Welcome!
Hi! I’m Mani (short for Manija), my name is from India but I was born and raised in Mexico City. In 2008 I met my soulmate (an American) while traveling in India and eventually followed him to the US.
In this blog I write about wandering around the world, travel guides and tips, photography tips, eating and cooking (mostly healthy), and my unpredictable life moving constantly while attempting to lead a simple life and follow God.
Some of my favorite things to do are to travel, to eat and to take photos, and those are the main topics you’ll see on this blog along with personal writing. I have been to over 20 countries and lived in 8 different places, and I love sharing my travel experiences and lessons.
Why “A New Life Wandering”?
wan·der·ing [won-der-ing] adjective
- moving from place to place without a fixed plan; roaming; rambling.
- having no permanent residence; nomadic.
I definitely fit those definitions.
The “New Life” part of the title comes from making a drastic change to my life in 2009 when I decided to leave my comfortable and “normal” life, go against people’s and society’s expectations, drop out of college, move to a different country, be cut off financially from my dad, join my soulmate, and live a life trying to surrender to God.
Here is a brief timeline to give you an idea of my life:
2008 – July- Josh (a Californian) and I (a Mexican) met in India.
2008 – September – I moved from Mexico City to London to study filmmaking.
2009 – I left university and my comfortable life, went against all of my friends’ and family’s expectations, and moved from Mexico City to the US.
2010 – Josh and I left South Carolina and road-tripped along the US East Coast (Florida to New Hampshire) stopping in Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland, New York, Maine and New Hampshire to find a place to live and finally randomly settled in North Carolina. It was a “throw a dart at the map” kind of thing.
2010-2013 – We lived in Durham, North Carolina, got married twice, and moved 3 times (within Durham).
2013 – We moved to India, leaving nothing behind. Also, this blog was born.
2013 – In late September, we arrived at Portland, Oregon to renew our Indian visas, and circumstances led us to stay. We lived here for 8 months.
2014 – In May, we moved to the country in Deer Island, Oregon (35 miles from Portland) with two friends who bought a historical former school.
2016 – In February, we moved to Logan, Utah.
2016 – August 23, we moved to Austin, Texas!
2017 – August 24 – we became parents! Baby girl was born in Austin.
Sit back and enjoy this unpredictable journey with us!
Links to help you getting started
hello Mani, interesting blog and I enjoyed going thro the posts! Looking forward to read more of your adventures. 🙂
Well you two certainly have an interesting story! I bet my wife and I have a lot in common with you! I am from the US, and she is from Buryatia, a republic of Russia in Siberia. Green card and visa issues, we understand all of that! So far we have been able to spend 5 weeks in India, but hope for more! Great blog! Alex
Hi Alex! Thanks for stopping by, I guess we do have a few things in common. I’ll be sure to check your blog.
You bet Mani! I know you want to go back to India, but Oregon is a great place to be while you wait!
Your journey was and will be amazing. loved reading about it.
Thank you! It’s a total unpredictable life.
Loved your blog 🙂
Thank you!
Hi Mani, I just nominated you for ‘A Lovely Blog Award’ over at my blog, you can check it out here:
http://bunglinghousewife.wordpress.com/2014/09/02/the-lovely-blog/
Have a lovely day!
How sweet of you!
Hey there Mani! I just happened across your blog randomly, it looks fun, so I gave you a follow. If you’d like to hang out with me, drop by http://www.thatssojacob.wordpress.com. Thanks, have a great day!
Hi Jacob! Thanks for stopping by and saying hello. Have a great day!
I just wanted to let you know I have nominated you for the Very Inspiring Blog Award.
You don’t need to make a response post if you do not wish to – I just wanted to take the time to recognise you and let you know how much I enjoy your blog.
Paula aka The Sock Mistress from 14 Weeks Worth of Socks
http://14weeksworthofsocks.com/2014/09/21/im-a-winner-very-inspiring-blogger-award/
Thank you so much Paula, that’s really sweet of you.
Hi Mani, your blog is truly inspiring! love reading you an your husband’s story and the adventures you both have shared! Cant wait to read future post!
-Jen
http://www.lavidalifeasitcomes.wordpress.com
Hi Jen, thank you so much!
