Farewell, Belize!
July 4, 2025
Our final hello from Belize!
We truly can’t believe it’s already time to say goodbye to this incredible adventure we’ve shared with your amazing kids. These last few days have been absolutely packed with excitement, laughs, and memories we’ll be talking about for a long time. We moved from the ocean to the rainforest, where we enjoyed experiencing new things!
To kick off the final leg of our journey we had a boat ride down the Monkey River. It honestly felt like a real-life National Geographic. We spotted crocodiles, howler monkeys in the trees, sunning, and even a turtle that Campbell pointed out with excitement. Welles of course, kept everyone entertained with hilarious commentary that had the whole boat laughing nonstop.
Later that afternoon, we shifted from monkeys to manatees as we went out on a manatee watch. Mackie pointed out the first manatee we saw that came up right next to the boat! Everyone was excited and kept trying to spot the next one! It was a peaceful and beautiful ride-and the kids loved playing corn hole afterward, with Jack and Clarke forming a competitive team that took home the win.
The next day we zip-lined through the trees and rappelled down a waterfall like total pros. Mary Brooks was fearless up on the platforms and even encouraged the whole group. Anne Collins was smiling the whole time, snapping pics! We hiked to the top of the waterfall and cheered on everyone as they made their way down the rushing waterfall. We were honestly so proud of how the whole crew tackled every challenge with confidence and curiosity.
We also went cave tubing through dark caverns. With headlamps lighting our way it felt like a scene out of a movie. Liles and Jake were the first ones in the water and definitely led the charge with endless jokes and positive energy. The echo of laughter in the caves was just the best way to end a day of exploration.
One of our final days brought us to the famous Xunantunich Mayan ruins and wow-what a view. After climbing to the top of the ancient pyramid, we could see all the way into Guatemala! Bea said it best: “This is like… actually insane.” And she was right. It was one of those quiet, full-circle moments where everyone felt the magic of where we were and how far we’d come as a group.
This group has grown so much over the past two weeks. From learning how to scuba dive to hiking through the jungle they have formed a special bond. We’ve seen so many quiet leadership moments- whether it was Will helping clean up without being asked, or Melanie checking in on someone who was nervous before a rappel, or Mary Brooks stepping up to get everyone pumped and thrilled before an activity.
As we pack up and reflect on all that we’ve done together, it’s clear this trip wasn’t just about the activities-it was about the people. We are so proud of this group and the way they showed up for each other, day after day.
Thanks for letting us be a part of your kids’ summer–we feel so lucky to have spent this time with them. Belize will always hold a special place in our hearts, and we know it will for them too.
With love,
Caki + Jake
Belize Trip Update - Checking In!
June 30, 2025
Hello again beautiful Belize!
Scuba is officially over, and everyone had the best time learning how to dive and enjoying the underwater world! Over the past week, they’ve worked hard to learn skills and build confidence underwater-and they’ve had a blast doing it. Our final dive took place off the crystal-clear shores of South Water Caye, one of the most breathtaking dive sites we’ve seen. During one of our dives, Will and Liles spotted a reef shark and a sea turtle, along with trumpetfish, lionfish, and parrotfish. Everyone dove with such excitement and focus-Jake, Jack, and Mary Brooks especially couldn’t stop talking about the underwater world when we surfaced!
In addition to diving, we’ve had a full schedule of unforgettable experiences. One highlight was our catamaran trip to Moho Caye, a postcard-perfect island surrounded by turquoise water. On the way to the island Campbell spotted a dolphin that rode with us for a while! We spent the day swimming, eating a delicious barbecue lunch, and enjoying fresh coconuts we cracked open ourselves. On the sail back, the crew served us pineapple juice and played music as we lounged on the front deck. Mackie, Melanie, and Bea led the way in soaking up the sun, while others like Clarke and Anne Collins hung out in the back, chatting and enjoying the ride. We also had an amazing horseback riding day through the jungle. Each of us rode our own horse along scenic trails, surrounded by lush greenery and incredible views. Welles and Jake were completely in their element and loved every minute of it. Lots of stories and giggles were shared throughout the ride!
Another meaningful day was spent with local Belizean kids, where we played soccer, volleyball, made friendship bracelets, and shared a delicious meal together. A fun moment came when Clarke helped get a soccer ball down from a coconut tree-no climbing required! Everyone enjoyed getting to know all the kids and playing their favorite games. Afterward, we visited a cultural museum to learn about the Garifuna people and the history of Belize. The visit ended with traditional drumming and dancing, and Campbell and Welles were completely immersed in the music-they really brought the energy!
