Welcome to Students Incorporated. I'm your host,
Mr. Jason. Join me weekly as my team and I produce
content that's informative, positive, fun, and
uplifting. This podcast is created and produced
with the help of students from the International
Community School of Bangkok. Hello and welcome
back to the show. In our first segment, my team
and I will be asking and answering some questions
about financial literacy and other money -related
topics. Then in segment two, we'll continue part
two of our adventure story titled Legends of
the Yucatan. And if you missed part one of our
story, go back and listen to episode 87. This
episode is sponsored by the Sports Medicine Club,
which provides events, knowledge, and engaging
experiences that unite those who are interested
in the topic of sports medicine and sports and
are looking to improve their performance and
stay active and healthy. Members of the club
help with the annual Red Cross blood donation
drive, as well as participate in and host other
related events in the form of seminars or job
shadowing. So thank you to Toya and all the club
participants for helping to sponsor this episode.
Now let's hear our quote of the day and get some
headline news. Our quote of the day comes from
Anna Maria Lussati, an Italian economist. Financial
literacy is not an end in itself, but a tool
to achieve financial well -being and security.
Financial literacy isn't just about knowing about
money and its term. It's about using that knowledge
to build a secure and stable life. It's not enough
to just understand how budgets, savings, or investments
work. The real goal is to put that knowledge
into use so you can make smart financial decisions.
You want to avoid money stress and create a better
future for yourself. In other words, learning
about money isn't the finish line. It's the tool
that helps you get to where you want to go. And
that's our call today. Now on to some headline
news with Mia. Thank you for our quote of the
day. For our news today, we're bringing you three
financial news stories from around the globe.
Our first story is from the EU. According to
Reuters, the euro surged to a five -month high
following Ukraine's agreement to a 30 -day ceasefire
proposal, potentially restoring US military aid
and intelligence sharing. This development positively
impacted European equity futures, with the price
of the euro reaching 1 .0947 USD in New York
trade before stabilizing at 1 .0913 USD. Russia
has yet to respond to the proposal. Next up is
from the United States. According to FT .com,
U .S. stock markets experienced a significant
downturn, with the S &P 500 falling 2 .7 % and
the Nasdaq Composite plummeting 4%, marking its
worst day in two and a half years. Technology
stocks, including Tesla, which dropped 15 .4%,
and Nvidia, down 5 .1%, were among the hardest
hit. This sell -off, attributed to concerns about
the U .S. economy and President Trump's trade
policy, also affected financial services companies
like Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs. Finally,
according to USNews .com, Thailand's economy
is expected to grow 3 .0 % this year, led by
increased tourism, exports, and private consumption,
according to the finance ministry. Exports, a
key driver of growth, are projected to rise 4
.4 % this year, up from an earlier forecast of
3 .5%. The government is also planning soft loans
worth $55 billion or $1 .6 billion USD to support
the housing market. And that ends our headline
news for this episode. Thank you for the quote
in the headline news. Maddie and C have joined
us in the studio today to talk about this first
topic. for segment one, financial literacy. It's
a big deal, but let's break it down in a way
that actually makes sense, especially for the
average non -finance person out there. All right,
Mia, we'll get us started with our first question.
All right, let's start with something fun. Our
first question is, what does retirement look
like to you? Are you chilling in a beach house
somewhere or are you still working but on your
own terms? I think I still want to work a bit,
maybe consulting or teaching part -time. Having
more control over my time sounds great though.
Yeah, I don't know about a beach house, but I
love to have more time for hobbies. Just doing
what I actually enjoy without financial stress.
Interesting perspective, but here's something
to think about. According to a 2023 survey put
out by the Employee Benefit Research Institute,
only 27 % of retirees feel very confident that
they have enough money to live comfortably throughout
retirement. That's a drop from 33 % in 2022.
So planning early really matters. And that's
why financial literacy is so important. So let's
test our knowledge with some financial literacy
trivia. All right, first question for all of
us is, what does the term compound interest mean?
A simpler way to explain compound interest, it's...
Interest on interest. The longer you let it grow,
the more powerful it becomes. Alright, and our
second financial trivia question is this. Which
is considered the safer option for long -term
growth? Stocks or bonds and why? And according
to my research, while stocks can deliver higher
returns, bonds offer stability. It really depends
on your risk tolerance. Now, let's talk about
diversifications now. If someone is just starting
their investment journey, how would you explain
it? I see it as making sure you don't rely on
just one thing. If one investment fails, others
can help balance out the loss. Diversification
is when you spread your money across different
types of investments so as to reduce risk. Exactly.
