This morning, I finally woke up early enough to watch the sunrise on this beautiful island. We left at 6 am so I tried to spend my morning committing everything to memory, from the way the crabs scurry in the sand to salty sea breeze. I feel very lucky that I am not someone that gets seasick because the 3 hour boat ride was extremely choppy and made some of my classmates sick. For me the ride is so peaceful— I put my headphones in and sunglasses on, and I fell asleep. We got our first taste of AC on the bus ride and it was heavenly. After the flight and getting through customs, I said my goodbyes to the group and left for a plane back home. I was so excited to be home and see my family, I took the longest shower ever and fell into the deepest sleep of my life. This trip definitely felt like way more than two weeks long.
Tag Archives: travel
Final Reflection: Birds, Soft Corals, and the Wonders of Two Ecosystems
The tropical rainforest and coral reef are two of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on Earth, and exploring both gave me a new appreciation for their complexity. Both ecosystems have intricate physical structures that create many different habitats—tall trees and layered canopies in the rainforest, and complex coral formations underwater. This structural diversity allows many species to find their own niches. In the rainforest, birds use different canopy layers to find food and shelter, while on the reef, soft corals create important habitat and shelter for small fish and invertebrates.
Soft corals are fascinating because, unlike hard corals, they don’t build massive calcium carbonate skeletons but still play a crucial role in reef ecosystems. They provide habitat complexity and contribute to reef resilience by offering shelter and breeding grounds for many organisms. Just like birds in the rainforest, soft corals are key species that influence the diversity and health of their environment. Both depend on delicate balances—birds rely on a steady supply of insects, fruits, and flowers, while soft corals depend on symbiotic relationships with algae that provide energy through photosynthesis.
One big difference is mobility: birds are active and move around quickly, influencing the ecosystem through seed dispersal and insect control, while soft corals are sessile but respond dynamically to currents and light, creating a vibrant, ever-moving underwater forest. Both, however, demonstrate how important biodiversity and interdependence are in maintaining ecosystem health.
Before this course, I expected fieldwork but didn’t realize how deeply connected I’d feel to these organisms. Watching birds flit through the rainforest canopy and snorkeling over waving soft corals were unforgettable experiences that showed me life at different scales and speeds. My least favorite moment was dealing with the bugs in the room at Las Cuevas—it was definitely a test of patience and made sleeping a challenge!
Three key lessons I’ll carry forward are:
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Lionfish invasions threaten soft corals indirectly by disrupting the reef’s food web, highlighting the complexity of ecosystem interactions.
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Soft corals are more sensitive to environmental stress than I thought, making their conservation crucial to reef health.
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Bird diversity in tropical rainforests depends on habitat complexity and availability, showing how changes to one part of the ecosystem ripple outward.
Overall, the course taught me that both birds and soft corals are vital to their ecosystems, and protecting biodiversity means understanding these connections across very different but equally amazing habitats.
Blog Entry: May 30 Title: From Coral Reefs to Customs Lines
We started our final day at Glover’s Reef way before sunrise—5 a.m. wake-up call, followed by a quick breakfast of plain bread and a lot of yawning. The boat ride back to the mainland was… rough. The water was choppy, and for the first time this week, I felt truly seasick. I did everything to distract myself: deep breathing, staring at the horizon, mentally listing every species of soft coral I could remember. It sort of worked.
Once we got to the marina, stepping onto solid ground felt like a small miracle. From there, we took an air-conditioned bus (best part of the day) to the airport. That’s when the travel stress really kicked in—I only had a little over an hour to catch my connecting flight. Cue a full-on airport power walk through customs and security. Luckily, I made it.
Now that I’m home in NYC, it’s strange to think that just this morning I was surrounded by turquoise water and coral reefs. It’s hard leaving a place where soft corals gently sway under the waves and lionfish lurk in rocky crevices. I already miss the reef—but I’m bringing back a suitcase full of memories (and probably some sand in my shoes).
Day 15: Leaving Belize
Hi Blog,
Today was a bittersweet day, as we had to leave Glover’s Reef but also got to return to the comfort of our homes. After a quick breakfast (of toast and jam), we quickly loaded our suitcases onto the boat then boarded, leaving the dock around 6:15 AM.
During the boat ride back to land, there was apparently another dolphin sighting, but I did not get to spot it, which was kind of disappointing but I was able to see one from last time, so I wasn’t too sad about it. As we traversed through the water, I tried to soak up the gorgeous scenery with my eyes one last time — when again will I be able to see such elaborate mixing of hues in the ocean, from emerald green, to aqua blue, to deep blue?
This time, I was determined to keep my seasickness under control, so I put on a seasickness patch (obtained kindly from Claire C) yesterday night, the magic motion drops (from Dr. Solomon), and intensely stared at the horizon. Of course, not all of the symptoms were eliminated, but this time with all of the preparation, it was manageable, and we successfully made it back onto mainland Belize at around 9 AM. When we arrived, the van was waiting for us to take us back to the airport. But before getting on the bus, a group of us took a trip to the restroom inside of the hotel, and we were all so joyful to see a flushing toilet after our weeklong experience with Clivus.
