The Single Girl Travel Guide: My Month-Long Holiday in Mexico City
When I was younger, I had a pen pal who lived in Mexico City. During our exchanges, I would ask her a million questions about where she called home. She would tell me about the culture and how wonderful it was. She bragged about the flavorful food and the incredible people that made up her community. I could feel her admiration for her home through the words she wrote. It brought her joy and peace and gave her a sense of belonging. After reading her words, I told myself that I would make a serious effort to visit one day.
Towards the end of last year, I began to seriously entertain the thought of moving to a different country. My TikTok algorithm was comprised of content from world travelers and those who lived abroad, convincing me to make the move out of the States. Their way of life seemed simpler, peaceful, and slower. Wanting that same way of life for myself and remembering the love my old pen pal had for her home – I thought it was time for me to start doing some research. So I decided to move to Mexico City for a whole month.
I figured a month would give me plenty of time to really explore the city and the surrounding areas. Plus it would allow me the opportunity to actually practice my Spanish. Once I made the decision, I began to pack up the items that I cherished the most and began the search for an Airbnb for my month-long holiday. I eventually found a spacious spot in Escandon that allowed pets, was central to pretty much everything and had a full kitchen. Once my home was booked, I used the American Airlines miles that I had been accumulating and booked my roundtrip ticket. It was set in stone: I was embarking on a new solo adventure and moving to Mexico City.
Spending Time with My Mom
One of the many highlights of the trip was spending time with my mother. She helped me transport my fur children to our new home and stayed with me for the first couple of days to help get me situated. We created remarkable memories that I will cherish forever. We toured the Metropolitan Cathedral Church, ate guava pastries from Panaderia Rosetta, stuffed our faces with tacos, and enjoyed a delicious bean soup from Taquería Orinoco. We even got lost in the Castillo De Chapultepec and read about the extensive history. It was the perfect way to start off my new adventure.
Creating Solo Memories and Memorable Moments with Friends
When she left, I had a couple of days to myself before my friends came to visit. I walked my neighborhood and found the cutest parks, coffee shops, and outdoor markets. I explored the grandiose Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. I challenged myself to only communicate in Spanish and Google translator became my best friend. However, when I needed to translate something, I wouldn’t point to the translated phrase on my phone. I would listen to the translation, practice it slowly, and then recite it to whomever I was speaking to. Speaking a new language is vulnerable, and at times, I felt like a child trying to communicate with others. However, I must start somewhere, and I figured I could only get better the more I practiced. And I did! I eventually got to the point where I could order my coffee confidently.
Eventually, my friends joined me for five days in the city, and we had such a phenomenal time. We took a hot-air balloon ride over the pyramids in Teotihuacan and then toured them afterward. We partied on the Xochimilco River and each got new tattoos. I went into more detail about the adventures we had on my substack and even created a Notion travel template with our full itinerary. So if you find yourself in the city with your friends, you can recreate our experience.
After they left, I took myself on an incredible solo adventure and booked an ancestral herbalism excursion with a medicine woman. I have always been fascinated with herbal medicine and deeply believe that plants and herbs have the power to help heal us. I spent the day learning about the different plants that were used to help heal their ancestors and how they incorporate some of those same herbs into their daily lives today. After the lesson, we gathered together and ate Tlacoyos for breakfast with a homemade tomato salsa. I drank fennel tea for the first time and learned that fennel is great for digestion. I wrote an entire essay about everything I learned on the excursion and went into detail about the benefits of each plant the medicine woman talked about, too!
Experiencing Loneliness & The Temazcal, That Helped Me Overcome it
Toward the end of the trip, I found myself feeling extremely lonely. We commonly talk about how solo trips can be so empowering, which is true, but at times, they can be a little lonely too. Mexico City was an incredibly romantic place, and everywhere I turned, I’d see couples loving on one another, holding hands, and caressing each other. It was so beautiful to see because it’s not something you see that often in the States. However, seeing it made me realize it was something that I didn’t have, and quickly after my realization, loneliness arrived. Soon after her arrival, intrusive thoughts followed, which led me to play yet another round of the comparison game. Here I was in this beautiful city, ruminating about how I didn’t have a partner to share it with and fixating on what I was without instead of focusing and enjoying what I did have.
Thankfully, I was able to let go of that mindset after a remarkable Temazcal ceremony. It was by far one of the hardest things I have ever done, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Although it was insanely challenging, the release I received from it was worth it. I go into much more depth about it on my personal substack, but the main thing the ceremony gave me was the ability to let go, detach, and recognize that I already have everything that I need. Since the ceremony, I have been on a gratitude high and I am doing everything within my ability to maintain it because I have never felt so liberated.
Truthfully, I didn’t want to leave Mexico. The month seemed to flash before my eyes, and before I knew it, it was time for me to pack up all of my things again. However, I am so grateful for all of the experiences and memories I made while there. Since returning home, I have found myself desiring a community similar to those in the city, and I have been on the search for ways to get more involved. My mindset has shifted, and now my past worries don’t hold power over me, and I am living my life in a flow-like state, going with it and allowing things to be. I can’t wait to return.
Shop Now
