Headed to Mexico? Or considering it? Whether you have been there before or this is your first time, check out our list of great movies, documentaries, books, podcasts, and Instagram accounts to get you excited about all things Mexico!
Lots of our ILP volunteers haven't been to Mexico before. Even if they have, it's usually only to the popular tourist cities. So we wanted to pull together a list of all things Mexico to introduce you to the wonders that Mexico has to offer, popular and unknown, and give you a glimpse into the beautiful culture, amazing people, and delicious food that this country has to offer.
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There is lots to learn about Mexico, more than we could ever hope to include in a single post (you can actually check out these other posts about packing for Mexico, why we think Mexico is the biggest hidden gem, and the best weekend trips in Mexico). But we've tried to include some great options for you to begin your explorations of this awesome country, with a variety of media and genres. Hopefully you can find something perfect to get you excited to head to Mexico!
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Movies
Documentaries
Books
Podcasts
Instagram Accounts to Follow
Movies
Starting off with my personal favorite — If you haven't watched Coco yet, you really should! It's such a good addition to the Disney/Pixar lineup. And it's such a creative way to share a bit of insight into Mexican culture, including the importance of the Day of the Dead and their view of death and remembering your ancestors. Oh, and did you know that Coco was inspired by the colorful backdrop of Guanajuato ... which just happens to be just a bus ride away from where ILP volunteers live during their semester abroad! Guanajuato definitely sits high on the list of cities we think you should go adventure for a weekend in and we've got an entire post about how to make your trip to Guanajuato happen.
There's also Book of Life, which is a lesser known animated movie with similar ideas and themes, but still just as cute and creative as Coco. It also has more romance, if that's your jam.
For a heart-tugging drama, you could check out the classic and nationally acclaimed movie Amores Perros. Just be careful if you are a dog lover, because this is a tearjerker.
Now we just have to mention this one, not because it's at all authentic to Mexican culture (because it's not), but because it's just one of those ever popular classics: Nacho Libre. If you haven't watched this fun comedy about a friar who becomes a Mexican wrestler, grab some friends and get ready for a laugh.
If you are looking to learn more about Mexico, its history and culture, here is a list of documentaries with a variety of themes:
Mexico: A History and History of Mexico are both short books, about 100 pages, journeying through the history of Mexico from the Aztecs and Mayans to the country we know today.
For a more fun read, you could check out The Great Book of Mexico, a 190 page trivia book with fun stories and interesting facts about Mexico’s history (ancient and modern), pop culture, geography, folklore, and so much more.
Story wise, The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, while actually set in Chicago, is a wonderful introduction to Mexican culture through the eyes of a young Mexican-American woman. For a more classical feel, here is a great list of 10 books set in Mexico or this great list of short reads that provide a perfect introduction to Mexican culture.
In case you're like me and find coloring relaxing, here are a few coloring books with pictures inspired by Mexico:
If you like podcasts about other people's travel experiences and advice, look no further. Here are several awesome podcasts about traveling through Mexico.
Dream to Destination is all about travel advice for heading to Mexico told in a fun, real, approachable way by a solo-traveling expert.
Lost in Mexico takes you on a journey to get to know the real people of Mexico, from politics and history to music and food, through the eyes of a journalist new to the country.
BLONDE in Mexico is a great resource for travel, destinations, culture, art, design, and cuisine in Mexico, told from the perspective of a blonde American living in Mexico City after she started over for love.
Several Ways to Live in Mexico City follows Florian and Nick as they dine their way through discussions of life in Mexico from their German and American born perspectives.
Although Amateur Traveler isn't focused on Mexico specifically, of his 700+ episodes, he has several episodes about cities in Mexico. There is also this episode of Out of Office: A Travel Podcast about 12 awesome cities to visit in Mexico, including links for more information.
For those looking to dive more into the history, politics, and mythology of Mexico, here are a few podcasts that take you deeper.
The Mexico Podcast: History and Present is a podcast about every aspect of Mexico's history, everything from wars, politics, culture, religion, chocolate (chocolate), and music.
A Celebration of Mexico is 3 short episodes about Mexico by natives, given at a conference put on by the Library of Congress.
Mexico Unexplained is a fun mix of podcast and blog that dives into mysteries of Mexico, from unexplained phenomena to ancient mythology stories.
Mexico Over the Wall covers the culture and daily life of Mexico, as told by people living in Mexico and Mexicans moving abroad.
For those of you who love Instagram and beautiful photos, here are some great accounts to follow. They all have amazing pictures from Mexico with various themes, and several even mention where the pictures were taken. I love scrolling through photos and saving posts of places I might want to visit! Most of them are in Spanish, though. Just a forewarning in case pretty pictures don't overcome the language barrier.
Interested in visiting other countries, too?
Are you excited to head to Mexico now? What about another country? We have International Language Program (ILP) volunteers headed all over the world for a semester living and adventuring abroad with other volunteers. They teach English to adorable kids and help serve the people during the week and get to spend their weekends traveling around! Plus, vacations too. If you aren't sure which country would be the best fit for you yet, check out that button below.