Mercados, Museos y Merengue

It was a full day! We started off heading to the principal market place in the city.

Outside the arches of Lucas de Galvarez market talking about the ancient origin of public markets in Mexico.

Heading in to see what we can find!

Shoe repair

Bright candy

Clothing

Toys, fruits and vegetables, pots and pans, tacos, coloring books, parakeets....

Full of bright colors and narrow passageways, we gave our students some pesos to buy a fruit that was new for them

Next we wandered around the museum of the city and looked at a replica of the downtown area that we've become so familiar with over the past few days

Touching henequen, the plant that put Yucaatan on the map

After stopping for some juice, we headed to la mejorada, a park on the other side of the main square

And we walked through the folk art museum

We saw some beautiful traditional textiles

and other interesting things!

In the afternoon it was time for a change of pace with some dance classes

First we learned some Jarana, the regional dance of the Yucatan

ready for the vaqueria!

Posing with our professor

And then came the Caribbean rhythms

learning some quick steps

adding a flourish

and not forgetting to stretch afterward

The final song marked the end of a long day!

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

Merida: Our Days in the City

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. In our case, here in Merida, host families are fundamental for the students to adapt to their new urban context. Another important aspect of their time in Merida are their Spanish classes, since the language will allow them to interact and immerse themselves more completely 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 the everyday vocabulary and expressions that they hear outside of the classroom. Mayan 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 wha

Small Town Days: Our time in Yaxunah

Before we began our time in the rural community of Yaxunah, we passed through the small city of Acanceh, where we were able to tour through the market and visit the prehispanic structures that make up the ancient Mayan settlement that today is fused with the architecture and modernity of the town. These ancient structures tell their story through the exposed stones and glimpses of preserved stucco. The pyramid of the masks holds eight stuccoed masks, two on each side of the structure, each one with characteristics associated with the sun god Kinich Ahau. A few blocks away, past the large catholic church and down a side street, surrounded by family homes, the Palace of Stuccos has a frisee that adorns the north face of the building with zoomorphic beings. Just like in the city, the best part of the program is when the students get to meet their new host families. The family is the main pillar of support for the student’s immersion into any context, but it is especially important in smal

Adventures in Yucatan, Mexico

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