How many of you still get asked, no matter how long you’ve been living here, about your decision to relocate to Mexico?
I’ve been calling Mexico home since 2021, and to this day, every time I speak to someone new from a different country, that question inevitably comes up.
Now, I want to make this point really clear. This question is not asked because the person is questioning the viability of Mexico as a suitable place to live. Rather, it’s pure curiosity. “What made you pick Mexico out of all the different countries in the world?”
I love this question. It’s genuine and a perfect opportunity for me to share my love for Mexico. Every person I’ve interacted with who has asked that question had their own perspective of what Mexico was like, based on the information they had been exposed to throughout their lives, whether it was through the different forms of media they are exposed to, or perhaps even a short vacation to Cancun, once during spring break. Depending on their experience, they each had a very different outlook on this place, what it offers, and why someone would move here.
I love sharing the fact that if you had told me that I would ever move and make Mexico my permanent home base, even a year before I moved here, I would have laughed. The concept of relocating to a foreign country where I didn’t speak the language or have any connections was simply inconceivable. Yet, here we are in 2025, and I’ve been calling Mexico home and loving it.
If you were not born in Mexico and are reading this, I’m sure this resonates with you to some degree. It certainly resonated with Dilan Gorrie, who visited Mexico for the first time at the beginning of the year.
Dilan, who was born and raised in a small town in Queensland, Australia, had never imagined himself visiting Mexico, let alone moving here. The opportunity for a visit arose when one of his friends from Minnesota, who had relocated to Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, invited him to visit. This visit prompted him to return home, quit his job, and relocate to La Paz in June.
Since his move, Dilan has initiated a project using his decade-long experience as a professional videographer to create a visual experience of La Paz to share with his family and friends back in Australia.
Over the last months, he researched, scouted, and shot around La Paz, capturing the essence of what attracted him here in the first place. I was blessed with the opportunity of being part of this fun project, serving as the Executive Producer, on-location guide, and Spanglish translator. (Okay, maybe model, too.)
For about four weeks, we had a ton of fun shooting around the center of La Paz, the Malecón, and the main landmarks, often going for both sunrise and sunset shoots. We captured hours of this multi-layered town, and we were always welcomed wholeheartedly by everyone we encountered during filming.
We were blessed to wrap up our filming coinciding with Independence Day celebrations, which provided an authentic patriotic landscape. After hours of editing magic by Dilan, the final project is now completed and is available for you to enjoy, share, and appreciate. This visual experience of La Paz, brought to you through Dilan’s lenses, is a gift to all the people of Mexico, the inhabitants of La Paz, BCS, and YOU.
If you have ever been asked, “Why do you live in Baja? or Why did you move to Mexico?”, you are now equipped with a powerful testament in the form of a 2-minute visual experience to share the essence, beauty, and vibrancy of this area. Enjoy!
Dilan and I would love to hear your feedback, comments, and thoughts upon watching the video.
Dilan can be reached via WhatsApp: +614 55 269 296.
For more on my work: www.naailahauladin.com or reach me on WhatsApp at: +52 612 141 8002
Naailah Auladin is a life and relationship doula in La Paz, specializing in guiding individuals and families during periods of emotional trauma, crisis, and mental unrest. She focuses on teaching and inspiring individuals to take responsibility and ownership in participating in their civic duties, prioritizing the well-being of the self-first, as she believes that fostering and maintaining well-managed emotional, mental, and physical health is our primary civic duty.