It's like not putting all your eggs in one basket.
Spread your money across different investments
to reduce risk. Alright, moving on to stocks.
We've all heard buy low, sell high. But is timing
the market really the best strategy? Honestly,
trying to time the market is a bad idea. It's
more about consistency. Investing regularly rather
than trying to guess when prices will rise or
fall. Research shows that long -term investing
beats market timing. That's why strategies like
dollar -cost averaging, investing a fixed amount
consistently, works well over time. Exactly.
According to Jeremy Siegel's research in stocks
for the long run, stocks have historically returned
about 6 .5 % to 7 % per year. After inflation,
over the past 200 years, that's why staying in
the game long -term really matters. Now let's
shift gears to crypto. It's a hot topic, but
also super volatile. Do you think it'll become
a staple in retirement portfolios? I see crypto
having a place, but it's too unpredictable for
long -term stability. I wouldn't bet my retirement
on it, but if you have extra money you don't
mind investing, then try a little here and there
to get a better understanding about it. Yeah,
I haven't done deep research, but from what I
know, it's risky. That said, what I've read is
that governments are exploring how to use it
and regulate it so it's not going away anytime
soon. Speaking of wealth, have you heard of the
three generations curse? It's the idea that family
wealth often disappears by the third generation.
So why do you think that happens? Um, I've heard
that it's usually because the third generation
hasn't learned how to manage it. They inherit
wealth, but not the financial skills and mindset
on how to maintain and preserve it. Yeah, I honestly
think that the problem is that the third generation
didn't have to work it. They all take it for
granted. Without a plan to teach them how to
manage it, it can easily slip away. Yeah, those
are all really good points. And now let's talk
more about like financial scams, especially with
online banking. So we know that scams are everywhere.
And what do you guys think are some red flags
people should look out for? Scammers often pretend
to be from banks or a government agency. That's
a big red flag. Anyone asking for sensitive info
over the phone or messaging apps like WhatsApp
or Instagram. They may ask for sensitive information
or money up front. don't fall for it, and they
tend to prey on the elderly and others who may
be more naive to their tactics. The stats are
scary too. Research on fraud in the US was a
bit easier to find than global fraud. Anyways,
here's what we found out. Research suggested
that Americans lost around $12 .5 billion to
fraud in 2024, a 25 % increase from the previous
year of 2023. Also, investment scams were at
$5 .7 billion, and imposter scams were at $2
.9 billion. These stats were put out by the U
.S. Consumer Fraud Statistics Agency. Now, on
a global scale, the estimate is a little bit
less clear, but what we could find, and what
was actually reported, was that globally, for
the year 2023, financial fraud was around $485
.6 billion. These stats came from the 2024 Global
Financial Crime Report. And according to the
Federal Trade Commission's 2020 report, consumers
reported losing over $8 .8 billion to fraud,
with investment scams being the second most common
type of fraud after imposter scams. These numbers
are crazy, right? And that's why it's really
crucial to be smart with money. And speaking
of that, how can families avoid financial pitfalls
when passing down wealth? I think one of the
best options is to get professional advice. For
example, like lawyers, financial planners, and
tax advisors can help in different ways, making
sure that wealth can be passed down to the next
generation smoothly. Getting professional advice
usually comes with a fee, so make sure you do
your homework and check the references of the
professionals. Yeah, that's a good advice. And
beyond that, having open conversations about
money and families is important. If younger generations
aren't educated about financial responsibility,
even the best planning can fall apart. So learning
about money and how to handle and manage it is
a very important thing for kids to learn. The
earlier the better, in my opinion. Yeah, that
was a great discussion. And especially for young
people to be thinking this way, even if they
don't have a full -time job, is to be thinking
about... How can they be managing money? And
in the future, once they get a job and have a
steady income coming in, the idea of how to manage
it and take care of it and just be wise with
it because it is a resource we can use. All right,
we covered a lot from retirement dreams to smart
investing, crypto risk, and even financial scams.
What are the key takeaways? Well, financial literacy
is all about planning ahead, making informed
choices, and protecting your money. Whether it's
understanding compound interest, diversifying
investments, or avoiding the scams, the more
you know, the better prepared you'll be. The
earlier you start learning about this is better.
