Faces of Na’atik: Nina, Social Media Content Curator & Photographer

This month’s Face of Na’atik is Nina, who joined the Na’atik team back in August originally as a volunteer to help with social media and photography. Nina, from Monmouth County, New Jersey, is 19 and had previously visited Na’atik in 2011 with her mother and sister. She joined us while taking a gap year from her college studies to share her gift as a photographer and soon proved a valuable member of the team and the school community. After an initial 4 month visit, we were happy to welcome Nina back as a full member of the team from Christmas through to the end of the school year this July.  

We sat down with her to talk about her motivations and experiences here in Felipe Carrillo Puerto, and how she found the experience of living and working in a foreign environment:

What motivated you to come and volunteer here at Na’atik?

I really wanted to learn a second language. Spanish made the most sense as I had taken some classes before and it is widely spoken where I live. I wanted to be able to communicate better with some of the people I knew who spoke Spanish as well.

I also wanted to do something a little different, and as I was staying at home for college, going abroad was another way to get the experience of being away while also gaining an important skill. I had some memories of Carrillo and Na’atik from when I was younger, and contributing to the mission of the school appealed to me a lot. It just seemed like a win-win situation to me.

Were you nervous about coming and living in a foreign country alone?

I was a little nervous in the way we all are before a big change. Knowing I would have the community of the school, and having spoken with some of the team before arriving, I felt like I wouldn't really be alone.

I also was always aware that in a global sense I really was not that far away from home. 

What did you do to prepare for coming here?

I took a Spanish class at my community college specifically to prepare and to come with some confidence in communication. I researched things like the weather and general day to day life, but to be honest I didn’t come with much of a plan. I didn’t want to come with any set expectations. I also didn’t really have a clear idea of what to expect, so didn’t really know what I should be preparing for!

How did you find your first weeks here Felipe Carrillo Puerto?

I stayed with a homestay family for the first week, so they helped me a lot with the initial transition to life here. They were able to advise me when I had issues, or was unsure how some things were done.  It was a challenge adjusting to living in an apartment alone for the first time, being in a new country, starting a new job and starting classes all at the same time!

It helped that I made friends quickly, particularly with Macarena from the MaS department, and we both made an effort to put ourselves out there in the local community and meet more local people. Getting involved in local events and volunteering also really helped with making friends.

Did you have any difficulties adapting to the way of life and the language?

It took a little effort to adjust to the culture around time and the way things don’t often happen as planned here. You have to be more on top of things yourself, and be aware that you might have to follow up on things.

As for the language, I had a lot of help from the homestay families and the team at the school, so it was not too hard. It was more difficult in social settings with people my own age, where sometimes I couldn’t keep up with the slang and speed of conversation, although this improved with time.

What has it been like working in a multicultural and multilingual organization?

It has been interesting seeing the way everyone has to work a little bit harder to communicate and understand each other.  I really enjoy it and have felt lucky that my role has allowed me to spend time with every department and all the people involved with the school from the local community. 

At the end of the year you decided to stay for another 6 months, what motivated this decision?

I felt like I was finally getting good at the job I was doing and I had more to give. I had also made great strides with my Spanish, and wanted to maintain the momentum and reach a level where I think it would be easier to maintain. I worried that if I left then, I might lose my progress.

Honestly, I was also just enjoying myself a lot here and wanted to see more here. I just didn’t feel like my time here was finished.

How much do you think your Spanish has improved during your time here?

Drastically.

I came with what I now think of as a very basic level, just some simple vocabulary and grammar. I could only express basic thoughts. While I am still missing a lot of stuff, I never worry anymore about not being able to communicate what I feel, even if the way I express myself is not exactly how a local would. I have friends that I have only ever spoken to in Spanish, something I would not really have been able to do before without feeling like I was missing out on parts of their personalities.

Have you found any specific learning strategies particularly helpful?

The most helpful thing has just been talking to people and not being afraid of making mistakes. I have also tried to combine learning in a number of ways such as formal classes, watching shows and films in Spanish and just trying to use Spanish as much as possible.

What have been the highlights of your time here?

I took a two day bike and camping trip through the jungle from Carrillo to Tulum with a local tour organizer and some people from here in town. While it was hard work, it was also a really amazing couple of days. I would also say Janal Pixan was a really special time, especially the day out to the Maya community of Uh May. Aside from that, simple things like time spent with friends and meals with local families have been really important to me.

What have been the biggest challenges?

The heat was a challenge, but I learned to live with it. Hot weather is very different when you are living and working when compared to when you are able to enjoy it on holiday.

What do you think you will miss most?

I will miss the great people I have met here. I will also miss things like going to little local stores, fresh tortillas every day and the food in general. I will miss just being able to bike around town and reach everything and everyone nearby easily without needing to plan things.

What advice would you give people who are thinking about coming to study or work here at Na’atik?

I would say to come with an open mind without preconceived expectations of Mexico or Carrillo and allow the place and the people to show you their way of life and embrace the differences. I would also say to put yourself out there and interact with people as much as possible, even if you are not that confident with your Spanish.

Everyone here at Na’atik would like to say a big thank you to Nina for all of her work during her time with us. We are sad to see you go, but know you will go on to do amazing things in the future. Best of luck with your studies, and we hope to see you here in Carrillo again in the future. ¡Buena suerte!

The best way to experience Mexican culture is by spending time with local families away from tourist resorts. Na’atik offers a unique nonprofit language immersion program, where your Spanish or Maya lessons are augmented by a homestay experience in the town of Felipe Carrillo Puerto. Sharing meals and spare time with local and Indigenous people makes this a not to be missed opportunity to see the authentic Mexico. Every visit helps us to provide life changing educational opportunities to local children. Visit our immersion page or contact us on mas@naatikmexico.org to find out more.