Scuba, Sun, and Some Good Old Fun
July 1, 2025
We’re wrapping up an incredible few days here, and it’s safe to say this group has made every moment count. From immersing in the local culture to diving into ocean adventures, their energy, curiosity, and kindness have made this time truly special. We’ve shared so many laughs, new experiences, and even a few heartfelt goodbyes – and we’re excited to fill you in on what we’ve been up to!
We kicked off our time here with a warm welcome and quickly settled into our home away from home near the coast. It didn’t take long for the group to start bonding over sunsets, beach volleyball, and shared kitchen duties. Speaking of the kitchen – shoutout to Anneliese and Lane, who stepped up as head chefs and knocked it out of the park! Their pasta night and taco dinner were both huge hits, and we’re thankful to have such confident and capable cooks in the crew.
The ocean has been a major part of our experience, and some of the biggest smiles have come during our time in the water. Fraser has been working toward his Advanced Scuba certification and has been absolutely crushing it – especially during fish identification and underwater navigation. Meanwhile, Claire has taken to diving like she was born to do it, impressing our instructors and forming fast friendships with the local guides.
Gus has become our unofficial freediving champ, diving down to grab sand off the ocean floor just for fun! On the shore, Emme has been holding it down on the volleyball court, bringing both skill and enthusiasm to our afternoon beach matches. These games have become a favorite way to close out our active days.
One of the most memorable cultural moments came during our Garifuna immersion day. We learned to play traditional drums and dance in the Garifuna style – and let’s just say our group didn’t shy away from the spotlight. Mack lit up the room with his fearless moves in the center of the dance circle, and Monroe followed his lead with the kind of energy and excitement she brings to everything we do. The joy and laughter were contagious. We also got to play sports with the local kids and Rhett jumped right into a beach soccer game with local kids and gave it his all during some friendly (and fast!) races down the sand.
We’ve also had the chance to dive into Belize’s culinary history through a Mayan cooking class, where Emily and Knox rolled up their sleeves and got hands-on, especially when grinding corn into tortillas. Their enthusiasm made the whole experience even more fun – and the end result was delicious.
Of course, we’ve taken some time to explore Belize’s beautiful wild side as well. During our Monkey River boat tour, we spotted crocodiles, listened to howler monkeys call through the trees, and even tried howling back. Landon and Lane couldn’t resist joining in, and their monkey impressions had the whole group laughing. Rhett was especially fascinated by the wildlife, and his curiosity really shined during our nature outings. We even got to try our hands at chocolate making, learning how cacao is harvested and turned into the sweet treat we all love. Tasting the freshly made chocolate was the perfect reward after putting in the work ourselves.
One of the more emotional moments came when we had to say goodbye to our guide, Melvin, who has been with us throughout much of the trip. He brought so much life, humor, and knowledge to our journey, and the group grew very fond of him. His farewell was full of gratitude, hugs, and memories we’ll all carry forward.
And what would a trip to Belize be without a few sweet treats? Afternoon ice cream stops at Tutti Frutti have become a group favorite – a well-earned reward after full days of adventure and learning.
All in all, it’s been an amazing few days filled with growth, joy, and connection. This group has shown such a willingness to jump into every activity, support one another, and fully embrace this unique experience. We couldn’t be more proud of how they’ve represented themselves and each other.
Thanks again for sharing these incredible kids with us – we’re savoring every last moment here in Belize!
Warmly,
-Robert and Kate
Shout-Outs!
June 26, 2025
BLZ 2C shoutouts
Knox : Hey mom and dad, I’m having an unbelizably good time! Cave tubing and horseback riding have been my favorite things so far. My group is the best and so are my leaders. Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity and I can’t wait to see you soon and tell you all about it! Love you!!
Claire : Hey mom and dad, I’m having an unBELIZEably great time! I just finished up a super fun cooking class and I’m having so so much fun with all of our activities (especially horseback riding and river tubing). I can’t thank you guys enough for giving me this opportunity and I can’t wait to see ya’ll soon Tell Apollo I love him.
Emme : Hey mom and dad! I miss you and Shelbs so much! I’m having an unbeliezeably great time. Our group is so fire. We’ve done so many fun things like cave tubing, horseback riding, and more. Thank you so much for this opportunity; I’m having the best time ever! I love you guys so much, and I can’t wait to see you!
Monroe : Hey mom, dad, and ladd! I miss y’all and the dogs so very much. Thank you for letting em come! This is so UNBELIZEABLE! I am having so much fun and my group is the best! ILYSVM!!
