Cailin's Chapter One: An intern’s perspective

Last fall, like many of my friends, I applied to study abroad for a semester. I completed the applications and interviews, but more or less out of duty than true excitement for the upcoming trip. Once I was approved to participate in the program, all I needed to do was get a student visa.

Ten days before I was supposed to leave, the San Francisco Spanish consulate informed me there was no cha

nce I would be able to receive my visa in time. I don’t want to point fingers, but it was completely my fault. I was lethargic about renewing my passport despite the many reminders from the study abroad program.

It was not until the moment I left the consulate that I understood the opportunity I was missing, the opportunity to learn a language, to immerse myself in a culture, and to expand my view to limits outside of my college town, Eugene, Oregon.

So I decided not to miss that opportunity. I Googled best Spanish immersion programs and found Na’atik. After a few emails, I learned they had a Communication and Fundraising internship available. I applied, interviewed and left for Mexico a week and a half later.

Now that I have been here for three weeks, I am starting to see myself grow professionally, academically and personally. One of the benefits of interning for a small organization is that you are able to learn about and contribute to the entire operation. You become an essential part of the team, rather than the stereotypical “coffee-runner.” In three weeks, I have assisted in promotion, radio interviews, grant writing, a fundraising campaign and a newsletter. In the future, I see myself taking on more responsibility with writing content for the school, as well as supporting the Communications Officer and Director in rebranding.

I have been studying Spanish since middle school and struggled to keep up with my classmates and course expectations. I figured I was just bad at it, but after a previous experience living with a host family in Latin America, fluency became a goal close to my heart. At Na’atik, I sit in a small palapa three hours a day, five days a week with my native Spanish speaker teacher. He teaches me in grammar, vocabulary and inadvertently, philosophy and history. I am eager to see the level at which I am able to communicate by the end of my time here in December.

Outside of the internship and Spanish classes, I am using my time here to do read the books, write the jokes, and run the miles I don’t have time for when bombarded with schoolwork.  I feel at home with my host family, who enjoy showing me their ways of life, and lightly teasing me for my inability to do tasks that they find natural, like lighting a stove.

Only three weeks in, I already feel like time is flying. I wonder what these next few months have in store for me.

If you would like to read more about Mexican culture, history, cuisine and language, check out our blog page for our latest monthly articles. You can also sign up to our newsletter to receive these straight to your inbox along with the latest news about our non-profit school for local and Indigenous students in Felipe Carrillo Puerto. 

The best way to experience the Mexican lifestyle is in person, with a Na’atik Immersion experience. Not only do you live with a local Mexican-Maya family, sharing home-cooked meals and free time, but also receive expert instruction in your chosen language at our school. Best of all, every immersion experience helps fund our subsidized and free local education program, helping local students to access opportunities and make their own futures.