My first time in Belize was for our church's first mission trip to Holy Cross Anglican School in San Pedro. I had never been out of the country and didn't know what to expect. Besides the amazing feeling of helping out those students and the spiritual connection I felt while sitting on The Tides pier as the sky grew pink, I had a LOT of fun. Fellow missionary Tanisha and I drank Belikins at the palapa, snorkeled with the Patojos boys, danced at the Jaguar, played flip cup at the Tacklebox with boys from The Tides, and bet on the chicken drop at Caliente's. We roamed San Pedro meeting students everywhere we went, and took a sketchy taxi ride to the soccer field to watch the kids' last game of the season. I made lasting friendships and cried like a baby when the flight from Belize City took off. I think about Belize all the time and can't wait to go back in July 2011 on another mission trip--hopefully with my husband, although with his job there is little hope. But I still hope!