So thank you guys for joining us for this segment
one. All right, stay tuned for segment two as
we'll be right back after this short PSA. An
upcoming ICS event you may be interested in is
the annual second semester theater play, performed
and produced by Theater 1, 2, 3, and 4 students.
This year, they will be performing William Shakespeare's
well -known Midsummer's Night Dream. The play
is scheduled for two days on Thursday, April
3rd and Friday, April 4th at two time slots per
day, which are 3 .30pm and 6 .30pm. If you are
on the email list from the school, you will find
a link on how to purchase tickets for this event.
Come out and support our theater students as
they travel back to Athenian Greece for a tale
of love triangles, magic, and mischief. Hope
to see you there! And we are back with our second
segment, and we will continue with part two of
our story, Legends of the Yucatan. Part two is
titled The Interviews. If you missed part one,
The Proposo, you can get caught up by listening
to episode 87. Legends of the Yucatan is a sequel
to our season two story, The Secrets of El Dorado,
which is available in audio narration in episodes
55 through 64. It's also available in book form
as a downloadable PDF. or in paperback version
on Amazon .com. Just visit studentsincorporated
.com to find out more. Now, moving on, Camden
will give us a quick recap before we jump into
part two. Recapping part one, the proposal. Our
unlikely heroes receive an invitation to attend
the unveiling of two rare artifacts in Mexico
City. We meet Amanda Chase, a new professor at
El Dorado College, and leave off with Professor
Hawthorne and his students going on holiday break.
And without further ado, let's jump back into
our story where we join the eclectic group of
characters in their continuing adventure. It's
early May and UNAM is bustling with activities
and the temps in Mexico City are already starting
to rise with the summer's months approaching.
The end of the second semester is always quite
hectic. With graduation approaching, Professor
Thomas Flores, or as his students call him, Prof
Tommy, had just returned from grabbing a quick
bite to eat from one of the food vendors near
his campus building. He was running late for
lunch and couldn't get his usual game asada torta.
the famous Mexican version of a loaded meat sandwich.
More on that later. Prof. Tommy's morning classes
and meetings had interrupted his weekly Friday
lunch routine, and he wasn't too happy about
it either. He ended up grabbing two tamales and
a bottle of Coke, then headed right back to his
small office in preparation for his video call
at 1 p .m. Prof. Thomas Flores sits down in his
squeaky desk chair with one tamale in hand and
taps the keyboard and mouse to open his video
calling app. finds his old friend's contact number,
and clicks the Call Now button. Professor Hawthorne's
computer starts ringing with a ringtone, sounding
like one of those old -time phones from the 1940s.
He set the ringtone on his video app several
years ago and has never changed it. He actually
can't remember how to change it. Hawthorne clicks
the green Accept button on his screen and is
immediately met with an image of Tommy Flores
taking a big bite out of what looks like a tamale.
Hey buddy, says Hawthorne, looks like you're
having a busy day. If my memory serves me right,
I don't remember you ever working through your
lunch break back in the day. Ah, yes, well, there's
a time for everything. Tommy responds with a
mouthful of food. He puts his tamale down, takes
his swig of coke, and then says, I'm just confirming
your flight details or wanted to relay some logistical
information so you know what to expect when you
arrive. One of our drivers and myself will pick
your group up at the airport. We'll be waiting
for you after your exit baggage claim and I'll
be holding a sign with your name on it and the
UNAM logo. And we'll be taking you directly to
our accommodations so you can get settled and
then we can meet again sometime late afternoon.
Time continues. Oh, by the way, my department
head was pleased to hear that Ava Turner at Lily
Hand was also coming. I know this is a busy time
for you all, but what is happening here is a
pretty big deal, and it would be an honor to
have you all here for it. Hawthorne replies,
Oh, thanks, Tommy. Everything is a go on our
end, and if all goes as planned, we'll be talking
in person tomorrow afternoon at the hotel. Mrs.
Hawthorne says hi and sends her greetings. She
can't make the trip with me, but wanted me to
remind you of the time in Puerto Vallarta when
you almost got duped into wrestling that guy's
pet alligator. Remember that? Wow, there's one
memory I've tried to forget, but thanks for reminding
me. Tommy responds with a quirky smile. He continues,
I've got to go, but one last thing you might
want to remind your students who are coming.
Make sure they bring some work -type clothes.
