Watching university students crowd around a textbook to take photos of it with their smartphones was one of the eye-opening experiences Joel Helms, professor in the Faculty of Math & Computing, said he had during his time in Belize with the Fulbright Program in 2019.
“[The students were] taking pictures of the exercises [so they could] then go home and complete the assignments this way,” he recounted. “They would not buy textbooks since money was tight for many, resulting in the bookstore closing.”
The main purpose of the Fulbright Scholar Program, Helms said, is to build relationships, diplomacy and peace between the United States and international scholars. The Fulbright Scholar Program website says the program sends about 850 American scholars to 130 countries to conduct research, give presentations and accomplish this goal.
During a presentation on Oct. 14 in the Little Theatre, Helms shared he was able to create “ties between the University of Belize and the K-12 institutions in Belize” and also “helped with fundraising for cancer.” He also said he enjoyed teaching courses at the University of Belize, “which was in dire need of instructors.”
Grace Mataitusi, a senior from Redlands, California, studying elementary education and a former student of Helms, explained how she can see Helm’s experience embedded in his work as a professor today. “He cares about the individuals he works with. This is especially evident in the experiences he shared from his time as a Fulbright scholar.
“He built relationships with families. He learned their stories. He taught classes in a little hot building while helping students succeed despite the challenges of accessibility. He cares. It’s evident in the time and support that he gives those he is working with.”
Mataitusi said she attended the Fulbright presentation because she is interested in applying. “Based on what he shared, I am definitely intrigued in looking further into the Fulbright program. As an education student, I think it would be an incredible opportunity to be a Fulbright scholar because of those intercultural experiences and their relation to education.”
Helm said not only did the experiences at the University of Belize open his eyes to the need of developing the mathematics program at the school, but he also greatly enjoyed learning about the people and their culture. He chose to immerse himself in the culture by staying away from the typical tourist attractions and decided to venture off to the neon painted restaurants in the local towns, he added.
“[I loved] the people and learning different ways of seeing and experiencing life. In addition, I loved the humble nature of the people, as they had very little monetarily,” explained Helms.
One family Helms said he got to know owned his favorite restaurant in Belize. The owners of the restaurant, a married couple, became close friends with him, and the wife told Helms about their schooling experience while in Belize.
Helms said the experience was eye-opening and shared it during his Oct. 14 presentation. “She lived on the other side of the river that separated this village from where she lived. When she was young, to go to school, she had … to swim across the river and dry off their clothes to [go to] school.” He said after a heavy rain, there would be no school because it was too dangerous to cross the river.
Joel Reece, associate professor in the Faculty of Science at BYUH, said, “My biggest takeaway from Dr. Helms is to not be afraid of those things that may not seem feasible or doable. Don't get scared off because they are difficult to attain.”