Raleigh International Expedition completes phase one
The introductory phase of the first Raleigh International expedition in Belize has ended. Today I got to meet some of the exhausted venturers as they returned to Camp Oakley in the village of Burrell Boom.
Looking tired and sunburnt, all one hundred and thirteen Raleigh International volunteers returned to Camp Oakley to rest and regroup before setting out on the second phase of their expedition. The group of young venturers spent the last three weeks doing community work that took them deep into the jungle.
Jo Eades, Expedition Leader, Raleigh Expedition
“Well we have been working throughout the whole of Belize. We have been working up north, for instance at an environmental education center called WildTracks – up in Sarteneja on the lagoon system up there. We have been helping to build a school for the community. We have been working out west near the Guatemalan border at an archaeological reserve called El Pillar – helping the scientists there and archaeologist. We have been working way down south in the deepest southern Toledo, building a school in Crique Sarco for the community here. And we have also been working out at the cayes where we operate from two cayes, Coco Plum and Carrie Caye. I’m doing scientific research on the effects of sedimentation coming down from the rivers.”
Eades, who heads the expedition, says the mission so far has been very challenging, not because the work is physically demanding, but that it involves living and working alongside total strangers. But the young men and women who hail from the United Kingdom, Italy, Zimbabwe and Belize don’t seem to mind at all.
Simon Calder, 19 Years Old
“I think I will remember the friends I made and where we bonded as a team to work together and definitely the sense of personal development. I think I really have developed both mentally and physically and have gained a great deal of confidence.”
Then, there are the European volunteers who learnt a lot about the country and the Belizean way of life, but had a difficult time getting used to the climate.
Joanne Buckley, 23 Years Old
“It’s very, very hot. To start with, just drinking lots and lots of water and trying to keep out of the sun a bit and the slapping on of suntan lotion, but I’ve got used to it now and quite enjoying the sun now.”
While climatic conditions were not much of a hindrance to the Belizeans taking part in the expedition, they were nevertheless overwhelmed by the different communities and sites they visited.
Jason Marin, 18 Years Old
“I got to know more about my country. I went to see caves, lot of things. My first phase was at Lucky Strike where we did a lot of construction work and like that and I also went and climb Victoria Peak, which was kind of difficult, but I got through it.”
Franklin Rodriquez, 24 Years Old
“Because you do a lot of different things, that we’ve never done before, like canoeing. I was canoeing seven hours and that is great and I like it, you know. Especially when, I was working at Wild Tracks on a community project you know, and that is good. Building a school with different people, it motivate you. People coming from all places, it motivate me a lot because you know seeing people coming from England, Wales and Ireland. It’s great!”
For twenty four year old Eddie Rubio the first part of the expedition almost proved too much to handle.
Eddie Rubio, 24 Years Old
“The first three weeks of it, I wanted to come home man, because like I said everybody told me give it the first phase try, go through the first week because it will be pure rough and it’s hard, so everybody was encouraging me to hang out for the rest of the three weeks and I did it so… Now I wanted to go home first, but now I don’t want to go home.”
The second Raleigh International Expedition is planned for July through September. Anyone interested in taking part must be between the ages of seventeen and twenty five. The selection will take place on May ninth at Camp Oakley in Burrell Boom. For more information you can call Raleigh International at telephone number 025-2602.