I'll probably go into the field with one of our
teams. I'm sure they'll be happy to know they
won't be sitting around on the university campus
the entire time they're here. Okay, I've got
to finish my lunch quickly and then head to my
next class. Take care and I'll see you later
tomorrow. And with that last statement, Tommy
ends the call and rushes off to his next class.
Hey boss, Amanda says this as she knocks softly
on the open door to Hawthorne's office. She continues,
I've got to admit, I'm a bit jealous. I'm not
going with you guys. Are you all ready for the
big trip? Hawthorne looks up from his chair with
a slight smile on his face. Yeah, I think we're
ready. I mean, I guess we'll find out tomorrow
as we get on the airplane. Wow, the last few
months since our official invite have flown by.
I can't believe the trip is already here. I hope
everybody remembers everything. You've done a
great job of helping me get all the details figured
out on this end, so thank you so much. The professor
gets up from his chair and starts walking toward
the door. Anne, thanks for holding down the fort
while we're away. I know this department will
be in good hands. Do you want to grab a quick
lunch and review any last -minute details? It's
my treat, and I'm heading to Ethan's Cafe. Amanda
responds, Sure, especially if you're buying.
If we leave now, we can beat the lunch crowd.
All right, sounds good. I'm parked out front.
We can start a conversation on the way there.
The professor replies as they both make their
way out of the building toward the parking lot.
The following day, the bus ride to Sacramento
Airport was lively and loud. Professor Hawthorne,
Ava, and Lily were all sitting together toward
the front and talking about some of the first
day agendas. There were seven college students
who were going on the trip as well. Most of the
noise and excitement was coming from them. The
college students were at part of one of Hawthorne's
spring semester classes called Archaeology of
the Americas, which covered North, Central, and
South America. These students were all third
and fourth year students in the broader archaeological
undergraduate degree program. The class included
seven students, three guys, and four girls. The
students were not only going to receive three
credits from taking this class, but they were
also going to receive one extra college credit
for being part of this trip. Needless to say,
they all felt like they were in the right class
at the right time. El Dorado College approved
the trip back in February, about two months after
UNOM rep Tommy Flores made the official invitation
ahead of the holiday break. The college admin
were more than happy to send the group of nine,
Hawthorne, Lilly, the class TA, and seven undergraduate
students. The college admin also approved Ava
Turner to help as an official chaperone of the
group. Ava's popularity as a reputable journalist
had grown over the last two years, so having
her along on the trip meant good PR for the college.
Ava grabs Lily's hand and squeezes tight as the
plane makes it landing at Mexico City International
Airport, Benito Juarez, or better known by its
three -letter handle, MEX. Ava looks at Lily
and says, No matter how much I travel, I never
get used to the landing part of the flight. That's
just something about it that makes me nervous.
Lily smiles and squeezes her hand back and says,
Yeah, sometimes it gets to me as well, especially
if the weather seems a little unpredictable.
Or maybe it's just the fact that we're not in
control. Ava responds back, Yeah, that and my
fear of heights I'm sure contribute to my nervousness.
Ava changes the subject while the plane is taxiing
to one of the arrival gates. I hope all our luggage
shows up. Hawthorne who is seated in the row
behind them responds with yeah I hope so otherwise
our book signing event might be quite boring.
As the plane door opens and the flight attendant
gives the all clear to exit the plane Hawthorne
looks around to make sure all the students he
and Lily are responsible for have gotten their
carry -ons and are ready to go. He nods his head
and makes eye contact with each student, making
sure they are ready and paying attention, then
turns around and exits the plane following Ava
and Lily, who are in front of him. Less than
15 minutes later, the group of 10 were waiting
at baggage carousel number 6, praying and hoping
that all their luggage made the trip safe and
sound. Of course, this wasn't like the old days
where airlines would often lose luggage. I think
the only one who was actually a bit nervous was
Professor Hawthorne. You see, over 20 years ago
in this very airport, before it was renovated,
he and one of his dig teams stood in this very
same baggage area and waited for over three hours
for their equipment to show up. And when it finally
did, several important cases were missing. He
had filed a complaint to the airport authorities
and airline to no avail. The two cases were never
recovered, and the tools and equipment lost hampered
their dig project at the time. But that memory
soon left as Hawthorne watched all their luggage
get deposited down the chute and into the spinning
baggage carousel. Luggage in hand, Lily turns
toward the professor and says, Looks like all
our luggage is here. We're ready to go when you
are. Great, the professor responds. Follow me
out and ignore the taxi drivers alongside the
curb. We're looking for my friend, Professor
Tommy, who should be holding a sign labeled El
Dorado College Group. Ava is one of the first
ones out of the airport exit doors and sees Professor
Tommy holding the sign a few meters away. Hey
guys, he's over there. She turns around and says
to the group behind her. Professor Tommy notices
the larger group of young people walking towards
him and then sees Hawthorne. He waves his hand.
