When most people think about Mexico, the likely mental picture includes tequila and drug violence. Yes, those things exist, although there is so much more to my country. Believe it or not, there are a lot of advantages that being a Mexican brings.
First of all, the food is amazing. Mexico is one of the four countries with cuisine inscribed in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. There is also a huge variety because each of the 32 states in the county has several typical dishes. Panuchos in Yucatán, chiles en nogada in Puebla, carne asada in Monterrey… So many options to choose from. Mexicans enjoy very unique dishes, such as mole, a mix of chocolate and chillies, and several insects, such as chapulines and maguey worms that are considered to be delicacies.
Secondly, Mexican travel destinations can take anyone’s breath away. Due to the various climate zones, it's possible to find a place suitable to everyone’s preferences. There are deserts in the north of the country and tropical jungles in the south east divided from each other by two different mountain ranges. This allows Mexico to be one of the most diverse in terms of flora and fauna. Moving on to the culture, the archaeological sites all over the country such as Teotihuacán, Yaxchilán and Chichén Itzá show us the importance of pre-hispanic history in Mexico, and always amaze the tourists. The clash of cultures between natives and Europeans resulted in cities with a distinctive architectural style. From the colonial cities in Puebla and in Guanajuato, to the striking beaches in Cancun and Los Cabos, the beauty of the county is hardly comparable to anything else.
Thirdly, Mexico is a country of a great artistic importance. The capital is amongst the cities with the most museums in the world, competing with Paris and Moscow. It's easy to buy an art piece anywhere in the country, and again, each state has different techniques and styles. In Chihuahua, there are two towns called Casas Grandes and Mata Ortiz. Their style of pottery called Paquimé. The very precise and very structured designs are unique to the region. Another art style called Huichol. The community of northern region of central Mexico is known for its bead art. The time spent by the artists working with both of these styles makes the pieces very expensive.
Finally, people in the country are amongst the kindest that you'll ever meet. In general, Mexicans are raised to be friendly and to behave as great hosts. When I first moved abroad, I met a Mexican waitress in my hotel’s restaurant. As soon as she found out where I’m from, she gave me her phone number and told me to call her if I ever needed help adapting in the city. This is the expected behaviour amongst us since it's considered very important to be polite to others.
Mexico is a stunning country that is often underrated sometimes even by Mexicans themselves. The ongoing problems seem to overshadow the traditions and the good people in it. There are so many things that are unknown, even to some of us who grew up in this country. Hopefully, this will change one day and Mexico will get the recognition that it deserves.