Waiting at the Cancun Airport for our flight:

Waiting in the cold at the Twin Cities airport for our respective rides home:

During the day people went out on the beach for a last chance to soak up some sun, or grab a last souvenir, and eat lunch at their favorite restaurant. The closing feast was the final scheduled event for the trip. It was also the final chance for everyone to get together for once last time. Even with limited menu, everyone enjoyed their meals, and especially enjoyed the unexpected dessert.

Talking circle for this night was bitter sweet. Many shared favorite memories of our trip and of each other. We've all come away from this trip having grown, changed, and connected to one another in ways that will last for a very long time.

I thought I might take a few moments to reflect on my experience. I've facilitated learning abroad experiences and taught many courses before, but never have I worked such a cohesive group of kids, well, I should say young adults. The diversity in this group is so great, yet they get along so well. They range from 18 to 30+, from first semester freshmen to last semester senior, they come from Saudi Arabia, Lithuania, New York and all over Minnesota, their major interests range from education, family social science, landscape architect, environmental sciences, engineering, fine arts, pre-med and self designed majors, and their reasons for taking this global seminar are just as varied. How can such a diverse group of people genuinely get along in less than idea situations is amazing – high heat and humidity, long days and occasional visits from all kinds of critters (mostly bugs and lizards) from the nearby jungle? By the end of the day, they seem to still like each other. For example, the other day I was preparing to chastise one of the students who slept in late and missed class. But, before I got two words out of my mouth, the others quickly jumped to his defense. Seriously, you’d think these people have been life-long friends.

I don’t mean to imply there have been no problems, because there have been some. But, they seem to always rise to the occasion and do what is right for the group. For example the other day a few of the students thought it would be funny to engage in an impromptu insensitive “Indian rain dance.� Other students were offended and after learning about it myself, was equally offended, but more so I was disappointed in their behavior - especially since a part of this course was to better understand other people’s cultures and world views. Before we had a chance to address the issue in our talking circle, the offenders realized the inappropriateness of their behavior and came forward on their own accord to make amends and to apologize. It became a learning opportunity for the whole group – we talked for two hours about how we can become more sensitive to those who are different from ourselves.

Well, I guess this is enough reflection for one night! My brain officially checks-out at 11:00pm so I better stop for now.

After breakfast, we went to a local park that some of us had already been working at for a couple of days. As was common over the previous few days, despite the various challenges of limited tools and other resources, we appreciated the opportunity to give our time and energy toward community service projects.

We cleared the paths of the park, depositing the brush in a mysterious location across the street. A few of us found some young coconut plants, and replanted them. We also dug up rocks to place along the sides of the path and destructed a decaying playground. The raw strength of Mike, Sam, and Mark was enough to wrestle several wooden posts (trees embedded in cement) out of the ground. A couple of us enjoyed the individual destruction of a swing and a set of wooden stairs. From the beginning of the trip, we had been warned about scorpions, snakes, and other jungle inhabitants. For at least a few of us, the thought alone of their existence presented a difficulty in working in the dense jungle. One of us not only saw a snake a few days ago, but also came in uncomfortable contact with a scorpion at the park.

Marco and Kari picking up leaves

Audra laying down the rocks

Emily found a treasure of huge rocks

Before and after: THE AFTER park

Upon our return, several of us wrapped up community service with work on one of the dunes near the beach. We picked up garbage and dead plants, raked leaves, and made the difficult transportation of the waste to the on-site compost pile. We completed the project just in time, as the overcast skies of the last day and a half turned into a rainy afternoon.

Those of us who worked on the dunes celebrated our completed project by patronizing the local Mexican/seafood establishment, La Cueva del Pescador (The Cave of the Fisherman).

To conclude the evening, many of us enjoyed playing some cards (including an intense game with Saudi Arabian origin), ate delicious self-made grilled cheese sandwiches, and watched a couple of episodes of “Seinfeld.�

We hope the clouds clear up and give us some sunshine in our final days in Akumal.

Kari, Alma, Alicia, and Rachael picking up trash

Alma digging up trash

After picking up trash, we had the rest of the day off to get some much-needed rest! Almost our entire group took an afternoon siesta. Our recent decisions to experience Mexican nightlife at Playa del Carmen left many of us lacking sleep. We have found that clubbing in Mexico can be quite a cultural experience. For example, most of the music that is played is in fact American and from the early 90’s. We were also surprised to find that the club was equally populated by locals and tourists, even though the area of the city in which the club is located is overrun with tourists.

A learning experience that comes with clubbing in Playa del Carmen is figuring out how to get home. There are local busses known as Collectivos that run until 11pm, but for those who want to stay later, there is a cheap public bus at 1:30, a cheaper Collectivo at 5 am, or a taxi which is much more expensive, especially the closer you get to the clubs. A few of us attempted to take the public bus one night, and while it only cost 16 pesos, we were very lucky to make it home because the bus sounded like it was going to fall apart at any moment, and everyone was asleep and we almost missed our stop! Another group had the opportunity to take a taxi driven by a female, which is very uncommon in Mexico. She told stories of the additional challenges of driving a taxi that she must face as a woman in a field dominated by men. We have found that conversations such as this provide more information about the Mexican culture than can be found in any book. We hope to learn even more about the culture through conversation with the locals before the end of our trip.

