MSU x Pathlight Belize Coding Club

As our adventures wound to an end here in Belize, one final test stood between us and our return to the US. Not a metaphorical test—a literal one. A COVID test. To return to the US, each and every one of us needed to present a negative COVID test administered by a professional physician. Thankfully, the Northern Medical Specialty Plaza in Orange Walk, Belize was able to provide such a test. After swabbing our noses and tickling our brains, we retreated to downtown Orange Walk to explore as we awaited our test results. What would happen if one of us were to test positive? We'd interacted with so many students throughout the week and spent so much time in confined spaces. We'd been careful to wear our KN-95 masks consistently. Would they be enough? The anxiety built as we continued our exploration. One incredibly long hour later, we returned to the Northern Medical Specialty Plaza to find that each and every one of us had tested negative. Thank goodness! We were clear to check in

On Thursday, we had the opportunity to explore the Belize Sugar Industries plant in Orange Walk. Although we couldn’t take pictures on the factory property, we snagged a photo in all our PPE before beginning the tour! On the tour, we learned about the crucial role sugar plays in the Belizean economy, and how the ASR Group collaborates with local sugarcane growers to ensure fair and equitable compensation driving economic growth and development. We saw firstshand how sugar cane evolves from stalks in a field to plantation white sugar, bulk (raw) brown sugar, standard demerara, and molasses, the final products  shipped around the globe. After our tour of the sugar factory, we explored downtown Orange Walk and enjoyed proper cane-sugar-derived sodas, nothing like the corn-syrup-derived sodas sold in the US! - Katie A

After a week packed with activities and exploring the beautiful country of Belize, we arrived back at the home of Via Mendez (A.k.a. VMA Suites, Via is “short” for Elvira) in Orange Walk. After unpacking from our busy week, the team eagerly decided to get into our swimsuits and head down to the pool where we could relax, unwind and enjoy the camaraderie of tossing a frisbee, kicking the soccer ball, and listening to music. Throughout our time in Belize we enjoyed wonderful meals prepared by our generous hosts and tonight was no different. We experienced a Belizean-style barbecue complete with rice and beans as well as a full assortment of local fresh fruits and beverages. Later in the evening, some relatives of Via and Teresa arrived to join in the feast as well as meet all of us and hear about our time in Belize. After an evening packed full of eating wonderful food, talking to new people, and playing various games, we were all very content to cap the night off by heading back down to

Our trip to Belize wouldn't have been complete without touring the famed Xunantunich ruins! After gearing up with sunscreen and cooling towels, we began our trek into the past. The lengthy drive there was filled with many fun conversations, including a detailed explanation of the local history and culture of the areas we passed, provided to us by our exceptional tour guide Ivar. A hand cranked ferry took us across the river to reach the reserve, and our day had officially begun!  One of the taller structures we visited was the center of religious and administrative work, where announcements could be heard by all smaller buildings nearby. We climbed up the flights of stone stairs, ascending higher and higher, like many priests and other important officials would have back when they were first built. From the top you can see several smaller Mayan structures, beautiful scenery, and the Guatemala border. The structures we visited next were filled with several hidden gems that our tour

What a full and fun day it had already been by the time we reached the Tropical Education Center in the Belize Zoo ! But the evening promised even more adventure. So we quickly moved our things into our home for the night—one of the two “Savanna Castle” dormitories—and headed to the dining hall for a relaxed and delicious dinner. Located in the savannas of the Central Belizean Corridor, The Tropical Education Center/Belize Zoo (TEC/BZ) is all about wildlife conservation and habitat protection. But our first encounter with wildlife that evening actually occurred before our visit to the zoo proper: In the short time that we took to eat, a spider created a huge web blocking the path back to the dormitory—luckily, our trusty guide, Ivar, was able to quickly steer us to another path. You might wonder “Why tour a zoo after dark, when you can see so much more in the daylight?” But if you have ever experienced the heat and humidity of a typical summer day in the tropics, you will appreciate wh

Any fatigue from our morning adventure to Caves Branch wore off upon our arrival to the Belmopan Pathlight Center thanks to our students' contagious enthusiasm! And, perhaps, thanks to a bit of coffee... Over the course of the afternoon, we celebrated capital-area students' completion of the Spring 2022  MSU x Pathlight Belize Coding Club , hosted virtually in January and February 2022. From 3:00-3:30, we welcomed students and presented certificates honoring their successful completion of the coding club.  Thereafter, from 3:30-4:00, we held a panel discussion in which participants could ask MSU student mentors questions about pursuing higher education, pursuing a career in computing, and anything else on their mind.  From 4:00-5:00, we intoduced participants to the  BBC micro:bit , a miniature programmable computer capable of making animated light shows and sounds! Unlike the programs we wrote in our virtual club, the programs we wrote for micro:bits highlighted the deep conne