Back to Guanaja

As the sun's orange glow settled behind the island's mountains, the ferry gradually came to a stop at the dock at The Key, where the 12 students unloaded onto a smaller boat bound for the lodge on Mangrove Bight. I could feel the excitement in the air as the students got their first glimpse of the island where they would spend the next week immersed in a community different from their own. Heather, Ellen, and I each shared the sentiment that this would be a good week. The kids had already cleared the hurdle of the awkward silence that usually ensues when a group of 12 strangers meets for the first time and were instead chatting and asking questions about the island, culture, and fishery. After four years away from Guanaja, I was happy to be back as we docked the boat at the lodge on night one, but I was most excited for the transformational journey that each of these students was about to embark on. After playing a few get-to-know-you games and setting our intentions for the week, we each headed to our cabins, excited about what was in store.

The next few days brought plenty of novelty and excitement, with hours spent on the pangas in the prolific fishery of Guanaja, followed by new experiences and conversations in the local community. On Monday, we split into 3 groups and set off on a scavenger hunt in Mangrove Bight, allowing the students to further immerse themselves in the community and learn more about the culture and people. It came as no surprise when each group shared that their favorite part of the scavenger hunt was the conversation they had with Ivan, a local professor who has abundant knowledge of the island. As the students began to build stronger connections with one another and the local community, we saw their priorities shift. The fly fishing that brought them to the island became secondary to something deeper: the sense of belonging fostered by a community that welcomed us as family.

After a Wednesday spent snorkeling and hunting invasive lionfish on the reef, the students had the option to attend a ceremony at the local church led by one of our beloved guides, Rankin. It was an emotional night in which some of the locals and students shared their gratitude with the group, while also opening up about some of their personal struggles in a space of acceptance and nonjudgment. We continued the conversation back at the lodge, splitting into three small groups to reflect on the impact of the experience and dive deeper into our own current challenges. We were incredibly proud of each student in this moment for embracing the vulnerability and sharing the inevitable challenges and discomforts that arise as a teenager. Within these moments and the time spent together fishing on the pangas, we could see each student’s confidence grow markedly as both an angler and an individual. Students who arrived with no prior fly fishing experience stepped onto the bow with an open mind, setting aside any internal inhibitions about their abilities and allowing themselves to grow through the discomfort. This confidence remained apparent off the water as the group continued to venture into the community, seeking conversations with the locals to better understand their unique culture and perspectives.

As a first-year trip leader, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to mentor a group of young anglers and cultivate a similar environment that allowed me to grow significantly when I was a student in 2022. I developed a curriculum centered around practicing mindfulness in hopes of sharing a significant part of my life and better equipping the students with tools to build resilience to stress and live more in the present moment. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw how fully this group embraced the experience and how willing they were to engage in discussions with curiosity and an open mind. On the final night, emotions ran high, and many of the students expressed the same feeling I had on my last day on the island four years ago: the idea that it would be impossible to fully articulate to others just how profound this week had been. This is not only a testament to the magic that exists in the community of Guanaja, but also the students’ willingness to fully buy into the experience and embrace the power of new perspectives. As different emotions continue to surface over the next few days and weeks, I am confident that each student will carry the lessons from this week forward and apply them to their daily lives, leading lives with a little more curiosity, empathy, confidence, and passion.