Exploring the Jungles!
July 3, 2026
Just like that, our two weeks together have come to an end! Your kids are officially in the air and on their way home, and even though we are so excited for you to see them, it is definitely bittersweet saying goodbye to such an awesome group.
These last few days were the perfect way to wrap up our Belize adventure. We flew through the rainforest on ziplines, explored the beautiful trails around Bocawina, and even had the chance to spot some of Belize’s incredible wildlife on guided morning and night safaris. One of the biggest highlights was rappelling down Antelope Falls, where every kid once again showed just how much confidence they had gained over the past two weeks. Watching them encourage one another through every challenge has been one of the most rewarding parts of this trip.
We also had an unforgettable cultural immersion day. The group visited a Mayan community where they learned the ins and outs of how chocolate is made, enjoyed a traditional homemade Belizean lunch, and gained a deeper love for Belize’s history and culture. Later, we visited the town of Hopkins, where they explored local markets and continued learning about the traditions that make Belize such a special place.
Our final full day was all about celebrating. We spent the day competing in Jungle Olympics, enjoying time around the resort, swimming beneath waterfalls, and soaking up every last moment together before our banquet dinner and bonfire. It was the perfect ending to an unforgettable adventure filled with laughter, reflection, and plenty of stories that they’ll be telling you and their friends for years to come.
Over the course of these past two weeks, your kids earned their scuba certifications, explored the Belize Barrier Reef, cave tubed through ancient cave systems, ziplined through the jungle, rappelled down a waterfall, rode horses through the rainforest, learned to make chocolate from cacao, experienced both Mayan and Garifuna culture, hiked through the jungle, and made friendships that will last far beyond this trip. Even more importantly, they grew in confidence, independence, resilience, and compassion. They learned to support one another, embrace challenges, and appreciate experiences that pushed them outside of their comfort zones.
This group truly became a family. Alex J. and Graydon were incredible leaders who constantly encouraged those around them. Alex Z. and Gray brought thoughtfulness, kindness, and a steady presence that made the group stronger. Maggie and Emma embraced every adventure with courage and positivity. John was always looking for ways to serve others and lead with humility. Paul showed tremendous growth throughout the trip, stepping outside his comfort zone again and again. Hudson kept everyone smiling with his perfectly timed humor and ability to bring people together. Katrin, Tucker, August, and May each brought the fun with their own unique personalities, strengths, and energy that helped make this group so special. Every single student played an important role, and together they created a group dynamic that was supportive, adventurous, and genuinely fun to be around.
Thank you for trusting us with your kids. It has truly been a blessing and privilege to spend these past two weeks watching them grow into more confident, thoughtful, and adventurous young adults. They represented themselves, your families, and Moondance so well, and we couldn’t be more proud of each and every one of them. We hope you enjoy hearing all of their stories, and probably a few inside jokes, when they get home. Thank you again for allowing us to be a part of this incredible journey.
With love,
Frank Davis and Caroline Thomas
Under the Sea!
June 30, 2026
This week was one for the books as our group wrapped up an incredible stay on Tobacco Caye before making our way to the Bocawina rainforest resort! While on the island, the kids earned their scuba certifications, spent time paddleboarding, kayaking, snorkeling, fishing, soaking up the sun, and even playing with the island puppies. One of our favorite memories from the week was taking a boat out to a nearby reef for the coolest snorkeling adventure yet! Rather than snorkeling right off the island, we explored a vibrant reef filled with incredible marine life. We got to see beautiful spotlight parrotfish, grouper, a nurse shark, and so much more! It was also so much fun getting to experience this adventure all together as one big group after spending most of the week split up in our different SCUBA groups. This group was lucky with all the amazing wildlife they got to see during their open water dives as well! We got to swim with a school of tarpon, came across countless lionfish, a few nurse sharks, seahorses, stingrays, grouper, and so much more! Our favorite part was coming up from a dive and hearing each of their genuine excitement about what they saw and how amazed they were! It has been such a privilege to watch each of them step outside of their comfort zone while also building friendships that we hope will last long past this trip!
Gray approached every activity with great enthusiasm and a positive attitude, especially while working toward her scuba certification. Although hesitant at first, she always returned from dives with a smile on her face and a funny story to share with the group! Emma was consistently encouraging those around her and embraced every new experience with confidence, no surprise here. Her contagious laugh and passion for life have kept everyone in high spirits, and she has been such a fun kid to lead. Similarly, May has brought the best energy to the group and her sweet personality has shone through in every activity we have done. We have never once heard her complain and are so proud of the way she is making the most of every opportunity. One of our favorite May moments was her absolutely killing it during our fun karaoke night on the island!
