Voice of the Diaspora
Raju from Chennai: Dispelling Myths About Mexico
An IT professional from Tamil Nadu shares his positive first five months in Mexico, finding spiritual similarities and friendly people who shattered preconceived notions
Could you introduce yourself—your name and where you're from?
I'm Raju. I'm from Tamil Nadu, specifically Chennai.
How long have you been in Mexico?
I arrived in November 2025, so I've been here for the past five months now.
What brought you to Mexico?
I came on a business visa. I'm working at Accenture in the IT sector.
Was Mexico your first choice, or did you have other international options? What drew you to this country specifically?
No, I didn't get any other options at the time. This was the first country I visited internationally. So far, Mexico has been really good, and all the people here are very friendly.
How do you feel about Mexico overall—particularly the culture and people?
Yeah, really good. We like it very much. We've become very much attached to Mexican culture in these five months.
What do you like most about Mexican culture that you've experienced so far?
We've seen the religious rituals and traditions near Zócalo—we visited two significant places there. That was very touching for us. The way they worship God with such devotion is remarkable. It really moved us deeply.
Do you see similarities between Mexican and Indian cultures?
Yeah, absolutely. Even before coming to Mexico, we had heard there were many similarities, including the worship and spiritual aspects I just mentioned. When we arrived, we found it felt very close to our own culture. It resonated with us.
I arrived in November 2025, so I've been here for the past five months now.
What brought you to Mexico?
I came on a business visa. I'm working at Accenture in the IT sector.
Was Mexico your first choice, or did you have other international options? What drew you to this country specifically?
No, I didn't get any other options at the time. This was the first country I visited internationally. So far, Mexico has been really good, and all the people here are very friendly.
How do you feel about Mexico overall—particularly the culture and people?
Yeah, really good. We like it very much. We've become very much attached to Mexican culture in these five months.
What do you like most about Mexican culture that you've experienced so far?
We've seen the religious rituals and traditions near Zócalo—we visited two significant places there. That was very touching for us. The way they worship God with such devotion is remarkable. It really moved us deeply.
Do you see similarities between Mexican and Indian cultures?
Yeah, absolutely. Even before coming to Mexico, we had heard there were many similarities, including the worship and spiritual aspects I just mentioned. When we arrived, we found it felt very close to our own culture. It resonated with us.
Did you face any challenges when you first arrived in Mexico—perhaps food challenges or cultural shocks?
No, so far everything has been fine for me. Including the food—we tested different dishes, we tried various things, and it was all very nice. The people have also been very friendly throughout. Everything has been smooth.
You mentioned food—which Mexican dish has become your favorite so far?
We tried burritos and they're all good. I really enjoy them.
What do you miss most about India while you're here?
I miss my family the most about India. That's the only thing really. Just my family—that's it.
Is this your first time celebrating Indian festivals like Holi here in Mexico?
Yes, this is my first visit to such an event, so I'm celebrating for the first time here in Mexico.
How has the event been organized? What do you think of it so far?
Yeah, so far I really like the event. It's organized very well and everything is going smoothly.
Finally, what message would you like to give to Indians reading this who might have concerns or misconceptions about Mexico?
Yeah, see, this is really important. Even before coming to Mexico, many people back in India told me things like "how can you manage there? It's kind of dangerous with terrorists and all that stuff." The media portrays certain images that create fear.
But once I actually visited Mexico, the whole picture changed completely. All the people are friendly, and I didn't feel insecure or unsafe at all—not even once. Everyone here has been like friends to us. We've visited so many places so far, and everywhere people are friendly. They've helped us tremendously.
Even last week something happened in the news, but nothing affected us personally. It was handled very nicely. The government managed it very well. So my message is: don't judge Mexico by what you hear. Come experience it yourself. You'll find a welcoming, warm country with beautiful people.
No, so far everything has been fine for me. Including the food—we tested different dishes, we tried various things, and it was all very nice. The people have also been very friendly throughout. Everything has been smooth.
You mentioned food—which Mexican dish has become your favorite so far?
We tried burritos and they're all good. I really enjoy them.
What do you miss most about India while you're here?
I miss my family the most about India. That's the only thing really. Just my family—that's it.
Is this your first time celebrating Indian festivals like Holi here in Mexico?
Yes, this is my first visit to such an event, so I'm celebrating for the first time here in Mexico.
How has the event been organized? What do you think of it so far?
Yeah, so far I really like the event. It's organized very well and everything is going smoothly.
Finally, what message would you like to give to Indians reading this who might have concerns or misconceptions about Mexico?
Yeah, see, this is really important. Even before coming to Mexico, many people back in India told me things like "how can you manage there? It's kind of dangerous with terrorists and all that stuff." The media portrays certain images that create fear.
But once I actually visited Mexico, the whole picture changed completely. All the people are friendly, and I didn't feel insecure or unsafe at all—not even once. Everyone here has been like friends to us. We've visited so many places so far, and everywhere people are friendly. They've helped us tremendously.
Even last week something happened in the news, but nothing affected us personally. It was handled very nicely. The government managed it very well. So my message is: don't judge Mexico by what you hear. Come experience it yourself. You'll find a welcoming, warm country with beautiful people.
Interview conducted at a Holi celebration in Mexico City, March 2026