We’ve also been having some awesome conversations, both as a group and during downtime, as everyone’s really opened up and connected. Meals have been another big highlight-we’ve eaten at some fantastic local restaurants, but we’ve also cooked several of our own meals together. Each day, a pair of LODs (Leaders of the Day) help plan and prepare dinner. One standout night, Bea and Welles made a killer pesto chicken pasta that everyone loved. And no worries-everyone’s been great about helping clean up afterward, too!
We’ve also found our favorite ice cream spot-Tutti Frutti-where we’ve been treating ourselves to some of the best ice cream around. And on a fun, sunny afternoon at Sirenian Bay, we swam, played mini golf, and enjoyed tasty drinks while relaxing by the water.
This group has been a joy-so curious, adventurous, and kind. We’re soaking up every moment and can’t wait to share more memories with you soon.
Warmly,
Jake + Caki
Thank you’s:
Campbell- Hey guys! Thank you guys for sending me on this trip! But. Please go ahead and book me a facial and massage. But nonetheless I’m having SO MUCH fun. Also, will you have PF Changs in the car for me when u pick me up from the airport. Thanks! Love you and can’t wait to see you and Air Conditioning! 🩷
Mackie- hey family! Thank you for letting me come here, I am having so much fun. I’ve eaten great food, done fun activities, and met amazing people. I can’t wait to see yall this week, love yall!
Anne Collins- hey Mom, Dad and Jack!! I am loving this trip so much it’s the best experience I have ever had. We have been listening to some amazing music I think dad and Jack would approve of, and I’ve seen the most incredible beaches mom would love!! I Love y’all so so much and I can’t wait to see yall!! 🩷🩷
Melanie- Hey Mom and Dad ANDDD Hollie, Dillon, and Sophie, I miss yall SO much and am so excited to tell yall about everything! I’ve been looking on my GoPro of old videos I have with yall and I’m just realizing how lucky and fortunate I am to have such amazing parents like yall. Everything I’ve seen reminds me of you guys and I’m gonna yap to yall nonstop when I get home! Love yall so much 💗💗
Mary Brooks- hey mom & dad!!! i am having the best time ever!! Finally scuba certified!! All the activities have been so awesome and I have cherished every moment with my group! See you in a few days, miss you tons!! 🩷🩷🩷
Bea- hi mom and dad! I am having so much fun thank you so much for sending me on this trip!! See you guys soon- I have gotten scuba diving certified, horseback riding, and played sports with local kids which was so cute! Love you!!
Jack- Hey mom and dad!! I am having the best time and thank you so much for sending me on this trip. I love my group and all the stuff we have done has been amazing. I got scuba certified and it was the coolest thing ever. We also went horseback riding and it was so much fun. The food has also been amazing. I can’t wait to see you and I love y’all so much.
Welles- hey guys! It’s been so much fun. Can’t wait to see you guys soon. I’ve learned to scuba dive and many other things. love you.
Will- hey guys! I miss yall so much!! Words can’t describe how much I can’t wait to see yall. I can’t wait to tell you guys all about my trip. Here’s a couple highlights so far, getting scuba certified, being leader of the day, cooking burgers, getting to meet some of the local kids, and learning about the Belize culture. I love you guys so much and I can’t wait to see yall❤️❤️
Liles- hey mom and dad! Thank you so much for sending me on this trip. It has been so fun. We got scuba certified a couple days ago and it was the coolest experience of my life. Everything we have done has been amazing. The food and drinks have been amazing and it is so cool being in such a different of part of the world. Love y’all and can’t wait to see yall soon.
Jake- Hi mom and dad, I’m having a lot of fun and just played soccer with the locals. I will see you in a few days. Miss yall, cya soon.
Clarke- Hey Mather and dad, the trip has been great. We just got scuba certified a few days ago and went 75ft deep. The horseback riding was way more fun than I expected. Dad you should get SCUBA certified so we can dive with bishop and ford. Thanks for sending me on the trip and can’t wait to see you.
Hola from Belize!
June 26, 2025
We are so excited to be here! Our journey began with big smiles and even bigger excitement as we made our way to Placencia! With the warm sun above us and the beautiful views, our adventures in Belize officially started!
Our first few days have already been packed with incredible experiences and amazing memories! We kicked things off with a traditional Mayan cooking class where the kids learned how to make a delicious soup from scratch. Melanie and Campbell were naturals in the kitchen-carefully chopping ingredients and helping the class come together around the pot. We started off by prepping the potatoes, vegetables, and chicken. Then went into crushing up the corn by hand to make homemade corn tortillas the Mayan way. Ann Collins was the tortilla master, helping everyone master the art of making tortillas from scratch. The group loved getting to eat the food they made, which was full of the local culture and flavors.
