In this interview, we hear from Amber Bode. Amber is a Peace Corps volunteer working as a Youth Development volunteer in Belize. What Amber shares gives us a better understanding of the work volunteers do. We learn about the challenges, rewards, and personal growth that happens from volunteering in a new place. Amber talks about living in a different country, working with local people, and dealing with surprise situations. Join us as we learn about Amber’s journey and see how volunteering with the Peace Corps can change lives.
Table of Contents
- Volunteer Experience and Motivation
- Living Arrangements and Cultural Integration
- Surprises, Challenges, and Personal Growth
- Community Projects and Interactions
- Advice and Support
- Practical Tips and Language Learning
- Impact of Media and Final Thoughts
Volunteer Experience and Motivation
1. Tell us more about serving as a Youth Development volunteer in Belize?
Empowering Youth Through Sports and Life Skills
My past year as a PCV here in Belize has been a joy. I love my work and the community I have made here. Work-wise, Peace Corps Belize and the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Transport signed a Memorandum of Understanding to address youth sports development needs in Belize. This memorandum led to the creation of the Youth Empowered by Sports (YES) Project. I am part of the inaugural cohort of the YES project. As a Youth Development volunteer for the YES project in Belize, I work with two different partner organizations.
Collaborating with the National Sports Council and Local Schools
The first partner organization is the National Sports Council of Belize (NSC). Here we work to standardize primary school sports in our municipality, district, and nationally. This work looks a little different each day, some days we’re running primary school sports tournaments, discussing and planning summer camps, streamlining a national database for tracking tournament outcomes, or planning/assisting community events. The counterparts I work with in my NSC office are motivated and want to increase youth participation in sports across the country.
The second partner organization is a local primary school. My counterparts at my school have been amazing. The school is full of passionate individuals who want to see the students be their best selves. I co-lead life skill lessons with my teachers. We discuss the importance of teamwork, communication, leadership, emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, and patience in school, at home, and in life. I also help co-coach the sports teams at my school for all disciplines; football (soccer), volleyball, basketball, track and field, and softball. With the student-athletes, we do team-building life skill lessons and work-life skills in our practices.
Building Community Support for Youth Development Programs
Part of the YES project goal is increasing the skills of parents/caregivers to promote youth participation in life skills and sports activities. To do this, my principal and I are working to create a Parent Teacher Association and are bringing on parents who have experience with sports to co-coach practices.
With the YES1 cohort, PCVs are currently placed in urban living sites in bigger villages and towns across the six districts in Belize so they can be close to the NSC offices. Most of us are in the NSC offices about three to five times a week. The YES2 cohort has a couple more volunteers who were placed in rural locations.
As future cohorts come in, placement in rural communities and then commute into their NSC Office. This presents a unique PC experience for us as there are multiple volunteers working within the same NSC office. At my office, there are six PCVs who assist our NSC counterparts. For our school partnerships, there’s only one volunteer per school. I enjoy the balance of working at my school directly with the kids and with the NSC for bigger-picture tasks.
2. What motivated you to join the Peace Corps and choose Belize?
A Childhood Spark for Cultural Exchange
I was born overseas and spent my first 10 years living in Singapore and traveling extensively in the region. My love for cultural exchange started at a young age as my friends were from all around the world. I loved the international cultural immersion I experienced growing up.
Finding the Peace Corps Path Through Global Health
Throughout university I kept seeking opportunities to live and work abroad. I studied Kinesiology and Sociology at William & Mary. Much of my studies centered around global health, environmental impacts on health and long term sustainability. I worked closely with an RPCV as her TA for her W&M Washington Center Winter public health course.
In our many discussions planning for the course, I shared my passion for cultural exchange, global health, international development work, and sustainability. She suggested I explore the Peace Corps. That evening, I decided to sit down and in depth, explore the Peace Corps website. Within the first fifteen minutes of reading volunteers’ stories and the mission statements I knew instinctively, I wanted to pursue it.
Connecting Sports, Youth, and Life Skills in Belize
The YES project immediately caught my eye. It encompasses the Peace Corps’s values of cultural exchange, grassroots and sustainable development, and my love of sports. I played field hockey during my time at William & Mary and coached at a local club. Being a student-athlete provided a space for me to learn positive and necessary life skills while coaching allowed me to teach my players life skills in a more tangible way through sports. The project falls under the Youth Development sector but sports and life skills are deeply interconnected to the overall wellbeing of an individual and a community.
