Face of Na’atik: Anna

Anna is a traveler and volunteer from Canada who joined us here at Na’atik as a Maya immersion student after learning about the program during her travels through Mexico. After finishing her two-week package with us, Anna stayed on for a month as a volunteer, helping out with our social media among other things. This gave her a chance to take more Maya classes and continue to experience the local culture. Anna took the time to talk with us about what drew her to study Maya and how she has found her time at Na’atik.

Why did you choose to study Maya?

I was looking to challenge myself with learning another new language, and during my time in Mexico it had become more obvious to me that Maya was very much still a living, breathing and used language in communities all across the Yucatán peninsula. 

What attracted you to Na’atik?

When I first came to Mexico I found that I was spending more time than I had intended both surrounded by and speaking English. I wanted to get back on track with the opportunity to practice Spanish daily whilst also embracing the new challenge of learning to speak Maya. Na’atik was one of the very few places that offered an environment where both Spanish and Maya were spoken every day outside of the lessons. I knew if I studied in an area or university with a large expat community I would find it too easy to fall back into using English. Additionally, I always learn better in person and Na’atik was able to provide face to face lessons whilst still having Covid precautions in place, which was very reassuring.

Another big draw of Na’atik was the aim of the wider project here.  Knowing that my tuition would help facilitate opportunities for local children to learn English was very attractive to me. 

How have you found studying Maya?

It has been a very positive experience. It is also definitely the challenge I was looking for, especially as my Maya class was taught primarily in Spanish, with my teacher and me avoiding communicating in English. There was also the opportunity to practice a lot at my homestay, as almost all conversation was in Spanish or Maya, with me only occasionally using English to help one of the children with their studies.

Anna’s visit to a Maya community to meet local embroidery artists

How important do you think that homestay part of the experience has been for you?

I think it was very helpful in allowing me to communicate on a day-to-day basis. It has put me in a lot of very realistic learning scenarios. I was always surrounded by conversation where even if I did not understand some of the things being said, I still had to find the confidence within myself that I had understood most of it, and then to articulate questions to have those parts I had not understood be explained to me. It underlined that I don’t always need to know every word to understand or communicate.

It was also really interesting to see how the community building aspect of Na’atik works. In my case the homestay family has been working with the school for over eight years, and has hosted almost one hundred students. Their own children have attended classes at Na’atik, and have had opportunities because of that. One has done exchanges in both the USA and Canada. 

On top of that the food was wonderful, with three great meals a day, usually eaten with the family. They were really accommodating and I was happy with the facilities at the home.

What part of your experience have you found the most challenging?

If you are only used to learning European languages, Maya is very different. It can require different learning techniques, but the staff here are great at explaining all the pitfalls. There are also some generational differences in who speaks Maya, with many younger people not using it as much. This means you do have to be willing to put yourself out there to create opportunities to practice in the wider community. Sometimes it feels hard to do that and you can feel like you are risking making a fool of yourself, but people are really friendly and helpful when you make that effort. Feeling my confidence grow with each interaction was really rewarding.

What would you say to someone who was looking at Maya or Spanish immersion courses?

Mostly that you will have fun and enjoy the experience. For me a big positive was the social enterprise side of things, seeing my choice to come here having a direct positive impact on the local community was very rewarding. I know many of the students who come here have previously studied online with Na’atik, and have really enjoyed experiencing the immersion and also seeing the impact of their support.

Why did you choose to stay on as a volunteer?

I had really enjoyed my immersion period and the language classes, but I knew I wanted to spend a bit more time focusing on improving my Maya skills. Staying here allowed me to remain in an environment where both my Maya and Spanish were improving. Before coming to Na’atik I had already been traveling through Mexico mostly doing work exchanges, volunteering in return for accommodation or services. Having seen the great work Na’atik does with the local children, I also really wanted to be involved in that.

How have you found staying in Felipe Carrillo Puerto and at Na’atik for a longer period?

It has been another really positive experience. There is a great small team here who pull together to help each other and to help the school. It has been a pleasure to get to know the staff better and to see students come back for second immersion experiences. Seeing them improve their language skills and become part of the Na’atik family is really special.

As for Carrillo, it is very cozy and convenient. Everything is close by, mostly within walking distance. I have been able to get everything I wanted here, and people are always happy to point you in the right direction if you need any help. The transport links are good, with buses and combis to many places on the peninsula.

We wish Anna all the best on her ongoing travels, and hope she comes back to visit us all at Na’atik again in the future… Xi’ik tech utsil (safe travels).

Want to get more serious about learning Maya or Spanish? Our professionally certified native-speaking Spanish and Maya teachers from Mexico can get you to speak the language from day one, whether in-person or online! Connect with us at say@naatikmexico.org to inquire and book a package.

To find out more about studying Maya with Na’atik click here