they move to greet them. After a few introductions
and pleasantries, Prof Tommy directs the group
towards a large white van, courtesy of UNAM,
which comes with a driver as well. The group
loads their luggage and gets situated into the
van. As the van leaves the airport, Prof Tommy
turns around in his seat and says, Hola, and
welcome to Mexico City. It's great to have you
all here, and I hope this trip will be the highlight
of your semester. While Lily and the group of
students get settled into their different visitor
dormitory rooms, Ava and the professor meet with
Professor Tommy to talk about the upcoming events
and schedule. Hawthorne is scheduled to give
two lectures the following day while the college
students and Lily are given a tour of some of
the campus. Ava received permission to meet and
interview several college professors, Professor
Tommy being one of them. The museum's head curator,
Anthony Garcia, and two individuals who helped
discover the artifacts that will be handed over
to the museum at the gala event in just a few
days. Tommy, thank you for your warm welcome.
The accommodations are perfect for our group
and the schedule looks good. So after my lecture
tomorrow, Ava, Lily, and I will be in the main
student center signing books and talking with
students, right? Prof. Tommy responds, yeah,
that's correct. You'll be accompanied by a few
of my students and your students are free to
mingle. hang out, and enjoy getting to know some
of our UNAM students and staff. Plus, there's
plenty of food and snacks options in the student
center. Tommy goes on, Ava, do you have any questions?
No, this looks all good. I can go with the flow
and I look forward to talking with Mr. Garcia,
Ms. Martinez, and Mr. Silva. Did I get their
names right? That's correct, Tommy replies. Okay,
I've got to run. Text or call me if you need
anything else in the meantime. Otherwise, I'll
see you tomorrow. Thanks again, James, for accepting
my invite. It's really good to see you again.
And Ms. Turner, it's nice to meet you all as
it seems you've made quite the name for yourself
over the last two years. And with that, Professor
Tommy shuffles off and out of the small dormitory
sitting room. Hawthorne and Ava watch as Prof.
Tommy walks out the front door in a hurry. Hawthorne
then turns to Ava and says, My good buddy Tommy
is always in a hurry and always has another place
to be. But he's a good man, and if you need anything,
you can text him directly. Sounds good, Ava replies.
I'm going to review my interview questions this
evening and prepare for tomorrow. Hope that's
okay. Lilia and I will make sure the girls are
in by curfew. See you tomorrow. All right, have
a good night. Hawthorne replies as he thinks
to himself, yep, curfew. I haven't heard that
word in a very long time, and I guess I better
do the same and make sure the boys are in as
well. The following morning, and while Professor
Hawthorne delivers several lectures in one of
the large lecture halls on campus, Ava is busy
prepping for her interviews in a side room in
the same building. She asked one of the El Dorado
College students, Olivia, who came along on the
trip, to assist her with some of the audio recording
equipment. Ava plans on not only writing several
articles for print and online publications, but
she also wants to capture video and audio recordings
of the interviews. She's been granted the rights
by the university to publish the video and audio
of the interviews online and through different
news agencies that are interested. In the meantime,
Lily and other college students are sitting in
on Hawthorne's lectures. Professor Hawthorne
invites the students to join him on stage and
contribute toward the end of each lecture as
he gives an update about the school back in Coloma,
California. Several students share from their
own experience how they're enjoying their classes,
college life, and the school in general. Miranda
Martinez walks into the small room, smiles, and
sits down across from Ava and Olivia. She notices
that Olivia is still fumbling around with some
of the recording equipment, so Miranda sits down
and says hello first. Hello, I'm Miranda, and
I assume you're Ava? Oh, hey, Miranda. Ava responds
quickly. She continues, so sorry about the delay
on our end. Some of the settings on our equipment
were bumped. out of whack on the trip down here
anyway i think we have it sorted out now by the
way this is olivia she's a student at el dorado
college and is helping record these interviews
and i'm eva all right hi olivia very nice to
meet you miranda responds hello nice to meet
you too sorry again for the delay olivia responds
as she makes one last adjustment to the microphone
miranda thanks for doing this interview with
me I guess in the world of archaeology and history,
your find is a big deal, Eva continues. And that's
what I want this interview to be about. How and
where you found the artifact and some of the
history behind it and maybe what's next for you
personally. I want to make this story more personal,
kind of like telling the story about the people
who do this for a living as well. So as you are
telling me these things, I may interrupt with
clarifying questions just so I can get the facts
straight. Hope that's okay. Yeah, it's no problem,
Miranda says. I just hope I don't sound too boring.