Kari, Anna, Natasha

We divided up into two separate groups in order to get the most work accomplished. The first group started out the day cleaning up the trash on the south end of Akumal beach. Later we drove to a small park located near Yal-Ku Lagoon to clean it up and make it appropriate and pleasant for recreational use. We used machetes to clear the trail, picked up trash, and used rakes to clear the paths. We then took turns doing Bay Patrol for CEA in the kayaks. This entails monitoring the snorkelers to make sure they do not damage the coral or disturb the wildlife. We were given a whistle and permission to yell at tourists, so it was a good opportunity to release pent-up aggression.

The second group went to the rocky shoreline north of Half Moon Bay first where we picked up trash, of which there was a lot of. It is very disappointing to see such beautiful areas cluttered with ugly garbage, especially because it is conceivably avoidable. Our next activity was working on one of the constructed wetlands located on the CEA property. We separated some of the plants from each other and then re-planted them in different areas so that they could grow better. Then we cleared leaves and dead debris in order to allow for better filtration. Later in the afternoon we cleaned trash and leaves from one of the natural dune areas, which provides better growth for the plants in the understory so the area is more stable and less prone to erosion. Although it was difficult work and hot outside it felt good to clean up each of these areas and benefit the natural environment.

View of Nohoch Mul and from the top of it

From there we went to a cenote to swim and cool off after our sweltering climb up Nohoch Mul. It was an underground cenote and it had some tiny catfish swimming around. It was then time for lunch at a local buffet.

Everyone at the cenote

Our last stop was at Aktun Chen, meaning cave with an underground river inside. It is an underground cave system that was formed by the ocean and was the first to be opened to the public in Quintana Roo state. There were many stalactites and stalagmites of different shapes and sizes. They are formed by water with minerals seeping through the ground and then fossilizing into calcium carbonate deposits. We could see fossilized coral and even a conch shell that was hanging in the ceiling, which is evidence that it was once part of the ocean.

Conch shell in the ceiling

On our way in, our tour guide showed us a fichus tree and told us we will be able to see its root system. When we first got down there, we saw the roots going straight trough the ceiling and then down into the floor again. As we kept going, we could see the roots of other fichus trees. Fichus trees have an amazing root system that will go really far down in order to find water. Our cave tour ended with a beautiful surprise. We entered a dark chamber, 45 feet below ground, where our tour guide pointed out some interesting things to us and ended the show by turning on all the lights in the chamber revealing a spectacular body of water. We got to see where the fichus roots reach the water and spread out on the surface. On the walk back from the cave, we got to see some Mexican deer and Mexican monkeys.

Fichus tree roots

The night ended with most of us exhausted and heading to bed early after our talking circle where we discussed the things we have learned here in Mexico that we would like to bring back with us into our lives in Minnesota. Some people, despite their exhaustion, went to Playa del Carmen to go dancing and enjoy the night life.

Written by Emily B., Audra and Sam

The afternoon was hot but enjoyable. Some went out in the kayak to patrol Akumal Bay, warning snorkelers of the potentially harmful effects of their actions on marine life, the coral reef, and the sea turtles. Others bought fresh fruit from the market that comes to Akumal each Wednesday and Saturday. Still others lounged on the beach, catching a tan, reading novels, or playing chess in the shade of the palm trees. As for Aziz, he caught the Collectivo to Playa del Carmen in another unsuccessful attempt to receive his package of snorkel gear from the States.

The evening brought a pleasant surprise and the highlight of our day. On the previous day (Tuesday), Centro Ecológico Akumal (CEA) had collected some baby sea turtles (tortugitas) that had hatched from a CEA-monitored nest. It is unusually late in the year for hatching, so we were lucky to observe the tortugitas. The eggs were laid on October 7 and hatched a full month later than usual. Since they hatched so late, and did so during the day – leaving them more vulnerable to predators, – the hatchlings were collected by CEA and transported to the safety of the ecological center. This evening, CEA planned to release the turtles to the sea, and invited our group to join them for this release.

We walked together to a calm, un-crowded stretch of beach. Alma Boada Sanchez, CEA’s Communication and Volunteer Coordinator; and Armando Lorences Camargo, coordinator of CEA’s Marine Turtle Protection Program; gently placed each turtle on the shoreline, about five meters from the edge of the water. If the turtles could traverse this distance, they would be ready to endure the long swim from the shoreline to the safety of the reef crest. Our group lined up, forming a protective path, on each side of the tortugitas. We encouraged the little turtles by cheering them on, and quickly bonded with our new friends, even giving them names. (Walter, Scamp, and Stanley come to mind). Some tortugitas took off excitedly while others seemed less enthusiastic (perhaps taking an evening siesta?). Six of the twelve tortugitas successfully reached the water, two others died the next day, one went for care at the turtle hospital, and the remaining three were returned to CEA for protection and care until a future release.

