I have arrived in Belize! The past week has been crazy…after FMS* training ended I had about a week free in which I spent most of my time packing up my apartment and preparing to leave on my placement.  With the house packed, I left for South Caroline to celebrate my birthday and, more importantly, my brother’s graduation from Marine Corps boot camp on Parris Island.  I’m so proud of him and was happy to spend a few days with my family.  I then returned to California for 48 hours to move all of my belongings into another apartment before I woke up this morning to catch my 6:00 AM flight out of San Jose.  And with that I now write to you from the airport in Belize City awaiting my flight to Punta Gorda where my FMS summer placement with Maya Mountain Cacao will begin!!

(First impressions: landscape- lush green, its muggy, people are friendly, and with 30 minutes in country I already appreciate my much anticipated return to Central America!)

*Why am I here? I was given the opportunity to spend my summer in Belize working for the exciting social enterprise, Maya Mountain Cacao, by participating in a one of a kind program called Frontier Market Scouts. This program is designed and led by the Monterey Institute and Village Capital and trains aspiring professionals in impact investing and social enterprise management prior to sending them out into the field as scouts in search of social entrepreneurs.  Maya Mountain Cacao is my FMS placement.