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So, as we told you, yesterday we joined union president Elena Smith on a grueling journey to Graham Creek - at the extreme southwestern edge of Belize. Daniel Ortiz reports:

Daniel Ortiz reporting
Our very first trip to Graham Creek started in Crique Sarco, a village difficult to get to by road.

We were told that the trip to the southernmost village in the Toledo District was an arduous one, but nothing could have prepared us for what it actually was like.

When we were told that the road was bad, we were expecting a poorly maintained dirt road with potholes the size of small ponds, which would make driving impossible.

But really, when the villagers call it the Graham Creek road, they are being a bit misleading. It's more of a route through the jungle that the sturdy Maya people have bent to their will, but which is determined to win.

There were areas where we had to wade through ankle-deep water, but mostly, it was a choice of which types of mud we were willing to trample through. There was the type that insisted on grabbing hold of our shoes in exchange for every step.

And then, there was the other more solid type, which was very slippery. I stopped counting the times I fell.

Even the horse, which the BNTU chartered to help in the journey, got stuck in a muddy creek along the way.

It didn't help that our news team was 1-hour late to the expedition because we had to beg the help of a middle-aged Mayan lady and her son to guide us there.

The pace at which this Iron Lady ran us through about 3 miles of that hellish journey, I suspect we chose the power walking champion of Graham Creek who was doing her daily exercise.

Notice that she's also making this trek on her bare feet. After about an hour and a half of begging this family to slow down so that we can keep up,

We finally caught up to our media colleagues and the teacher from Graham Creek who was to be our guide.

By that time, I was already so exhausted, that I simply threw down in the most comfortable piece of grass I could find.

3 hours and 7 miles later, we arrived in Graham Creek, and by that time, I could hardly keep my legs moving.

It's an arduous trek built for the fittest BDF soldiers, and so, I could only be amazed to learn that these two teachers make this journey twice a week, sometimes even more than that, as the need arises.

Jose Cuc - Principal, Graham Creek Government School
"It's exhausted. Sometimes we get up at 3am, we board our motorbike, reach Crique Sarco and from there we walked to Graham and we are still on time. We try our very best to be here at 9am and that's the practice from ever since. The people are willing ti work with us, because we are always here."

Germuel Choco - Teacher, Graham Creek Government School
"Sometime we swim."

Daniel Ortiz, reporter
"You swim here?"

Germuel Choco - Teacher, Graham Creek Government School
"Yeah."

Daniel Ortiz, reporter
"Sounds hard to believe."

Germuel Choco - Teacher, Graham Creek Government School
"Yeah, it's something that we have been doing every year."

Of course, because why wouldn't mother nature turn up the difficulty at different intervals? But, to the real reason why we were here.

BNTU president Elena Smith is determined to make a site visit to all the schools countrywide who are being given the hardship allowance from the Government. She wants to verify the reports that her teachers have given about the difficulty, and to see for herself if the Ministry has fairly assessing these schools:

Elena Smith - President, BNTU
"Not for a million dollars will I do this for 6 years. I don't know if I would do it for a month. It's really tiring and by the time I got here this afternoon, because we left PG at 6am. We got up at 5am and left at 6am and we got to the school about 1:30-2:00pm. When I got here I felt as though I was in a fight - that somebody had given me a good beat down."

And she thinks that the Ministry officials have never visited places like this to truly understand the struggle

Elena Smith
"I have seen firsthand how teachers really are going the extra mile to do their job and it's really commendable. It hurts to see what they have to go through to get here, just to impart knowledge to these students and to know that persons who will never make this trek. They would come here in a helicopter. They would never make the trek. For those persons who would never make this journey, to be sitting in an office and making these decisions. I mean it's so unfair."

Daniel Ortiz, reporter
"You think they are disconnected from what the reality actually is?"

Elena Smith
"I don't think so. I know so. Even the teachers who are at Crique Sarco, that's a long journey, because you all saw the road conditions and to come through that road from 6am in the morning to get at that school - that's no joke. One hour and a half in that kind of road. My gosh. I don't know how they do it. I really don't."

Germuel Choco
"They need to come and check it on the ground rather than just assume things. What we have noticed we are supposed to get our hardship allowance for the month and the ministry prolong it and yet they tax us on top of that."

The teachers from Graham Creek aren't at risk of their $200-hardship allowance getting cut. But, they say it's not enough to cover their expenses. Plus, these teachers use their classrooms to teach during the day, and at night, the classrooms become their bedrooms. It's the only way to avoid that 7-mile trek through hell as much as possible.

Germuel Choco
"It's real and extreme hardship in this area. So we are asking the government at least to re-categorize whatever hardship allowance that we should get."

Daniel Ortiz, reporter
"You would want them to increase it?"

Germuel Choco
"Yes. Exactly."

Daniel Ortiz, reporter
"What would your personal bill look like per week?"

Germuel Choco
"It's like $100 for the week. Its home for me. I sleep here. I work here. It's really tough. Sometime I want to have privacy, but this is a classroom. It shouldn't be a house. In regards to our teachers' house - it supposed to be already constructed and yet the government are delaying this project. It's already been signed by the contractor and nothing has been done."

Jose Cuc
"It's too little. I think we need more. Especially Graham Creek and couple other schools like Punta Negra and Machakila. Those are the extreme areas. I think we need a raise."

For most people these working conditions would be too extreme to cope with, but these teachers keep at it for the love of their job, and the kids of the village who they are trying to educate.

Germuel Choco
"I'm committed to my job. I have passion for this. I always think about the kids first."

Jose Cuc
"I started this school in 2001. I was very young at the time, full of energy. I wasn't trained at the time, but I did my best to my ability for the children of Graham Creek. Now they are parents here now, so I wanted to see if I made any impact in their lives and I am teaching their children now, so I am happy to be here. Although it's a journey away from home. But due to the call of duty, I love teaching, so I am here for the children. It's a risk that we take. Although we are not covered under the Social Security and I know that, but it's a risk we are always here."

After covering the story, our news team left Graham Creek yesterday evening, they had to hike that 7 miles back to Crique Sarco in the dark, with only flashlights to lead the way.

President Elena Smith says that she intends to visit other schools countrywide to find out for herself what her teachers go through to do their jobs.