This summer I participated in Auburn’s very first Pre-Freshman Abroad Program. Sixteen of us were lucky enough to get to go on a week-long study abroad trip to Belize at the end of July! The trip focused on sustainability and Belizean culture. One of my favorite parts was going to Cyrila’s Chocolate Factory. It was a small thatch roofed building (just like many places in Belize) where we got to enjoy a delicious lunch and make our own chocolate from scratch. Here is an excerpt from my journal that day:
“That was one of the most fun things I’ve done in a long time! I don’t know if it was the smell or the taste (or both), but something about making our own chocolate was so satisfying and made everyone happy. Juan (the owner) advocated the idea that education is the best way to spread sustainable living, such as the way of life found at the chocolate “factory”. He also stressed the importance of natural foods. Walking through supermarkets in the U.S., the majority of products are over-processed and unwholesome. It is so refreshing to be in a place where the common person has access to food that has been relatively un-tampered with. I wish things were more like that back home, but I feel like our society has gotten to the point where we are so used to our current system and habits that it would be very difficult to make strides in the right direction” as far as necessary culture change goes.
The trip an absolute blast, but all of us also got a taste of a culture very different from our own. Being exposed to something so new made me rethink my own habits and customs. Although developing nations may not seem like they have much to offer from the outside, we can learn so much from the lifestyles of their people that would not only benefit each of us individually, but also make the world a better place.