The bus then took us to the airport, where we then checked in and made our way to the gates. Since we had a light breakfast, we all grabbed some food for lunch before our flight departed at 12 PM. I got a sandwich and a bottle of Sprite to spend all of my remaining Belizean cash. Having an ice-cold soda after a week of straight-up room-temperature or even warm water felt so good! We were truly returning back to civilization — a world with hot showers, clean clothes, cold beverages, Wi-Fi, and air conditioning.
On the plane, I took a straight 2.5 hour nap (except for when the flight attendant was handing out Stroopwafels). When we landed, I already missed Belize, but I was also excited to finally be back in Texas. We then took the bus to ABL, where we returned our supplies (sleeping bag, caving helmet, dive light, headlamp). It was a full-circle moment, as we departed from ABL altogether, and we returned back to ABL (mostly altogether).
We all left the classroom one-by-one, and it was sad to see everyone leave, but a few of us are staying in Houston and are planning to meet up for dinner soon, which I am excited for! These past two weeks have been incredible, and I am so glad that I decided to go on the trip. Truly un-Belize-able.
I will see you guys in my final blog post.
Until then,
Sohee
Day 15: See Everyone in August
Today started bright and early since we had to catch a boat back to the mainland at 6 am. We had peanut butter and jelly rolls for breakfast and then got on the boat. I did not see any sharks or rays on this last day unfortunately. The ride was gorgeous but I was not able to stay awake for the majority of it. I took seasickness meds and they wiped me out; I was snoozing through rough, open ocean swells. But hey! I didn’t get seasick!
(Final interview on Middle Caye)
When we got back to the marina, I used my first flushing toilet in a week (its the little things in life). Then we loaded in the van and drove to the airport. At the airport I got my first cold coffee in two weeks. It was amazing. The flight was easy from Belize to Houston, customs was fast, and then I had a 3 hour layover with Ian before we flew back to Raleigh-Durham.
(Waiting to go through customs)
It was so nice to be in air conditioning all day, but I am already missing the rustic, nature lifestyle we lived for the past two weeks. I am looking forward to seeing everyone back on campus in a few months! I hope everyone has a great summer!!!
Claire C
Bye Belize
Today was our last day in Belize. We started off the day bright and early at 5 am where we prepared for our boat ride over to Belize city. We left at 6 am and spent about 3 hours boating over. Along the way we crossed the boundaries of the atoll and saw a sea turtle. The boat ride was mostly uneventful except for the occasional sea sickness.
When we docked the boat we took a bus directly to the airport. Here we checked into our flight and went through security. Once through we explored the airport a little. A few of us sat at a pizza restaurant and reminisced on our trip. From there it was just a 2 hour plane ride home!
Day 9: Travel to Glovers Reef
Hi Blog,
This morning, we had breakfast at the Tropical Education Center and promptly left at 9 AM. We had about an hour bus ride to Belize City, where we stopped at a store, had lunch, bought some souvenirs, and waited until our boat came at 1 PM. On our way, I saw the vegetation change from rainforest to savannah, which was cool. For lunch, a couple of us split two margarita pizzas while Elise & I split an Island Sunrise smoothie. We asked for an extra cup but sadly, it was $1 USD and I did not have cash on me. The food court area was a part of a resort and had a gift shop attached to it. For my friends, I bought four magnets representing Belize which I thought were pretty cool & cute, while I bought a beach skirt (which can be tripled as a dress & a cover up) for myself. At around 1 PM, we all headed out from the food court into the dock, where the boat was waiting for us.
The boat ride was spectacular. There were no seats left at the edges of the boats, so I sat in the middle; nevertheless, the view was amazing. We saw the water change colors from murky brown to green to turquoise to deep blue, then back to turquoise. The boat ride lasted about 3 hours, and was calm for 1 hour, until we transitioned into the deep blue waters where the currents became stronger and the boat essentially turned into a rollercoaster ride. At this point, I started to get a little seasick, so I tried my best to keep my eyes on the horiozon. Soon enough we reached Glover’s Reef, where the water was mainly turquoise. I could not belize (haha!) that this stunning place was where we were going to be staying for the next 5 days.
As soon as we got out, we immediately saw nurse sharks in the water as well as a lot of bone fish. I was astonished by how all of the sea life were just hanging out in the water as opposed to the rainforest, where everything seems to be hiding. As we stepped onto the island, we were also greeted by hermit crabs, and some of them were quite huge!!
After settling and putting our stuff down, we went to the dock to sit, lay down, and appreciate the landscape. It was mindblowing to see the surrounding crystal blue waters accompanied by the refreshing sea breeze along with the company of my classmates.
At 8 PM, we had presentations, which everyone did an amazing job at, then we had a session where we went over our dive gear to make sure everything was functioning correctly.
Tomorrow, we will be able to actually get in the water, which I am so stoked about! Since all of our observations were from the dock or on the island, I have yet to spot a surgeonfish with my own eyes, but I am hopeful that I will be able to see some tomorrow!!
