Belize vs. America

In comparing my experience between Belize and America I find that it is hard to focus just on my experience in the schools themselves. I am drawn to view the entire experience in both of these fabulous countries and all the things that I've learned about myself throughout the past 15 weeks. Looking back I would have to say that America was definitely the more stressful place to work. I found myself constantly overwhelmed and with so much to do. In Belize, however, I have had plenty to keep me busy but in a way that was constructive without being stressful. Here in Belize I feel as though I have learned so much about myself, not just as a teacher but as a person in general. I have learned that I can be flexible and do things to stretch myself. There have been so many things that I have done here in Belize that I never would have dreamed of doing in America. In America I was beginning to feel stuck, as if there was no where for me to go and grow - I was just treading water. These 5 weeks in Belize have allowed me to do so much more than I ever would have been able to do otherwise. Teaching here is easy and difficult all at the same time. There have been days when I've been forced to "wing it". When I come in and my partnership teacher doesn't show up and I am left with nothing. Even on days like those when I've been so lost I have seen success. I have been forced to be more creative because there are very few materials that I can rely on. It is back to basics here in the third world when all I have to work with is a piece of chalk and a black board. The class sizes are even bigger here than they are in America, and I don't have just three classes full of wild teenagers but six. There are positives and negatives to both but I think that in the end I will choose the comfort of America over the chaos of Belize.