Anneliese : Hey familia I’m practically fluent in Spanish now. I’m having an unbelizable time! Cave tubing and ziplining was so cool. I’m so excited to scuba dive soon! Thank you guys so much for this amazing experience. Tell Moose I miss him. Love you!
Emily Grady: Hii guys, I am having so much fun here my group is so good everyone is great. Tell the new baby I say hi. Thank u for Moondance Ilysm
Rhett: Hey Mom and Dad, the trip is going great! Counselors are awesome, activities are great, and group is awesome. Tell Kathryn, Annie, and Charley hi for me! Also, lost my Goodr’s so we need to stop somewhere on the way to Lake Rabun to get a new pair. See you soon! Love you!
Lane: Hey mom and dad, everything is going great. I’m having an awesome time and the people and activities are amazing. Love yall, see you soon.
Mack: Hey mom and dad I am having fun and can’t wait to see you but next time and I hope youre having fun back at home
Gus: Greeting parentals and whoever sees this. This is very fun the people here are great but I think our most fun activity’s are in the second half of the trip so I’m very exited for that. Miss you all lots and I am having lots and lots of fun. Tell the dogs I said hi, okay toodloo now.
Fraser: Hi family, this trip is really fun. Say hi to the animals please. Love you guys and I can’t wait to see you in a week.
Landon: Hi mom and dad. I am having a lot of fun with all of the activities and people. I love u and can’t wait to see u guys again. Say hi to the boys for me.
Fun in the Sun!
June 26, 2025
Hello from Placencia!!
The past five days have been incredible, and we are so lucky to have an exceptionally spirited group here with us. We are constantly laughing and fully embracing each activity. From ancient ruins to waterfall rappelling, we’ve made the most of every moment. Here’s a look at all we’ve been up to:
We kicked things off with a visit to the spectacular Mayan ruins of Xunantunich, where we climbed ancient temples and took in stunning views-we could even see all the way to Guatemala from the top! It was incredible to learn about the history and culture of the ancient Mayan people while standing on structures they built so long ago. That evening, we arrived at our first lodging, ate some delicious pizza, and played an epic game of capture the flag under the stars. Knox brought her competitive spirit to the first night by dominating the rock-paper-scissors tournament at Moonup, while Anneliese set the tone with her iconic narration as the Mafia master in the pool.
The next day, our group took on cave tubing, where we floated through dark, ancient caverns and got the chance to jump off rocks into underground rivers. Afterward, we cooled off at a serene swimming hole. Lane, who never passes up a body of water, was the first to dive in, with Fraser close behind. Snacks, sunshine, and hanging out by the water made it a perfect afternoon.
We then traveled to our new home base in Placencia, and we are thriving here. Yesterday was one for the books-it started with horseback riding through gorgeous trails and jungle greenery. Emily had her hands full with the most spirited horse of the bunch, named Frankenstein, but she handled it like a pro. Meanwhile, Landon and Rhett rode like naturals, totally in sync with their horses. We stopped at a lake to skip rocks together before heading back to the stables. Fraser used a fruit-picking tool at the stables to grab fresh star fruit, and Monroe was our star fruit enthusiast, finding the ripest ones! Afterwards, we jumped straight into river tubing, which had the perfect balance of mellow stretches and exciting rapids. The girls made the most of the float by singing along with our guide, Melvin, while the guys kept everyone laughing with a constant stream of jokes. To close out this awesome day, Gus told us an original story he wrote, including all of our group members-it was incredible.
This morning, Lane came through for the group and whipped up Nutella toast and ramen for everyone. He is our official head chef! Later, waterfall rappelling was a highlight for the group. With courage and control, everyone lowered themselves down a stunning waterfall-Mack and Emme, in particular, looked like total naturals. We followed that up with an adrenaline-pumping round of ziplining through the rainforest canopy. Claire, as always, brought non-stop energy and had us all hyped as we soared above the treetops, especially when vlogging on the GoPro!
Throughout it all, our car rides have been filled with music blasting, singing, and dancing. Whether we’re belting out our favorite tunes (shoutout to Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride) or laughing at something hilarious Gus said during Moonup, these are the kinds of moments that make a trip unforgettable.
We wrapped up tonight with a full-blown ice cream sundae party-because what better way to celebrate a week of adventure than with sprinkles and whipped cream?
There’s still more to come, but already this group has shown so much heart, excitement, and energy. It’s been incredible watching friendships grow and memories form, and we can’t wait for what’s next.
Thank you for sending these awesome kids. Sending love from Belize!
– Kate & Robert 🌞🌴🍦
Safe Arrival!
June 22, 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
