We sat down with Emily, our new librarian, to find out more about what bought her to Mexico and what she loves about Felipe Carrillo Puerto.

 How long have you worked as Na’atik's Librarian?

I have been working here for about a month and I'll be here until the end of the school year.

What did you do before joining the Na’atik family?

When I was in university, I studied abroad in Merida and had a wonderful experience there. After I graduated, I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mozambique for the last two years. I really wanted to come back to Mexico after Peace Corps, so I'm thrilled to be here!

What made you want to become a librarian/work in Mexico?

After teaching English for two years in Moz, I really wanted to find an opportunity to work with students in a different capacity than being their English teacher. I think kids are so full of imagination and their capacity to create inspires me. My hope is that I can create a space that encourages children to read, imagine, and create in a meaningful way.

Where are you from?

I'm from Chicago and yes, I do believe that Chicago deep dish is the best pizza on the planet.

What’s your favorite thing about Felipe Carrillo Puerto?

My favorite thing about Carrillo is the people, especially my host family. They are warm, welcoming, and always eager to lend a helping hand.

What’s your favorite thing about working at Na’atik?

The students! They are so bright and excited to be here. It's a pleasure getting to work with them.

When someone comes to Felipe Carrillo Puerto or to study at Na’atik what’s the one thing you would tell them they have to do before they leave?

Eat everything. Just do a giant food tour loop of Carrillo. I haven't had a single bad meal here. More specifically, Hermanos Gomez for tacos and anything on the menu at Doña Candy's.

What’s your top tip for someone learning Spanish?I

think that learning a language is really hard if you don't find a way to have fun while doing it. Find music in Spanish that you like, try watching movies in Spanish on Netflix instead of that series you've been watching, look for short poems that help you find the beauty in the language. Oh, and don't be afraid to mess up. Nobody sounds amazing when they first start learning a language. It's okay if you have a hard time getting your mouth to make the words. You have to mess up to learn. :)

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.