After being in service for almost a year I am confident that I made the right choice in choosing to do the Peace Corps and serving in Belize. It’s been a joy to see the kids I work with improve in their life skills and technical sport skills and hear counterparts express gratitude for the implementation of this project.
Living Arrangements and Cultural Integration
3. Tell us more about your home situation:
In Belize, you live with a host family during your first three months in the country when you have Pre-Service Training (PST). Once you officially swear-in as a PCV you must live with a host family for another six months before you can apply to move independently.
Creating Lasting Bonds with a Host Family
The host family I stayed with during PST was just a lady and myself. She was/is the best! During training, we’d spend hours talking in the evenings, and wake up early before work started to go walking and running together around the town. She wanted to start eating more vegetables and I love vegetables so we’d spend nights cooking together. She had never hosted before but wanted to try a new experience. We even walked a half marathon together last December.
About eight weeks into training you learn your site placement for the rest of your service. It’s rare for Peace Corps countries to place PCVs in the same town that you do your training in but that is a possibility in Belize. I was placed to stay in town.
Finding Independence in a New Home
Usually, when you officially start your service you’re placed into a new host family, since my host mom and I got along so well I ended up staying with her as my host mom. She has a daughter who is the same age as I am and came to live with us for a month over the holidays.
The two of us became fast friends and now introduce each other as sisters. She truly has become a mom to me and I’m so grateful for her. She introduced me to many people in the community and a lovely women’s group. While we had a lovely time living together, my host mom never expected to host someone for nine months so as those nine months were coming to an end I started looking for my own place.
I moved into my own homey little one bedroom this past June. It has everything I need, a mini fridge, a double stove top burner, a toaster oven, a wardrobe, hanging space and a shower. I even asked my landlord if she would be willing to install hammock hooks so now on hot nights I’ll sleep in my hammock.
Staying Active in the Heart of Belize’s Capital
My site is the capital of Belize so it is a more urban setting as much of the government buildings are located here. Despite it being the government hub, it is a commuting city making the streets rather sleepy once the sun sets. During Independence month (September) the community host many music and food festivals around town to bring people together in celebration.
I can speak on how I exercise at my site but this varies greatly from site to site. There’s a two-and-a-half mile loop road that goes around the center of town which has a bike and a walking path. I go on many runs and walks around town for exercise and will bike to my schools.
There’s a gym that I used to go to that’s about a two-mile bike ride from my apartment but it’s out of the way from work so as an NSC office we all went in on a couple of free weights so I will use those a couple times a week.
My office is on the second floor of a football (soccer) stadium so we’ll sometimes have office-friendly games during our lunch break. There is also a free community tennis court nearby where I’ll play with my friends twice a week.
Surprises, Challenges, and Personal Growth
4. What has surprised you most about Belize?
I came into service with no expectations so to me every surprise has been a pleasant one. It surprised me how quickly Belize felt like home to me. With close proximity to the States, Belizeans are aware of most American news and politics and will follow US fashion trends. It’s common to see many US brands in the grocery stores, they’re more expensive but if you’re craving some Oreos and want to splurge you’ll be able to find them in a town grocery store.
I had read many stories of RPCVs finding a second family and creating lifelong friendships with host country nationals. I was hopeful that might be the case for me but didn’t understand how meaningful finding a “Belizean family” and my friendships would be to me. I am close with my host mom and another family here in Belize, both of my “Belizean moms” call me their daughter. When my parents came to visit this past July, my heart warmed when my “Belizean family” and my US family met each other for the first time.
The women I’ve become friends with here are phenomenal inspiring individuals, I’m honored to know them and be called their friend. They continuously push me to be my best self.
5. What challenges have you faced while working in Belize?
Working in sports in Belize is a historically male-dominated profession. As a woman coming in and trying to navigate the subtle digs of being a woman and being “lesser than” was difficult. If I were to present an idea I wouldn’t be heard but when I would tell one of my fellow male PCVs to share the same idea they were heard and met with praise. The male PCVs would voice up by crediting their words to me but I was still rarely acknowledged. It was a difficult adjustment.
Interacting with host country nationals and being acknowledged for my own voice took time and was frustrating but over time my interactions have improved and I’m met with a greater level of mutual respect. The same situation occurs with female host country nationals in the same field so part of what we want to focus on is uplifting them and their ideas.
