Beyond our classes I felt that a significant aspect of this study abroad program was shaped by the excursions we took as a class. These experiences were crucial in my understanding of the Mayan culture. Additionally, I think I had my deepest and most eye-opening thoughts during the van rides to and from our excursions! Among the many excursions we had, three of the most impactful to me were the hacienda, Chichen Itza, and Uxmal.
I will start my discussion with my least favorite excursion, the visit to the hacienda. While the haciendas existence helps to preserve a part of history that led to the significant loss of Mayan culture the tour itself felt more focused on the wealthy owners and the processes. Additionally, the tour guide’s overly happy attitude added to the discomfort as it felt like there was a lack of reverence for the atrocities that occurred there. Similarly to how Disney had plans to use slavery as an attraction the hacienda felt like it was turning the pain and suffering of others into a tourist attraction.
Similarly to the hacienda, Chichen Itza felt very tourist focused. In my opinion it felt much less like a historical site and more like a tourist attraction. As a result, of there being more tourists I was able to observe how they all interacted with the environment around them. I witnessed a lot of people doing things that put me in mind of the film Cannibal Tours. For example, people asking for second and third prices and others treating the vendors like they were less than human. Also, during our free time to explore the site I ended up in an area towards the back that was nearly without tourists in its entirety but full of many different ruins from temples to ancient bathrooms. This made me think about how most of the people that were here simply wanted to take a photo of the main temple and say they were here instead of genuinely trying to learn more about the Mayan story.
My absolute favorite place that we visited was Uxmal. I was absolutely blown away and shocked by the sheer size and its intricate details. The site itself was so much calmer than Chichen Itza which definitely helped me to be able to appreciate the site in a different way. That being said I did find it strange that there were so many less people here as it as or more impressive than Chichen Itza in my opinion and it was also the capital before. I think the reasoning for this simply comes down to advertising. Like I said before most of the people at Chichen Itza seemed to only want a photo and to check a box that they were here so to speak whereas the people I saw at Uxmal seemed to care and be more interested in observing and experiencing the site in greater detail with more reverence and respect for its constructors.
Overall, every excursion we took provided valuable insights into how I as an individual as well as others interact with a space. I feel that I learned the importance of being a mindful tourist and believe it should be common practice for everyone visiting new places.
