As an anthropologist, Ed Robins appreciates the value of intercultural exchanges. He first traveled to Belize in 2002, to assess the likelihood of developing a study tour for UW-River Falls students. They did subsequently develop a two-week study tour. Over 15 years, more than 500 UW-River Falls students had the opportunity to experience what he calls “the conservation of cultural experience and biological diversity.” Now, River Falls Rotary is going into action with even more support for Belize.
Ed Robins first traveled to Belize in 2002 to assess the likelihood of developing a study tour for UW-River Falls students. As an anthropologist, he appreciates the value of intercultural exchanges. They did subsequently develop a two-week study tour. Over 15 years, more than 500 UW-River Falls students had the opportunity to experience what he calls “the conservation of cultural experience and biological diversity.”

Through these experiences, students and staff began connecting with the people in Belize. Students began organizing fundraisers and clothing drives for the students; Ed was eventually asked to come and teach in one of the schools, which was always understaffed. To his surprise, Ed was soon in charge of an entire seventh grade class, with very little direction and almost no textbooks or other resources. He quickly learned that seventh graders don’t repond well to lectures; he adopted a more interactive approach to instruction, including reading aloud. While his instructional style was considered unconventional – other classrooms were quiet, with students speaking only when spoken to – he developed a strong connection with the students during his ten-week assignment.
 
Ed showed a short video inside a classroom with his students form Belize and the UW-River Falls students; he noted that all of the supplies in the classroom – posters, books, etc. – were supplies that he provided, as that is the expectation of teachers in Belize.

Ed is returning to Belize in 2018 and has asked to be assigned to the same group of students. He finances his own trip – airfare, lodging, supplies, etc. – and noted that there are many needs at the school in Belize. As an example, the school has just one printer, which breaks down often; Ed is hoping to raise enough funds for a new printer for the school. Ed also noticed that many of the students in his classroom didn’t have textbooks, chairs or tables; he’d like to be able to help ensure that each student is provided with adequate learning materials. The school itself is also in need of some repairs and a new bathroom complex; the school would also benefit from a dedicated science classroom; he would like to be able to offer some financial support with this. Ed noted that there are many carpenters and handymen in the village; he is confident that labor would be inexpensive, if not free, if we could fund the supplies. If Rotarians were interested, they could even travel to Belize to provide hands-on assistance with the project.

Ed’s next trip to Belize will be in early January; he plans to stay at least until the end of March and possibly a few weeks into April. In response to a question, Ed noted that getting classroom supplies to Belize can be tricky. One approach is to send them as an extra bag with someone flying to Belize; another is to ship them directly. However, there are places in Belize where school supplies can be purchased, so providing financial support is a good option.

John Kremer reminded the club that he is trying to organize a few Rotarians interested in a trip that would visit projects in Belize, Nicaragua and Guatemala; if interested, let John know!

If you are interested in talking more with Ed about this work, he invites you to contact him directly at edward.a.robins@uwrf.edu.