Program Reviews

I stayed in Carrillo for one week and had the best time. The class time was super great and the instruction was well-paced and well-suited for my language level. There was only one other person with me in class so there was lots of opportunity for conversation. My home stay was also really great and gave me the opportunity to put what I learned in class into action. The accommodation was also very well-appointed and the food was incredible! The house I stayed in didn't have hot water and coming from Canada this was out of the ordinary for me but you really don't miss it, and it was no problem at all. The excursions I took were really special and made the week really meaningful and fun and helped to understand the culture and again use language skills in a different setting. I felt incredibly well taken care of the entire time from communication the week before I arrived, to having someone waiting for me when I landed at the airport to when I was delivered back to Cancun. I would 100% recommend doing this immersion program and it gave me a real confidence boost with my speaking comfort. I even got several compliments on my Spanish when I was talking with people in town and then in Cancun after my stay in Carrillo. I only wish I could have stayed more that one week. If I can, I will definitely go back!

I flew in and out of Cancun and the only thing I would change if I go again is to fly in and out of Tulum instead just because Tulum is closer and nicer.

Like so many other people I know I had spent over 5 years learning Spanish thru Duolingo but found that I would freeze up when someone would start speaking Spanish to me. I even had a tu tot twice a week but that wasn’t working. So, I decided to do an immersion program. After considering several I chose Na’atik because they just felt right.

My instincts proved correct. Over the course of 7 days in the town of Carrillo I took 5 days of 4 hour classes which were outstanding. But even better was the fact that I was surrounded by people speaking spanish 95% of the time (for 11 days total - we spent 4 days in Cancún. That experience is definitely transforming. I finally can differentiate the individual words that I’m hearing. I didn’t start speaking confidently durian the trip but now that I am home I find myself speaking in Spanish in my mind, constructing Spanish answers to English questions. Now it’s not just vocabulary or grammar. It’s using the two to make sentences.

My adult daughter came with me which was a special treat spending all that time together. The staff and our host family made us feel truly welcomed and at home (and we were WELL fed with home cooked meals cooked by our host family 3 times a day). The town of Carrillo is a definite contrast to our American way of life. The local people live more simply with less stuff and they are happier than most Americans I know. They are a warm community and we felt completely safe walking all around the town every day.

We both plan on returning sometime in the next few years and staying longer.

I absolutely loved my two weeks here. My host family made me feel more welcome than I ever expected and the combination of school and time with them made my learning so seamless. The school was very supportive if there is anything I needed and my teacher had a fun and helpful teaching style - lots of activities and practice to learn. There were many fun activities to do in the afternoon and on weekends like cenote and mountain biking or learning to cook local food. My host family put so much effort into sharing the local food culture with me and my host mom was an excellent cook!

When I decided to do an immersion trip to improve my Spanish skills, I did a lot of research to find one that provided an authentic, well organized experience that was safe with plenty of interactive activities and this program fit the criteria perfectly.

The entire process went smoothly from booking the program, to the classes, the activities and the stay with the local family. There was support and communication daily.
This experience was much better than I had expected.

The classes were well organized and based on what I and my other classmate needed and/or wanted to learn. Oscar is an excellent teacher and gave very clear examples and explanations. He made learning fun with activities and games and when we brought up a question or another topic, he went with it. He was very diligent at following through to make sure we understood everything.

The activities were wonderful and helped me connect with the people of the community and their culture. I experienced swimming in a beautiful Cenote and learning about it’s ecosystem from its owner, learned about the history and customs of the Indigenous Maya at the Maya cultural center and tasted coffee made in artesanal coffee makers made by indigenous women from natural materials. I learned how to make Alote and Pan de Muerto in an amazing restaurant from a chef who converted the home of her grandmother into an amazing restaurant combining modern elements with traditional elements.

I stayed with a beautiful family who welcomed me into their home and shared their daily life with me and fed me amazing meals.

Honestly, it was a life changing experience for me and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to immerse themselves in the culture and language of this region

The Na'atik Institute offers an excellent Spanish (and Maya) immersion experience. They have a beautiful, comfortable school building with air conditioning and a terrific library. Their teachers are excellent and the teaching was personally crafted to focus on my goals as a student. I loved staying with and getting to know my Mayan host family. I very much enjoyed the chance to visit the Raxalaj and tortilla making Mayan cultural centers. It was really fun playing games in English and Spanish with the teenage English students from Carrillo. This was my second visit to Na'atik and I plan to go back and begin studying Yucateca Maya. For me, an experience where my investment in a weeklong class supports Na'atik and its staff, my host family, and Na'atik's ability to help local kids go to university by strengthening their English skills is ideal. I also deeply appreciate the chance to spend so much time with Mayans in the school, my host family and the community and to learn about their culture, history, and language.

