Setting out for Independent Projects

Today, the final student takes off for the final step of the total immersion program: the independent project. Here at PICY, we put a lot of emphasis on this final stage. The independent project it is when the student is able to take all that they have learned during the time that they have been with us, and focus that knowledge and those strategies toward a specific topic that interests them. We have students setting off to fishing villages, to cities, to tiny pueblos, and headed to the farthest reaches of the state of Yucatan to study topics from the Mayan language, to midwifery, to wood carving. Each year we see a unique set of independent projects from a unique group of students. For an idea of what students have done in the past, here is an interactive map of student projects during the final stage of our total immersion program.

Before heading out on their independent journeys, each student completed and presented an ethnography as the final project for their culture class, Mayas of Yesterday and Today. We enjoyed hearing about a wide variety of topics, here are some images from presentation day!

Picking a name out of the jicara, who'll go first?

Galo sharing his experiences talking to folks who migrate to the city for work

Jay writing out some numbers about the implications of implementing and not implementing solar panels

Emma sharing her stories of talking with the owners and workers in cocinas economicas, home-style restaurants.

Making sure we keep a copy for our records! Emmanuel explains the social structures of Mayan society compared to modern society.

Nina gives us a look at the common knowledge of holistic health for women, including the beneficial properties of some plants such as yierba buena (mint).

Karla giving feedback and thank-you's to all who participated, it was a spectacular day!

Orientation 2024: A Journey along the East Coast of the Yucatan Peninsula

We began our orientation trip for the College of the Atlantic Yucatan Program on the beautiful eastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, in the state of Quintana Roo. We avoided the main tourist hubs of the Riviera while visiting historical sites, influential cities, and small communities that welcomed us in to see how they are working to preserve their environment and maintain cultural practices. Along the way, we met some amazing families, ate delicious food, learned about the history of the peninsula and worked our way closer to our final destination, the city of Merida, capital of the state of Yucatan. Our journey began on the beaches of the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, where we visited one of the most important archeological sites from the Mayan Postclassic period, the ancient city of Zama, better known today as Tulu...

Our Days in Merida

This stage of the program in the capital city of Merida is the first true immersion for our students, They begin to acclimate to the way of life here with their local host families while having daily classes that push them to continue learning while also providing a comfortable space to ask questions and explore concepts. Our adventure in Merida began with a very important element of this program: meeting our host families who will walk hand-in-hand with our students for this first part of the immersion process in the city. It is thanks to our wonderful Yucatecan host families that our students will better adapt to this urban context. Another important and necessary element during our time in Merida are Spanish classes, because the language is key for interacting with, and diving into, the culture. During this class, students not only learn grammar and structure, but also develop their linguistic abilities using colloquial forms of speech. ...

The Beginning of Immersion: Diving In!

During the first part of the student’s time in Merida, meeting and integrating into their host families is probably the most important step in beginning an immersion program. The host families in Mérida are fundamental for the students to adapt to their new urban context. Another important aspect of the students' time in Mérida are their Spanish classes, since the language will allow them to interact and immerse themselves more profoundly in the culture. During these language classes, the students not only learn grammar and structure, but they are also able to develop their own linguistic abilities by sharing, discussing and practicing everyday vocabulary and expressions that they hear outside of the classroom. The culture classes are another key part of the program, they help the students understand diverse aspects of the culture, how a Yucatecan family lives, the differences between interacting in an urban or a rural setting, and provide the hidden historical context for what w...

Adventures in Yucatan, Mexico

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