Bidding Farewell to El Año Viejo

Our students were able to experience a different kind of New Years' Eve where midnight doesn't mean the height of the party, but rather signifies the beginning of it! Many Yucatecan families eat dinner between 10pm and 12am, and at the stroke of midnight there are a number of traditions that are performed simultaneously. I spent the night with the families and extended family of two students. Right at 12:00 everyone was given a glass with twelve grapes and champagne or sparkling cider. The twelve grapes represent each month in the new year.

It is also a custom to give out dried lentils in small silk bags. If you keep them with you all year you will always have money.

At midnight in Merida, don't be surprised to see many people wheeling their suitcases around the manzana (block). The farther you walk with your luggage the more traveling you will do this year.

There were also quite a few explosions heard! It is a tradition to burn a figure of a grandfather who represents the old year. Some figures are like piñatas and burn quickly, while others are stuffed with firecrackers and bombitas that make things a little more exciting!

One of the most spectacular sights is that families all over the city release globos (lanterns) that are like small hot air balloons. At any one time you can see 50 or more heading up, up, and up into the night sky and into the new year!

Yaxunah: Our Days in the Pueblo

Before our next adventure began in the community of Yaxunah,Yaxcabá,Yucatán, we first visited the traditional pottery studio “Najil Kat” belonging to the family Espadas Xooc, in Uayma. Here, the students had the chance to explore the diverse materials and traditional techniques that have been passed down from generation to generation in this family of artists. With the help of Virgilio, we learned about the many types of local soil and clay that are mixed to make a diverse range of creations like vases, plates, mugs, toys, musical instruments, incense holders and more. As part of the workshop, each student sculpted their own little artistic creation, exploring their creativity and the skills necessary to work with the clay. Similar to the time spent in the city of Mérida, the families in Yaxunah are an invaluable aspect for the students to settle into the rhythm of everyday life. The arrival to Yaxunah marks the beginning of a beautiful new family relationship. Students can make s...

Immersion Practicum and Ninth Intercultural Unversity Forum 2025

In the final part of the Yucatan Program, our students have the opportunity to complete their Spanish Language and Cultural Immersion Practicum while living in a community apart from the group for three weeks. At this point they get to put into practice everything they learned during the program, as well as getting to know another host family and interact with new people. During this span of three weeks, the students are visited by their professors to see that they are having a positive experience, and above all to make sure that they don't have any problems in developing their independent project, which they were later able to share with us along with their experiences in a presentation upon their return to Merida. Each student’s experience was unique. In Merida, Emmaline was able to help usher in new life through her experience in the birthing unit of a local hospital. On the coast, Drew and Theo discovered new ways of experimenting with their patience in the co...

A Visit to the Coast and our Return to Merida

A Visit to the Coast and our Return to Merida Before beginning the next stage of our program in San Felipe, a small coastal community on the northern edge of the Yucatan Peninsula, we visited the Biosphere Reserve of Ria Lagartos for a boat tour of the estuary. During this tour, we learned about the importance of different types of mangroves, we saw the diverse species of migratory birds that arrive to nest in this region and we admired the endemic bird species that are a key part of the mangrove ecosystem. We also were lucky enough to see majestic groups of flamingos, different types of fishing eagles, herons, pelicans, cormorants, gulls, frigates, plovers and of course, the stars of the “Ria”, Morelet’s crocodiles! Once in the community of San Felipe, the process of meeting our new host families is always a clash of the nerves and excitement that are natural when entering into a completely new sociocultural context. Above all, it is a new opportunity to meet people with big hear...

Adventures in Yucatan, Mexico

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