,mHi there!

My name is Mariana.

Welcome to my travel blog, Under Mountains in the Moon!

A little about me

I was born and raised in Mexico City, where, though being one of the busiest cities on Earth, I was always sure nothing interesting would ever happen to me. However, growing up watching the Crocodile Hunter, Globe Trekkers, and Lord of the Rings, I always knew I was destined to live great adventures somewhere far away. 

When I turned 15, I took my first trip overseas: I backpacked with a friend from Edinburgh to London for three weeks, and it was awesome. I’ve never felt that freedom before, and after going back home, I got a post-trip blues just by thinking about all the places around the world I was missing out on.

My wanderlust just increased over the years. I would spend most of my savings during high school and university on short weekend trips with my friends to different parts of Mexico.

After graduating in Communications, I won a scholarship to study Screenwriting in Vancouver, Canada. I instantly fell in love with the city and decided to stay, taking a second degree in Creative Writing. Eight years later, I moved to Toronto, where I currently reside working as a freelance writer and photographer.

About Under Mountains in the Moon

I always loved traveling, but making a career out of it seemed to me like a wishful thinking for the longest time: everything had been written, photographed, or filmed, and my discoveries were nothing compared to what older and more experienced professionals shared.

However, during my first year away from home, I started reading travel blogs. What immediately appealed to me about them was how each of their authors came from different backgrounds, and thus, each of them had a unique travel experience to tell. Things looked new from their perspective because they were not trying to reach wide audiences, but their own, unique niche. 

That made me realize that I also wanted to share my unique experiences when traveling. As a Mexican female traveler, animal lover, and a foreigner in my home country, I had a lot to say! I opened a small personal blog talking about my trips and, to my surprise, people started liking it. I also started writing for online publications in English and Spanish, and throughout that process, I found which themes I was deeply passionate about, and the ones I preferred to stay away from — I’d found my voice.

Under the Mountains in the Moon is my new and improved travel blog. My creative outlet, where I can combine and share my love for traveling, photography, sustainability, and writing while, hopefully, helping others to find useful tips and get inspired to travel too!

A couple of extra facts about me

  • I’m a dual citizen! I hold a Mexican and a German passport, plus, I’m a permanent resident of Canada (Yay!).
  • I live with Cat Stevens (my adopted cat) and Ryan (my adopted boyfriend), who will be featured in many of my posts.
  • I have a small travel and nature photography business. I sell prints and greeting cards of my pictures in Etsy, gift stores all around Vancouver, and arts and craft markets.
  • If you haven’t guessed it by now, I’m a huge Tolkien fan. The name Under Mountains in the Moon comes from one of his poems in the Hobbit titled The Road Goes Ever On.
  • You’ve probably noticed English is not my first language. Please be patient with my occasional mistakes. After seven years of using it in my daily life, it is as hard (and easy) for me to speak Spanish. 

Once again, welcome to my travel blog, and thanks for visiting!