A huge aspect of the Peace Corps is building relationships, trust takes time to build. Being present in my community and just being is the best way to build relationships. During the first few weeks, my school was slow-moving for a number of reasons. I felt like I was imposing on their already set routines. One week I came to school and my counterpart shared that she was so happy I was there, she was noticing positive behavior shifts in the kids we were working with. Progress takes time, trust, and being present.
6. How have you grown and developed during your time as a Peace Corps volunteer in Belize?
It’s quite hard for me to describe how I’ve grown, simply put, the person I was when I came here would be in awe of the person I have become. In situations where I would previously be timid or half-heartedly agree I now am more confident to share my voice. Not in the sense that is dominating but in a way to ensure that the needs of the students I work with are met and heard. This renewed strength has assisted in the development of different initiatives at my school and within the NSC office.
I have a heightened understanding of the value of relationships. Having positive healthy relationships with host country nationals outside of work is just as important as the workplace relationship. Knowing people propels community projects forward.
The art of being present is a pivotal part of being a PCV but I think it’s an essential part of being human. Often we get swept up in what could have been and what might be but we never really focus on just being, just existing.
The biggest growth I’ve seen in myself is the fact that I’ve learned how to be present. When I’m walking to school I take a breath to smell the freshly laid soil, I feel the sun kissing my skin, the cool breeze blowing, and then the greetings from my kids as they see me approach the front gate. Being present is grounding and allows you to be aware of your surroundings. This is a skill I will continue to take with me throughout the rest of my life.
Community Projects and Interactions
7. Could you share some of the secondary projects you have been involved?
Student Monitor Program
My secondary projects have taken place at my school. The first one is the Student Monitor Program. The principal approached me and a fellow teacher after sitting in on a life skill lesson. He wanted to start a group of student leaders who could serve as a bridge between the students and teachers.
These students would be trained in conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, and interpersonal communication. They would be the sole leaders during the school ground clean up at the end of each day and serve as interveners when they notice conflict arising in the classroom and on school grounds. Students had to be nominated by their teacher for the program and then submit a short paragraph saying why they wanted to be a student monitor.
We successfully ran this program last school year with 25 students from standards 4-6 (ages 9-13) and are running it again this year with a more selective group of 20 students from the same age group. My counterpart and I run three initial training sessions. After those three training sessions, if a student has been committed they can officially “swear in” as a student monitor and receive the student monitor vest they wear daily. We then do bi-monthly meetings to check in and hear feedback from our student monitors.
It’s been a successful program and our student monitors love the training sessions so much they’re always asking when we can meet again. My counterpart and I are compiling a binder with all the training lesson plans we’ve done so the plans can be used for the following years.
School-wide Anti-bullying and Anti-littering Campaigns
With the student monitor program in place, we’re initiating a school-wide anti-bullying and anti-littering campaign on campus. For the anti-bullying campaign, we’re planning to kickstart it in conjunction with anti-bullying week which is November 11-15. We’ll do an anti-bullying awareness walk around town in the morning and then meet up at the school to host a day of fun team-building activities.
Over the course of the year, my counterparts and I will co-led anti-bullying mini-lessons with help from the student monitors for all classrooms of all ages which will lead to the creation of a classroom Kindness Chain that will be displayed in each classroom. At the end of the lessons, the goal is for all students at the school to take a pledge against bullying.
For the anti-littering campaign, we’re working with stakeholders to place permanent garbage containers on school grounds and paint lines as if the garbage bin is a basketball hoop. We’re also hoping to install a backboard. Our students love sports so we’re hoping this would encourage them to throw their garbage away. During our holiday variety show we’re adding a Trash ’n Fashion show where each division (lower, middle, and upper) will present an outfit made of trash found around the community. The fashion show includes parent involvement, encouraging parents, teachers, and students to all work together. On a smaller scale, students will help in the creation of an anti-littering wall, where posters that students have made will be on display for all to see.
It’s so cool to be in staff meetings with my teachers and see the ideas discussed and come to fruition working all together. I’m so excited to see how they all play out.
8. Any memorable experiences or interactions you’ve had with community members?
Finding Family in Belize
Having a meaningful connection with your host family is a wonderful part of the PC. As I mentioned earlier, being part of my Belizean family has been truly incredible. Every time I’m introduced to someone as “sister”, “daughter”, or “tia” by people who aren’t my blood family I am filled with warmth and joy. These simple introductions will stay with me forever and those that introduce me will be part of my life for years to come.
