The Real Mexico: Beyond the Stereotypes We Hear

Traveling has a way of shattering assumptions, and Monterrey reminded me just how many misconceptions we carry without even realizing it.

In the U.S., I’ve heard people speak about Mexico as if it’s a single story, a single identity. But the truth is far more complex, and far more beautiful. Many of the people I’ve met in Mexico are deeply proud of their homeland. Industries have grown, local economies have strengthened, and entire communities have found a sense of stability that outsiders rarely hear about.

Some of the frustration I’ve heard from residents is the assumption that everyone crossing into the U.S. is “Mexican,” when in reality, a large portion of migration comes from border towns, Central America, and South America. It’s a conversation filled with nuance that deserves more understanding and less stereotyping.

Meanwhile, thousands of U.S. citizens retire to Mexico every year. The cost of living, the culture, the warmth of the communities. It creates a sense of peace many people are searching for later in life.

Travel shifts your perspective. It softens you. It reminds you that every place contains multitudes, and every person does too.