Rituals To Keep Me Grounded Living Abroad

Nicole  | 

Living abroad can be exhilarating, chaotic, beautiful, disorienting, and deeply transformative—often all at once. Mexico City has challenged me, expanded me, and gifted me countless moments of joy. But as anyone who’s uprooted their life knows, staying grounded in a place that isn’t quite “home” (yet) requires intention.

Over the years, I’ve built rituals that help me feel anchored in the middle of the unknown. They’re not elaborate or rigid, but they create a soft structure in my life that brings comfort, clarity, and presence.

Here are some of the daily and weekly rituals that help me stay grounded while living abroad:

Morning Coffee + No-Scroll Time

Before the world floods in, I make a french-press cup of coffee with cinnamon and sit with it—sometimes in silence, sometimes with light music. I try to avoid picking up my phone for at least the first 30 minutes of the day. This gives me space to arrive in the day before responding to anyone else.

A steaming green ceramic mug sits on a wooden bedside table, with a cozy, unmade bed and soft morning light in the background.
Photo by David Mao on Unsplash

Essential Oils + Breathwork

A few drops of oil can completely shift my energy. Frankincense if I’m feeling scattered. Citrus if I need a lift. Lavender if I’m anxious. I often pair oils with a short breathwork practice—something as simple as four-count inhales and exhales.

A person in a white robe applies essential oil to their forearm using a dropper, surrounded by amber glass bottles, a lit candle, and delicate purple flowers on a rustic wooden table.
Photo by Chelsea shapouri on Unsplash

Movement, Even If It’s Tiny

Dancing in my living room. A walk around the block. Five sun salutations or a yoga class. My body needs to move to feel present, especially in a city as dynamic as CDMX. It doesn’t have to be long or structured—just enough to shift the energy.

A woman practices yoga indoors on a black mat, positioned in a low lunge pose with hands on the ground, wearing black leggings and a dark top.
Photo by Mathilde Langevin on Unsplash

Nature Escapes

Mexico City is huge, but there are pockets of green that feel like medicine. Parque México, a tree-lined café patio, even a sunny terrace—these little slices of nature remind me to slow down and breathe.

Sunlit pathways curve through the lush greenery of Parque México in Mexico City, with tall trees, manicured hedges, and a few people strolling or resting in the shade.
Photo credit: Image courtesy of CaminandoG

Journaling + Checking In

Every few days, I open my notebook and let it all spill out: What’s feeling good? What’s overwhelming? What am I craving? It helps me see my inner world more clearly—and reminds me how far I’ve come.

A cozy morning scene with a lined notebook and pen on a white bed, an open book, a soft brown blanket, and a wooden tray holding a cup of black coffee and a small potted plant.
Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash

Sunday Re-Set Ritual

Sundays are sacred. I clean my space, grocery shop, wash fruit, change the sheets, and light some incense. I try not to schedule too much. It’s my day to reset my nervous system and prepare for a new week.

Little Altars, Big Meaning

On a shelf in my living room, I keep a few meaningful objects: a photo of my cat and my grandpa, a candle, my favorite crystals, a stick of palo santo. It’s not about religion—it’s about remembering what matters to me.

Why Rituals Matter Abroad

Rituals don’t just make life feel calmer—they help me feel like me, even when everything else is unfamiliar. When I lose my routines, I feel disconnected. But when I come back to these simple practices, I reconnect with myself.

And in the end, that’s what grounding is all about: coming home to yourself, no matter where in the world you are.

If you’re living abroad (or even just feeling ungrounded at home), try building a few tiny rituals into your days. The world feels a lot more navigable when you have an inner compass.

xo,
Nicole

Recycling – Reusing Glass Bottles: A Luxury of Millennials

Nicole  | 

Living in Mexico City has been a treat. Any time you step into a new home, you are surrounded by plants, on tables, on shelves, with dangling leaves tapered on the wall hung by clips. The temperate climate here permits a beautiful growing space for indoor plants. On top of that, plants are incredibly affordable.

Where to Buy Plants

Off topic, but one of the best places to buy plants, pots, dirt, fertilizer, plant accessories, etc. is the Cuemanco Plant and Flower Market in Xochimilco. You can find more info here. I recommend going with a friend who has a car. If that’s not an option, bring a tarp. When you call your Uber XL (you’re going to need this LOL), you can he helpful and kind by using the tarp not to dirty their vehicle.

Photo: Cuemanco Plant and Flower Market. Valeria Delgado on Wikimedia Commons.

A smaller market in Roma Norte that I occasionally buy plants from is Mercado Medellín. Some will say Mercado Jamaica is also a good spot, but I find it’s more of a flower market than a plant market.

