They say love makes the world go around, but in my case, love made me go around the world. Ten years ago, I followed my heart and moved from Slovenia 10,000 km across the Atlantic Ocean to beautiful Mexico. Living in a place where others come for vacation is everything but vacation for me! Contrary to what some may believe, I do not lay on the beach everyday and drink piña coladas (although it doesn’t sound like a bad idea!). In Mexico, everything is different than back home, so I had to learn things from the beginning, with open eyes, attention, and child-like curiosity.  Adapting wasn’t easy, but it made me see life, people, culture, traditions, and daily occurences with new eyes.  Ten years later, Mexico still continues to amaze and inspire me everyday.  I believe living and working in a foreign country taught me to pay more attention, be humble, observe and listen, to see the small things, and ultimately become a better person. Take a look at my life in Mexico, and follow along @RomanaLilic! 

Simple things are the best. There’s nothing like crunchy churros with cajeta and hot Mexican chocolate. While the origin of churros is still debated, I fell in love with the Mexican variety at the first bite.

 I always wished to live by the sea. My home today is something I couldn’t have imagined even in my wildest dreams. Ten years ago, I moved 10,500 km (6,500 miles) away from Slovenia to live in Los Cabos, a small town at the end of Baja California Peninsula. Los Cabos is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez, which never cease to amaze me. If you’re flying to Los Cabos between December and March pay close attention to the ocean – you might see a family of whales who migrate to warm Baja waters each year!

I love exploring cities on foot. I think it’s the best way to get a feel for the life of a city, meet new people, discover hidden cafés and restaurants, get lost in galleries, browse through local stores and more. I met young actress Margo Quinn about a year ago, and every time she visits she lets me take her around town. I get to show her my favorite spots and take some photographs around Los Cabos. Here she is on an Acapulco chair from local boutique, Shima Shima.

Yucatan is full of amazing places. One of those is Izamal, or ‘Pubelo Mágico’ (Magic Village). It is alsoknown as the Yellow City, since most of the town’s facades are painted in bright yellow. It’s a small town with rich historical tradition, and one of the oldest (if not the oldest) cities in Yucatán. If you listen carefully, you may hear the locals speak the ancient Maya language, which is spoken here just as much as Spanish. The photo here is just a detail of the Franciscan convent of San Antonio de Padua that was built over one of the Maya pyramids.

Merida is the capital of the Yucatan state, and you can still see the grandeur (and sometimes decay) of beautiful colonial buildings surrounding the town plaza zocalo and main streets.

A two hour long drive and a large thunderstorm later, later on an empty road from Valladolid was worth it when we arrived to Las Coloradas. This small coastal town is home to pink ocean and pink flamingos. Seeing a pink ocean was surreal and magical. Before entering the lagoon, you can also see big white mountains of locally harvested salt.

My favorite beaches are remote, I love to be surrounded  by the sea, beach, and an amazing landscape. Often, a family of wild donkeys comes to visit. They are curious, looking for food, and they will slowly and patiently approach you. They are very gentle, and let themselves be caressed. They are also the reason why I always take carrots or apples with me when I go to the beach. I always hope they will stop by for a quick visit!

We love riding our bikes along the Malecon of La Paz. You can ride your bike for about 10 km by the seaside, observing the dolphins, the fisherman, and the calm,turquoise Sea of Cortez. After, I love to stop by the town’s library, and head to Nim restaurant for delicious local cuisine.

Sayulita is full of cute ice cream stores and inviting, vibrant places. This cute little paleteria had the most delicious home-made paletas in unique flavors. Be sure to try the mezcal & figs flavor –  or the tequila & lemon.

I met this woman in lovely Pueblo Magico, Tlayacapan. In Náhuatl, that means ‘at the limits of the earth’. We visited the UNESCO protected antique ex-convent of San Juan Bautista, strolled the streets, and admired the pottery that is indigenous to the town.