking questions I was able to make connections about treatment for certain conditions or diseases and discovered some of the vitamin components in these remedies. I felt that the learning process was very valuable and not long enough. Therefore, I have made arrangements to live at his farm and learn from him in September of '99.
"By spending time at the farm associated with the Institute I was able to learn of such staples as Coconuts, Papayas, Sugar Cane, but also medicinal roots such as China root (a Belizean-type Ginseng). At the farm I got a better picture of the media best suited for soil on the edge of a rainforest and what kind of crops can be expected to grow well. There were also plants shown to heal rashes caused from other native jungle plants or to heal insect bites at the time of poisoning.
"My most interesting learning came when I ventured into the homes of friends who had connections with the school. Most women and men have some knowledge of local plants and their customary medicinal uses. I was guided [by them] through the backyards of the community where every five steps there is a bush, herb, plant, or vine used for anything from menstrual cramps to warding off evil spirits. It was these opportunities that allowed me to have contact with the reclusive women in the Garifuna families and be trusted with healing remedies that are considered sacred."
"I realized while I was traveling that the best way to learn something is to go out and do it, and if you want to learn about a different culture or a different land, you won't get it from books; experience is the greatest teacher. My journey to Central America has become a major turning point in how I will live my life and communicate with people."
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"...Through working in Belizean schools and traveling abroad, I have learned a great deal about life and myself. Belize brought me closer to myself and to others than I have ever felt, seeing myself as a person developing, learning and exploring life."
"...The generosity and kindness of this culture is powerful. I am thankful for everyone here. They have welcomed me as a teacher, as a friend and as part of their family."
"Winter Quarter…I challenged my boundaries, ventured far outside of my comfort zone and tested myself for strength. I passed some tests and failed others. Experiencing Belize taught me to face my challenges head on, looking within for answers."
"I have found that shedding layers has been an especially important task if I am going to be an effective teacher for, and learner from, these children."
"My most interesting learning came when I ventured into the homes of friends who had connections with the school. Most women and men have some knowledge of local plants and their customary medicinal uses. I was guided [by them] through the backyards of the community where every five steps there is a bush, herb, plant, or vine used for anything from menstrual cramps to warding off evil spirits."
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