Unforgettable Moments with Young Athletes
A memorable experience was running a summer camp with the NSC. It was a four-week camp covering seven disciplines (volleyball, basketball, football (soccer), softball, rugby, chess, and teqball). We had kids who participated in every discipline during the course of the four weeks. These camps give us an opportunity to get to know kids who aren’t at our schools or live in the surrounding villages.
There was one girl who attended every discipline camp. She was always super smiley and helpful when cleaning up, we’d chat while she was waiting for her parents to pick her up. When camp was done I didn’t see her for the rest of the summer. The school year started and we began running our primary school football tournament. I knew she had never participated in the NSC tournaments before because she’s on the younger side and thought that might be the case this year.
It had slipped my mind until one day I was setting up the goal on the far side of the field and I heard “Miss Amber!” being shouted at me. I turn to see her running towards me in full sprint. She gave me a quick hug and immediately started telling me about how excited she was to play on the football team. Her team didn’t win any games but seeing the joy on her face as she was playing on the field is a moment I’ll never forget.
Advice and Support
9. What advice would you give to someone considering serving as an Youth Development volunteer in Belize?
This is likely a similar sentiment for PCVs across the globe but life moves at a slower pace here. Ambitions and passions are prevalent in many individuals but the time it takes for those to come to fruition is a longer process than it would be in the United States. It’s easy and natural to carry the fast pace of the United States work and social culture with you as you begin your service. Building that sustainable foundation of trust and patience is imperative before diving headfirst into your project.
The early days of being a PCV are filled with a softer focus on time. You may set a meeting for 12 pm during lunch but the meeting doesn’t truly start until 45 minutes after everyone has eaten and exchanged a weekly update. It’s natural for there to be frustration but timeliness doesn’t equal lack of interest or laziness. You don’t always know what an individual is dealing with outside of work and giving grace is especially important.
As I mentioned in the challenges section, being a female comes with challenges in the field but also within the community. You might be met with more wandering eyes and prying comments than a male volunteer might. Curiosity as to why you might not be single, not married, or have kids yet will be part of initial conversations.
These questions, comments, and looks can and will be draining but I have adjusted them to be an opportunity to educate if I have the mental capacity to do so. I do not want to discourage any female-presenting individuals as I have loved my service, I instead want to acknowledge that these moments may be difficult but can serve as an educational opportunity.
10. What skills or qualities do you think are most important for a Youth Development volunteer?
The nature of being a Youth Development (YD) volunteer is working with youth and their care providers. Having a basic understanding of what that work with youth is or could be like is beneficial, however, I’d argue that the desire to work directly with youth and their care providers is a must. Half of the project is centered around your primary school which involves leading lessons to youth and working in tandem with the teachers at your school.
While experience is lovely and an asset to the technical part of service, soft skills are what makes a Peace Corps volunteer. Having basic empathy, strong listening skills, emotional intelligence, quick decision-making, and conflict resolution will guide a successful YD volunteer through the trials of service. A pivotal part of Peace Corps service is overcoming cultural differences and building a bridge between you and host country nationals.
Based on my own personal experience, I’ve found that patience is the most important. Patience for your counterparts, here in Belize, individuals wear many hats, if they seem distant it might be because they’re busy wearing another hat you aren’t aware of. Patience for your host family, it may be their first time hosting a volunteer or they might not open up to you immediately. Patience for your project, it will take time to see the fruits of labor. Patience for the kids you work with, at first they might not want to listen or like you.
Lastly, and arguably most important, be patient with yourself, you are moving to a new country, and experiencing a lot of “new-ness”. Knowing how to give yourself grace and be patient will bring you ease and comfort during service.
11. How has the Peace Corps staff and training helped you during your service?
Peace Corps training is full of information. This information varies from safety and security measures in-country to treating basic illnesses, to learning how to report your work, to maintaining well-being to language and culture training. The language and culture training received during Pre-Service Training (PST) prepared me when speak in the local language and understand local contexts. Having a basis in the Kriol language before beginning my service has allowed for daily growth.
In general, the Peace Corps staff are helpful when addressing concerns volunteers might raise. They are exceptional in addressing and alerting volunteers when safety, weather, and/or security issues might arise. In the Project Design Management (PDM) workshop, the Peace Corps staff created a space for my counterpart and me to develop our life skills lessons at a high level. I’m grateful we had the space to expand on our ideas and receive feedback from Peace Corps staff.
