In this interview, you’ll hear from Christopher Schoen, a Peace Corps Youth Development volunteer in Belize. Christopher shares what daily life looks like, the work being done, and how service has shaped their personal and professional growth. You’ll learn about housing, cultural differences, project work, language learning, and what it’s like to live and work in a new country. This interview offers a real look into Peace Corps service and what future volunteers can expect.
Table of Contents
- Volunteer Experience and Motivation
- Living Arrangements and Cultural Integration
- Surprises and Challenges
- Advice and Support
- Practical Tips and Language Learning
- Social Identity
- Final Thoughts
Volunteer Experience and Motivation
1. What do you do as a Peace Corps Youth Development volunteer in Belize?
Like many Belizeans, I wore different hats serving as a Peace Corps Youth Development volunteer. At my local primary school, I co-taught and co-planned physical education classes for over 700 students, coached sports teams, served on the sports committee, and spearheaded an after-school sports and life skills development club. My time was also spent supporting the National Sports Council (NSC) of Belize. Collaborating with my counterparts at the NSC, we planned and executed country-wide youth sports tournaments, sports camps, and monitored an athlete database. Finally, I co-organized and supported other miscellaneous projects such as 5k/10k road races, community sports days, and life skill workshops.
2. Why did you decide to join the Peace Corps and serve in Belize?
I joined the Peace Corps because I was searching to explore my ideals of adventure, curiosity, and generosity. I wanted a challenge outside of my fishbowl. An experience abroad in the Peace Corps was this opportunity. I chose to serve in Belize more specifically because of their Youth Empowering Sports (YES) project. I am deeply passionate about sports, the foundation that sports can provide for positive emotional development in youth, and uplifting communities.
Living Arrangements and Cultural Integration
3. What is your housing like in Belize?
Pre-Service Training host family
During Pre-Service Training (PST), I lived with a host family in a small village just north of the capital city. At this beautiful rural site, I was housed by a family who immigrated to Belize in the early 1980s from El Salvador. Free-range chickens, ducks, aloe plants, chaya, bananas, and elegant flowers filled the yard. I had my own bedroom, an extension of the main house.
To the left of the house were two more properties owned by my host parents’ sons, and across the street was another owned by their daughter. Family gatherings were daily, as cousins and pets went from one home to the next. My host mom taught me how to make pupusas, tortillas, salsa, and prepare fresh chicken. My host dad and brother shared their knowledge about farming and the produce market in Belize. It was also here that I learned the value of generosity, community, and family.
My host parents only spoke Spanish; however, my host sister spoke both English and Spanish. With her help, PST language classes, a Spanish dictionary, and a lot of patience, I developed an intermediate level of Spanish.
Permanent site host family
After PST, I lived with another host family at my site in Belmopan. For 6 months, I lived in a two-story, fenced-in home at an urban site. While the new setting compared to my PST site was different, there was a similar sense of community. I had two host parents and host siblings who would visit on weekends and holidays. They spoke primarily Belizean kriol, enjoyed hunting, and shared their culture and language over fresh meals. It was here I ate gibnut, iguana, and peccary, and learned to fry plantain and prepare dragon fruit.
Independent housing
For the final 13 months of my service, I lived independently in a small studio apartment, tucked in the hills at the edge of the city. It was a small but cozy space that included a desk, bed, private bathroom, spacious closet, and a gorgeous view from the rooftop overlooking Belize’s southern mountain ranges. Many of the residents at the complex were students attending the nearby university. My downtime was spent lounging and conversing with some of them, leading to lifelong friendships.
4. What moments or interactions stand out during your service?
Sports & Wellness Day
In May of 2025, my local primary school held its 1st annual Sports & Wellness Day. Over 700 students and about 50 teachers and parents participated in the all-day event. In December of 2024, it was brought to the attention of my school’s Sports Committee that the final day of school spirit week would be a designated sports day.
The six of us on the committee shared our visions of what that day may look like. Collaborating and building off each other’s ideas, we created a Sports & Wellness Day. Students and teachers were split into different houses (blue house, green house, red house, etc.), totaling seven. Leading up to the day of the event, a two-month co-ed soccer tournament was held amongst the competing houses. Each house was also tasked with creating a team banner and mascot.
On the day of the event, the houses presented their banners. Students, teachers, and parents competed in events such as water balloon toss and three-legged races, just to name a few. To facilitate participation, events were held separately for younger and older students. To help with the acquisition of resources and support, we partnered with the National Sports Council of Belize and the Belmopan City Council.
