In the wild time known as February 2020, before all pandemic hell broke loose, I had the wildest idea; I would jam my 2012 Chevy Sonic full of all my crap, and drive from Columbus, all the way to Belize. Unfortunately, my bank account greatly disagreed with that idea, and the pandemic closed all countries’ borders anyways. Yet this driving travel vlogger, who goes by the name “Q” (no apparent relation to the conspiracy theorists), has not let that stop them.
@q2travel Reply to @3ababbyyyy Car care in Mexico #travel #roadtrip #mexico #newyear #nomad ♬ original sound – Q
Q2Travel is a black, queer YouTuber, Instagrammer, and TikToker, living and traveling through Mexico, with plans of eventually reaching Argentina.
@q2travel Why bother roadtripping through Latin America? #travel #america #roadtrip #valentinesday ♬ original sound – Q
Initially, a Chicago resident, Q took a trip to Mexico sometime before the pandemic, and instantly fell in love. From there, they made the moves to simplify their life, broke their lease in Chicago, and got a work visa for Mexico. Now, they’ve been documenting their life as they drive all through Mexico, sampling the food, culture, and their life as a digital nomad.
Like this video, where Q chats about what it’s like being a lesbian, living in Mexico.
@q2travel I promise I don’t eat pizza everyday lol #mexicoliving #travel #OneSliceChallenge ♬ original sound – Q
This type of content is refreshing, all too often, the stereotype of an American trouncing around a foreign country is probably some straight white guy driving through poverty. They’re probably in an Overlanding rig or sports car that costs more than the average American’s annual income, and half the content is probably about how unsafe they felt, or how dirty things are. Man, I’m tired of that content. Every day I get on Beyonce’s internet and read some self-aggrandizing, condescending piece about Mexico, Thailand, or any African nation as if people in those countries don’t have lives, communities, and personalities.
Is everything always peachy-keen? No, not always. Q openly documents and vlogs their strife and occasional run-ins with Mexican authorities, confusion with visa issues, or just general language barrier problems.
@q2travel Longest drive of my life 😩 #roadtrip #mexico #fruit #travel #mexico #latinamerica ♬ original sound – Q
Q doesn’t drive in some huge expensive beast, they’ve got a Chevy Spark. They engage with the local population and take in the local flavor. They go to places that aren’t explicitly designed for tourists. They’re earnest, but also honest, they talk about the difficulties and sometimes danger they find themselves in while driving alone in Mexico, and the realities of living in a foreign country as a queer person of color. Still, no matter what happens, Q is fearless and strong. They’re a person to follow if you want to see more Black people living their lives to the full, breaking stereotypes. Give Q2travel a follow on your social media.
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