Next up was a chocolate-making class, and it’s safe to say we have a few chocolate lovers who enjoyed learning the chocolate-making process. Clarke and Will especially enjoyed grinding the cacao and tasting the rich, handmade chocolate that followed. Mary Brooks and Welles had a hard time deciding if it was more fun to make or to eat! We saw how they take the cacao pod to get the beans, then learned about the drying process, and then the beans were crushed, turning into chocolate! After chocolate making, we enjoyed some yummy chocolate ice cream that was unlike anything we had ever tasted.
We’ve also officially started our scuba certification, and we’re now three days in. We’ve seen nurse sharks, lemon sharks, and tons of fish underwater. Jack was even able to touch a nurse shark on his second dive! The kids have been learning quickly and building confidence in the water. Jake and Mackie have taken on each new skill with enthusiasm, and it’s been awesome to see their progress. Liles and Bea have also stood out as calm, steady presences-always cheering their buddies on and ready to lend a hand when needed. In between dives, we’ve spent our time on Laughing Bird Island, where we’ve eaten lunch and worked on our tans. Everyone’s tried opening coconuts, but Campbell has had the most success and is our designated coconut expert.
During our downtime, the crew has loved cooling off in the pool, swimming, and playing games under the sun. A fan favorite is playing Marco Polo in the pool with everyone getting competitive to see who is the winner! In the evenings, we’ve all helped cook dinner, making our time together feel even more like family. Each night after dinner, we love a good game of Uno to see who can win the most games. There’s been plenty of laughter, stories, and shared meals that we’ll all remember long after the trip is over.
Our nightly Moonups are our favorite times as a group. We love to continue to go deeper, learning more about each other each night. This group has already started to bond in such a meaningful way, and we can’t wait to see them continue to grow, both as divers and as friends, as the trip continues.
Sending lots of love from Belize!
Caki + Jake
Shout-outs!
Melanie- Hii everyone, Belize has been so much fun and I’m sooo excited to tell you guys all about it! I miss yall a lot but it’s alright I’ll be home soon! 💗
Campbell- Hey guys! I miss you all so so so much and & really miss Lily and Bl too! I’ve learned so many new things and everyone here is so amazing! I can’t wait for air conditioning back home though! Love you Kitty and VJ.
Ann Collin’s- hey!! I am having the most amazing time here in Belize!! I’ve learned so many new things and I miss my family & friends so much! Can’t wait to see yall soon!! 💝
Mary Brooks- hey!! I’m having so much fun and I miss you mom & dad!! Scuba diving has been super fun and I’ve seen so many sharks. I can’t wait to see you guys in a week!! 🩷🩷
Bea- hi! I am having so much fun. We went scuba diving and I have seen sharks and fish! I love you!!!
Mackie- hey! I am having so much fun here in Belize. I went scuba diving today and snorkeling yesterday and saw a ton of cool things. I love and miss yall so much!! 💕
Jack- hey mom and dad! I am having the best time and I love my group. We did that chocolate cooking class on the first day and it was really cool. we have been scuba diving for the past 3 days and it has Been incredible. I have seen so many sharks and even touched one today. I miss yall so much and can’t wait to see yall, love yall
Will- hey guys! I’m having so much fun in Belize!! Scuba diving has been great so far. Miss yall and love yall.❤️
Clarke- Hi mom and dad, It’s great. The guys are chill and scuba diving is so much fun. We went 60 ft deep and saw tons of sharks. Can’t wait to see you guys and the cousins when I get back
Welles- Hi guys! It’s been so fun. Can’t wait to see you guys. Please fix the dingie🙏. Love you guys.
Liles- hey guys! It’s been amazing so far. We have a great group and have been scuba diving for the first few days. Today we went to around 60 feet and tomorrow is our last day diving. We have seen a ton of sharks and other fish. Love y’all, can’t wait to see yall when I get back.
Jake- Hi Mom and Dad. I just got my scuba license and can dive whenever now. The locals are really nice and funny. We went like 60 feet deep and saw a bunch of sharks and other animals. I learned how to blow O’s under water. Love y’all see you in a week.
Safe Arrival!
June 21, 2025
Hello Belize Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has landed safely in Belize City! The trip is off to a great start, and we cannot wait to hear more stories from their adventure! Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next week! This will allow you to follow along with the trip. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
