Festival de Navidad

Last Tuesday we had our annual Christmas festival. All of our host families and professors and PICY staff was invited and we had a great time!

We started off with a brief look at our student's projects from their "conversation and identity" class.

Lea explaining her mind map where the city's buses appear as dragons!

Megan talking about different perspectives

Grace sharing her food journey

Lauren talking about family as the center of her experience

And then it was time for the show to start!

Noche de Paz (silent night)

Kendall is participating in a Mayan immersion program focused on midwifery in Yucatan. She (with some help) sang a short song in Maya!

Burrito Sabanero

We put together a short skit based on the new "light and sound extravaganza" that you can see at Chichen Itza. In our play, Chichen(ita) we shared some of the incredible adventures that the students have had in just their first month.

Our staff member Lucero narrated for us

Anna and Kitt describing the impact that tallness and beards seem to have here in Yucatan...

Molly and Taylor sharing their adventurous the first time they went to find their host family's homes.

Kendall and Molly singing "Rie Chinito"

And the most entertaining part of the evening...dancing!

La Bomba

Having a great time

Anna sharing a song in her native tongue

Lucero and Polly wrote a parody of multiple Christmas carols including the many adventures of each student

After the show, of course, it was time to eat and chat!

enjoying tamales

A lovely evening overall!

From all of us here at PICY, happy holidays!

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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