Day 7: New Day in Tumul K'in (Britton)

As I arrived at the Tumul K'in Center of Learning I made the connection that during this trip we would be attending a traditional Mayan High School, and this was it. I think it was the second sentence that Mr. Pop said that Tomulkin meant a new day in the native Mayan Language. 

This is when it hit me like a bus, that it was not only a new day for myself but a new experience, unlike anything I have ever experienced before. When I first arrived at the school I realized that there were only four students in the first year (9th grade) and they were all girls! I was talking to two of the four girls in the first year and they were telling me that they have the job of caring for the garden. The school has its own garden, this was something that didn't totally surprise me, but the next part did. That was when Mr. Pop made the statement that the school grows its own produce to use in the kitchen of the school. The produce supplies the students with 3 meals for 10 days. The students live on the school grounds and are there for 10 days followed by going home with to their families for four days. This was the first part of my new day and brand new experience.

While touring the learning center I came across so many new experiences and new ideas that I would have never thought would be found in this Mayan school. The fourth-year students all have their own projects, this is relatable to back home having a senior project in high school. The students were really passionate about their projects due to being able to choose the type of agriculture that they are most passionate about. While on the tour I tried something new, something I knew wouldn't end well, but it was a living on the edge moment. I ate a HABANERO pepper, it made my face feel like it was on fire, and fire should have been coming out of my mouth.

Sure I should have known not to eat the habanero, BUT I knew that if I didn't try it then I never would. I never wanted to think back to my NEW DAY and wonder what the Habanero pepper tasted like. After the Habanero experience, I got to continue my new day with new experiences and actually got to take part in a dance class that the fourth year students presented to us. I never felt more reliant on another person before, without my partner Anthony I was lost. I feel like without this experience I would be lost. This was a new day for myself and I know that taking the jump into the new experience it will bring me more new adventures and NEW DAYS for my future students in my future classroom.

Britton is a sophomore majoring in Agriculture Extension Education major at Penn State.