I will surely check out your blog.
Lovely and inspirational story! I love how much trust you live your lives with… 😀
I love your blog! I think it’s awesome and have nominated you for the One Lovely Blog Award! If you fancy participating see my post: http://astitchtoscratch.com/2014/10/12/one-lovely-blog-award/
If you don’t fancy it or have already participated, just enjoy the fact that I think your blog is lovely!
HM 🙂
That’s so sweet Hayley! Thanks so much!
I was indeed late to join the party. Seems like something out of a movie! Thanks for the background info! I’m sure you’ll see my name pop up in a few other posts comment section 😛
Cheers!
Alex
Hi Alex! Welcome to the party! 😉 Thanks for stopping by. Looking forward to chatting some more.
Cheers
-M
So cool that you used to live around my neck of the woods!
Interesting site … I’m sold with the header 🙂 i like looking in people’s lives and enjoy with their adventures 🙂
Also, thanks for following my blog, hope you enjoy it too.
omg, my heart just went to you! i love how the blogging community can make this world such a small place and find people who started the same journey as you, you’re such an inspiration!
Love the header!!! Definitely captured my interest right off the bat. So glad to have found your blog on this extensive platform. Looking forward to reading more. Ciao x
Interesting story. Thanks for liking my page. I hope you will follow. I love the comments on things you love and hate about being an expat in the US
Hey! I just nominated you for the Liebster Award! Check it out on my post 🙂
Cheers and Congrats!
http://acleggabroad.wordpress.com/2014/11/15/liebster-award/
Thanks Alex! I really appreciate it 🙂
Hi Mani!
I just wanted to stop by and say thanks for following my blog. I love your site – and your stories are so much fun!
Thanks Jo! I’m glad you stopped by 🙂
Hey! I tagged you in my post and now it’s your turn to post about your writing process! Cheers!
https://acleggabroad.wordpress.com/2014/12/03/my-writing-process/
Cool, I shall do this this week. Thank you Alex.
Hi
Great blog; Love the story;
Hi, thank you!
Hola Mani, I’ve been meaning to ask you if you wouldn’t mind explaining what you meant when you said God led you to India and to your husband but that you’re not religious. What does God “look like” to you? Saludos
Hi! I actually wrote a post to try to explain. Here it is: http://anewlifewandering.com/2014/01/07/why-did-you-move-to-india/
Also, if you want a face, this is what God looks like to us: http://goo.gl/fd59yQ (Meher Baba) 🙂
I find your story very interesting! We’re living a nomadic life as well between Ukraine, UK, Germany, China, Russia and Czech Republic and bringing up our two daughters as two tiny expats. Will be following your blog and joining your Sunday feature!
Oh wow that’s quite an interesting array of countries. We’ll be sure to follow you and look forward to your small pleasures 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you 🙂 see you around this sunday 🙂
Hi Mani, glad to know India has been an important part of your life 🙂 lovely blog. Much Love!
Hi Vibhor, it definitely has. Thank you 🙂
Hi Mani, Glad to have found a fellow travel lover. I love the look of your blog. Looking forward to following your adventures. What a wonderful story of how you both met. I also met my husband in India! So we have another thing in common! 🙂
Hi Ting, it’s nice connecting with you. There seem to be a lot of cupids in India 😉
Hi Mani! Your life journey has been a roller coaster of sorts, from meeting your husband to stories of your cat! 🙂 And it’s not always been easy. Appreciate the fact that you chronicle each high and low and take some kind of learning of it. Makes the everyday more bearable, right? Did I say, you’ve got a pretty awesome blog! Look forward to reading more. Have a great week!
cheers
Cheryl
Ha, yes, I write about quite a few different things, I honestly never know what is going to come next. Truly an unpredictable life. Thanks for stopping by and have a great week too!
Your blog looks like good fun and spontaneity all around….I can happily follow that! 🙂
Hello Mani 🙂 Found your blog on the Blog Party from the Modern Philosopher – love it! Looking forward to reading more…
Hi Joy! Thanks for coming by and staying!
Thank you for liking Parkinson’s and the Mindfulness of Stress, it is appreciated… I love your pictures! I got your not earlier, let me know if you have any questions! I’m going to follow you.
