Faces of Na'atik: Brandon

Brandon started studying at Na’atik when he was very young, thanks to his sister, who was studying here as well. Throughout his time at Na’atik, Brandon has had teachers from different parts of the world, including the United States, England, and Australia. This meant that each teacher brought a different teaching style, which caught his attention. In addition, he considers that having teachers whose first language is English has helped him become more familiar with the language, as he has been able to improve his listening skills thanks to the different accents of his teachers, improve his pronunciation, and even learn more everyday expressions.

He describes his experience at Na’atik as unique, as he considers it has become a second home for him. He highlights that both the teachers and students are kind people, which has made him feel comfortable studying at Na’atik and happy that he did not miss the opportunity to learn English here.

Among his favorite memories are the different activities that have taken place in the school library. Thanks to them, he has been able to interact more with other students. “I had a great time at every one I attended, and I never missed a single one,” he added.

Currently, Brandon is studying electrical engineering, and one of his future plans is to work in the same field. Likewise, he dreams of having a job abroad after finishing his degree, and he thinks that English would be a great help because he would be able to communicate with the people around him.

He decided to study this degree because he studied electricity in high school, where he discovered that he really enjoys the whole field, but the key point that really drew him to this career was seeing professionals at work. “I like it so much that I decided to choose this path,” he added.

In his daily life, he points out that English has helped him with his university activities, as he can speak, understand, and write in English, which has been easier thanks to what he has learned at Na’atik.

But not only that, he has realized that at Na’atik he not only learned a new language, but also improved his ability to express himself and became more comfortable interacting with people. This is also reflected in the fact that, thanks to his effort and consistency in learning the language, he gradually became more comfortable when speaking English, which has made it easier for him to have conversations with people who come from other countries.

“One anecdote about speaking with a foreigner is from when I was at a hotel with my family. A young man approached me to ask something about the place, and afterwards we talked more to get to know each other. I felt very comfortable speaking, as I didn’t have any difficulty,” he said.

Lastly, he added that the advice he wants to give to those who want to start learning English is to stay motivated, since it is difficult for everyone at first, but sooner or later the moment will come when the effort pays off.

Thank you, Brandon, for taking the time to tell us a little about what your experience studying at Na’atik has been like and how you have seen your learning progress. We wish you all the best during this stage of your life and hope you finish your studies with great success. We are sure you will achieve all your goals!

To learn more about Na’atik’s English language program for local and Indigenous students in Felipe Carrillo Puerto, visit our Impact Page. We are only able to provide this much needed program thanks to the support of generous donors and the funds raised from our award winning Maya and Spanish Immersion Program. If you would like to support our mission please consider donating today or take a look at our immersion programs and online class packages.