Making a Home in the Rainforest

As we pulled into the driveway of The TrekStop after a long day of flights, I don’t think any of us humble Penn Staters knew the impact that this place would have on our experience in Belize.

Hesitant, we stepped out of the van that had taken us down the rough roads from Belize City to San Jose Succotz, Belize. We took deep breaths of the warm air and were approached by the two kind owners of The TrekStop, Denny and Tino. Laughs and smiles were shared as they welcomed us to our home in the middle of the Belizean rainforest for the next four days.

After a long day of travel, there is not much more us students needed than a warm, home-cooked meal. Our first dinner, made with tender love and care, was served to us that evening. The authentic rice, baked beans and grilled chicken brightened our spirits and gave us hope for the next few days at The TrekStop. We headed to bed and spent our first night in our small, cozy cabins.

Denny, mother of two young kids, welcomed the rest of us just as her own.

Sunday morning, Denny approached me. “Are you okay?” she asked. “Of course!” I explained.

Denny was concerned by the sad, tired look on my face, that was nothing rare of a typical morning. Although small, it was just what I needed as we prepared for our first full day in Belize.

Throughout our stay in Succotz, we visited various tourist attractions. A new culture is nothing to be afraid of- yet something to embrace. As most tourists are advised, we took caution of our surroundings. Traveling back and forth, I always could look forward to feeling safe back at The TrekStop.

The eminence of a home cooked meal is something that remains prevalent throughout a college student’s time spent away from home.

Three thousand miles away from our home, that eminence of the home cooked meal traveled with us. There were no times of hesitation that our meals at The TrekStop would be anything less than delectable.

It made the stress that comes with the unfamiliarity of a new culture disappear.

The TrekStop mornings all looked the same. The sun began to peek through the gaps in the trees as the birds and bees started singing at their early hour. The howler monkeys let us know it was morning time with their calls in the early hours.

Each morning, coffee found its way to the table to be served bright and early. There was something special about sitting on the porch of my small cabin to soak in the beauty and warmth of the Belize rainforest with a coffee in hand.

I got dressed, brushed my teeth, washed my face and lathered myself in bug spray as we set off to begin each day.

The nights also seemed to form their own routine as well. I showered, brushed my teeth and, once again, lathered myself in bug spray.

Elena, a Succotz village native, serves as the chef for visitors of The TrekStop. Elena shared that cooking helps take her mind off of her outside life, as she just recently lost a husband.

Our meals included authentic Belizean cuisine but Elena was always sure that our food had a hint of home, like the French Toast we enjoyed on our last morning.

Each day, we got to see Denny’s kids off on their trip to school. They came home each day filled with stories of what they learned and their highlights of the day- as myself and my brother used to do when we came home from our long school days.

Brielle, Denny’s daughter, excitedly shared with us the details of the butterfly garden and let us love her kitten, Snowflake, as it was our own.

Coming from a small town in the middle of Pennsylvania, our expectations were disparate upon arrival to The TrekStop. When we left The TrekStop and the western border of Belize, none of us expected to long for the comforts of living with a Belizean family and staying safe under their wings.

It was the moments when we felt uncomfortable or were surrounded by strangers, that we longed for the comfort of Denny, Tino and The TrekStop, remembering how we felt at home and safe in that humble abode.

On our rainy Wednesday morning, we packed our belongings and said our goodbyes to the family that took us in as their own. Denny and Elena gave us motherly hugs that we needed as we headed to a new, unknown area of the country. Brielle approached our van with a blue look on her face as she said goodbye to her ten pseudo, American siblings.

The van that delivered a group of young, hesitant individuals to The TrekStop made its way back down the dirt road and traveled east to Belize City.

The difference was the students in the van. It wasn’t the bug bites on their legs or the sunburn on their shoulders, but the feeling of comfort and happiness as they were welcomed and loved by a family of strangers who own a small lodging area called The TrekStop.

Julia Pozzuto