Tucker’s go-with-the-flow nature is one of the qualities that has stood out to us throughout the week! She always shows up ready to jump in wherever, and our dive instructor, Jody, excitedly proclaimed that she was the best diver out of everyone on our last day! Graydon has truly led the pack at forming deep friendships and is genuinely welcoming to every single person he meets, local or tourist. He is a friend to everyone and has consistently been one of the funniest kids we have ever met. John showed great persistence by working through his initial nerves underwater and gaining confidence with every dive. He also has some of the best manners we have ever witnessed and has done such a great job of leading by example in this way.
Katrin is adventurous and curious, making the most of every activity while always appreciating the animals and scenery around her. We have been so impressed by her maturity, which particularly shined during the first few days of diving. She has approached every new challenge with such a calm confidence and has been a wonderful encouragement to those around her. Maggie has helped create such a fun group atmosphere with her joyful spirit and ability to bring people together seamlessly. She has no lack of energy and is always the first to suggest playing a fun group game when morale is lower. August handled challenges with maturity and maintained a positive outlook while still enjoying all that the trip had to offer. He has been willing to jump into every adventure and has done a great job making the most of every moment.
Alex Z has shown patience and skill while fishing and is always excited to experience everything Belize has to offer. His excitement is contagious, and his quick wit has kept us all laughing. Hudson quickly connected with all the other kids and has been such a fun, dependable friend throughout the week. He has such an easygoing personality and has been a steadily positive presence in the group, always the first to include others. Alex J has shown impressive confidence and truly radiates joy. He was able to get his advanced certification, taking his scuba skills to the next level while embracing every adventure with a huge smile. We have loved watching him continue to challenge himself and celebrate the accomplishments of everyone around him. Paul showed tremendous growth throughout the week, staying positive, overcoming challenges, and fully enjoying every new experience. We were especially proud to see him bounce back after not feeling well earlier in the trip and continue to approach each day with a great attitude.
As we start the rainforest part of our adventure at Bocawina, we are excited for even more opportunities to explore, learn, and grow together with this AMAZING group. Thank you for trusting us with your kids; they continue to excite us each day with their willingness to try new things, support each other, and represent your families so well. We know you’ll enjoy reading their personal messages below. This truly is a special group!
Frank and Caroline
Thank you/Shoutouts:
Gray- Hey Mom and Dad! I’m having so much fun in Belize! Today we are leaving the island and heading to the rainforest. Thank you guys so much for letting me go to Belize, and I can’t wait to go scuba diving with y’all when I get home because I’m certified!! Love you!!
Emma- Hi!! I am loving it here. We just left the island, and I am officially scuba certified. Thank you for letting me come to Belize. Love and miss you guys!
May- Hi guys!! I am having the BEST time in Belize! I am now officially scuba certified too! Thank you so much for this amazing trip!! Love and miss y’all!
Tucker- Hey guys! We are just now leaving the island after six days, and we are on the way to the rainforest! I am now officially scuba certified, and it was so cool! Only got homesick once…but I’m doing totally fine now. Love and miss all you guys, and thanks for sending me on this amazing trip!
Graydon-Dear Mother and Father,This Moondance trip has been very fun this year. Thank you for giving me this experience. I have made lots of new friends, and I’m having a lot of fun. I really enjoyed getting scuba certified and would love to scuba dive with John in Charleston and Frank. I feel like I have made friends for a lifetime. If possible, can I go to Atlanta sometime this summer to see my new friend Hudson? Thank you again, and I can’t wait to see you soon. I hope Charles is doing well.Sincerely,Graydon
John – Dear Mom and Dad,Scuba diving was an experience like no other. I was a little nervous at first getting into the water, but I improved and finally went to a depth of 60 feet. It was super calming and peaceful, and I got to see so many creatures. The island that we’re staying at has a very pretty ocean view. The food has been great, and I have made so many awesome friends. Thank you for this experience. Love you,John
Katrin- Dear family, We stayed on an island for five days, and it was so much fun! I got scuba certified and went 65 ft. deep. I saw a bull shark and manatees. The food is good, and the fruit is so fresh. I went paddle boarding and snorkeling. We saw this little plane; it’s so cute. We are on the way to the rainforest with 9 poisonous snakes. I can’t wait to see y’all! Thank you so much for giving me this amazing opportunity! Love you so much. Tell Lady I said hi! Love,Katrin
Maggie -Dear Mom and Dad, We are currently heading to the rainforest after just leaving the best island ever. We were there for 6 days and went scuba diving (which was the coolest experience ever), we went paddle boarding, we went snorkeling and saw all sorts of amazing animals, and we went kayaking. I have had the best time just hanging out with all my new friends. I have enjoyed my group so much, and we are all so close and have so much fun together. We have been drinking strawberry daiquiris and all just laying on a float and hanging out. We went and sang karaoke and have all laughed so hard. I want to thank y’all for everything y’all have done for me, especially giving me this opportunity and chance to go on as cool a trip as this. I truly cannot thank y’all enough, and I am truly having the best time ever. Thank you guys for everything. I can’t wait to see y’all before we know it, although I will be sad to leave this awesome place. Love y’all so much, and see you soon!!