The Sports and Wellness Day was a massive success and certainly a bright spot in my service. Co-facilitating and co-planning with my fellow Sports Committee members taught me values in partnership, communication, organizational development, and creativity. Most importantly, the Sports and Wellness Day exemplified the positive impact that can be felt in bringing a community together.
A Cultural Exchange
During my service, I was extremely fortunate to have both my family and my partner meet my PST host family. Both moments were surreal and exist as lifelong memories I will never forget. My family and partner spent a day at the village, exploring and visiting my PST home. It was joyful and heartfelt. Kind words and stories were communicated in Spanish and English; we played games like La Lotería (Mexican Bingo), crafted colorful drawings, cooked pupusas, and shared meals. My parents even attended a church service with my host mom. The exchange of culture, hospitality, and love was truly amazing.
Surprises and Challenges
5. What has surprised you most about living or working in Belize?
The weather and nature in Belize teach humility and adaptability, which really surprised me while working and living there. Before arriving in the country, I had the expectation of a tropical paradise. While this is absolutely true, the heat, rain, and humidity often dictated my schedule. In the dry season, there were days I had to take a bucket bath to conserve water or eat a candlelit dinner without electricity. When it rained for a week straight, my counterparts and I had to adjust our sports tournaments or conduct an indoor and modified physical education class.
This is just the way of life in Belize, and I learned very quickly you can’t control it. Appreciating the cool-sunny days and finding beauty in the hot and rainy ones were the best practices for achieving a steady mindset.
6. What challenges have you faced in your Youth Development work, and how did you respond?
Participation
Hesitancy for youth participation in sports was a large obstacle in my work, especially at my school. Sports and physical education were often viewed as secondary or rewards. The pressure for students to excel in the classroom, demonstrate respectable behavior patterns, and work to provide financial value to a family limits student participation. These aspects of a child’s development and stability are very important. Rather than pushing against these ideas, I worked side by side with them.
I advocated for sports and physical education to be a catalyst for emotional, behavioral, and intellectual youth development. During my first school year, my counterparts on the Sports Committee and I co-designed and co-facilitated an after-school Life Skills & Sports Club. The mission was to create a safe space for youth to exercise and have fun, while also stimulating emotional and behavioral development through lessons in honesty, teamwork, communication, active listening, problem-solving, and self-confidence.
Our sessions began with a life skill activity, followed by a sports game, and concluded with a group conversation to connect the dots between the two. 52 students participated in the 9-month program, and by the end, 90% displayed an increase in life skills development. The success of this program led to the implementation of a consistent physical education schedule in the following academic year. In collaboration with the teachers and principal at my school, we delivered weekly physical education and life skills classes to each grade level, reaching over 700 students. In addition, all 34 teachers at my school displayed an increase in skills in implementing positive youth development activities.
Resources
Another challenge I faced working in Youth Development in Belize was access to resources. Teaching physical education, practicing sports, and facilitating tournaments require equipment. It’s also necessary to provide shade and water for the exercising youth to combat the blazing heat.
Working in Belize is all about connections, generosity, and community. Facilitating relationships with community stakeholders was essential for securing donations or borrowing items. Through these connections, my counterparts and I were able to secure items like tents, cones, hula-hoops, drinking water, balls, basketball hoops, and much more. Combating a lack of resources also requires a bit of creativity. At my school, we used rocks, shoes, and shirts to serve as soccer goals or softball bases. Recycled string was perfect for tying down soccer and volleyball nets, and empty Coca-Cola pints made terrific cones.
7. What secondary projects have you worked on during your service?
Department of Youth Services
Another PCV at my site and I partnered with Belize’s Department of Youth Services (DYS). In the spring of 2025, DYS held a 3-month agriculture and sewing workshop designed for out-of-school youth and young adults. Our role was to help facilitate life skills development lessons a couple of times during the week. The program was terrific, and the participants really invested themselves in the activities. The lessons were co-planned by me, my site mate, and two locals at DYS. This supported a transfer of knowledge and skills between all of us. Later in my service, I found myself implementing some of the life skills activities we designed.
Advice and Support
8. What advice would you give to future Youth Development volunteers in Belize?
To future Youth Development volunteers in Belize, I would advise them to stay patient and treat themselves with kindness. Life in Belize can be slow-paced, and things don’t always happen overnight. Whether it’s a community project or waiting for your lunch, patience is key for reaching your end goal and managing stress throughout. Acts of kindness towards others and yourself also go a long way. I found kindness to be a very effective tool in managing hardships such as loneliness and uncertainty. Kindness can shine a light of positivity in difficult moments.
