Eight Annoying-As-Fuck Things New Travelers Do, Part 2 of 2

Numbers 5–8

Travis W. King

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If you missed them, start with numbers 1–4 here!

I’m that girl in the middle when people do the things on this list. Photo by Trend on Unsplash

5. Talking about HOW CHEAP everything is in front of local people who see it as completely normal.

When I first moved to Mexico City, I didn’t realize I was moving to Mexico City. On a sunny Wednesday morning in March 2020, I was laid off from the travel company where I had worked for nearly four years. Travel wasn’t even possible anymore because of the pandemic, so I understood. Ultimately, I felt grateful to be in Mexico City when it happened and to have a partner to build a quarantine nest with. In those early days of unemployment and quarantine panic, María, my Mexican partner, showed me an Instagram account (which is no longer active) called “Mexico is so cheap.” Back then it was a very popular account, essentially dedicated to making fun of gringos for their never-ending chorus of “Oh mah Gawd, Mexico is sohhhhh cha-EAHP!”

It’s true — Mexico is considerably more affordable than anywhere in the United States, and if you’re coming from San Francisco, I understand that things basically feel free. But not to Mexican people. To Mexican people, it’s normal. To Mexican people, their prices make sense, and…

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Travis W. King

Traveling, writing, & working abroad for 10 years. Former Remote Year Dir. of Community. Check out my travel memoir—Not That Anyone Asked—at www.traviswking.com