Outback Therapeutic Expeditions

So I got a job that i love and i think it loves me back. Outback therapeutic expeditions is wilderness program for troubled youth between the ages of 13 to 17. We hike an hour or so west of Lehi in the desert. Juniper trees and sage plants run mainstream over the hills. Good thing to cause without them we probably would not eat. The juniper provides good fire wood and the sage is an important part in starting the fire. As staff we trade off with a group of kids every week and the kids are lucky enough to stay out there from 8 to 10 weeks. 4 weeks at the least. We make our own backpacks out of wood and leather. No the most comfortable things but they do the trick. So with a tarp some clothes and a bunch of dried food we make our way across the desert 4 miles a day. Set up camp and work on making different things and the kids have a bunch of curriculum books to work on as well as therapy assignments. The students meet with the therapists once a week as well as with the group several times during the week. We often discuss the history of their being at the camp and work on creating a vision of a better future with them. We use a lot of aboriginal theories and methods in our teaching. Beautiful sunsets and amazing star gazing all the time. I love it. I have worked with four different groups over an 8 week span and each one is unique and a bundle of good memories. Thursdays we go out to the field after meetings at the office and its been a great feeling arriving at work so far. Just a lot of really good people i work with. The kids are awesome though, very intelligent and very funny, just having some directional difficulties. And every thursday when we come back from the field it is a little difficult saying good bye. I love it.