For this Month’s Faces of Na’atik we have a very special interviewee. You may even recognize him from our website, email signatures and ads! In this interview we get to learn more about Pedro! Pedro is one of the co-founders of Na'atik. He teaches Spanish at Na’atik and is a Mexican-Maya local from Felipe Carrillo Puerto. We wanted to learn more about what life was like growing up in Carrillo from Pedro’s perspective.

 Na’atik: Can you recall any memories about what life was like growing up as a young, Maya child?

Pedro: Life was completely happy because we were surrounded by the sounds of animals from the jungle. I loved the rainy season because there were animals everywhere, and I could listen to the chorus of the toads. The rain would leave huge puddles in the streets so my siblings and our friends would make paper boats and sail them on the puddles. One of our favorite things to do would be to stand under the water that would pour off the municipal building roof. We would visit these small cenotes to swim in because they would fill up with rain water.

Na’atik: What was your perception of foreigners? How were they different from you?Pedro: My whole life I felt curious about what life would be like outside of town but there wasn’t much information. So we would go to Merida and buy lots of magazines to learn about what things were like elsewhere and how different they were from here. I didn’t feel like foreigners were that different, just that they had another language

Na’atik: What was your experience like in the education system? Did you like your teachers?

Pedro: I think the education in Mexico back then was better than it is now, because at that time, there were a lot of history and poetry books—national textbooks and they were incredible. I liked going to school because it was like a party and I always liked my teachers. They were dedicated.The teachers never missed classes unless it rained. If it was raining, no one would go to school.

Na’atik: Was there anything like Na’atik when you were growing up?

Pedro: No, there wasn’t anything at all like Na’atik when I was growing up. What we did have was radio. At night, we would listen to English from a Belizean radio show, and also English from radio shows from the Caribbean Islands. I could hear the difference in how they spoke English, and I often would imagine what it was like to go to those places.

Na’atik: Was there anything like Na’atik when you were growing up?

Pedro: No, there wasn’t anything at all like Na’atik when I was growing up. What we did have was radio. At night, we would listen to English from a Belizean radio show, and also English from radio shows from the Caribbean Islands. I could hear the difference in how they spoke English, and I often would imagine what it was like to go to those places.

 Na’atik: Why did you and Catherine decide to create Na’atik?

Pedro: From my point of view, it was an alternative way to help young students in my community. At the beginning, I thought it was impossible—I didn’t think that people would invest money into educating their kids because I had the impression that they would spend that money on other things. But then we realized that little by little it was possible.

Na’atik: How has Na’atik changed your life?

Pedro: It helped me change my perception of people from the U.S., because the truth is, before I met people from the States, I had a bad image of who they were and what they represented. Because of Na’atik, I realized that there were good people too and that we had a lot of things in common and that the similarities are more important than the differences. It also helped me improve my English and gave me the satisfaction that I could teach my language to other people.

Na’atik: What’s your favorite tradition or event in Carrillo?

Pedro: Ever since I was a child my favourite tradition was the whole Christmas season because it's a time of year that you get to see people that you usually don’t get to see during the year. It’s the time of year when many family members get together at my family’s house. Also, I like the whole marathon that starts on the 12th of December for Día de la Guadalupana and then it finishes on January 6th with the Three Kings’ Day. 

Na’atik: What advice can you give people who want to be consistent in their language journey?

Pedro: Never stop practicing the language even when you are far away from the actual country that speaks the language. With today’s technology, you can continue listening to music, listen to the radio, and read about different parts of the world. The most important thing is to not lose direct contact with the language no matter where you are.

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.