Alan Van Bodegraven's appreciation for the Yucatan is strengthened by his daily encounters with the Maya people. He has detailed their plight and daily lives, which is the essence of his story, as well as why he has chosen to live in the Yucatan. "It has been a special privilege," Van Bodegraven says, "to be fully accepted in a Maya village to learn about the dreams, pains and joys of the indigenous people. Nojoch K'ai is the nickname the Maya people affectionately gave to him. Its English equivalent is "you da man."