Miranda smiles as she says that last part and
then starts explaining to Ava the story behind
the artifact, why it's such a big deal, and how
she and her team were able to discover and recover
it. Miranda continues with impeccable English.
So, the rare vessel we found is made of pure
jade and we discovered it near the ancient sites
of Calakmul, which is close to the border of
Guatemala and Belize. The artifact dates back
to the late 3rd century AD. Scientists found
due of chocolate on the inside and the hieroglyphic
state that it was used for chocolate. The vessel
has a unique screw top cap and is one of a kind.
Cacao, the thing that makes chocolate, did not
grow in many places in Mesoamerica at that time.
Chocolate was very rare. It was expensive and
was served only to elites and kings back then.
Gosh, I hope I'm not boring you. Ava responds
quickly. No, no, this is fascinating. Please
keep going. Miranda continues, evidence suggests
that this was a king's personal possession. In
fact, we think this belonged to the most famous
Mayan king known as Pakal the Great. Even though
it was not found in the area of Palenque where
he ruled, there are several markings on it that
point to him personally. Pakal the Great is famous
for many things, but most importantly, he transformed
the city of Palenque into a successful and influential
city that rivaled other cities, such as Tikal.
It's believed that Pakal the Great helped restore
divine order to the city and its residents after
it had been partially destroyed by the Khan peoples
from Calakmul. That's the location where we actually
found the artifact. Anyways, I just happened
to be in the right place at the right time and
with the right team. So why is this discovery
so significant? Eva asks. Miranda answers. I'm
not an expert in ancient Mayan artifacts, but
two college professors, a resident historian,
several politicians, and Mr. Garcia, the museum's
top curator, all seem to think this find may
lead to other discoveries in that area. This
artifact has great cultural and historical significance,
especially for the indigenous people who still
live in and around the discovery site. The Yucatan
Peninsula has one of the largest concentrations
of indigenous people in Mexico. And well, they
hold a lot of power and say both politically
and economically. The protected villages near
the site have already petitioned the Mexican
government for the artifact to be kept locally
in their own possession. And out of the museum
here in Mexico City, some 1 ,000 kilometers away
from their secret sites. I guess they believe
it contains some of the power and wisdom of Pecal
the Great. For me, well, I just think that's
a great significant historical artifact with
deep cultural meaning. It's pure jade with a
screw top lid. The meticulous engineering of
the vessel shows off a level of craftsmanship
not seen before this time period. It also proves
that cacao is being traded at that time, which
our history books do not mention. And lastly,
it's worth a lot of money. Miranda pauses for
a moment and then says, I want my next comments
to be off the record, if that's okay? Sure, okay,
that's fine. Ava responds with a puzzled look
on her face, turns to Olivia, and then asks Olivia
to turn the camera and microphone off. Please
continue, Ava says. Miranda then continues. Thank
you. Okay, off the record, and I'm only telling
you this right now because you're not from around
here and I trust you as a journalist. Well, I
think this information should get out at some
point. I just don't want my name attached to
it. Miranda hesitates again and then says, the
discovery of this artifact and its location could
jeopardize a very significant new trade agreement
between Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and a large
oil company out of Venezuela. Also, there are
known cartel groups that operate in and around
a discovery area. This entire region is quite
remote and can be dangerous. Miranda stops abruptly
and then finishes with one last statement. all,
just keep that last part out of your story. Thank
you. Olivia interrupts quietly, a redundant,
do you want me to turn the camera and microphone
back on now? No, that's okay, Ava responds. I'm
good with what I have. Then looking at Miranda,
Ava continues, and we will respect your wishes
to keep that last part off the record and out
of the story. Thank you for sharing and for your
time. After watching Miranda leave the interview
room, Ava and Olivia prepare to interview Mr.
David Silva, the diver who helped recover the
other artifact they were told about. Mr. Silva
is running a few minutes late. Ava's instincts
tell her that there is a larger story here, especially
after hearing what Miranda said. off the record.
