Na'atik is an institution that is welcoming the moment you set foot in the building. Catherine was very welcoming the moment we arrived. All accommodations were given to everyone that needed them. Na'atik is doing a lot for the community. Sometimes when we arrived from our excursions it would be time for class. I noticed that all the students were ready to learn. The kids would walk in with a smile on their faces.

I want to thank Na'atik for this experience because I made friends on this trip. I really enjoy living with my homestay family. I was able to learn about the everyday life of different people. Our homestay mom is involved in women’s rights and in politics. She also opened up about personal things that made her grow as a woman. She taught us that we choose what we want in life and that we make mistakes and go through difficult times. We have to leave it all behind to move on. I have enjoyed some delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner with our homestay family. I traveled with the homestay family to Xel-Ha to spend the weekend with the them. It was so much fun because we did a lot of the activities together, ate together, and took a lot of pictures to remember. I can really connect with my family because we spent every night together. We snacked and chatted pretty late at night and we came together to get to know each other more. We laughed about things that occurred throughout the day, things that we said to each other or funny moments. If I have the chance in the future I plan to return.

Another thing that was fun was learning Maya with Linda. From the beginning Linda was very friendly and she did not rush through the class. We moved forward until everyone understood. I enjoyed her patience and understood that this was a bit difficult for most of us but we were able to learn how to say it and how to read it. In Uh May we learned a little more Maya but didn’t use it as much. We just used the basics. It was a little hard having a conversation because I would want to write It and then say it. I would like to learn more Maya to have better conversations with people in towns like Uh May or Chan Ka.

Thank you Naatik for making the experience in Felipe Carrillo Puerto amazing and unforgettable.

This blog is part of a series from the John Jay students who visited Na’atik in January of 2018. They came for two weeks to learn about Maya history and modern Maya culture in Mexico. Be sure to look at the other blogs in the series where they share reflections on their time spent in and around Felipe Carrillo Puerto. You can also find some great pictures of their trip over at our Facebook page.

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.