July 23, 2003 • Tropical Ecology Institute • NC Museum of Natural Sciences

We are home! We had a beautiful flight from Placencia to Belize City. We were able to see the coastline of Belize and could actually spot large birds, such as great egrets, from the airplane. After a final lunch of stewed chicken, rice, and beans, we flew to Miami. We were welcomed back to the States at immigration and then cleared customs and had our shoes cleaned at the agricultural inspection area. We took turns writing in our group journal while waiting for our final flight. We arrived on time at Raleigh-Durham International Airport and were greeted by family and friends.

Although we are sad that our Belize Trek is over, we know that the connections we made and the knowledge we gained will translate into new experiences for our students. We thoroughly enjoyed receiving questions while we were in Belize. It truly felt as if you all were there with us. We look forward to our evaluation meeting in November when each teacher will present a lesson plan designed as a result of the trip. We hope you will follow along next year during the 2004 trip!