Ava looks at Olivia and says, please don't talk
to other students about what Miranda was saying
off the record. We need to keep that confidential.
But I will need to brief Professor Hawthorne.
I may need to stay down here for a little bit
longer than expected. Olivia responds, yeah,
I won't. I'm not sure what all that means, but
it sounds like there are conflicting interest
groups involved in whatever this is, and I'm
happy to stay out of it. I'm just a broke college
student on a class trip paid for by the university.
Ava laughs slightly. And that you are, Olivia,
I was there once as well. At that moment, David
Silva walks into the room. Good morning, ma 'am.
I mean, ma 'ams, David says as he turns his head
and looks at both Ava and Olivia. Good morning,
Mr. Silva, and thank you so much for agreeing
to do this interview with me, Ava responds. Please,
you may call me David. Mr. Silva sounds too formal
for this setting. And no problem about the interview.
If you don't mind, I'd like to keep my last name
out of your report or story. Should I start recording?
Olivier asks Ava. Yes, go ahead. Ava responds
to Olivier. Ava then starts the interview. So,
David, could you give us a little bit of the
background about how you found the mask artifact
and then what it means to the greater historical
community here in Mexico? David responds. Well,
I'm not a historian and I don't feel like I can
speculate about the historical significance of
the artifact. However, its location was particularly
difficult to reach in order to retrieve it. I
found it at the bottom of a small and very deep
cenote. It was covered in mud and other debris.
From my understanding, it's a one -of -a -kind
and it's made of gold. It was quite heavy once
I got it up and out of the water. It will be
shown at the Gatham Museum tomorrow night. Ava
asks another question. Are there any details
about the artifact, the mask, that you know and
could share with me? David answers, well, people
are already calling it the golden mass of Chichen
Itza. And from my limited understanding, it seems
to be attracting a lot of attention, much like
the J .Jar Miranda and her team found earlier
this year as well, because the mass changes some
of the theories about how the Mayan must have
been trading with other people back in the day,
mainly because gold is not something that is
found in this region. Go on, Ava responds. David
continues, one of the other guys on our team,
I believe he was from the university, said that
the mask proves that the Mayans were most likely
trading with other people back then, such as
the Aztecs or the people living on the Caribbean
islands. If this is true, says this guy, then
there will probably be more teams sent to search
for more artifacts. So where is the cenote located?
Ava asks with a smile, knowing that David is
probably not at liberty to say. David smiles
back and then says, well, that's the $50 million
question. And I, along with the other team members,
and there's only four of us to be exact, have
been asked to keep the exact location confidential.
I mean, can you imagine if the location was made
public? Every amateur pirate and wannabe treasure
hunter would be there right now. David sat back
in his chair with a straight face when he said
this. He then continued. I've seen this firsthand
in my military career and now in the private
sector. People do some crazy and wild stuff over
money and power. Ava shakes her head and says,
yep, I know exactly what you mean. Before we
end this interview, I've got one more question.
I heard you say Miranda's name. How'd you know
her? I'm just curious. I mean, what are the odds
that two significant historical artifacts worth
millions were found in the same year? David tries
to hold back a smile and then says, I think it's
just a coincidence that these two artifacts were
discovered around the same time. Or maybe it's
just fate. Either way, I don't really think much
about it. I got paid to do the job, a job that
no other diver south of Louisiana could have
done. And I did it. Now as far knowing Miranda,
as you have probably noticed, These two finds
have brought a lot of press and have piqued the
attention of a lot of powerful people here in
Mexico and abroad. Anyway, Miranda and I have
been in many formal and informal meetings together
over the last few months, mostly with governmental
agencies, politicians, and reporters. So you
could say we feel like we're on the same boat
together. No pun intended, by the way. After
a few more minutes and some goodbye pleasantries,
David leaves the interview room. says the thing
they both are thinking about. Did you see the
smile he had when I asked him about Miranda?
