Contribute to the conservation of traditional Mayan homes in Yucatán, Mexico

Infos

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  Description

  We are grassroots Cultural Conservatory founded by two Anthropologists with goals of preserving the few remaining homes built in the traditional manner. Adhering to the local environmental knowledge of the local elders and utilizing only natural materials that we harvest by hand, as permitted by ancient tradition, we have the opportunity to contribute to the longevity of a culture threatened by modernization with compassion and hard work.

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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Bénévolat

  Pratique d’une langue

  Aide avec des éco-projets

  Enseignement

  Jardinage

  Bricolage et construction

  Entretien général
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  Objectifs de développement durable de l’ONU que cet hôte essaie d'atteindre

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  Qu'est-ce que c'est ?
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  If you are looking for an intensive cross-cultural and second language experience of a lifetime, come and stay with us in our bilingual village of Chicxulub Pueblo, Yucatan, Mexico. You will certainly have the opportunity to enhance your Spanish skills here or come to dominate your second language, and wholly participate in the culture here as if you belonged. And you will also have the opportunity for a more profound experience as we do the actual work of the Mayan people. Some residents in our pueblo adhere to the cultural traditions of their ancestors and continue to speak the native Mayan language and Spanish, and they are highly-receptive to visitors who want to learn to speak with them in their native tongue. However, the majority of the people in our pueblo speak only Spanish.
  
  And if you would like to see a bit about what I have learned while living here, and some of what lies ahead for you if you decide to come for a visit, you can view the digital version of our book. The book is packed with travel tips for the Yucatan Peninsula, Spanish language review activities for travel, and even an introduction to the spoken Mayan Language of the region.

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  Aide

  Currently, we are looking for volunteers to help us create a walking path and garden with culturally relevant plants to the Mayan People of the region; and also to continue to help maintain the few remaining Traditional Mayan Homes for the elders in Chicxulub Pueblo, Yucatan, Mexico for April - August 2024.
  
  Hola Amigos!
  
  My name is Don Hector, Mucho gusto! I am a freelance anthropologist in the development stage of establishing a Mayan Cultural Conservatory and Language School on our recently acquired property in Chicxulub Pueblo, Yucatan, Mexico.
  
  While I am originally from the West Coast of the US, I am now living the dream in Chicxulub Pueblo as a credentialed anthropologist and linguist. After nearly 12 years here, I have become a participating member of this bilingual language community; speaking both Spanish and Maya in addition to my native English.
  
  Currently, I am looking for a two or three volunteers to help me develop an self-guided walking path that weaves through our textile plants and other culturally relevant plants garden, which will include a site for a mini-milpa with the tres hermanas (corn, beans, and squash), a medicinal plants and seasonings herb garden, as well as other plants indigenous to the region that may be available to us.
  
  Most importantly, the garden will also have interactive learning activities for children, young people, and adults on our site much like a par-course that we will design as a team and create piece by piece together. Of course we will not do the entire path during your visit, but rather one section that focuses on one of the topics listed below. And we will finish most physical labor before 11:00 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
  
  Then we will be do some other less-strenuous projects the second part of our day, when creating content for promotion on social media is the primary goal this summer.
  
  The most important project we will be doing this summer is mapping and interviewing the people living in the few remaining traditional mayan homes for purposes of chosing one or two that we will add to the five houses that we already maintain. We will also create an interactive virtual traditional home tour in order to promote our roof rescue project, including videos to demonstrate the process of maintaining a traditional mayan roof.
  
  As a part of our promotional campaign, we will be preparing some substantial content for our social media presence in our effort to preserve the Maya culture in our village. For instance, we are going to compile a list of local tortillerias and interview their process and evaluate their product for purposes of creating an interactive academic activity with a visual representation at our site for future student tours. We are also going to complete unbiased reviews of the local restaurants in the pueblo, as well as other family owned businesses, in order to update their presence on google maps.
  