Practical Tips and Language Learning
12. Anything that you packed or didn’t pack that you’d like to tell future Belize volunteers?
I’d recommend bringing Tupperware, it comes in handy during Pre-Service Training (PST) when host families provide meals for the trainees. Most of my lunches were leftovers from dinner the night before so having a tightly sealed container to transport food to and from the office was important. The ones I packed were collapsible which saved space in my luggage.
The day before I left for Belize I quickly threw my beading supplies into my luggage and I’m so thankful I did. You never want to show up to a birthday party or celebratory event empty handed and you might not be given a heads-up until a day or two before. Whenever this happened, I headed to my room and would quickly make a bracelet. Bracelets have been my go-to gifts for all celebrations and everyone loves them! I also brought a sketchbook and colored pencils so I could create my own cards for any occasion.
If you have a hobby that’s easy to pack, can be gifted, and will bring you joy as you create I’d highly recommend bringing some basic supplies. Homemade gifts are especially meaningful and it brings me joy whenever I see someone wearing a bracelet I made.
13. How has learning the language been?
Currently, there are two languages you may be assigned as a volunteer in Belize, Spanish and Kriol. I was assigned Kriol. Kriol is a variation of English, there is no way to learn this version of Kriol on language learning apps. The best way to learn it is to be immersed in the language and ask questions. You do not have to have any prior Spanish background to be assigned Spanish and if you do have Spanish background you might not be assigned Spanish. The primary language for work in Belize is English which presents a unique communication experience for volunteers.
In social settings, Belizeans will default to their first language. It could be beneficial to study some basic Spanish if you have no prior Spanish experience and are assigned Kriol. When working at the primary school tournaments, some kids might ask you questions in Spanish. I’ve found it helpful to understand some basic Spanish. The language teachers were incredibly helpful and answered any and all questions we had. Overall Belizeans are pleasantly surprised when you can converse with them in Kriol, the kids also find you more approachable.
Impact of Media and Final Thoughts
14. How do you think your blog contributes to your overall mission as a Peace Corps volunteer?
Promoting Cultural Understanding Through Blogging
The Peace Corps has a Third Goal which is: to help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans. As you immerse yourself in the local customs and cultures of the country you are serving you have the opportunity to share your experiences with friends, family, and other Americans as a way to promote cultural understanding.
I’m currently a Reach the World Traveler. Reach the World (RTW) partners an individual who is living abroad for an extended period of time, the traveler, with a teacher back in the United States. This matching can be random or it can be through a known pairing.
Connecting Classrooms Across Continents with Reach the World
When I first was accepted to be an RTW traveler I had planned on being paired with a random teacher but then one of my young neighbors I used to babysit emailed me saying she was assigned the same fourth-grade teacher I had. I immediately reached out to him to see if he wanted to be the teacher I was partnered with. It’s now been almost three months since I sent weekly articles and we’re about to have our second class video call. The cool part is that during my teacher’s years of teaching at my old elementary school, he has moved classrooms, this year he is back in the same classroom that he taught me in!
Being an RTW has increased my own personal understanding of Belizean culture and my work as a PCV. I’ve found I’ve become more in tune and grateful for each little moment in my life. Something that has become a normal part of everyday life, such as only having fans, can be a huge cultural difference for these kids. I’m honored to have the chance to be the bridge between my hometown’s fourth-grade class and a country that initially seemed so very far away.
Reach The World: Amber’s Journey to Belize – (Belmopan, Belize) – Hi there! I’m Amber, and I’m currently serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Belize! Join me and learn more about Belize’s landscape and culture, including work in empowering youth through sports HERE!
15. Any last comments you’d like to pass on to future Belize volunteers?
Be patient. I may seem like a broken record at this point but being in the moment and being patient is the best advice I can give. Relationships take time, grass roots change and sustainability don’t happen immediately, give yourself grace and be patient.
What are you waiting for? Opportunities like this don’t come often. If you have a passion for service and an adventurous spirit like Amber’s, apply to the Peace Corps today. Expand your horizons, push your limits, and create positive impact as a volunteer. You never know how serving as a Peace Corps volunteer could change your life.
The content of this post does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government, the Peace Corps, or Belize Government.
