Summer holidays can be a tempting time for school-aged children and a trying time for their parents, trying to contain idle minds and control idle hands. But there are progressive programs intended to occupy those idle youths, like the one that the BDF is piloting this year. From June the 23rd the BDF has organized jungle treks conducted in the Blue Creek Area of the Toledo District. We today caught up with the second group of expeditioners as they made it back from an arduous first day.
Alfonso Noble Reporting, Email - [alfnoble@yahoo.com]
This is what home will be for ten youngsters over the next 5 days as they partake in the first ever BDF summer trek. Today 6 young men and 4 young ladies had their first experience, climbing a 1,500 foot hill in the Blue Creek Area of Roledo. These are the first concerns of their leader Lieutenant Justo Veliz.
Lt. Justo Veliz, Trek Leader
"Our first trek today is the jungle hike which is climbing approximately 1,500 feet hill which they did successfully. Everybody had completed it and we're back here again to have lunch then we're going back for the 2 to 3 hours cave walk after which we'll emerge on the other side of the river. I've taught them river crossing, so when we emerge on the other side of the cave we'll river cross back to our area. Then tomorrow we'll do round the block trail which entails a whole day's walking and two types of terrain, the flat ground and the hilly terrain. Following in that we will trek from here, Blue Creek Rain Forest Lodge, to Rio Blanco National Park in Santa Cruz where the whole expedition will finish off.
It is just to occupy the summer holidays to avoid them from getting involved in misdemeanors or misconduct. We teach them some drug lessons and the first day we arrived here we taught them how to construct their own 'basha.' As you can see here, each individual had to construct the A-frame for their comfort over here in the cargo area. After that, the next day we taught them how to use the cooker, the forest aid, health and hygiene in the jungle, and the different jungle casi-vac like the jungle litter and the improvised stretcher which are something we use in the BDF. This whole thing here is just like 1% to get the feel of what the BDF is about."
But 1% of what the BDF is about may be a little too much for the youngsters. Veliz says that unlike soldiers these adolescents may well be labeled: "handle with care."
Lt. Justo Veliz,
"They are very fragile so we have to really be careful. Safety is at the outmost. In everything we do, once safety is breached, we stop it and make sure that everything was as easy for them. If it is too challenging for them then we make it a bit easier because this is just an expedition - just 1% of what the BDF is about."
And so this afternoon when the youths returned from their first jungle outing, they refreshed themselves, as best as they could and explained that it was not all that bad.
Felix Cabrera, Trekker
"We went for a walk up the mountain. It was mostly difficult when we were going up but it was easier when we were coming down."
Alfonso Noble,
Are you tired right now?
Felix Cabrera,
"Well I am tired yes, backing all those weight and going up and down, its tiring yes."
Karina Mahung, Trekker
"We walked up the mountain.
It was a real challenge not only physical but mental. We climbed up way to the peak, we spent a couple of minutes there, and then we came back down. It was very tiring."
Daniel Castillo, Trekker
"We went up the hill and we walked up the hill but it was a hard route to go up the hill so we just tried our best and thing."
Frankie Ack, Trekker
"Up the mountain. It was tiring."
Alfonso Noble,
But you still have to go to the caves, you think you'll make it?
Frankie Ack,
"Yeah I'll make it."
Andre Bryant, Trekker
"I am not tried, I am chilling."
Alfonso Noble,
You think you'll be able to make it for the entire three days?
Andre Bryant,
"If my tennis holds up, yeah. Can I say something? I'll be real...Ma I need some new shoes. This K-Swiss is turning a K-Slush. I need some Timberlands. I hope you know. I am being real."
And while he's being real about his busted K-Swiss tennis shoe, the BDF is also being real about the entire expedition. Taking safety as a first concern, all manner of precautions have been taken to avoid any injury to the young men and women.
Lance Cpl Verano Coc,
"Presently at the moment we haven't experienced anything serious. We've had minor things like chafing due to the weather and blisters but we are prepared for any casualty if anyone needs to be evacuated. When it comes to fractures we have the stretcher here, we have splints, and we have the oxygen. So the casualty won't die on us. We'll make sure they at least reach alive at the hospital."
But while organizers are almost certain that won't be necessary, these teenagers say that on this day, under other circumstances they would not have been relaxing in make shift beds under basher or trekking through the forest.
Daniel Castillo,
"I wouldn't have been doing anything right now. I would have just been sitting down and watching TV."
Alfonso Noble,
Are you glad you made it out here?
Daniel Castillo,
"I am glad yes because it is a good thing. I will learn and thing."
Felix Cabrera,
"I ended up here because of my dad."
Alfonso Noble,
So they forced you to come?
Felix Cabrera,
"No they didn't forced me, they asked me. Like how my father is a major in the BDF and like how he likes bush he wants me to like bush too."
Alfonso Noble,
How has it been so far for you?
Felix Cabrera,
"It was fun but a little bit challenging."
Karina Mahung,
"My dad's a captain for the Volunteer BDF so they came to me and asked me if I wanted to come so I decided to give myself a little challenge for the summer."
Alfonso Noble,
Are you glad you decided to do this?
Karina Mahung,
"Yes it's a good experience. I am really enjoying it. Hopefully it will continue being good."
Andre Bryant,
"My mom came and asked me if I wanted to come. I didn't really make up my mind so she just called me Tuesday morning and told me to pack up because I was going."
And so he's here and like every other person in the expedition is prepared to have a good time while learning very important life skills.
The expedition is one of two. The first took place from June 23rd to July 1st. This one will take from July 6 to the 12th. It is sponsored by the Belize Defense Force and the U.S. Embassy. While this is the first, the BDF hopes the trek becomes an annual event.
7NEWS produced for broadcast by News Director Jules Vasquez
Edited and Prepared for the internet by Keith Swift