Photo: Mercado Medellín. Patricia Garcia on Google Maps.

Growing Plants in Jars

One of my favorite decorations in my apartment is growing plants – especially pothos and philodendron in glass jars. It’s such a beautiful way to take up space on a windowsill. I even have hanging wooden boxes outside attached to the railing with glass potters full of pothos.

They started out there because their mother plant was infected with mealy bugs. I dissected smaller sections of the plant with the root, cleaned it thoroughly and put them in quarantine outside. It still took a long time to rid the mealy bugs and I’m nervous to bring them back inside, but I’m happy with them there!

Where to Find Glass Jars

Ahh, the point of writing this article. In the USA, I would just order some same-day delivery mason jars from Amazon, which of course, you can do here in Mexico too (but mason jars are expensive for some reason).

You can one-by-one collect your own glass jar from pasta jars, wine bottles, kombucha bottles, spice jars, pickle or sauerkraut jars, jam or jelly jars, honey jars, perfume bottles (rinsed well), garbanzo bean jar, capers jar, drinking glasses or old mugs.

If you need glass jars quickly, Semilla Selecta is a local refill shop that sells simple and well-priced jars. You may also be able to find some donated jars here too. You could try local mercados or thrift markets for some cool finds.

Photo by Mor Shani on Unsplash

Now, I have 50 empty glass jars – Oops!

If you’re like me, you collect these glass jars and don’t have enough plants to fill them. For a short time, I ended up throwing away glass jar (which made my soul ache) because I wasn’t sure what else to do with them – recycling is another story here.

I found a few different ways to re-home these glass jars!

  1. Refill stores like Semilla Selecta have a little basket for customers to donate or take jars. I sometimes drop off plastic jars too, but they aren’t as sought after. Botánica Granel: Located in Colonia Roma, this bulk store promotes recycling and may accept clean glass jars for reuse. Zero Market: In Colonia Condesa, this zero-waste store encourages container reuse and might be interested in taking your jars. The Green Corner: With several branches across the city, this organic and sustainable store might accept glass jars for recycling projects.
  2. Thrift/antique markets may have some cool, unique jars you could use. There is a nice antique market in Colonia Doctores every Saturday and Sunday at Jardín Dr. Ignacio Chavez.
  3. Recycling/Barter Events. Mercado de Trueque (Barter Market): Organized by Mexico City’s Environmental Ministry (SEDEMA), this monthly event lets you exchange recyclables for agricultural products. While it focuses on paper, cardboard, and PET, you can ask if they accept glass jars. Reciclatrón: Also organized by SEDEMA, this program primarily collects electronic waste, but sometimes accepts other materials. Check their calendar to see if upcoming events accept glass jars.
  4. Creative Recycling Projects. Cerrando el Ciclo (“Closing the Cycle”): This project transforms glass bottles into products like cups and clocks, promoting environmental awareness and providing employment opportunities to women in vulnerable situations. You can contact them to donate your jars and support their cause.
  5. Urban Gardens and Eco Collectives. Huerto Roma Verde: Located in Colonia Roma, this community space promotes urban agriculture and sustainability. You can donate jars for use in plant propagation or ecological workshops. Huerto Tlatelolco: In the Tlatelolco area, this urban garden may also be interested in receiving glass jars for their activities.
  6. Online Groups and Communities. Facebook Marketplace and local groups: Post in groups like “Trueque CDMX” or “Reciclaje Creativo CDMX” offering your jars. Many people are looking for these containers for personal projects. Freecycle and Trash Nothing: Platforms where you can give away things you no longer need so others can repurpose them. Expat groups on Facebook and Whatsapp always love to gift and receive glass jars.

Reusing glass bottles isn’t just a sustainable choice—it’s a creative act that turns everyday waste into something beautiful and functional. As Millennials, many of us are embracing the luxury of slow living, thoughtful consumption, and a little DIY flair. Whether you’re growing new plant babies, scouting for unique jars at a weekend market, or giving your extras a second life through donation, every little effort adds up. Let’s keep reimagining what we already have—and keep the cycle of reuse alive and thriving.

My solo trip to Teotitlán del Valle, Oaxaca, México

Nicole  | 

I hadn’t traveled completely solo in years. I bought this flight to Oaxaca City during Buen Fin, Mexico’s version of Black Friday and used credit card points to book a cheap hotel.

In reality, I nearly forgot about this trip until an email reminder appeared and my gut sank, considering that I was going alone to a place I’d only been once before with a group. I knew that my plan was to go to a village outside of Oaxaca that was known for making textiles, but other than that, I had made no plans. And I didn’t plan to make plans.

I wrote on Reddit for some advice on getting to the village for textiles, and received many helpful responses, including one telling me to try to not miss a Sunday market in another nearby village.

