Return Thoughts: Looking Back to Look Forward (Gillian)

Our time in Belize flew by, and I find myself reflecting on a great trip packed with lessons and memories while I shiver from the freezing temperatures and snow in Pennsylvania. I already miss the experiences and sun in Belize but I am so lucky to have had this opportunity and look back on it as a good memory.

Listen, ask, and Experience (to learn!)

Our study abroad trip was way more than just a week-long trip though. I learned lessons and grew as a person, both of which I know will help me down the road, no matter where I go.

I learned how to talk with people. I knew how to before, but not with the same engagement and connection as I experienced in Belize. By finding similarities between us instead of dividing people due to differences, I grew closer to people I had just met and became more comfortable with the conversations once I realized we are all quite similar. I believe this understanding and comfort helped open the conversations to deeper explanations, more questions, and furthered our learning. I can use this lesson to connect with people when I travel, but also around my own town as well. By making connections and deepening conversations and relationships, I will be able to interact with people better, a skill that will be useful in personal or professional relationships, or in daily life.

I learned how to ask questions. Every evening we began to think about what was coming up for the next day and what we were curious about. Allowing myself to think ahead to come prepared allowed me to ask questions that reflected my interest, curiosity, and led to deeper conversations. The ability to ask questions will help me connect with people, explore new experiences, and will deepen my understanding of the things around me.

Not only were the farms producing, but they were absolutely beautiful too!

I learned about agriculture. As the main topic of this trip, this lesson was a bit more expected than the rest, but exciting nonetheless. Touring various types of farms throughout Belize helped me understand similarities and differences within Belizean agriculture and also between agriculture in Belize and the United States. I was quite impressed with the intense knowledge that each farmer has about their farm and their ability to use their lands in a variety of ways: by growing a large variety of crops, by planting trees in specific areas to not only provide fruit but a natural fence line and shade for animals as well, or harvesting for the now while planting and preparing for the future generations to farm.

I also furthered my conversations by asking questions throughout the tours, leading to great questions and answers to my questions. For example, at Mr. Juan’s farm, we started talking about his use of horses in the tourism side of his farm. When he asked what breeds of horses I have and learned that I have quarter horses, we immediately talked about the numerous benefits of the breed and how they are one of his favorites too! However, he did not share my enthusiasm for the thoroughbred which led to more of a pro/con discussion.

The people made this trip extra great!

I learned a lot about myself too and grew in necessary areas for the future. Going into this trip, I was pretty nervous about my ability to travel to the country and then manage everything once I got there. I’ve traveled around the country a lot and have gone out of the country a handful of times, but every trip out of the country has been with my family. This added responsibility posed a new challenge to me, one that I was able to handle! With the support from the professors and other students, the trip went very well. I gained confidence in my ability to travel and manage myself in another country. With this new confidence, I also gained independence as I became more comfortable and felt much better by stepping out of my comfort zone by the end of the trip. Personal growth will help me in my future adventures and travels but also in my school, work, hobbies, relationships… everything!


The lessons were numerous and this trip has definitely been filled with learning and fun. I’m excited to use my new knowledge to connect with people wherever I go while being confident in myself and my abilities. While I miss Belize, the people we met, and the experiences we had, I’m excited to apply these lessons now and in the future. I am so appreciative of this trip and to everyone who made it possible. I’m looking forward to what’s next!

Gillian Warner is a freshman majoring in an interdisciplinary major in the College of Agriculture Sciences at Penn State.

Day 6: Manuel's Farm (Gillian)

Visiting Manuel's farm in Laguna on Thursday showed the values found within the Mayan community and served as a good reminder of values that I find important and hope to strive for in my life as well. Hard work, community, peace, and protection of the natural resources are just some key values that I was lucky enough to see in practice.

There's no doubt that Manuel works hard. His beautiful farm is covered with plants and crops that he cares for, manages, and harvests. Situated with terrain and heat and a number of different obstacles such as narrow paths, Manuel spends a lot of time working with his extensive knowledge to keep the farm running. Meanwhile, he also works to prepare for the future by planting for his children to take over once they come back to the farm after education.