I am so glad that I have had this amazing experience. I have learned sooooo much much Spanish and so much about Mexican and Mayan culture. This knowledge is not something you can get from a book, being able to learn from and talk to my teacher Rita everyday and my homestay siblings is something I am so grateful for. They have supported me and encouraged me through my fluency journey and have welcomed me with open arms. There is so much to do and so much to see in Carillo. This is an experience that will stay with me forever and I am so happy to have another family to come see. I will definitely be back soon. The best advice is to be open minded and confident in making mistakes. It’s all about learning!!

It was a good place very welcoming when I showed up. I didn’t feel out of place even though I am 14 when everyone else was 16 or older. I helped with the English program which was a good experience helping with. My homestay family was very attentive and helpful and not awkward to be around. The trips like the biking or cenote were good. The cenote for people who don’t like heights it’s not to bad jump in once swim around and you’ll be fine. The biking trip was fun the biking was a little exhausting but the bikes felt good and I would recommend for those who do biking or running sports.

My three weeks at Na'atik Language & Culture Institute exceeded all expectations. The program's strength lies in its thorough, personalized approach to language education combined with meaningful cultural experiences.

~Language Instruction Excellence~
My instructor, Pedro, provided outstanding one-on-one teaching. Rather than focusing on vocabulary memorization, he emphasized proper grammar foundations and conjugations, leading to rapid improvement in my comprehension and pronunciation. The 18 hours of weekly instruction, combined with constant practice opportunities, helped me master complex concepts like reflexive verbs and direct/indirect pronouns. His passion for teaching and patience with my learning process made even challenging grammar concepts accessible.

~Homestay Experience~
I had the pleasure of staying with the Garcia Uicab family, which made this experience truly special. Their warmth, patience with my Spanish learning, and genuine inclusion in family life created an immersive environment that accelerated my language progress. From shared meals to daily conversations, they provided constant opportunities to practice while making me feel genuinely welcomed.

~Cultural Programming~
The extracurricular activities offered were thoughtfully designed and educational. I enjoyed the Traditional tortilla-making class, embroidery workshop, and guided historical tours, which provided deep insights into local Maya culture and history. Each activity was led by knowledgeable instructors passionate about sharing their heritage.

~Staff and Support~
The Na'atik coordinators provided excellent support throughout, balancing guidance with independence. Their nonprofit model, which funds English education for local students, adds meaningful purpose to the experience.

Highly recommended for serious language learners seeking cultural immersion in a supportive, educational environment!

My granddaughter, age 16, and I went to Na'atik for a week to study Spanish recently - I had been there before and thought she would enjoy it as I had. We both thought our instructors were great, and that we gained a lot from their help. Our host family was just the best! We also really enjoyed the activities outside of school. The school staff are all very helpful, and the people of the town are really friendly. Everyone should try a delicious marquesita, sold in the town plaza. I also definitely recommend visiting the Mayan ruins at Chacchoben, as well as beachside Bacalar. The restaurant La Playita there is definitely worth a visit.

My weeklong stay with the Garcia Uicab Family was amazing. I had a tremendous amount of fun and this is a giant step out of my comfort zone to visit a foreign country by myself as a 16-year-old. The food the family served was out of this world and I was looking forward to every meal because I knew it was gonna taste good. Also, the staff at Na’atik were amazingly welcoming, and they helped me tremendously to get where I needed to be. The activities available were an insane amount of fun. The cenote trip is definitely worth it and I got some amazing videos and pictures out of it. I also did the bike adventure with Bruno. Right now, most of the people here are on break so it was only me and Bruno. The bike trip super interesting. We rode on a historic and iconic road that goes from Felipe Carillo to the ocean and I learned all about its history, the seasons here and we stopped at a lagoon, I got to try sapotes and mangoes. And even though I’m not totally fluent in Spanish, I was still able to have a conversation with him basically the entire time and I could understand everything he was saying, and I even got to teach him about some of the American culture on the East Coast. In general, I had an amazing time on this trip and honestly, I would do it again if I had the chance to, and I would bring my friends because something like this would be tons of fun with people you know and before I came here, I was a little nervous, but after being here for a week, I feel like I’m a part of the community and this is more than worth it so I definitely recommend.