One of the interesting things about living in Mexico City for half a year was talking to people (non-Mexican) about living in Mexico City.
More than anywhere I’ve been there is a gigantic divide in perception between people that have been and people who haven’t.
People who have spent time in Mexico City almost exclusively love it. It is a gigantic city, but in many parts of the city, you can almost forget that. You can walk around, there are trees everywhere, and it has amazing restaurants everytime you turn a corner. You can live and eat like a king for affordable prices.
Not only that, but there are great museums, amazing history, awesome concerts and sporting events, and friendly, fun, and welcoming people. It is a top-notch city.
But for people who haven’t been and simply know of Mexico City (and non-resort Mexico) from watching the news, when you tell them you live there you encounter looks of horror.
People who haven’t been are shocked that anyone would choose to live there. What about the pollution? What about the murders? What about the corruption?
No one in Canada or the U.S. is reporting about all the millions of people having great days in Mexico City each day. They tell the stories of disasters, crimes, and health scares. As a result, people imagine it to be a never-ending sprawl of polluted, dangerous, chaos.
Nothing could be further from the truth. As everyone who travels there actually discovers.
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