Hola! I’m Julien Casanova.
I’ve always been drawn to learning about different people and how they live, which led me to study photojournalism at The University of Missouri.
For my first story, I embedded myself in the world of a rodeo cowboy, learning the rhythms of rodeo life. That impulse to experience a different culture from the inside never really went away. It just changed geography.
Ten years ago I moved to Mexico. At first I spent several years getting to know the Yucatán. Then I fell hard for Mexico City. And eventually I landed in Oaxaca, where I live now. I love being immersed in the culture and experiencing unique traditions like Day of the Dead.
I also love to plan a long trip about once a year to explore other areas of Mexico or South America. I spent 5 months exploring Colombia and another 3 months traveling in Ecuador and Peru. It’s the kind of travel that allows me to actually feel the rhythm of a place.
That’s what Cultures Traveled is built on. Not just another list of attractions, but the context and local knowledge that helps you actually experience them. The food traditions that change from region to region. The history behind the celebrations. The everyday moments that most travel sites skip right over.
If you’re the kind of traveler who’d rather sit at the counter of a family-run comedor than eat at the hotel restaurant, this travel blog is for you. I write the travel guides I wish I’d had when I first got here. Guides to help you explore Mexico and South America through its food, history, and traditions so that you can actually connect with where you are.
Meet Xochitl: Writer at Cultures Traveled
Xochitl grew up between Mexico and the United States, a bicultural upbringing that shaped the way she sees the world.
Through her writing she provides travelers with clarity and connection through an authentic Mexican lens so that they can understand the places they visit on a deeper level. Her goal is to help you immerse in local traditions, engage with communities meaningfully, and discover the stories that make each destination unique.
You can follow her travels on Instagram.