August- Hi family, I miss you all so much and cannot wait to see you all soon. Mom, I know you are probably the only one reading this, and you are probably in bed drinking coffee, so I have a few requests for you. When you pick me up, can you get me a poke bowl and chips please? Thank you. I went scuba diving the other day, can you believe it, but I did stop early because my ear hurt. It was fun though. We are going to our last place now, which is exciting. I miss you so much. Tell Imogen that she has no choice and has to hang out with me on Sunday. Love you lots. See you soon. Thank you so much for sending me here. Love you all.
Alex – I am having a great time in Belize, and I had such a fun time scuba diving. And we stayed on the coolest island ever. I hope that everyone is doing well. Thank you for sending me to Moondance. Tell Dad I caught plenty of tarpon. Love you lots!
Hudson – Hey Mom and Dad, Thank y’all so much for letting me come on this super fun trip. I’ve made lots of friends and had lots of fun. We are on the way to the middle of the forest right now.Love y’all
Alex – Hey fam, loving it here in Belize. Just got finished with this island called paradise; the name fits perfectly. At the island, we did lots of different activities like paddle boarding, kayaking, snorkeling, and my favorite, scuba diving. I got my advanced certification, which was such a cool experience. I went 127 feet down and saw a red Coke bottle cap turn black. I played with egg yolks. I got to spear lionfish, which was really cool because I did perfect head shots. The food on the island was so good. We have to make banana pancakes at home. It has been such an amazing trip. Thank you for sending me. Love you guys!
Paul – Hey fam and Tutty, I’m having a lot of fun. We’re currently in the forest right now, and we just finished our scuba diving trip thingy. We went down 60 feet and saw so many animals that would probably scare you, Mother, and I’m not sick anymore, which is good for Sea Island, which I can’t wait for. I can’t wait to see y’all in like 5/4 days! Love y’all, and can’t wait to see y’all.
Trying New Things and Making New Friends!
June 24, 2026
Time is flying by here in Belize!! We have had such an incredible first few days together, and we are so excited to share a little glimpse into all the adventures we’ve already had! This group has been an absolute joy to lead from the very first day! They have already impressed us with their positive attitudes and willingness to boldly try new things with such excitement. Since arriving, we’ve explored ancient Mayan ruins, floated down the Mopan River, gone horseback riding through the Belizean jungle, cave tubed through incredible underground caves, and transferred to beautiful Tobacco Caye to begin our SCUBA adventures!
Our first full day started with Maggie and John serving as our first Leaders of the Day! They did a fantastic job getting everyone excited for the day ahead. We headed to the Mayan ruins where we took a ferry across the river before hiking up to the top of the largest structure for some incredible views, you could even see Guatemala! Graydon and Alex J asked such thoughtful questions throughout the tour, and we were so impressed with how engaged they were. We even spotted several iguanas and a spider monkey which made for a pretty exciting introduction to Belize wildlife! After lunch at Carissa Falls, we floated down the Mopan River. It rained during the first part of our tubing adventure, but everyone had such amazing attitudes and many of the kids said the rain actually made it even more fun. We finished the day with a surprise ice cream stop, swimming at the hotel, Moonup, and lots of card games. Our second full day started with a horseback riding adventure. We went through the lush jungle after stopping to visit a rescued jaguar and several peacocks. The ride was adventurous with narrow trails and rolling hills that made it even more exciting. John and his horse weren’t afraid to pick up the pace, while Tucker Hopkins confidently jumped right into the activity with a smile on her face. After lunch, we made our way to one of everyone’s favorite activities so far, cave tubing! We hiked through the jungle before cooling off in a crystal-clear swimming hole, and along the way every student tried a termite thanks to encouragement from our guides. May Moore was one of the first to try a termite, proving just how adventurous she is! We explored incredible caves, went spelunking, cliff jumped inside the cave, and finished the afternoon with a swim before heading back to the hotel for another great Moonup. Today we made the transfer to beautiful Tobacco Caye, and the kids are absolutely loving island life already! With the water being crystal clear we’ve already spotted several stingrays from the dock, and some of our students have already started their SCUBA certification.