Caves, Culture, and Creatures: A Day of Firsts in Belize
Today was full of adventure, from swimming into a sacred cave to spotting wildlife under the stars. We left Las Cuevas early and made our way to the Tropical Education Center, but not before stopping at the famous ATM (Actun Tunichil Muknal) cave. Getting inside meant swimming through the entrance and squeezing through narrow rock passages. It was intense but completely worth it—I loved every minute.
Inside the cave, we saw ancient Mayan pottery and even human remains from ritual sacrifices. Standing in the same space where ceremonies happened centuries ago was surreal. I’ve always found the Mayan culture fascinating, but seeing these artifacts up close added a whole new level of respect and wonder. It felt like stepping into history.
After settling in at the Tropical Education Center, we ended our day with a night visit to the Belize Zoo. I’d never been to a zoo at night before, and seeing nocturnal animals active under the moonlight was such a cool experience. We saw tapirs, wild cats, snakes, and more—but the highlight for me, as someone studying birds, was an owl that called out and actually attracted another owl in response. Watching that interaction felt like witnessing a private moment in the bird world.
Between ancient rituals and modern wildlife, today was unforgettable. Whether we were deep underground or walking through the zoo at night, Belize continues to surprise me with its history, biodiversity, and magic.
Day 1: Travel to Belize
Hi Blog!
Today was Day 1 of Belize and it was so much fun!! It was a LONG day for sure, since our class met up at 6 AM and it is now 12 AM. I think we arrived in Belize around 12 PM in Belizean time, and when we got out of the airport it was around 1:30 PM. We got on a bus to head to our resort, and on our way, we had a couple exciting stops!
First, we stopped at Cheers for lunch, where the food took a bit to come out but it was such a cute place. There were old t-shirts hanging from the ceiling from different groups that have visited the restaurant over the years, and outside, there was a little playground and a small body of water. This was super cool because we saw iguanas in the trees, and they were jumping into the water — although my reaction time was too slow for me to catch them in action on my camera.
Then, on our way to a supermarket, apparently there was a roadkill Tamandua Anteater on the road, but I didn’t get to see it. Hopefully we can spot another one soon (alive as a bonus— fingers crossed), or even a Giant Anteater! I also saw many horses and cows on the way. Many of them were just grazing on the pasture, but I also saw a couple of horses just stationed outside of a family dwelling.
I really enjoyed the ride because the views were very scenic, and I loved the differences in geography and architecture. All of the brightly colored houses coupled with the mountainous landscape and blue sky were surreal.
When we got to our resort, we were greeted with two very friendly dogs — my first actual mammal interaction in Belize! They loved pats and rubs, and one of them actually led Dyllan, Lily, and I to the river when we were slightly confused on how to get there. After we arrived to the river with his help, the dog stayed around us, traversing from person to person for extra snuggles (which he of course received!).
I’m looking forward to tomorrow to a full day of adventures!
With love,Sohee
The Belize Zoo!
Hey guys! Once again, it’s Michiel : )
Today started out with us leaving Glover’s Reef! I’m sorry to leave it, but I’ve been really excited for this new part of our class. We had breakfast at 7, then everyone kept getting ready for the journey until about 9 (during that time I finished the book I was reading – Ghost Story by Peter Straub). At 9, we boarded the boat and began to depart from the reef. Faith and I had a really fun time while that was happening, because we got emails regarding our CHEM TA applications at that time, which we had to respond to, but the wifi from the island was getting further and further away. We were both able to respond before we lost connection, though : ).
The boat ride lasted about 4 hours. The majority of us fell asleep for most of the trip, but there were a couple of times that everyone was up to look for some dolphins (I didn’t get to see any). Also, a lot of people said that they had seen flying fish as we were leaving. Anyway, we got back to Belize City around 1, and we had lunch at Calypso, which is a restaurant right on the dock that we docked at. Then, we went to a grocery store, where I bough lots of items that I started running low on while we were on the island, and Ava and I both got a Klondike Bar, which was a wonderful treat for the both of us.
Later, we got to the Tropical Education Center, which is beautiful. The trails here are wonderful to walk on, and the cabanas are delightful to stay in. I’m really sad that we’re only staying here for one night. We were also given a presentation by Dr. Boris Arevalo on Scarlet Macaws. The data he presented was really interesting, but he masterfully weaved in advice throughout the presentation about doing research and continuing in our careers, which really motivated a lot of us to do incredible work in our futures. After the presentation, we had dinner, then we went to the Belize Zoo for a night tour! It was amazing. I saw a lot of my taxanomic group (mammals), including jaguars (Panthera onca), a puma (Puma concolor), an ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), a margay (Leopardus wiedii), white-lipped peccaries (Dycotiles pecari), a tapir (Tapirus bairdii), a paca (Agouti paca), and a northern tamandua (Tamandua mexicana). The jaguars would roll over and climb trees so that the zookeeper would feed them pieces of chicken (and one of them was named Lindo), and the ocelot made a really funny noise as it ate the chicken that literally sounded like “nom nom nom.” Also, we got to feed the tapir some carrots and feed it! It was adorable.
I’m really glad we saw all these species today, and I hope we get to see more at Las Cuevas. Here are some pictures I took during the tour!
