Supporter of the month: Cassie Swift
“Before coming for the first time, I was nervous and had a lot of doubts. But after the first week, on the day I was leaving, I was crying so much. I just couldn’t wait to come back. This time, my husband came to visit too. He stayed for six days because I really love it here. I love the school, I love the family, I love my teacher. And it was important to me to show all of that to my husband.”
Cassie recently come back to her second immersive Spanish course with us at Na’atik. During this visit, we had the opportunity to interview her and learn more about her experience, as well as what inspired her to donate books to our school library, helping us provide more books that spark curiosity and inspire our students to read.
When talking about her experience as a Na’atik student, Cassie shared that she found the school while searching online for Spanish immersion programs in Mexico. Na’atik was one of the first options that appeared. She came across the website and liked what she saw, and for her, the decision was easy, she didn’t even feel the need to keep looking at other schools. She admitted that before her first visit she felt nervous and wondered things like, “What if I don’t like it? What if I don’t like my teacher? What if I don’t like the family? What if it’s too hard?” But in the end, she decided to take the chance.
In her opinion, the cultural exchange that takes place here is incredibly important. She believes she has learned far more about culture by being here than she ever could have learned in her own country. For her, understanding the culture of a place matters deeply because every culture is different, and making an effort to integrate and follow what is accepted within that society is important.
“I think it’s very important to know about people who are different from you and to appreciate those differences. I’ve always been interested in culture. My bachelor’s degree is in intercultural studies, so it’s something that has interested me my whole life.”
Teaching is truly her vocation, which is why education has always been important to her. From a young age, she had the opportunity to learn languages such as French and Khmer, as well as interact with people from different countries. Those experiences helped her realize the importance of making an effort to communicate with others in their native language instead of simply expecting everyone to speak your own.
Now, as a teacher herself, language has once again become an important part of her life. Some of her students speak both English and Spanish, but some parents only speak Spanish. Because of this, she makes an effort to communicate with them in Spanish instead of expecting them to adapt to her.
Literature also plays a special role in her life. Harry Potter became her favorite series, and she felt like she grew up alongside the characters. She started reading the books when she was in third grade, and the final book came out while she was in high school. For her, it’s important that both students and teachers have access to books that support learning and enrich the classroom experience, as well as books for different reading levels. When she learned that the school where she worked was changing its curriculum (and therefore replacing many of its books) she decided to save as many books as she could, many of which had never even been opened, and donate them to Na’atik instead of letting them simply be thrown away. As she said, “someone should use them.”
When choosing the books, she tried to select stories that students might find interesting, things they already know and understand, and on the flip side, things they may never experience in everyday life. For example, books about snow or mountains, since those are things students wouldn’t normally see here in Carrillo but are common where she lives. She also wanted to choose books students could relate to while also helping broaden their world and perspectives.
Cassie understands that many of us grow up believing we dislike reading because we are often assigned books in school that simply don’t interest us. Over time, that can make us feel like reading just isn’t for us. However, she believes there is always a book out there for everyone, something each person can genuinely enjoy and choose to read on their own. That’s why she thinks it’s wonderful that the Na’atik library offers such a wide variety of books for students and continues to grow with every donation.
Cassie also shared: “I hope they find something that they love, that they find a book they connect with, a character they connect with, something they can come back to again and again, like Harry Potter. And I hope they feel inspired to keep trying, whether it’s in their own language or a second language. Harry Potter is technically a children’s book, but I’ve read it so many times, and it’s still difficult for me now that I’m reading it in Spanish. So don’t give up. Keep going, keep trying, whether you’re struggling to read in Spanish, Maya, English, or any other language. Keep going and find something that you love.”
There are so many things all of us, as a society, can do to support the education of children and young people: being present in schools, staying involved in their learning, participating in school activities, encouraging students to read at home, reading together with your children if you are a parent or family member, and continuously promoting literacy in everyday life.
“I think what you all are doing here is really special, both for the foreign students and for the local students. I think the students sometimes feel a little shy when there’s a foreigner in the room while I’m there; but I can tell that when they walk in, they’re happy. They’re joking around. They’re being greeted by their teachers. They joke with their teachers and with each other. I just think there’s something really special here. I would love to come back again.”
Thank you, Cassie, for your time and for sharing your passion for teaching, as well as your experience learning Spanish with us at Na’atik. We’re so happy you’ve been enjoying this experience, and we truly appreciate your generous donation. We hope to see you again very soon!
To learn more about Na’atik’s English language program for local and Indigenous students in Felipe Carrillo Puerto, visit our Impact Page. We are only able to provide this much needed program thanks to the support of generous donors and the funds raised from our award winning Maya and Spanish Immersion Program. If you would like to support our mission please consider donating today or take a look at our immersion programsand online class packages.