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WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, MARCU 28, 199, PAGE 18 Local cadeét goes to. sea .with aval orces By Trudie Zavadovics When most people travel te exotic locales, they view with the eyes of a tourist. David Smith, 17, of Wihitby, just completed a ten-week boat trip te Janiaica and saw with the eyes of a sailor. The grade 12 HeMr Street High School student enrolled in sea cadets when he was aged 12. During his five years, as a sea cadet he h as had the opportunity te take courses and trips tepars of Canada. -He was the only Ontario cadet chosen te sali the Gatineau through the 'waters te sunny Jamaica. He was joined by three seacadets from Newfoundland and one from New Brunswick. Together they worked their way te Jainaica with 250 tried and true salons. '«The crew was really good, they treated us just 1ke crew members,» says Smith. "I got An experience as ship's crew member first-harid experience of what the forces are actualiy 1k. without committing to it.» Smith applied for the trip in Noveniber and was accepted one month later. «W. ieft Jan. 17 and saied from Halifax Jan. 22. 1 took a two-week basic training course in the summer so we knew pretty weil what to do. It took us six days to get to Curacao. We sayed there just umder two wee. and painted the ship - grey. After everything was ship- shape they traveêlied to an Ainenican base in Puerto ]Rico where they perfonxned militaiy tests for a day. «They fined weapons and terpe- does at target ships. It was neat te, watch.» Four day s- later they sailed te Montego Bay in Jainaica and stayed four day . There Smith got -te enjoy th e sun and the beaches but atsc, get a glim.pse of the' life of the inabiîtants andtheir culture. "epeople and the culture Thng.iie take cane of their teurist spots, but not where the people live. "People are livingu boxes. The people are nice, but theKre pushyThey try te get you t6 buy t1<nst> they can make a living. i di't ikeail the panhandling Theýy'ne not as rich as Cana a and they have drastic weather pnobiems. M. ý,Athough'Smith was surprised at the . difrence in culture, there were no other real surprises. uThçy pretty- weil explained what I was getting fite. rexpec- ted pretty.weii what happened." Aithoughhle teok scliooi books with hi mlhe admits there wasn't much time te study. Back at school in Whitby, he's catching Up. His mother saw a difference in David, from the day she said goodbyje and the day she weico- med 'home. She was a littie apprehiensive that he would miss school but says that hie experiences were well worth it. "Fm very proud h le was selec- ted. He saw poverty and it made an imipact. Hie came back say*n how Canada was a neat place te live. Working and living wlth men was also valuiabie, t live with strangens and came back wlth a smile. 'MIl neyer have any misgivins about hlmi going with the miC tary again. The Depantment of National Defense is very benefi- ciai.» David saLys that "It feels alright going away but it's alwatys good te came back.» Tlhe sea cadets offers many trips. Although a cadet has ta b. aged 16 te go on a cruise or exchange prograin, there are shorter trips for the younger cadets. e.. OPENING -,3 SPECIALIS LAWN FERTILIZER GOLFGREEN 20-3-4 Premium Quality Lawn Food Helps Your Lawn Achieve A Ricli Green Colour 18kg. Coverage 600-800in2 1Reg. $25.99 DORMANT OIL For control of Ai ven wintering ~ insects, ites and scaies ~ Suggested q CRAB = GRASS DOCTOR Prevents Crajbgras je NATURAL & ORGAJ PEAT MOSS I Suggested Retail A "to $9.99 .up n 401 E. BayS. E DAVID SMJTI of Whitby oea cadets was one of five cadets from Canada wlio sailed with naval forces to Jamaica. LATCA LA ST CALL £STCh AIL ABOARD FOR A *TENNESSEE 7 DAY FULLY ESCORTED TOUR FRANKENMUTH, MICHIGAN 3DAY FULLY ESCORTED TOUR 4or fuil information regarding these and torthcoming tripe, contact tv oaorG up&Tus Manager. Don't forget aur toli f ree numfber l - 800 - 263 - 3785 AL.WONQI IN TRAVEL. Gina's Dining Lounge, LiVE ENTERTANMNT! MONDAY Pr<:> WEDNESDAY 8:3Opm to l2-ai We are opexi for dLarlcixig Thva-rsdaey to Siatumdllay withlour LIVE ID.J. fromn 9:30 - 2:OOam playmng the best of Top 40 dalace music. LADIES, iremrember that every Thuxrsdlay is LADIEýýXS' MNIT at Gýiia. Startm-rg every Friday fromr April 13 to May il Gaa's will be holdixig prelimrimaries for their GRUAND PRIlZEfor the wnir Watch for more details in our u.pcomm--g flyer. LIC. LLBO 5 POINTS MALL,UNIT 14 285 TAUNTON RD. E. OSHAWA 436-7474 KNOB HILL FARM COMPLEX GROUPS AND TOURS DEPT. OSHAWA 434-8800