How to Vanquish Mexico Travel Phobia
Hermosillo, Sonora’s Mercado Municipal.
Your 2-Step Guide
Overcoming the psychological impact of decades of media sensationalism.
The media has not been kind over the last decades when it comes to reporting on stories concerning the border and our neighbor, Mexico. An overwhelming majority of news stories in the U.S. on these subjects have been negative with the main themes revolving around violence, drugs, and migration.
While these are all important issues for Mexico, the entire world is similarly grappling with the same problems but the American media spotlight appears laser-focused on the trio summing up all you need to know about the country to the south.
So much so that the first thing that comes to mind for many Americans when Mexico is mentioned is….narcos (no thanks to the multiple television series celebrating them). Those topics constitute only an unfortunate small sliver of the pie that is the reality of life in the borderlands and Mexico.
Having a fun time in the Rio Sonora region on a Borderlandia tour.
Measuring the psychological impact of the constant barrage of stories that incite fear and anxiety in the viewer about Mexico across American society would prove difficult to measure.
However, one can gain a sense of the scope of its prevalence in the countless objections to the idea of crossing the line south by the mere mention of travel to Mexico in front of friends, family, or neighbors. There is a phobia against travel to Mexico in the U.S.
The people who feel this way often have not visited Mexico in years and tend to rely on what the news conveys for their understanding of life in the neighboring country.
The problem is this mass media conception is filtered so much so that many Americans view Mexico as a dystopia. Many people have eliminated the idea of ever traveling there out of fear based on information from the news. This is a travesty and a problem Borderlandia solves.
Borderlandia’s labor is to defeat those myths and many other stereotypes that serve to further divide rather than unite.
In contrast to broadcast news, Borderlandia is concerned with sharing the 98% good news about the borderlands. We want to help make people feel safe visiting Mexico and connect them with the good people of civil society on both sides of the border.
It is for good reason because our model is not like that of the nightly news, where the philosophy is selling commercial airtime and “if it bleeds, it leads.” Borderlandia’s model is a commitment to build public understanding of this dynamic bi-national region beyond the 30-second soundbite.
Making new friends who are master bacanora makers in Alamos.
2. Reconciling it with the reality of the first-hand experience.
While it may not be the “hack” you were hoping for, the only practical solution to overcoming the fear of visiting Mexico is to do just that:
Visit Mexico! Just take the plunge.
In other words, remove the filter of the news media. Come down and see for yourself the borderlands and Mexico and make up your own mind.
The good news is that you don’t have to do it on your own. (That’s why we are here.)
One of the commitments of Borderlandia is to provide a public service by being goodwill borderlands ambassadors. To connect international neighbors and help both residents and visitors understand the geography, nature, history, culture, and economy from the perspective of local bi-national civil society.
We accomplish this end through our tours, public presentations, and media production. Our cultural routes are fundamentally educational and aim to orientate our guests to the ins and outs of visiting a foreign country like Mexico.
Of course, we’d love you to join all of our tours, but even if you join only one, our goal is that the experience makes you feel comfortable traveling to Mexico. We don’t want you to miss out on a lifetime of opportunities and friendships that sometimes irrational fear can prevent us from achieving!
Travel is the greatest teacher in life!
The Battle of Ambos Nogales Tour group visit to the iconic La Roca in Nogales.
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Ready to take that plunge? Contact us to set up a private tour or cultural exchange today! Or check out one of our upcoming tours.
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