Trip to Yucatan set for next February vacation

Students talk about next year’s trip to Mexico

Trip+to+Yucatan+set+for+next+February+vacation

Autumn Brophy, Staff Writer

After a final meeting, the World Language department has agreed on a schedule for the trip to Yucatan, Mexico taking place in February vacation of next year.

The world language department will take around ten students to Mérida, Yucatan to live with host families and immerse themselves in Mexican culture. The trip will last between eight and ten days, with both French and Spanish students in attendance, who will partner up to live with the host families together.

Spanish teacher Mary-Beth Tietgens is one of the three teachers going with the students to Mérida.

“Polly [McAdam] will be coming and doing orientations to teach about the culture, and it’s really important to attend those meetings, and to take in as much information as you can,” Tietgens said.

Though all out-of-country ventures have their own risks, Tietgens says the risks [of going to Mérida] is being culturally unaware and not realizing how to act in certain situations. It’s important to ask your host family stuff, and ask your teachers things [about what to do].

“Polly is the organizer of this trip,” said Tietgens. “She is the American contact for the organization of PICY Programas de Inmersión Cultural en Yucatán, which in English means Cultural Immersion Programs in Yucatan.”

Junior Camryn McKeown plans to go on this trip, but is kind of nervous.

“I’ve never been on a plane, first of all, so that’s really nerve-wracking,” said McKeown. “But they cleared that it’s very safe, so that makes me feel better.”

Mérida is on the west side of the Yucatan peninsula, while the eastern side of it has Cancun, a more popular vacation spot. McKeown says that it’s very safe, and away from the [dangerous] parts of Mexico.

While there, McKeown wants to learn their [Mexican] culture, although she does not like their food.

“My mom said, because she went to the meeting, they eat a lot of rice and beans, and tortillas and quesadillas,” said McKeown. “For breakfast they have a lot of hard-boiled eggs I was told, so I don’t mind that.”

Junior Taylor Turgeon is going to Mérida as well, although she is a French student.

“It’s a really good opportunity, and I don’t want to pass it up,” Turgeon said.

Like McKeown, Turgeon wants to learn about the [Mexican] culture, although she would rather learn about the people, not the place.

“I want to learn more personal things, and I want to get to know my [host] family,” Turgeon said.

Turgeon is a little nervous [for the trip] because to her, it is nerve-wracking to not know where you’re going. However, she is more concerned about the financial part of the trip.

“I’m gonna have to pay for like half of my trip,” said Turgeon. “I’m too worried about it, but I will have to save.”

Turgeon said it’s not that bad because the dollar is really good for pesos [mexican currency] right now, around 15 pesos to a dollar. McKeown is excited for the money exchange too.

“I would only have to bring like fifty American dollars to buy like a really really nice hammock,” McKeown said.

McKeown is helping Turgeon learn Spanish by studying with her.

“I’m getting a lot of lessons from Camryn,” said Turgeon. “Hopefully I’ll learn more Spanish leading up to the trip, so I’m not completely just thrown into it without knowing anything.”

Tietgens said that most of the families know some english, so it won’t be too scary for the students.

“For the French students going, we are planning on having some after school meetings between September and the trip, to go over basic travel phrases, and basic phrases for you to get what you need,” Tietgens said.

Very similar to the French trip, students will be expected to use their language skills.

“When you use it, and when you hear it all the time, you want to use it,” said Tietgens. “When you’re in a classroom situation, you don’t always feel comfortable speaking.”

Although Yucatan is in Mexico, it is more of a Mayan community.

“They’re mostly Mayan down there, they’re not completely spanish,” said Turgeon. “They speak Mayan, not Spanish.”

Even if Turgeon is a little out of her depth, McKeown will have something to look forward to.

“[I hope to experience] the Mayan ruins,” McKeown said.

And she will be able to. Four options were set before the parents and students involved with planning the tip, and the option chosen included a trip to the Mayan ruins. The program will also include a two-night stay on the beach, and multiple activities that will show the students more of the culture of Mérida.

All details about the trip will be finalized by the World Language department. Students will have to pay a fee of $100 by the end of this school year to show that they are committed to the program. The rest of the expenses will be due by November.

“[After the trip is over] I hope to be better at Spanish,” said McKeown. “Hopefully I’ll understand how they eat, their customs, [and] how they live their daily lives.”

(To find out more information about the PICY program, visit their website at: http://www.picy.org.mx/about.php)