On Sunday morning, I finished packing my bag and called an Uber to the airport. Easy, breezy through security, found my gate, and then headed to the airport lounge for a small breakfast (Thank you Chase Reserve Sapphire card!).

I love the Oaxaca airport. It’s so small that you walk out onto the tarmac and into the tiny airport. It’s so simple and cheap to hop on a collectivo there. There is a stand near the exit, you walk up, tell them where you are going, they check which “section” of the town it is in to determine your price, and ask if it’s okay to go in a shared collectivo (for me, of course). You also have the option to order a private car there.

On the bus ride, I reviewed this Sunday market I was told about and decided that I would try to make it for the end. It was around 1:30 and I could make it there by 3:00 and have time to wander and be back on a bus before dark back to Oaxaca.

I settled into my humble but perfectly cozy hotel room, sorted a few things and grabbed a bag to head out to find my way to the bus. I asked the hotel portero for help on where to go to get the bus.

I was staying in the south end of Centro, so I was told to go to the Terminal de Autobuses Oaxaca Rosa and find a bus/collectivo there.

I hurried over to catch one to Tlacolula de Matamoros for the big market. I did ask someone for help to make sure I ended up on the correct bus/collectivo. I caught a bus, that took about 45 min bus ride with many stops. This was around 20-25 pesos. I made it there around 2:30-3:00, enough time to walk through and enjoy the market. It was a lot of food and clothes. I didn’t buy anything, but did stop for barbacoa tacos de Tlacolula. Very delicious! On the way back, there is a bus terminal from Tlacolula to Oaxaca. They came every 15 minutes or so, and cost around 20 pesos.

On Tuesday, I went to Terminal de Autobuses Oaxaca Rosa to go to Teotitlán del Valle. Unfortunately I had a bit of a late start to the day. I asked a man for help to know which bus/collectivo was the right one, and he was going to Teotitlán del Valle too, so we waited and got on the collective together. This was 20 pesos. The collectivo can drop you off in the centro area of Teotitlán del Valle (versus the bus, stopping only on the highway with a 2 mile road to centro – taxis and tuktuks available to help). The man told me where to exit, one block from centro, and suggested a restaurant for me.

The town was very empty (it was a Tuesday after all). I went to the restaurant El Descanso and had a lovely black mole chicken dish. It was very nice, sweet and a bit spicy mole. They also let me charge my phone. The restaurant also has a store on the first and second floor, so I wandered a bit. I talked to the man who owns the store, also one of the weavers from a generational line. They had many large rugs on the second floor.

From there, I headed down the street toward Centro. Stopping at each tienda along the way on the right side of the street. In each tienda, I was greeted with a huge smile and an incredible amount of help, as they sorted through colors of purses/blankets/rugs for me to look at. The store owners were very kind and wanted to ask me many questions (luckily my Spanish is strong), so I chatted with each of them for an extended time.

One of the stores I visited, the man had a loom along with all of the natural elements that they use to dye the fabrics. He told me all about how they only use natural elements and had me hold out my hand to give me an example. He added some red powder (from a mineral, I believe), then a bit of water to dilute it down. Added some lemon, and the acid changed the color. Then he added some blue pigment (maybe from a flower?), and it turned into a gorgeous purple. The science of the color wheel on my hand 🙂

In the final store, I talked with a lovely couple for over an hour. We shared stories, and talked politics of the USA and how it will affect Mexico (in a tactful manner). We exchanged information to get together next time I visit. 🙂

In total, in approximately 3 hours, I made it a half a block and into just 5 tiendas (jaja!!). I enjoyed talking with the tienda owners as much as I enjoyed looking at the textiles. I ended up buying a bag, a purse, a pillow cover, 2 headbands and a blanket.

I will be returning soon to visit the remaining areas outside of the half block I now know. Hehe 🙂

To return to Oaxaca, I took a taxi back to the highway. The taxis in Teotitlán are shared, so we stopped and picked up two more people along the way. Be aware of this – I wasn’t expecting it, but also had no issue. The taxi was 10 pesos to return from Centro to the highway. Once at the highway, a man pointed me to the correct collectivo to catch back to Oaxaca.

I got off at a street a few blocks from my hotel while we stopped at a red light. I hopped out quickly as not to disturb the ride- checked my bags and realized I’d left my new bag + blanket I’d just bought in the bus. So I ran back and grabbed it. Thankfully I noticed immediately, so that would have been a sad ending to such a nice trip.

Thank you all for the advice (I hadn’t traveled solo in many years so I was a bit nervous). Of course, everything always works out – exactly as its supposed to, even when it’s only a half a block and really lovely conversations.