This year's service learning trip

For the first time since the University of Maine began partnering with International Service Learning, UMaine Nursing International will be going to Costa Rica! From February 28th to March 8th, UMNI will be performing house clinics, community health surveys, and village triage in different areas and towns across the country. We are so excited for this opportunity and will keep you posted on updates and ways for you to get involved or donate to support our cause. Check back here to stay up-to-date on our trip!

From 90 degrees to 10 degrees... yes we are back in Maine

Our amazing journey has come to an end and we all are back in Maine ready to finish up this Spring semester. Already we find ourselves missing the people of Belize and know that they will always carry a piece of our hearts. 

I will be posting information about what we did each day while we were in Belize this week. Stay tuned for lots of pictures!! 

Here are a few photos of our trip - We all agree, even with are sick students, the trip was a great success.

 Ooops I really seriously did not mean to put a picture of My Tucker on this - I attached it by mistake but darn isn't he cute :)

 Heading into the village to do home visits

 Visiting one of our families - her oldest child is 18 years old.

 This littles one's little brother was actually pretty sick...

 visiting Xunantunich - Mayan Temple

Claire getting a termite to eat -

Village visit today and recreation this afternoon - zip line and cave tubbing.  Every one is pretty excited.  Yesterday we had a clinic day serving about 54 villagers.  Visited the village school and handed out new tooth brushes to everyone.  I was able to float around and watch the students do an amazing job serving the folks.  Very proud of our UMaine Nursing Students

Hello from Belize... first to MOM and DADs and LOVE ones - ALL IS WELL... everyone is doing fantastic - heat is bothering a few but stopping, resting and drinking lots.  It is difficult to go from Maine weather to Belize 80+ and humid without time to acclimate.  A few have had motion sickness by they are amazing - smiling through it all... saying " I am OK ... I am good."  What an amazing team of nurses - they will all be wonderful nurses. Complements to the Mom's and Dad's for their hard work in producing such outstanding young man (our Josh) and women.

Yesterday we visited the village of LeGracia - travel was rough but after about 2 hours we arrived to the very remote village.  We will return today to visit all the school children and give them each dental supplies.  We will then set up the clinic.  I believe we will be primarily seeing upper respiratory issues.

We also visited the Mayan temple - which was amazing.  The food is fantastic.

Everyone is staying healthy - a few get pretty HOT but drinking lots and resting when necessary.  Allergies are bothering a few... No GI issues have been reported.  Miss Katie S.  took a deep ( by accident/ she came out smiling and hanging on to her cell phone) in the river yesterday so we will keep her well guarded... She is a great sport with all the teasing - wonderful young lady.

The internet it is painfully slow - so sorry no pictures - I will post them all upon our return.  OK - off for another full, busy and hot day.

2014 UMaine Nursing Team

Day 1 - Today was spent in ISL orientation.  We meet the doctors we will be working with.  We discussed cultural difference in assessment, spanish class and lots more.  We managed to unpack and reorganize all our supplies and of course we ate great food !!

Tomorrow we will head to the first community which is about 1 1/2 hour via rough roads, might take longer depending on road conditions.  We will do our community/home assessment and invite the village people who need medical attention to the clinic for the next day.

The internet is incredibly slow and often unreliable.  I would love to post more pictures but can only post a few at a time.

Good Morning View ( Internet problem - very very slow / lost the first set of photos posted :)) 

Good Morning From Belize, 

Morning Noises - BIRDS - Tons of Birds ... love the sounds of the Birds.  Here are a few photos

Arrived March 1, 2014

Hi Moms, Dads, Friends and Families,
We have arrived in Belize after an long day of travel.  We started the day at 2:00 am and it is now 10:30 our time/ 0930 Belize time.  All has gone well.  We have had great food and enjoying the great HOT weather.

Pictures are being taken so stay tune we'll post pictures hopefully tomorrow.  I believe it - bed time for us all.   Until tomorrow -

Look out Belize... HERE WE COME!!

We are all getting super excited for our trip! It is so close we can just feel that warm air! We just have to get through this week of school and then next thing you know it we will be on the airplane heading to Belize! Woo Hoo!

ONE WEEK before departure

The count down has seriously begun.  Next week from today we should all be in Boston ready to be at the airport at 4:00am.  It has been an amazing time of preparations, with weekly meetings, team building and fundraising.

On Wednesday we will meet one last and final time - pack all the medical supplies we have accumulated.  Work out the last minute details then off we go.  Someone will be blogging everyday while we are away be sure to keep up with our daily post and hopefully pictures.

I am worried that some of us will have violent reactions to the GREEN, SUN & HEAT -  just kidding, consider how cold, long and white our winters has been I am not really sure how it will be to be suddenly in tropical weather.  LOL - IT WILL BE AMAZING !!!

Stay tune for some frequent updates... Sue (faculty)

Flapjack Fundraiser! Come one, come all, but come hungry!

Do you love a super yummy breakfast, but hate having to get up and cook it? Well do we have deal for you! Come to Applebees on January 19th from 0800-1000 for all you can eat in pancakes. Bring the whole family for you are sure to have a great time! Tickets are $10 per person.
(What a steal for two hours of pancake heaven!)
 For any questions about this lovely fundraiser feel free to email us at nursinginbelize@gmail.com.