This group has already made such an impression on us. Maggie’s kindness and outgoing personality have helped everyone feel included from the very beginning, and she’s also impressed us all with her hacky sack skills! Graydon brings so much energy wherever he goes and is always the first to offer a helping hand or greet someone with a smile. Gray dominated on the soccer field our first night and kept everyone smiling with her contagious energy. Katrin has been such a positive addition to the group, always asking thoughtful questions and taking the time to encourage others to step outside of their comfort zone during activities. August has a healthy level of caution that is well balanced by her excitement and laughter that shine through in every activity we do. Hudson has kept everyone’s spirits high with his positive attitude and ability to crack a good joke at any time, even during the rainy river tubing adventure. Similarly, Emma has kept us all laughing these past few days with her fun sense of humor! She even woke up extra early to join Caroline for a morning run in San Ignacio and wasn’t afraid to get a little dirty while exploring the caves during our spelunking adventure. Paul has already become such a great friend to many in the group and somehow always seems to be in conversation with someone, whether we’re hiking, swimming, or exploring. Alex J has had no problem making friends and absolutely crushed leading Moonup, while Alex Z’s wisdom and excitement for Belize have already made such a positive impact on our group. We are having such a blast with this amazing group and cannot wait for everything still to come over the next two weeks. Thank you all so much for sharing your amazing kids with us this summer. We feel so lucky to get to experience Belize alongside them and can’t wait to update you again soon!
With Gratitude,
Caroline and Frank
Shoutouts:
Gray- Hi Mom and Dad! I’m having so much fun in Belize! So far we went horseback riding which I loved, and did some cave tubing. Can’t wait to see yall soon + celebrate 4th of July with you! Love yall!
Maggie- Hi Mom and Dad!!! I miss yall so much and of course Clyde and Dilly! So far we have gone cave tubing, cliff jumping, horse back riding, and been swimming in the pool! I love my group so much! I ate two termites which I never would ever see myself doing. I can’t wait to see yall when I get home!!! I love y’all and can’t wait to celebrate mom’s birthday when we get back!!!
Katrin- hi family it’s katrin we have done so many fun things. We went horseback riding, cave tubing, and swimming in a cove. I even ate termites. I am having so much fun, everyone is so nice and I have a lot of friends. Miss y’all lots and can’t wait to see you love you!
August- hi family, August here, so far we have done a lot, we went cave tubing where i talked about the yachty steak, we went horseback riding where I got kicked off my horse, and so much more, miss you all lots, tell Imogen that I miss her so so much, love u all- August
Alex Z- Dear mom and dad, I am having the best time in Belize, so far we have done horseback riding, cave tubing, and we hiked the Mayan ruins. To my dad, I hope that you liked the Father’s Day gift and that you willwear it fishing. To mom I hope that you got home well and are happy having some time without kids. I love you both.
Alex J- Hi, Mom, dad, and Elizabeth. I am having the best time on Moondance. I’m going to start my advanced scuba certification tomorrow. My favorite thing we’ve done so far is cave tubing and horseback riding. I’ve met so many friends. Even though it’s only been a few days it feels like I’ve known them for a lifetime, and I am so grateful that you guys let me go on this trip.
Emma- Hi! So far I have done so many cool things, and I love Belize. I rode a horse which was definitely something, but me and my horse were 🤞🏻. I am so excited for the 4th. Miss and love you guys!
Tucker- Hey fam! Belize is so fun! It’s like a mix of Costa and Hawaii. So far we’ve toured Mayan ruins and tubed down the river, and the second day we rode horses and caves tubed!Everyone is super nice and we’re all getting along great. Today we are moving places for the first time- apparently to an island. Today I was LOD (Leader of the day)! Tell everyone I miss them. Per there’s for me. -Tucker
May- Hey family!! I’m having so much fun in Belize and it’s so pretty! We are on our way to go scuba diving and have already done lots of cool things like cave tubing! See you soon and love y’all!
Hudson- What’s up fam, I’ve had a lot of fun and met some cool people. We have done a lot of cool activities. We have been staying in this cool hotel with a pool you can jump into from a waterfall. We are going to a place called paradise, an island where we’re going to scuba dive. Hope you and dad are having fun in Spain. Love yall
Graydon- Dear mom and dad, this Moondance trip has been one of the best experiences in my life. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to go swimming in beautiful water and horseback ride through the jungle and much more. The trip has just begun but I feel I have already made lifelong friends and memories. I can’t wait to come home and tell you even more. Tell Charles I said hello. Sincerely, Graydon Gibadlo
John- Hi mom and dad, this Moondance has been a once in a lifetime opportunity. I have witnessed some of the greatest views ever. Horseback riding was such a fun experience. Cave tubing was super sick because I had never experienced something like it. I’ve made so many new friends and I can’t wait to come home and tell you more. Sincerely, John
Paul- Hey mom and dad, I’m having the time of my life right now! I can’t wait to see y’all in Sea Island. I’m missing Tutty a lot!
Safe Arrival!
June 20, 2026
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