Thank you JC. I appreciate your time.
Hello Manija,
Your writings are very captivating! Enjoyed them a lot.. Keep writing and inspiring!
Hello! Thank you so much 🙂
Hey there! I’ve nominated you for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award, for your support and the inspiration you’ve been to me since I started blogging. Thank you for that! 🙂
https://threadsandties.wordpress.com/2015/05/14/very-inspiring-blogger-award/
Hi Saksham, thank you very much I really appreciate it.
I’ve never been much of a fan of traveling but I really enjoy listening to the stories of others who travel. A brief look around your blog tells me that I’ve come to the right place! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Mani, I finally took pics at Kensington Market, but they’re blurry 🙁
https://myspanglishfamilia.wordpress.com/2015/07/03/kensington-market-on-a-friday-afternoon/
Good journey, Mani 🙂
Hi Mani! I’m new to the blogging world, but I happened to stumble across your blog! I love your posts and life story!
Hi! Thanks for joining me! And welcome to the blogging world 😉
Mani your blog is fabulous! Thanks for following. I hope you enjoy the stories of our journey.
Happy wandering!
Alison
Thanks Alison!
Me gusta.
Wow, definitely one of the most interesting blogs that I’ve come upon recently. So many informative and entertaining posts. Great job, and I look forward to future posts!
Hi there! Thanks so much for the wonderful compliment. Glad you are enjoying it and staying. Have a great weekend!
Wow what a crazy timeline and turn of events! It’s great to read how your lives “bounced” from one place to another and how you just went with the flow. Looking forward to seeing what’s next!
Wow. Great to find your blog. Some really interesting stories in there. Happy travels! 🙂
Thank you! I will check yours out!
i just discovered your blog since i might be moving to india to study (i’m from canada) and to live there for some time and i came across your india post, you live an interesting life!
You should add 2015 to your brief timeline section 🙂
Hi Hamza! Thanks for stopping by and staying and your feedback! I fixed the photos on the other post and added 2015 to my timeline.
Have you been to India before? Where in India are you going?
Great blog! And interesting life story
Thank you! Glad to have you over 😉
Happy to have found your blog! I love the layout, the style, the content…everything!! I’m a travel lover too so following you will deifnitely be useful and interesting! Looking forward to reading about your adventures! 🙂
https://fromdreamtoplan.wordpress.com/
Thank you for the follow, Mani! You have the coolest blog! My mind did quite a journey skimming through your posts and I’m definitely going back to visit again, soon. Love love adventures!
Hey Claire! Well, thanks for the follow back 🙂 And for stopping by and for the kind words.
Cheers!
Great blog Mani, you write very well and there’s some really interesting content. You’ve had some great experiences. Look forward to reading more!
Thank you! I appreciate the kind words. And welcome 🙂
So cool! You’ve got a fascinating story and it’s still just the beggining! Wish you all the best and cannot wait to learn more from you!
Hi Claudia! Thanks for stopping by! And thanks for the kind words and good wishes. “See you” around!
Beautiful story. It seems like there is a lot more to come and I can’t wait to read it! 🙂
Thanks so much for your blog Mani, it’s really interesting reading about Indian culture from your perspective. I’m writing a novel based in India and your blog has helped me understand certain events I’m including in the book, especially your post about the birthday party. I see by your map you haven’t visited Australia yet? I highly recommend it! Though I might be a little bias since I am an Aussie 😉
God bless you
Hi Steph! I’m so glad I was able to help somehow. And no, I haven’t visited Australia yet but I would sure love to! All the best, and good luck with the novel.
Hi,
My name is Brenda. Having been your follower for a long time, I found that your contents are quite unique and I love them so much. Each of your posts helps me get various experiences and more knowledge in this field. That why I find them great.
I sent you this email to express my big desire to contribute your blog. Do you accept guest posts or sponsored posts?
In addition, I promise that I will provide you with a formatted document which included links. Therefore, you can copy and paste it into the WordPress directly.
Thank you for your consideration. I’m looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Please let me know what you think.
Best Regards,
Brenda
Hi Brenda, please email me at anewlifewandering@gmail.com so we can discuss this.