Faces of Na’atik: Fejiro Odibo
Fejiro (aka Feji) Odibo joined the Na’atik team in 2020 to work as our Marketing and Communications Specialist. Feji first worked virtually and in October 2021 she journeyed all the way from Toronto, Canada to work on the ground at Na’atik. Her passion for children’s education and language learning is apparent in her written and visual storytelling here at Na’atik. Enjoy this fun Q&A with one of our staff alumna as she reflects and shares wonderful Na’atik memories.
How did you find Na’atik?
Through a friend … to help out with the newsletter. I was super-impressed with the impact of Na’atik, helping out indigenous children’s education, which is a passion of mine. I previously worked for a private school and I just love anything that has to do with educating kids.
Can you describe one of your fondest Na’atik memories?
Directing the kids for our fundraiser video. We had fun the whole time. It was just fun seeing how quickly they were picking up English words and how much they wanted to help. It was incredible. Another memory was during Halloween, even though we didn’t get to have the kids come in and see their costumes, the staff put together candy and chocolate to give to the kids. It was a great staff bonding moment.
What is one of your most memorable interviews or touching stories? Anything that deeply impacted you?
This is tough to pick. I've interviewed so many people and listened to so many stories over the last year. I will pick two:
Erick’s interview and whole story really touched me. Especially his journey coming from a small Maya village, getting his B.A. and becoming an English teacher at Na’atik. Read Erick Chuc Santos’s interview and story here.
I also really enjoyed interviewing Abigail Tus. She has such an amazing spirit and I was super-inspired by the opportunities she was able to get and how she used her skills she learned at Na’atik and through her experience being part of a homestay family. She’s created a really interesting career for herself, an international one at that! And I was super-impressed by her.
So those are the two stories that deeply impacted me. I’m always interested in people who come from different situations [and] places and to see how they’re able to rise up and better their lives.
Tell us something that surprised you about Carrillo Puerto?
I was surprised that very few people spoke English when I got there, which is great. [And] the only people I found that spoke English were Catherine’s old students or students who are currently at Na’atik. It was tough, but it really made me pull out my Spanish and practice as much as possible. I THOUGHT it was going to be like Tulum or Playa del Carmen but in Carrillo it was quite rare [to find English speakers]. I remember one time being completely shocked [because] I had taken so many cabs in Carrillo and got a guy who spoke fluent English! I was blown away and he had quite an interesting story because he used to live in California. Shout out to Juan, the best cab driver ever!
Share with us one of your favorite things to do in Carrillo Puerto or Quintana Roo?
Walk around and admire the houses. The homes here have some of the most unique and beautiful architecture I’ve ever seen in my life. Incredibly stunning and it’s quite a sight to behold. Another one of my favorite things was to go to the local restaurants and eat the local cuisine, it was delicious!
What was your experience traveling as an English speaking woman of color (WOC) throughout Mexico?
I had this impression that I was going to be ignored for the most part. I’ve had previous experiences traveling around Southeast Asia and people kind of leave you alone and just smile. I was super-shocked coming to Mexico because people want to talk to you, interact with you, and sometimes people want to take pics with you too. I thought there would be a lot of Black people in Mexico, but that’s not really the case. Even though Mexicans have Black ancestry, it was still a shock to them seeing me because they [were] more used to white tourists and travelers, so seeing me was refreshing and exciting for them. Most of the time things were really fun [and] I got to talk to a lot of people, answer a lot of questions. But I would always exercise caution. Don’t walk around late at night, just like anywhere else, there are always people with nefarious intent. So, I would always recommend that women, regardless of color, have their wits about them and not go out late at night by yourselves. For the most part things are very safe, especially in Carrillo. The locals protect you and look out for you.
What are your plans for the future?
My plan right now is to work really hard at a marketing agency based in Toronto. I will still be working remotely with Na’atik and plan to visit again someday.
Do you have a message for the Na’atik readers, students, and staff?
I feel incredibly blessed to be a part of this incredible community. I value children’s education, language learning, and educating yourself through experiences. We’re blessed to be a part of this organization. For Volunteers and Staff, you’re in such good hands with Catherine [and] you are definitely on the right path in terms of your next steps. For readers and students, you’re also in really good hands. Please try and go [to Na’atik] [for] the immersion experience if you can and it’s possible. I know language learning can be such a frustrating process, but don’t allow the process to frustrate you. Just try and make it as fun as possible.
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.