A strong sense of community was also found throughout the day. Manuel and the family I had lunch with discussed the importance of helping one another. A perfect example is replacing the thatched roof every few years. If a few men come together, they can complete the whole process in half a day! It definitely shows that we're stronger as a team, something I've seen within our group this week as well. We have all become close and help each other out to make sure we're prepared for the experience... and have enough sunscreen!

Although it might not have been obvious, there was a sense of peace at the farm. I've heard many times that being outside is good for the mind and body, and Manuel's description of his connection to the land truly shows that belief. He feels that by eating what he produces and drinking the water from the creek he has remained healthy. Connecting to the natural world that way is incredibly powerful and cleansing. I know I've felt my worries drift away when I'm outside!

Finally, protecting that connection with nature requires the protection of natural resources. Hearing that conservation is a value within the community is really inspiring as it's something I care about deeply as well.

This farm visit was very special to me as it gave me the opportunity to learn about and see values of the Mayan community in practice. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I value similar things. Finding common ground and similarities despite some differences helps us to understand, appreciate, and further connections. I'm excited to apply this new information in future interactions!

Gillian Warner is a freshman majoring in an interdisciplinary major
in the College of Agricultural Sciences at Penn State.

Day 2: Ag, People, and the Environment: Welcome to Belize (Gillian)

Welcome to Belize!

What a great view
to start the day!

I am so excited to be posting for the first time in Belize! The sun, blue sky, and warm weather has definitely been a welcome break from winter for me and I'm looking forward to more sunny adventures this week.

Today was a great day to recover from the long trip yesterday, explore San Ignacio, and start our in-country learning to set us up for success later this week. We had two discussions today, focusing on agriculture in Belize and the education system in Belize. Andrew Harrison, the Chief Ag Officer of the Ministry of Agriculture came to talk to us and left me with some great information to draw connections to what we are learning about in Belize, what I have learned about in classes, and what I hope to explore further in my career.

In the discussion, we looked at agricultural extension in rural development and considered the many key factors, including per capital income, poverty, land tenure, food security, level of technology, and organization. After taking Community, Environment, and Development classes last semester, I thought it was especially interesting when Mr. Harrison mentioned the meaning of true development: when all members of a society have equal access to essential and basic needs, education, recreation, food, health care, and more.

I think this is a very important idea to consider in agricultural extension in rural and developing areas. With the development of new technologies and education, those ideas need to be extended to people in different areas to offer the same opportunities and access. This can present a challenge in rural areas due to the lack of access to technology, a barrier we see in the United States as well.

Considering the relationship between ag extension and rural development and the definition of true development, I find the connection between people and the natural world and agriculture fascinating. Ag extension can help rural areas develop through new technology and education while rural areas help ag extension grow by challenging the process in order to find ways to give equal access to everyone.

We discussed another connection between the environment and people in climate change. Climate change is also pushing for new technologies to better prepare for farmers for even more extreme weather and disasters. While the farmers have been adapting and coping with the changes, the dry and wet seasons already present difficulties through long and intense droughts or rainfall that drowns crops. As climate change continues to present new challenges, efforts through the Ministry of Ag will continue to create climate change awareness and bring new technologies to Belize as other places around the world work to adjust as well.

Cooling off from the
afternoon heat together?

I love learning about connections between humans and the natural world. I believe human/environment and human/animal interactions are important, especially moving forward in development in a world that we're finding new ways to live in. I am thrilled that we were able to discuss some of these connections today and even see some in action as I passed by horses tied in yards, stray dogs sun bathing through the warm day, and a man and a horse swimming together in the Macal River.

I'm curious to continue to make connections between human/environment and human/animal interactions between Belize and the United States as well as the role of agricultural extension in rural development. Ag, people, and the environment all have a direct influence on each other and I am looking forward to exploring those connections even more to best benefit all systems involved.

Gillian Warner is a freshmen majoring in an interdisciplinary major in the College of Agricultural Sciences.

Preparing for Belize: Gillian Warner

As an animal enthusiast, a trip to Belize not only offers the incredible opportunity to experience a new culture and learn about indigenous knowledge and agriculture, but also the exciting chance to be in a country with a wide variety of wildlife and biodiversity. I can’t think of anything better!

My favorite thing to do is explore outside with my animals... I’m looking forward to exploring Belize!

