Whitney | Jamaica

Whitney is a senior UW student who travelled to Jamaica in the spring of 2013. Whitney organized her trip with the help of a volunteer service named Amizade. She says that Amizade was very helpful and she would recommend the company to other UW students.

During her time in Jamaica, Whitney lived with a host family, which was great because she “was able to completely immerse in the Jamaican culture and visit the beaches that the locals frequent.”  She said that developing a relationship with her host family was the best experience of her trip because, “they readily welcomed me into their house, shared their knowledge, cooked amazing meals, and much more.”

While in Jamaica, Whitney taught courses at a local high school. As a Wyoming substitute teacher, she enjoyed the opportunity to compare U.S. and Jamaican education systems. According to Whitney, one of the greatest differences was the class sizes; “Jamaica averages 30-40 students per class, while the Wyoming classes I have taught only have 20 students."          

The greatest challenge that Whitney encountered during her trip was dealing with local security. She was able to solve this problem by, “taking one of our local volunteer guides with us when we walked up and down the beaches.”

Whitney says that the memories from her time in Jamaica will “last forever,” and that “given the opportunity [she] would definitely go on the trip again.”

If you’re planning to travel to Jamaica, or work with a program provider, please feel free to contact Whitney at wbalzan@uwyo.edu. 

Mariah | Honduras

Mariah Price is a junior UW student who travelled to Honduras during the summer of 2012 as part of a Medical Brigade Faculty-Led Program. During the trip, a group of University of Wyoming students earned academic credit while working at a medical clinic in the rural community of Agua Salada.

Reflecting on the trip Mariah said, “It was a great way to give back. I loved helping teach the children at the schools about healthy living and English.” The trip also provided an excellent opportunity for Mariah to improve her Spanish because she acted as the Spanish/English translator for the group!

Considering Spanish, Mariah said, “I would recommend this trip for those wanting to work on their Spanish skills, or just utilize them in general. I really progressed in the short time. There were also some medical terms that I did not understand at first; yet, I quickly learned the medical terms through immersion.”

Mariah will enjoy wonderful memories of her trip in Honduras for years to come; especially poignant are her memories of the local people. She said, “One of my favorite memories is our last night in Agua Salada. The community threw us a party, we attended a service at the church, enjoyed a delicious cake, and even had a dance with all of the local people.”

Mariah says she would recommend the trip to anyone! She says, “It was very beautiful and the people were great. I will never forget the short time I spend in Honduras.”

If you are interested in traveling to Honduras or participating in a Faculty-Led Program, please feel free to contact Mariah at mprice8@uwyo.edu.    

Chelsea | Belize

Chelsea Downey is a UW senior who traveled to Belize (Central America) during spring break of 2012. Chelsea worked with ProWorld, a study abroad Program Provider, to set up the trip and she highly recommends ProWorld to other UW students.

During the trip Chelsea enjoyed caving at Blue Creek, building stoves and solar latrines in a local village, and swimming in rivers. She said the activities were “exhilarating, refreshing and really fun for the whole group.” During the trip, Chelsea lived with a local woman who ran a bakery out of her house. And while she would recommend home stays to other UW students, she did note that it was sometimes difficult to communicate with her other house mates. For students experiencing international roommate conflict, Chelsea suggests seeking advice from a group leader or adviser.

Chelsea really enjoyed her trip. She learned that the manual labor of building stoves and latrines can be a “fun and rewarding experience” and she found the people of Belize to be “welcoming, friendly, and very helpful.”

If you’re thinking of going to Belize, working with a program provider, or venturing out on spring break, you can contact Chelsea at cdowney4@uwyo.edu.