Fourteen Knox College students explored the world's second-largest coral reef, hiked in caves, and examined other aspects of Belize's ecosystem during a winter break trip that brought their classroom studies to life.

The experience was an extension of biology Professor Linda Dybas' fall term course on Belizean marine biology.

"We actually witnessed a lot of the organisms that we learned about, and we able to research them in their natural habitats (e.g. hermit crabs, snails, various fish, sea urchins, octopuses, brittle stars, sea stars and more)," said Teresa Jackson '16, a Gender & Women's Studies major from Homewood, Illinois.

"We also learned a great deal about the history of Belize and how that affects the culture and some of the attitudes towards the ocean and the reefs," she added.

Nick Tolman '15, a chemistry major from Keizer, Oregon, said traveling to Belize "was the perfect supplement to the classroom work."

"Living in a landlocked state, we miss a lot of the hands-on experiences involved in marine biology. Pictures can only do so much, but actually seeing the organisms that we studied put everything into perspective," he added. "It was a great feeling going on the snorkels and being able to identify what we saw."

As part of the trip, students also pursued research projects, stayed in a rain forest preserve, visited ancient Mayan sites, and got to know some of the residents of Belize.

"We visited the homes of our (Mayan) guides, participated in making tortillas starting with corn that had to be ground, and learned how to make kukuk, a drink made from cocoa," Dybas said. "We toured their farms and took jungle walks, learning about medicinal uses of the various plants."

Florina Corpodean '16, a neuroscience major from Arlington Heights, Illinois, said the people she met were friendly and generous with their time.

"Especially in the Mayan village where we stayed for the first part of the trip, all of our tour guides were very receptive to us and eager to share more about their culture and way of life," she said.