Day 3 (1.6.24): Cave Tubing!

Hello! My name is Sydney Anderson, and I am a junior. This morning, we were able to sleep in and had fry jacks for breakfast, which are a renowned Belizian meal. They are like beignets, consisting of fluffy bread with a pocket of air inside, and we were able to either put eggs and bacon in them, or put peanut butter, jam, or syrup on them. Our hosts make amazing food for us! I was able to share a devotional with the group, as each of us will get to do at least on morning during this trip. It's a sweet way to learn about the ways God is teaching and revealing himself to our fellow team members.

We then left for our cave tubing adventure. Upon arrival at Butts Up Cave Tubing, we were given helmets and life jackets, and walked with our tubes about thirty minutes to get to the cave that we would be floating through. Our three tour guides told us about the various trees and plants in the jungle that we walked through, explaining how they can be used for medicinal purposes. We were also shown an area with various large ant hills, and our guides pulled out a few very big ants with big pincers that can be used to "stitch" a cut on a person's skin. A few from our group also ate some termites and discovered that they were nutritious and minty in flavor. When we reached the mouth of the cave, we hopped in our tubes and were roped together in groups of 6, with one guide leading each group. We all stayed close together though. We went at the pace of a lazy river through the cave, learning all about the caves features and the history behind the Mayans who discovered it. At one point, we got out of our tubes, and spelunked inside the cave, using our helmet lights and following the paths that were climbable. We even got to cliff jump inside the cave, from about seven feet above the surface of the water. When we got back in our tubes and made our way to the mouth of the cave at the other side, we were awestruck by the beauty of the vibrant greens and blues of the water in broad daylight, the palm trees and many plants on both sides of the river, and the sky above us. It was the most peaceful and refreshing scenery to be surrounded by.

After cave tubing, we explored the vendors out by the entrance of that area, and bought some souvenirs to support the local artisans. Back at the compound this afternoon, we were given free time to walk around the neighborhood where the compound is, and just to enjoy the beautiful weather that we have come to love so much. Some of us played games until dinner, which was chicken and rice, a good comfort meal. Today was an exciting day, with all the thrills that came with cave tubing, something most of us have not done anything like. It's been sweet to get to know each other better and learn more about this culture and country together.