WordPress just informed me that it has been five years since I started Mexico Retold. The little reminder got me thinking, firstly, about how it all began and secondly, about how I had no idea, on that evening in January 2011, that Mexico Retold would become such an important part of my life.
Mexico, Always Something New to Inspire Me
How it all began:
Back in early 2011 I was in Australia. My father had just passed away and I was spending time with family there. The year before I had been living in Mexico, until I discovered that my father was terminally ill and I returned to England to take care of him. Living in Mexico had been a dream, but at that point, absorbed with grief, I didn’t know if I would be going back. I remember listening to the radio and hearing that there was a show coming up about Mexico. I was delighted, until I listened to it and it was all about the drug violence in the country. I felt a profound sadness that the only stories making it out of Mexico to a worldwide audience were these awful, sad and violent tales. I knew that while this was part of the reality in Mexico it wasn’t the entire story.
I had a nagging feeling for days after, that I wanted to tell a different story or to spread a more positive message about Mexico, but I wasn’t sure how. What could I do from so far away? Suddenly the idea dropped into my mind that I could start a blog. I loved writing and I loved Mexico, so it seemed like the right thing to do. That night I signed up for the blog, came up with the name Mexico Retold, thought of the tagline “There is more to Mexico than meets the media” and I wrote my first blog, inspired by a Mexican Chilli Chocolate cake that my sister had made me. Little did I know then, that two years later I would leave my job to give writing a chance and now five years later I would be a permanent resident in Mexico, writing about Mexico full-time.
Gratitude:
Everyday I feel grateful to Mexico for providing me with so much inspiration. Still, after almost five years here, the country retains a magic for me that is hard to explain. Arriving back to Mexico last week after some time away in the US, I was greeted by the most impressive sunrise. The sky was awash with oranges, purples and pinks and Popocatépetl and Iztaccihuatl rose majestically from the clouds. It felt like Mexico was welcoming me home.
Content and very grateful
I would like to take this chance to thank everyone who has supported Mexico Retold in these past few years. There are so many of you who also love Mexico and have made writing about it so rewarding and fun. Sending love and gratitude to every single one of you!
In honour of doing what you love, here is the first blog that I ever wrote: Sugar and Spice and All Things Nice
Susannah Rigg is a freelance writer and Mexico specialist. Her work has been featured in BBC Travel, CNN Travel, Conde Nast Traveler, AFAR and The Independent among others. Check out her portfolio here. Contact Susannah by email, info [at] mexicoretold [dot] com and join her on Instagram and Twitter.
Mexico Retold 
Love your blog, Susannah! Happy anniversary 🙂
Thanks Miss Soy Poblana. I love your blog too! Hope to see more of you this year!
I appreciate your viewpoint about Mexico and how the media portrays it. Thanks for your good work.
Dave Wells
Thanks for your lovely comment Dave! I hope you continue to enjoy the articles I post here. Best wishes for 2016!
Congrats on a story well told. Yes there is much more to Mexico thsn drugs and violence. Keep telling.
Thanks, I sure will!
Congratulations on 5 years. That is a long time to keep at it. Your posts helped me plan my trip through Mexico, especially Day of the Dead.
I love that Jeff, thanks for letting me know and thanks for the congratulations!
Felicidades! I guess nothing makes me happier than “foreigners” spreading the positive message about Mexico. I say “foreigner” because I know that despite the fact that you are not originally from here, you are already Mexican :). Have you heard Chabela Vargas about being Mexican? Somebody asks her about why she says she is Mexican even though she was born in Costa Rica, she answers: “nosotros los mexicanos nacemos donde se nos de la rech*ngada gana”. All the best! 🙂
Hahah yes I love that quote! Thanks for all the support and congratulations Isabel! 🙂
Congrats on 5 years! We just moved to PV and started blogging in September. It is inspirational to see someone with staying power!
Thanks so much Marcia! I look forward to reading about your life in PV!
Well I personally do not think much of your blog. I have been living in Mexico for 7 years and there is definitely much more to Mexico than what you cover in your blog. I find it dull, uncreative and completely inacurate in some points.
Well that is a shame Edward. I guess I can’t hope to provide content for everyone’s taste or content that covers all there is to say about Mexico. Perhaps you can start your own blog to cover the kind of information that you want to read. All the best, Susannah
I so enjoyed reading this particular blog post. It reflects my own fascination with Mexico. I’ve always thought I was an Aztec princess somewhere in my past lives! I was a lifetime educator – a teacher, policy maker and advocate – and I live in Arizona, a state that WAS Mexico a century ago, but with a political bent that is so destructive to good relations with our Neighbor to the South. So, along with my wonderful hubby, our goal is to get educators face-to-face with the culture in a Spanish Language and Culture Immersion Academy. Each year we host groups of adult professionals to Querétaro for study. It is absolutely transformational for them. They return with a deep love of the culture, the country, and confidence to use their Spanish with their communities. We do enjoy traveling across that country, and love your posts and your pics!
Oh I do love to hear about other people’s love for Mexico. I am glad that you like the blog and the photos and it sounds like you are doing amazing work that is really needed right now.