MEXICO’S Bertha Corte is so determined to change people’s perceptions about her homeland that she’s cycling 15,000 kilometres around Australia to teach people about its history and culture.
Ms Corte, who is from Mexico City, began her journey in Sydney on February 19 and arrived in Wyndham last Thursday.
So far, she has travelled 14,000 kilometres in a bid to convince Australians to visit Mexico.
Ms Corte got the idea for her awareness campaign after visiting Australia and New Zealand in 2009, when she found many people considered Mexico to be full of drugs and trouble.
It was then she decided to run a campaign to re-educate people about her country. “I wanted to do something that would give me an opportunity to talk to lots of people,” she says.
“When I was in New Zealand I cycled from Wellington to Auckland and it was then that I thought about riding around Australia. I thought it was my duty to change the bad impressions of Mexico.”
She says that while parts of Mexico, particularly near the US border, have problems with corruption, drugs and fighting, the tourist areas are safe.
“Every country has problems but the people live together peacefully and Mexico is like that. You can have a really good time in Mexico. The clothes and the food are the best in the world and the people are so friendly.
“We have so much culture. There are thousands of pyramids built by different cultures like the Mayans and Aztecs.”
During her journey around Australia, Ms Corte has encountered many people interested in hearing about Mexico and keen to visit the country.
“If I can change some impressions about Mexico then I have achieved something,” she says.
The nine-month trip has not been easy on Ms Corte, who encountered wild dogs in far north Queensland, strong winds across the Nullarbor and faulty bike lights in Bacchus Marsh. “I have found that there is no easy way to get around Australia. Every place has been difficult.”
She hopes to complete her journey and arrive in Sydney by December 21.