Ava notices Olivia nodding her head and continues,
there may be an undiscovered love story unfolding
here. I mean, I'm not here to write a story about
their personal lives, but if fate pushed them
both into discovering these two rare artifacts,
maybe fate also pushed them together. Now that
would be an interesting side story. And with
that, Ava and Olivia pack up their equipment
and head off to meet up with Professor Hawthorne
and the other students for the book signing event
in the Student Center. The UNOM Student Center
is a large open space that expands both inside
and outside the main building. There are actually
four student centers on the main UNOM campus,
and the one the book signing event is happening
in is the largest of the four. Professor Hawthorne,
along with Ava and Lily, sit front and center
behind the main table, which is located on an
elevated platform near one of the main sitting
areas. There was an announcement made in both
Spanish and English informing the people in the
student center that they were welcome to come
to the table, welcome the guests, ask questions,
and buy a book and get it signed. Several vertical
upright banners flank the tables. The tables
hold several stacks of books that are ready to
be signed. The graphics on the banners include
an image of the cover of the book and other clipartish
-looking graphics of gold and old gold miners.
The book chronicles the true story that Hawthorne,
Ava, Lily, Sierra, and Ethan experienced firsthand
several years prior, a story that seems to be
fading in their personal memories with each passing
year. However, the book itself, titled The Secrets
of El Dorado, is still selling quite well for
the publisher and had even made the New York
Times bestseller list at one point. It's now
gaining popularity outside the U .S. market as
it gets translated to other languages, like Spanish.
While the El Dorado College students mingle around
the UNAM Student Center, which, by the way, is
four times the size of the El Dorado College's
Student Center, Hawthorne, Lilly, and Ava interact
with the number of interested students who have
swarmed the table with curiosity. questions and
general interest in their story. Anthony Garcia,
a hurried and busy man, squeezes his way through
the crowd of students and emerges right in front
of Hawthorne and the girls. Hello, you must be
the famous James Hawthorne, and if my memory
is correct, you are Ava and Lily. Anthony Garcia
says as he approaches the table. He continues,
I recognize you from your photos in the back
of the book. Let me introduce myself as we'll
be seeing each other tomorrow night as well.
Anthony continues talking as Hawthorne, Ava,
and Lily stand up and shake hands with him. I'm
Anthony Garcia, the lead curator from the museum.
I was glad to hear your plan on coming to the
gala at the museum tomorrow night. And Professor
Tommy, a mutual friend, told me that he had invited
your group. We made some special arrangements
to secure extra tickets for your group. I wanted
to let you know not to be alarmed when you see
the price of each of the tickets on the printed
paper. We've secured complimentary tickets for
you and your group free of charge. The gala is
also a fundraising event, so the ticket prices
to attend reflect that. I just want to let you
know... It's a black tie event, and when you
arrive, please provide the doorman with this
letter and these tickets. I will have another
chance to see you before the event, so I wanted
to come meet you in person and hand deliver these
to you today. And to be honest, I like meeting
famous people that aren't actors. Anyways, would
you mind signing my two copies of your book?
I bought these when they were first published
over a year ago. Professor Hawthorne responds
with a grin and a look of gratitude. Nice to
meet you, Anthony, and thank you for the complimentary
tickets. I was wondering how our group was going
to get into the event at the museum, but had
forgotten to ask about that detail in all of
our haste in planning and travel. So thank you
for putting my mind at ease. And yes, we'd love
to sign the books you have, and by the looks
of them, they have been well -loved over the
last year. Anthony replies, yes, I passed these
copies around to several of my close friends
and finally got them back. You know the type
of friends who like to borrow all your stuff
so they don't actually own anything of their
own. Anthony says the last part with a slight
smirk on his face as he watches the trio sign
his well -worn and read books. Alright, I gotta
run and thanks for signing the books for me.
I'll see you tomorrow evening. Ava jumps in with
a last second request as Anthony is turning around
to walk off. I'd love to ask you some questions
and get your personal perspective on both the
artifacts tomorrow evening if we get the chance.
Ava watches as Anthony turns around and mouths
the word. Sure thing, as he slips back into the
crowd of students who are all standing by the
tables and awaiting their turn to meet these
famous non -actor people from the United States.
And maybe buy a book. And that ends part two.
Stay tuned for next week as we bring part three
in our continuing story called Legends of the
Yucatan. As we end this episode, let's not forget
that financial literacy is an important part
of our life. Just like we learn to read, learn
to do math problems, or learn how to ride a bike,
Learning about money and its proper function
is essential to your future stability and understanding
of how to manage it. All right, stay tuned for
our next episode as we bring more relevant and
informative content, not to mention part three
of our adventure story. And as always, this podcast
would not be possible without the hard work and
support of our international student production
team. All music and sound effects are courtesy
of Pixabay .com, a vibrant community of creatives
sharing copyright -free images, videos, and music.
And we are signing off until next time. We are
Students Incorporated, because your voice matters.