  There are also plans to start painting some new murals and complete others that we have on the property here that we will use for academic purposes in the future when we receive grade school children from the city. Themes include: Las tres hermanas: Maiz, frijol, y calabasa; Dios Chaak in the Ciclo de agua; and Kukulkan the serpiente emplumada. But our canvas is not limited to flat walls. There may be some gardening and construction to complete this communal works of art!
  
  So, I am looking for self-motivated volunteers with some creativity for the above mentioned activities. Let me know what you think, and how you might be able to contribute to the movement of cultural conversation of longtime traditions in Yucatan. I look forward to hearing from you.
  
  Don Hector de Chicxulub
  
  And not only does your participation truly serve as an educational opportunity for yourself and others, this cultural conservation project directly benefits real people, and actually preserves ancient traditions using your two hands and right before your own eyes!

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  Langues

  Langues parlées
  Anglais: Courant
  Espagnol: Courant

  Cet hôte propose un échange linguistique
  We speak English, Spanish, and Yucatec Maya
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  Hébergement

  Our project provides a shared living space experience for volunteers. Accommodations include a personal bed in a shared room at our home in Chicxulub Pueblo. Depending on the number of volunteers for the project, we may have two gender-segregated rooms.
  
  We have already preserved the traditional palm-roof roof on the main house at the place where we cook our meals and hang our hammocks; and we have saved two other roofs of neighbors nearby. And though our focus is on the preservation of these homes and the traditions that take place beneath those sticks and palm leaves that protect them, we have a fully-furnished and shared modern room for up to three people just waiting for you to inhabit. We also have a pool table and foosball table, a fully-equipped kitchen, two palapas, and a beautiful natural stone swimming pool.
  
  Besides safe and secure lodging, we also provide purified drinking water and the staples like eggs, rice, beans, flour, and oil for preparing your own meals during the work week in the communal kitchen. On the days that we work we will share our breakfast meal before we go out for the day. Purchasing meat, dairy, fruit and veggies is the responsibility of volunteers.

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  Autres infos...

  This is a peaceful pueblo retreat, away from the hustle-and-bustle of the Capital City and the typical Tourist Areas. Our only house rule concerns the unruly. While everything is fine in moderation, not everyone can handle moderation. Though we do not have a hard rule about the consumption of drugs and alcohol, we do ask that you keep these matters to yourself and away from public view, including the common areas of the posada.
  
  While the two super-minis in the centro, San Valentín and Mikey Donald’s, which are open all day, from early in the morning until late at night, they mostly only carry packaged foods. To find fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, tortillas, or natural juices, you have to get out early in the day and finish your shopping before noon or 1pm. You can shop in the municipal market, or look for other vendors around the centro such as the fruterías and carnicerías on the main street.
  
  Finding Prepared Food and Drink around the Pueblo can be a challenge if you go looking for something to eat during the times you regularly eat when you are on vacation. So, you must get accustomed to the current of the pueblo if you do not plan to eat here.
  
  Wifi is available in all rooms. Internet Speed should hover around 5Mbps. But if there is an internet failure for some reason, you can go to the Cibernautica (Cybercafe) in the Centro which charges by the hour, or visit the Main Plaza in Chicxulub Pueblo for free internet.
  
  Sheets and towels will be washed for volunteers once a week. For personal clothing, there is a drop-off Wash-and-Fold Laundry in Conkal (5km), which you get to by getting on one of the colectivos taxis for the centro in Chicxulub Pueblo. Or, you can “encargar” a taxista to take your laundry and pick it up for less than $100mxn; $5usd each way, plus the $10mxn/kg of clothes. This usually takes hours. Other options include asking a local woman, but this is not an option on Sunday or rainy days as clothes are line-dried.

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  Informations complémentaires

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    Accès Internet

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    Accès Internet limité

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    Nous avons des animaux

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    Nous sommes fumeurs

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    Familles bienvenues

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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Plus de 2

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  Nombre d'heures attendues

  Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week

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