As our group continues to prepare for the trip, we are all reading class books and experiencing the same eye-opening exercises, but we then take our learning and preparation a bit further by researching a topic of interest to us to learn more about it in Belize. Mine was wildlife conservation and biodiversity.

Learning about all of the work that Sharon Matola, the founder of the Belize Zoo, has done to protect the animals of Belize and educate community members on the challenges these animals face and benefits of having them is truly inspiring. Her hard work, while sometimes controversial within development projects, has raised awareness of the importance of conservation and the need for education in order to do so. For example, in The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw, there is an example of an older man visiting the zoo who was native to Belize and had never even seen the animals native to his country. Education on wildlife is absolutely necessary to conservation since steps to protection can not be made if there is no understanding of the dangers the animals face or the importance of protection. Learning about the impact that Sharon has had on her community and the animals’ lives has excited me to visit the Zoo and learn more about wildlife in addition to working hard back home to protect our wildlife.

Our trip is coming up which is exciting and overwhelming all at once! I am looking forward to the experience and hope to maintain my sincere, authentic curiosity, as explained in a lecture on indigenous knowledge with Dr. Abder Ouarghidi, to show my respect and eagerness to learn about and understand a new culture. I will use my knowledge from what we have researched to ask questions and continue to open my mind to new knowledge.

I believe our class activity with the Alphans and the Betans showed the importance of an open mind, patience, and willingness to push out of your comfort zones to connect with new people. When our two (made up) cultures interacted, the two groups had different norms and customs, leading to unintentional disrespect of each other. While this originally made me worried that I would make a mistake when in a new culture in Belize, I then learned about the Action-Reflection-Response Strategy that will help me recognize, reconstruct, learn about, and make new interpretations of any critical events that may happen.

With my new knowledge of Belize and my additional knowledge on conservation issues, I am looking forward to our trip so I can continue to gain valuable information about Belize and interacting with new cultures and environments.

Introduction: Gillian Warner

Hi! Welcome to my first blog post as I start my adventure to Belize! My name is Gillian

Warner, and I’m currently a freshman at Penn State in the College of Agricultural Sciences. I

decided I wanted to get an early start on a study abroad experience, and I am so excited to begin

with a trip to Belize over spring break.

My family has always been interested in travel, so having those new experiences and

seeing different cultures and traditions has always been important to me. Through family trips, I

have been to Canada, Mexico, France, Italy, Austria, and Germany.

While I was in Austria, I stayed in a family friend’s house with their family. They had a

few younger kids who were absolutely fascinated with us. We spoke differently than they did

and we probably looked and acted slightly differently as well. When I woke up in the morning,

their seven year-old daughter was propped up against the side of the couch I was staying on, her

face resting in the palm of her hands. When she realized I was looking back at her, she

immediately ducked down so all I could see were her eyes. She sat there blinking at me. A

simple “Hello” from me sent her rushing into the other room with her parents.

This natural curiosity and uncertainty is why I believe travel is so important. When in a

new place or presented with someone or something that seems different than you are used to,

sometimes we aren’t sure how to act. It can be uncomfortable if everything seems new to you,

but I believe that we must learn about, work to understand, and appreciate the differences that

make us unique in order to use all of our strengths to better our world. The more we can try to be

empathetic with one another, the more we will understand each other, our motives, and solutions

to issues facing the world that impacts all of us.

We need to find a way to connect and the best way to begin that is to step outside of your

comfort zone and say hello .

Travel definitely runs in my family. In addition to family trips, my dad travels a lot for

work in environmental conservation, my sister is studying abroad this summer in Amsterdam,

and my mom works here at Penn State as the Assistant Dean in the College of Ag for

International Programs. I feel so lucky to have grown up with the opportunity and support to

explore the world.

Once I heard about the trip to Belize, I knew this embedded course would be great for

me. Some of my other passions include riding horses, taking care of my dog, and working

around the farm.

A course that will teach me indigenous knowledge of agriculture will open my mind,

allow me to see other perspectives, and allow me to see, understand, and make connections about

life, culture, and agriculture in different areas around the world. I can’t wait to get to Belize and

experience everything with students who are also passionate about travel and agriculture! I hope

you’ll continue to read our blog and join us as we prepare for, experience, and reflect on this trip.