9. How did Peace Corps training prepare you for service?
PST helped me develop language skills, understand aspects of Belizean culture, and ignite the confidence to navigate service. It also clarified my goals as a PCV and implementing the YES project in my community.
In-Service Training (IST) was always terrific for making new local connections and strengthening existing ones. During my second IST, my site mate and I developed a relationship with locals from DYS, kick-starting that project. Also, spending time with fellow volunteers in my cohort and reconnecting with staff at Peace Corps Belize was joyous and provided a boost of energy before heading back to site.
Practical Tips and Language Learning
10. What would you tell future volunteers to pack—or leave behind?
To future Belize volunteers, I recommend packing a portable charger for your electronics, a portable fan to stay cool, and a good book to satiate boredom. The dry season is very hot, and the country sometimes experiences power outages. Leave behind any fancy clothes and shoes you would prefer not to get muddy or moldy. Breathable pants and shirts, and a solid pair of hiking or running shoes are the best fashion.
11. How has language learning been for you in Belize?
Language learning in Belize was an incredible experience. Belize has a small population, but it is very rich in languages. The official language is English, but many locals speak Belizean Kriol and Spanish. Other languages I heard spoken during service were German, Mandarin, Arabic, Garifuna, and the indigenous Mayan languages of Q’eqchi, Mopan, and Yucatec.
I studied Spanish during PST, and I quickly discovered that consistent conversations were the best strategy for improving my skills. Shopping at the produce markets and visiting predominantly Spanish-speaking communities like my PST host families helped a lot.
My counterparts at site spoke mostly Belizean Kriol, and with some very focused listening and questions, I slowly grew to understand. Finally, the neighborhood of Maya Mopan is where my school is located. My school’s name: Kuxlin Ha means “rising water” in Q’eqchi. Through conversations with teachers, students, and community members, I was also exposed to pieces of the Q’eqchi language.
Social Identity
12. How has your personal identity shaped your service experience?
As a Caucasian, cisgender, and masculinely presenting male, navigating service has been fairly comfortable, and I have experienced some privilege. In many instances, there was an automatic assumption that because I am Caucasian, I am also an American. However, my peers who were of a different race and/or ethnicity struggled with the opposite assumption, which then led to misrepresentation and sometimes mistreatment.
Additionally, the patriarchy that exists in Belize can also lead to the mistreatment of women PCVs. For my local female counterparts, this also remains true. Individuals who represent the LGBTQ+ community may also encounter uncomfortable and disrespectful situations.
I bring up these issues for two reasons: I want to shine a light with an attempt to spread understanding, and my service would not have been possible without the support and love of my peers. These individuals shaped my experience. I believe being a supportive friend and advocating on their behalf (when desired) was of the utmost importance during service and continues in its importance post-service.
13. Did your identity lead to specific challenges or situations?
Many locals describe Belize as being a “Machismo” society, which means an exaggeration of masculinity. People, often men, may be looked down upon for asking for help or being emotionally vulnerable. Existing in this environment put a bit of strain on my mental health as I felt the pressure to conform to Machismo ideals. Rather than just existing in this negative environment, I reached out to others for help.
My fellow PCVs offered understanding and support, and friendships with locals whose values aligned with my own provided guidance and uplifted my energy. I also tried to treat myself as a friend, offering grace and kindness, and experienced the positivity self-love can have. Creating this safe space was essential for living authentically and maintaining a healthy service.
14. What advice do you have for volunteers who share your identity?
A word of advice to a volunteer who shares my identity is to spread love to others as well as yourself. Fellow PCVs and locals in your community may be grossly mistreated because of their personal identities. Listen to each individual and how they want to be supported. Be a friend and act when necessary. When you are faced with your own uncomfortable moments, lean on your support network and look inward for grace.
Final Thoughts
15. What final advice would you share with future volunteers?
Belize is defined by its people, a majority of whom are the most generous, accepting, energetic, wise, and loving souls you will ever meet. Belize is not perfect, but neither is anywhere else. Even in a country’s imperfection, you can find an abundance of beauty. As you navigate service, I would encourage you to share positivity with others, practice patience, listen to understand, and treat yourself with kindness.
Are you thinking about joining the Peace Corps? If you’re curious about service and ready for something new, apply today. Like Christopher, you can live abroad, work with communities, and grow in ways you didn’t expect. Apply to the Peace Corps and take the next step.
The content of this post does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government, the Peace Corps, or Belize Government
