Travel in Mexico?
Has anyone traveled to Mexico lately? Is it safe? And does anyone know of a good place there to go to take Spanish lessons where no one speaks English?
6 Answers
I spent three months travelling in Southern Mexico (Jalisco, Michoacán, Veracruz, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo and Yucatán) last winter, and have been to Mexico several times in the last few years (I am a young blonde gringa as well). Southern Mexico has less drug-related violence going on, especially the Yucatán Peninsula (they have some of the lowest homicide rates in Mexico). I would recommend Oaxaca City. There are many Spanish programs in Oaxaca and a university, plus wonderful food, art, and culture culture culture! It is also much more affordable than D.F. or tourist-ridden places like Cancún (not really recommended). The people are very friendly and nice and there are beautiful ruins (Monte Albán, ruin of the Zapótecs) right outside of the city. Try the mezcal if you go, but remember to SIP it! It is much stronger than tequila if you get the real stuff... 
Also, consider Pátzcuaro, Michoacán (there is a fabulous open-air market there and El Día de los Muertos is a big celebration in Oaxaca as well as in Pátzcuaro) or San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas. All lovely places with lovely people. As you probably know since you have traveled there before, there is a fabulous bus system in Mexico, it is cheap, comfortable and easy to navigate. You can get almost anywhere in the country very comfortably and relatively quickly on a bus.
¡Buen viaje!
A place where no one speaks English is very hard to find.
If you're interested I teach Spanish in Oaxaca, it's pretty safe, and around this time of the year it's wonderful.
I also know several schools, if what you're interested in is the certification.
I go to Puerto Peñasco, Mexico, all the time, from Tucson, I had no problems. Take sunglasses. 
I'm in México now--a young, tall, thin, blond, very fair-skinned gringa (i.e., a prime candidate for being targeted). I was in the D.F. (Mexico City) over the summer, staying with a family, and I was perfectly safe except for having been followed by a guy for two hours, but I was advised to never go out after dark. I was with a group of other people, mostly female, about my age, and no one had any problems more serious than that. But Mexico City is known for being fairly dangerous in general. Native Mexicans tend to be wary of it.
Currently I'm in the state of Puebla, which people say is quite safe, and I haven't had a single problem or heard of anyone who has.
I'm not sure about places to study Spanish, though.
Last year I was in el DF several times and I didn't find it very dangerous at all. I didn't go out at night much and when I did I stuck mostly around El Paseo de la R and between El Alameda and the Zócalo and was with group. During the day I went everywhere except Tepito and parts of La Merced. I'm a 62 year old man and I don't look like I'd have anything valuable on me, so that helps. I live in San Diego and I work in Tijuana several days a week. There are parts of TJ that are dangerous now. They had the mother of all drug busts there last week. They had it all pilled up in the center of town and I've never seen so much dope. I think the value was 500 million or so. Several cops will be killed as pay-back by the narcos.
Thanks for your response.
I would recommend Oaxaca City.
I agree with this recommendation! I've been to Oaxaca several times and loved it. I traveled alone and felt perfectly safe.
