what is up guys this is Dan from the new
travel and this is my bedroom
and we're not talking about my bedroom
today we're talking about Mexico which
is where I've been living for the past
five months and I've been picking up a
few tips about life here in Mexico so I
thought I'd make a video about 10 things
you should know before moving to Mexico
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so guys tip number one and this has to
do with the shirt that I'm wearing
Mexico is big I mean actually it's huge
I think sometimes we forget that because
it's 2 neighbors to the north are even
bigger
but Mexico is quite big as well so I
just want you guys to know if you're
planning a trip across Mexico it's
probably gonna take longer than you
expected and also don't just go to the
beach and say that you've seen Mexico
because there's a lot more to see now
guys point number two let's talk about
Mexican food now Mexican food is such a
big topic I could make a video just
about 10 things to know about Mexican
food in fact it's not a bad idea but
yeah Mexican food is not what you think
at least it's not what most people think
I'm a Canadian and the version of
Mexican food we get I guess is kind of
like tex-mex which means that it's an
Americanized version of Mexican food so
we eat a lot of nachos we eat a lot of
burritos in fact I've had way more
burritos back home in Canada than I have
in Mexico and some of the most common
foods like enchiladas con male are
things that I'd never heard of before
things that we don't get in Canada you
probably don't get in the United States
treat Mexican food with an open mind and
treat it with respect
don't come in thinking this all tacos
and that's all you'll ever get though
the tacos are very good so definitely
get some tacos but also explore some new
options because you will be you'll be
blown away
point number three guys this was a huge
surprise for me but the weather in
Mexico can get cold and I mean I guess I
was a bit naive with this one because I
came from Canada and I saw how far south
Mexico is and I just thought
like how cold can it really get well as
someone who arrived in Mexico City in
December I can tell you it gets freakin
cold and I know what you're thinking
you're thinking Dan you're from Canada
the colds not supposed to bother you
right but the thing is back home in
Canada because we get so cold we have
proper heating systems wherever you go
so even when it's really cold outside
it's really warm inside
whereas in Mexico most things are open
air which means that when it's cold you
just can't escape the cold you know it's
it's a very short period that it gets
really cold so they don't need that same
level of heating but when it's cold it
gets cold so yeah just think about that
now guys onto slightly more serious
topic I want to talk about safety this
is probably the thing that gets talked
about the most regarding Mexico and it's
usually in a very negative light I mean
I know I experienced it when I first
moved to Mexico I had friends and family
who were worried about my safety but
nearly all of the violence that's
occurring is isolated within the people
in the drug scene or living in the
places most affected by the drug culture
so personally I would highly recommend
you not to be scared off by the safety
warnings because I think I think not
only are they overblown but they're only
showing one side of the story myself and
everyone else that I've met in Mexico
none of us have encountered these
criminals that Fox News would have you
think or you know
waiting to kidnap you every day it's
just not true I will say this be careful
if you ride the Metro I made a whole
video about this topic if you want to
learn more but to keep it short
I got pickpocketed on the Metro another
friend of mine got pickpocketed on the
Metro another Mexican friend of mine got
pickpocketed on the Metro it's a serious
problem I'm not saying don't ride it I'm
just saying be very careful of your
possessions when it's busy
ok guys number 5 let's talk about tap
water this is gonna be a very short
answer
don't drink it
okay I'll say this too from what I
understand from some Mexicans there's a
bit of debate over this issue some
people have said that the quality is
getting much better than it was in the
90s for example some people saying it
tastes bad but it's actually not that
unsafe to drink guys I wouldn't risk it
especially if you're new to the country
your immune system might not be used to
things that the Mexicans are used to
because you're coming from a different
environment just don't do it now guys I
know that last one was a bit negative
now I want to balance it was something
really positive number six
Pueblo magical Pueblo magic oohs means
magical towns and it's actually an
initiative that was started by the
Mexican government over a hundred towns
that have been designated as pueblos
magic hoes and that means they meet a
certain standard that makes them ideal
for tourism I've been to a couple so far
my favorite was taxco which is in the
state of Guerrero I don't know how to
explain it it's just like you're getting
transported back to a different time
period you know that you have the
cobblestone streets you got the old cars
you got the it's just beautiful guys
number seven speaking English so guys
I'll admit it English speakers were a
bit spoiled we're a bit arrogant I guess
because we expect people anywhere we go
to speak English try to learn some
Spanish
I mean I'm far from perfect on this one
I'm still saying
I just know a little bit of Spanish is
kind of my my catchphrase in Mexico but
at least try to learn enough how to
order your food how to you know
pleasantly say hello goodbye thank you
have a nice meal
buen provecho you know things like that
they're little pleasantries and a smile
can go a long way if someone doesn't
speak English and don't expect them to
like don't don't feel entitled to speak
at your own language because you are in
another country you are in another
culture and what most people in the
beach resort places like Cancun will
probably speak English in a city like
Mexico City where I'm living it's it's
just a big city people are just living
their lives they don't revolve around
your tourism so like you're not as
important as you think you are I guess
it would be the message for that one
number eight it Mexicans are passionate
they're passionate about their food
they're passionate about their music
they're passionate about their culture
and their history I see it especially in
my youtube comments if I get a factoid
about Mexican history like people will
be very passionate and like thankful in
their responses but there's another side
which is if I get something incorrect
Mexicans will be very passionate
passionately angry I guess is the way to
call it and that's not a disc guys it's
just like it's just true you guys are
very proud people and I think that
passion connects to point number nine
which is that if you want to avoid
arguing with a Mexican you should
probably avoid these three topics
religion politics and soccer I've been
pretty good at the first two I haven't
talked to religion haven't really talked
to politics but soccer guys all right so
I recently made a video where I went to
Club America
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which is one of the three soccer teams
in Mexico City and I guess they're
pretty unpopular because a lot of people
have been giving me like just check the
comments of that video if you want to
see what I mean
they are very passionately against club
américa you know there's a passion in
the good way
there's the passion that can get you in
trouble if you're not careful
but overall Mexicans are just passionate
proud people and actually that connects
to my last point which is that guys guys
if you love Mexico Mexicans will love
you back and I know that might seem like
something that could be said of any
country but I think it's especially true
of Mexico because Mexico has been
especially mistreated in the media and
misunderstood by foreigners for a long
time so what I've learned honestly by
making these videos for the past five
months is that like Mexicans really
appreciate seeing their country through
a foreigners eyes and seeing someone say
that like things aren't what people say
they are this is a beautiful rich
culturally significant country I'm not
saying like it doesn't have its problems
it does but if you allow yourself to
come with an open mind and an open heart
you will fall in love with this country
you just how can how can you not there's
just so much to learn in Mexico so if
you're watching this video because
you're about to move here I wish you
luck and bring an open mind and you will
love Mexico
and guys that's it that's my list of 10
things that you should know before
moving to Mexico I got some big news I
got to share it so I have only actually
been to three states in Mexico as we
talked about before it's freaking huge
but that's about to change I'm going to
number four and I'm going it's gonna be
a bit of a surprise but I'll give you a
hint it's somewhere a lot of people I've
been recommending that I go and I also
wanted to show you guys something so
this is actually something that was
given to me I don't typically do this
but like this company their Kickstarter
they make suitcases and they have
letters we can kind of write whatever
you want on your suitcase and I just
thought I don't know would it be cool to
like roll around something that said the
new travel I was barely able to fit
travel
it took is like 30 minutes to figure out
how to put that on chapel suitcases I
will use that with pride and yeah see
you next time
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