Hola! Welcome to Merida, Yucatan Mexico. This city is full of vibrant culture, and the most delicious food, seriously, I could eat my way through this city. Well ok I am eating my way through this city. :P

So this is where I am right now! The Yucatan state is full of mayan culture, ruins, and delicious food. Yep again with the food lol. One of my favourite things about travelling is being able to have foods from different cultures. OOPS sorry drooled on my screen a little.

A small example of the deliciousness that I've been consuming...

That green mess in the middle row is one of my favorites. It's chilli verde, with corn tortilla's and rice. Every mouthful was an explosion of flavour. It was the most delicious thing I have ever eaten. The pot it's in is a clay pot, which was described to me as an old timey slow cooker, you know with out a cord. It was so delicious I went out and bought my own clay pots. I can't wait to cook with them. It's a whole thing, a process, that involves seasoning the pots, and cooking VERY slowly with them, on REALLY low heat.

The bottom left dish is a traditional maya dish called pok chuk (pronounced chook). Its basically pork fried on hot stones. It was also greatly delicious. There is a mixture of Mexican, Spanish, Maya, and other cultural foods in Merida, and the maya traditions are some of my favorites.

The great thing about being in Merida is it's a modern city, with many of the conveniences of home. Which means you can get many of the same fast foods as you can at home. Which is great when your craving something familiar. Allowing for a feeling of comfort in those times when your feeling home sick, or anxious about being in a new country and all those overwhelming things that come with that. More on that later...

Aside from food, my mission in life is to sit by my pool, or a beach as much as I possibly can. The above photo is my pool, it's amazing having a pool right out my door. On hot days its perfect to cool off in, and its peaceful and relaxing. It helps to keep my anxiety quiet too.

Even the hooligans like to hang by the pool, I was surprised at how much they like the pool. Although it took them a while to figure out what the big bathtub was.

I have always thought that Charlie (one of my cats, don't worry I'll introduce them soon) would love to be a beach cat, however getting them to the beach, would be too much for them, till we live on the beach. GOALS! Anyways, Progeso is the nearest beach town to Merida, it's about a 20 min drive, depending on where you are in Merida. Can be up to an hour from the south side of Merida. I live in the north though so about 20 mins for me.

There is this little beach club, called Mar y Mar that I absolutely love. It has loungers, and covered lounges for two. There is food and drinks and a pool and the ocean and boardwalk to the pier just steps away. It's usually fairly quiet, and lots of choice between sun and shade. It's one of my current favorite places to go. The ocean is just on the other side of that wall you see there, along with the port of Progeso.

Going to the beach for me is like a balm for my soul. It's a combination of different things. The sun, sand, smell of the salt in the air, the roar of the water coming into shore. You know that thing that you do, the one that quiets your soul, feels like nothing in the world is wrong in that moment. The one where you are able to just be in the moment and enjoy all the senses of what you are doing. Thats the beach for me.

The sun on my skin is like a warm blanket of happiness. It just makes all my anxiety go away, it takes a weight off my shoulders.

The sand is like a pedicure, and feels blissful on my feet. The smell of the sea feels like coming home, like I'm happy and right where i need to be. And the sound of the ocean makes me relax and mellow. I also like to have some food and drinks while i'm there ;)

Life travelling isn't just all beaches and pools and food though. I spend a lot of time in front of a computer, working. It's ok though, it beats living in Canada where it's snowing and cold right now. I've created a life for myself where I can work wherever I am as long as I have internet.

This time is a little different though. I am looking for my forever home. This is less travel and more trying Merida on for size.

So how is that different from what I used to do? Well it means that life looks pretty normal most of the time, I'm not off to the cool tourist attractions everyday, and I'm not having amazing food all the time ( Well actually i'm an excellent cook so I do have amazing food all the time).

I usually travel pretty lite, my laptop a mouse, and my keyboard. If I know I will be somewhere for any length of time I go buy myself a giant computer screen.

Working on my computer is my bread and butter, so I make it as comfortable as possible. I get a great chair, and my screen.

Because I'm likely staying here for a minimum of 4 years, I'm currently nesting to a point.

It's great. I love having a home in a warm place.

What do i do you ask? I have several things that are on my plate. My main gig right now is my biggest client. They are 90% of my work at the moment. I edit their images in photoshop. It's pretty boring monotonous work, doing the same thing to every image, that being said its also what allows me the life I want. I make my own hours, I can go to the pool for a break if I want, and I get to decide how much or how little I want to work.

I am slowly transitioning out of doing the actual editing work, it's been amazing but just like I transitioned out of photography to editing, It's a natural progression to growing in my life, and getting my dreams to come true. I've been in the industry for 25 years. It's time to share my knowledge.

So I am building a new part of my business, which comes in many forms. First I mentor photographers, my specialties lie in photoshop, business foundations, sports and school photography, and outsource editing. I can however cover a range of topics relating to the industry if my clients need it.

Then I offer photoshop classes online, and as a sister to that I have a digital elements membership library. The library has digital backgrounds, and overlays, textures, and templates that photographers can use to create composites with their photography.

I love creating these, it allows me to use my creative mind in an unrestrained way.

And the best part is I can do all of it as long as there is internet. I get to help people build successful businesses, and live my dream life.

Hopefully you are following your dreams too and building your dream life! If not I hope this blog will inspire you to. Life is too short to not live a life that makes you completely and utterly happy.

If there is anything I have learned in life its' that the things we want the most are the things we have to change the most to get. And that can be scary, believe me I know. I can also tell you it's so worth it. I promise.

So I bid you Adios for now! More tales from the vibrant Merida to come, and reminiscence from past travels and life lessons, and how I got here to come.

Lets go on this adventure called life together!

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See you in the next adventure…

All my love,