Donors of the Month: Meg, Kate & Shiloh
Our family of educators spent a week studying Spanish at Na'atik in August. We felt secure and prepared for our adventure through our correspondence with Na'atik. The school is small and nimble offering courses to all language levels of Spanish, English and Maya. The school provides flexible itineraries to accommodate travelers’ interests and arranges welcoming homestay experiences.
The school is well staffed and organized with lovely spaces to learn, study, and converse. They have recruited highly trained professionals who love what they do and believe in the mission of Na'atik. Our family was impressed with the school's ability to match our language levels to instructors. Small group sessions and individualized lessons took our Spanish levels and cultural understanding to a depth that is often only achieved when living abroad for months.
The cultural experiences Na'atik facilitated were based on supporting the local individuals and small collectives. Felipe Carrillo Puerto is what some may describe as developing. However, when one looks beyond the differences they will find a region rich with history, art, traditions, delicious cuisine, humble kindness, and movements to protect and grow the culture. We observed these aspects as we biked the town and spent time with our host family.
Our family stay was the icing on the cake! They provided a warm and welcoming environment. We felt comfortable to relax and chat with them after long days of learning and exploring. Our host mother made the most fabulous meals with fresh produce daily. We were spoiled by the massive variety of tropical fruits and fresh juice she prepared with each meal. At the end of our stay we were bonded to our family and hope that they will come visit us so we can return their generosity.
It is through the experiences described and countless others that we decided to give back to Na'atik with an investment in local scholars. During our stay, we learned that many Mexican public schools do not offer high quality English classes as part of their general curriculum. Families must pay for an English education in addition to their public school fees. They explained to us that young adults, looking into higher education and career advancements, may not be considered, unless they have taken English classes. Speaking English can make a significant impact in one’s life. It is with this realization that we were happy to contribute to Na'atik’s efforts. We believe education is the path to a better future for all and encourage everyone to pay it forward!
To read more about Na’atik’s mission and impact on the community here in Felipe Carrillo Puerto click here. To find out more about our Maya Youth (MY) Scholarship Program, visit our information page.