Another surprise greeted us shortly after we returned from the release: the first (and hopefully last) sustained downpour of our stay. It forced our evening talking circle from its usual place on the beach to the shelter of Mark’s living quarters. We shared thoughts about what we miss from the comforts of home, as well as what we anticipate missing about Mexico upon our departure. After the talking circle, various indoor activities brought an end to another exciting day in Quintana Roo.

-Allison, Marco, and Natasha

Tulum means the ‘walled city’ and was built after Chichen Itza was abandoned. Inside the walls are the remains of temples and the home of the governor. Tulum is also noteworthy because many of the temples are on cliffs overlooking the sea. Despite that it was built after Chichen Itza, it is in worse condition because it wasn’t constructed as meticulously or as sturdy as Chichen Itza. Ninety percent of the buildings have been either destroyed or unexcavated. Tulum has beautiful beaches and has one of the highest points in the very flat region.

Xel-ha is an ecological park that incorporates the environment with an adventure park. Many of us went on inner tubes down the lazy river. We went snorkeling through caves and jumped off high cliffs. We saw many different types of fish as well as stingrays, manatees, dolphins, birds, and iguanas. They facilitate awareness about the ecology of the region by exposing tourists to wildlife. While they claim to be ecologically friendly by protecting wildlife and educating tourists, it is difficult to remain so because of the huge number of tourists they receive everyday.

Kari, Laura, Katherine

We started the day with two lectures. The first was given by the executive director of Centro Ecológico Akumal, Paul Sanchez-Navarro. He shared with us the many ecological problems resulting from the area’s exponential growth, particularly induced by a boom in the tourism industry. Not only is there an influx of tourists, but also an increased need for workers in the hotel and transportation services. The negative effects include a fresh water shortage, as well as waste management. For example, many of the resorts inject their sewage deep into the ground. This often ends up in the underground rivers and flows out into the ocean, where it harms the oceanic ecosystem. In trying to find solutions, there are many challenges. The monetary success of the hotels and their monetary contribution to the country seems to take precedence over environmental concerns, and the hotels are subject to few enforced regulations. Creating solutions is a matter of working with multiple levels of government, the private business sector, as well as the society at large, to recognize and address the wide range of issues.
Our second lecture was by Mark Krekeler. He is an industrial mineralogist at Miami University in Ohio. He is currently in Akumal with a research group that is trying to discover an efficient and sustainable waste management system. One option that is currently being used for sewage treatment is constructed wetlands. The Akumal area currently has about 50 constructed wetlands, which are capable of removing some bacteria, phosphates, and nitrates from human waste. They are far from perfect, however, as the constructed wetlands sometimes have insufficient area or can leak substantially. Mark also showed us a constructed wetland, using it as a model to explain how it operates. He also introduced us to a clay material (commonly found in kitty litter) that can also be used to filter some harmful chemicals from human waste. The clay is reusable and is relatively abundant in the Yucatan Peninsula. As with any solution to environmental concerns, there is still need for efforts regarding research and financing of such projects.

Picture 1: Mark Krekeler is explaining how the constructive wetland works

On the right side of the picture you can see the wetland with the plants that help to clean the water.

After our lectures, we walked up the coast to Half-Moon Bay to go snorkeling. Although we had to compete with some sizable waves (which caused a few of us to take in some salt water), we saw a diverse array of marine organisms including common and venus sea fans, grooved brain coral, sea plume, turtle grass, Sergeant Majors, foureye butterflyfish, porkfish, urchins, green turtles, blue tangs, a stingray, and a barracuda. We ended our planned activities with a talking circle on the beach at Half-Moon Bay. We shared our favorite quotes and conversations of our first six days in Mexico.

Picture 2: On the way to the Half Moon Bay

Picture 3: Half Moon Bay

Picture 4: Brain coral

In the evening, several people went to Playa del Carmen for dinner, while others enjoyed the evening in Akumal…THE END.

Since we’ve been living here for a week (and we didn’t do very much today) we thought we’d pose a question pertaining to the subject of our class: the relationship between the environment and present day culture and the native Maya.

Q: What makes a successful civilization?
A: We think an important aspect is sustainability, living within our means and thinking of future generations. In order to do this many factors need to be taken into consideration- population growth and available natural resources need to be measured accordingly, waste management, environmental impact, and economic gain.
Another important aspect is culture. A strong culture consists of agreement in civic, religious and social function.
Successful civilizations take a lot of teamwork and mutual understanding. In order for all aspects to blend and thrive, a community needs to have a system of open communication that ensures values and principles are upheld and appropriately evolved over the passage of time.

Written by the A-Man, EmJay, and Raquel