|
The OSEA Winter Program provides a guided supervised hands-on learning experience. The program begins in Merida with an overnight stay and then 3-4 days visiting nearby Maya villages and towns. The Program uses excursions as time to have on-site seminars to learn about Maya culture, history, peoples, and society.
Travel Dates and Airports
Arrival Date: Sunday January 4, 2026
Arrival Airport: Tulum (TQO)
Departure Date: Thursday January 29th 2026
Departure Airport: Mérida (MID)
Program Cost: $4300, includes lodging, food, group travel/excursions, entrance fees, and transportation from arrival and to departure airports. Not included in the program fees are incidentals, airfare, and travel to/from US airport.
Flexible Structure
As ethnographers we learn that flexibility is the key to learning. Thus, the chart below provides a provisional scheduling of activities, but this can be changed and modified as necessary. For example unanticipated opportunities to meet specific persons of interest or to visit specific places arise and should be exploited to make the most of learning. This is especially important in order to establish and expand the basic “background knowledge” we need in order to develop research projects and structured learning.
Learning Activities and Provisional Scheduling
Scheduling Note
Time that is not specifically designated during the day as a scheduled activity with group is independent used for rest, reading, research, and writing up notes and descriptions; writing prompts are developed during seminar or active learning activities.
Daily Activities
Participants are given 30 mins to an hour daily of Maya and Spanish during the first 2 weeks. Three formal seminars are scheduled for weeks 1-3 and two during final week.
Contact OSEA Director directly by email if you are interested in enrolling in the program: "quetzil [at] osea-cite [dot] org"
Top of Page
Week 1. Jan 4/5 to 10. Arrival Tulum, Transfer to Carrillo Puerto & Tusik
Activities: Overnight in village of Tusik (2-3 nights). Visit Carrillo Puerto, Tihosuco, Sia’an K’aan ecological park, Muyil archaeological site
Religious Festival: Niño Jesus de Atorcha (Jan 6; Mérida)
Learning Focus: Identity & History (19th C to present), Caste War (1-2 hrs formal seminar in addition to on-site discussion while visiting sites of interest)
Maya language: 1hr Daily.
4 hours seminar (wk total) Introduction to ethnographic interviewing, how to manage social interactions, cultural exchange, and research dynamics.
Week 2 & 3 Activities: (Wk 2. Jan 11 to 17) (Wk 3. Jan 18 to 24)
Archaeological Sites: Chichén Itzá, Ek Balam, Yaxuna
Cenotes: Dzitnup, Yokdzonot, Tsukaan, xTojil (Libre Union)
Cities: Valladolid (repeated day visits); Mérida (including an overnight)
Off-Track: visits to jungle forest to learn about milpa farming, beekeeping, and visits archaeological sites that are undeveloped and off road
Religious Festival Dzitas traditional community ritual of Kotz Kal Tzo
Maya language: 4 hr week in classroom and 2-3 hrs week structured activities (solo)
Seminar: one 2 hour session a week, to discuss learning & cultural adaptation
Lodging & Meals: split btw OSEA dorm and homestay family
Week 4. Jan 25 to 29. Final ½ Week
Focus on writing up field notes and experiential journal/diary. Do “last minute” interviewing or participant observation.
Completing the sorting, coding, and description of photographic and video documentation
Participants do a 30 minute presentation of their learning and experience for audience of OSEA staff, friends, and family as determined by participant projects.
Clausura activities and goodbyes with local friends and collaborators
Visit to sites of interest that may have been missed or newly interested (e.g., nearby cenotes, visit milpa or beekeeping hives, archaeological sites, or villages, etc.
Top of Page
Sunday |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
Dec 28 |
Dec 29 |
Dec 30 |
Dec 31 |
Jan 01 |
Jan 02 |
Jan 03 |
Jan 04 |
Jan 05 |
Jan 06 |
Jan 07 |
Jan 08 |
Jan 09 |
Jan 10 |
Arrive Tulum Airport. Transfer to Tusik/Carrillo
|
Daily Maya
Experiential Orientation seminar |
Ethnographic Learning Activities ;
Tres Reyes Festival |
Ethnographic Learning Activities ;
Writing Up |
Ethnographic Learning Activities; Carrillo Puerto Museum |
Ethnographic Learning Activities
Sia’an K’aan |
Muyil Trip |
Jan 11 |
Jan 12 |
Jan 13 |
Jan 14 |
Jan 15 |
Jan 16 |
Jan 17 |
Transfer to Pisté OSEA Base
|
Seminar
Piste
Community Tour |
Chichén Trip (full day) |
Seminar, Student Initiated Research
|
Visit with Artisans
Evening Church
|
Cenote Trip
Student Research &
Community Activities |
Forest Trip to Beekeeper and milpa |
Jan 18 |
Jan 19 |
Jan 20 |
Jan 21 |
Jan 22 |
Jan 23 |
Jan 24 |
Church Services
Down Time
|
Seminar Student Research
|
Trip Chichén Museum Student Research
|
Seminar, Student Research |
Seminar 5pm Mérida Trip Thurs music festival |
Mérida Walking Tour, Museums, Market |
From Mérida day trip option: beach or archaeology |
Jan 25 |
Jan 26 |
Jan 27 |
Jan 28 |
Jan 29 |
Jan 30 |
Jan 31 |
Return to Pisté |
Seminar, Student Research |
Student study |
Student Project Presentations
Clausura |
Departure
Return USA |
|
|
Top of Page
|
