Madeline's Na'atik Experience

I arrived in Felipe Carrillo Puerto almost four weeks ago, and it has somehow felt both like I have been here for only a moment while simultaneously becoming a home that I feel I have known for a long time. This experience has been in the beautifully sweet spot of experience where it is fun and exciting and new and the time rolls before your eyes in a flash, yet it is tranquil and it is comforting and is a space that welcomes you so that you feel as though you are a part of it, so that you feel like you have a home here.

I came to Carrillo to learn Spanish, and I am so gratified in my decision to come to a school where I had the privilege of learning from native speakers and staying in a town that supports the local economy. Prior to this experience, I had very little to no Spanish experience. Personally, I do not learn languages very well in a classroom, which was the predominant reason that I decided to take part in an intensive learning program such as this one, and I am wholly contented with my decision to dive head first into this form of Spanish learning. Though slightly timid when I first arrived, my host family and the community of teachers and coordinators at the school supported my learning and pacified any apprehensions I held.

I would recommend this kind of program to anyone who wishes to learn Spanish but does not know where to begin. This program has given me an ample base of the language whereby my continued endeavors of learning and expanding my understanding of the language will now be immensely smoother.

Staying in a homestay with my family has probably been what I am most grateful for from this entire experience. Not only was it the optimum place for practicing the language, but it was also where I learned the most about the history of the town, about the everyday life here, about my neighbors, events, places to see, and of course, I had the best food to eat! Staying with my homestay family, I have made lasting friendships and have endless gratitude for the help, the memories, the laughter, the shared meals, the music, all of it.

I am ceaselessly grateful and humbled by my experience here, and I will definitely be coming back.

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.