Hey friends and world travelers

So happy to have you here for this week’s blog post! Today I’m doing something a little different. Yes, there will still be inspiration about La Paz, but this time I’m also going to share a bit more about… me. For some people, talking about themselves is the easiest thing in the world. For me? Not so much. So this post might be a bit more of a challenge, but hopefully also a fun one. Let’s see where it takes us!

As I’ve mentioned many times before, I get a lot of inspiration for these blog posts, and the podcast, from the conversations and situations that happen around me. From the café, the streets, and the travelers I meet every day. Their questions, concerns, and feedback often inspire the topics I write about, and help me guide other travelers on their own adventures. And the other day, one of those classic questions came up again. Probably the one I’ve been asked the most at Café del Mundo:

“How did you end up here?”

So today, I’ll tell you the story. The short version here in the blog, and if you're curious for more, you can listen to the longer one in the podcast. Even though I’ve told this story countless times in person, this is actually the first time I’m putting it down in writing. So… deep breath…
Let’s go!

A Bit About Me

Well, first of all, who am I? The one sitting here writing these weekly blog posts about traveling to La Paz and Bolivia? I’m Elin, born and raised in a small village in Sweden, but with a huge curiosity for the world, long before I even started to travel. After finishing school, I hit the road right away, and before my 30th birthday, I had visited over 100 countries. On one of those trips, while working as a tour guide,

I ended up in La Paz, Bolivia. I met a guy (who’s now my husband), but at that moment I had simply decided to stay a bit to study Spanish… and, of course, for a new adventure. Those first three months in La Paz were only supposed to be temporary.

But when they came to an end, I decided to stay a little longer. And, well, today I’m still here. In 2011, I opened Café del Mundo, my dream project. A place where travelers could eat, meet, and get inspired by the world.

That’s still our goal today: to make everyone who walks through the door a little more curious about the world. Later came Travel del Mundo, where we help turn travel dreams into real, doable adventures.

It’s also the space where you can ask any travel questions and get the help you need. Having worked in tourism since I was 23, I honestly love this part of helping others discover the world. So that was a little intro about me, now, back to the question:

How Did I Actually End Up in La Paz?

We’re all so very different, no secret about that. Some people love to travel, but maybe love coming home even more. Some don’t travel at all and are happiest staying where they know everything by heart. And then there are others, like me, who absolutely loved (and still love) to travel. Every time I came back to Sweden, I felt like I had to leave again. There was always something calling me out into the world.
With every trip, it became harder to return and fit back into a “normal,” well-structured life. Sweden is incredible in so many ways, things are organized, everything works perfectly, it’s safe, and life runs smoothly. For a lot of people, that’s a dream. For me?

Honestly, it felt a bit… boring. I’d come home, unpack my bag, and almost immediately start planning my next adventure, if I didn’t already have it booked. I’m sure some of you reading this know exactly what I mean.

So, after coming back to Sweden from nearly a year of working in South America, I made a new plan: go back and stay in La Paz for a while. Yes, I had met my future husband there, but honestly, it just felt like a good starting point for something new. I wanted to study Spanish, stay in one place for a few months, and really get to know it.

After years of fast, round the world travel, it was time to slow down and settle, at least for a bit.

So that’s exactly what I did. I rented an apartment, enrolled in a Spanish school, and started this new little chapter.

And what did I think about La Paz? Well… it wasn’t love at first sight.

La Paz isn’t the easiest place to understand. And if you don’t speak Spanish, it gets even trickier. But even if I didn’t totally get it at first (like I talked about in this blog post a few weeks ago), I still enjoyed the chaos, the spontaneity, the daily surprises. And maybe what made it all easier was knowing that I was only staying for a few months.

So when things got intense or culture shocks hit too hard, I just thought: “Well, that’s interesting!” If someone had told me back then that I’d end up living here long term? I probably wouldn’t have thought it was cool,I think I would’ve panicked a little.

From Always Traveling to Calling One Place Home

After traveling for almost 10 years, when I finally did settle down in La Paz, even if it wasn’t planned that way,I think I realized the importance of freedom.

The freedom to create a life where you decide over your time. And that’s, in general, what traveling gives you. Once you’ve felt that freedom, it’s hard to let it go, even when you go back to your “normal” life. And let’s be honest, La Paz wasn’t always easy for me. It still isn’t. But I soon realized what an amazing place it is for spontaneity, for living life for real, and for feeling more free.

And before I fell in love with La Paz itself, it was that feeling I fell in love with, the feeling that I could create something here. When I started making my café dreams come true with Café del Mundo, I also realized that it’s not just about daily freedom. It’s also about creativity and the way people in this city create. A new idea or project isn’t met with the same skepticism as it often is in the Western world.

Here, creativity is part of how you survive. You have to create to live, and I think that’s amazing.So those two things were what really made me appreciate this incredible place: the freedom and the creativity.

Will I Stay Forever?

A lot of people ask me if I’ll live in La Paz forever. I always find that a weird question (sorry to all of you who’ve asked, but to be fair, there are many of you). I don’t think I’ve ever asked a friend who just moved somewhere if she’ll stay there forever… but maybe it’s different when you live in another country.The short answer is: I don’t know. It depends on so many things,safety, stability, opportunities, family. But for now, yes.

Of course, with every year I spend in South America, I feel more Latina than Swedish. But I always try to take the best from both cultures. In Sweden, I feel pretty Bolivian, my friends go a bit nuts with my relaxed vibe, last-minute planning, and tendency to be late.

But when I’m here in Bolivia, my Swedish side comes out stronger. I become sharper about how things should be: fair, organized, equal. So I guess, in the end, it’s about taking the best from two completely different worlds and somehow making them fit into one life, here in Bolivia, or somewhere else… only the future knows.

Slowly Falling in Love

And again, La Paz wasn’t a place I fell in love with the day I arrived. It took time. But today, after so many years, I understand this place on a much deeper level. The things that used to drive me crazy in the beginning don’t affect me as much anymore. I can understand a lot more of the issues, maybe not accept them all, but at least see where they come from. And also, what’s very important to mention is that a lot of the things I thought I was doing the correct way… maybe weren’t actually the best way. Living here has made me question a lot, rethink things, and realize that there isn’t just one right way to do things.
So honestly, I ended up in La Paz kind of by coincidence, but the feeling of freedom and the chances to create made me stay. Where I will live in the future, who knows, does anyone know? The important thing is to focus on now, and where you are feeling good right now. And for me, right now, it’s La Paz, Bolivia!

Before You Go

Well, that was just some afternoon thoughts from me, and I’m sure more things will pop up right after this blog is out, but I’ll come back to it another day. Living in La Paz as a foreigner?

Some people love it, some not so much. Traveling here?

Same, just like any place in the world. But when you do arrive, make sure to stop by Café del Mundo. Ask us questions, find out what to do and how to explore. We’re here so you can fall in love with La Paz from the moment you arrive and embrace all its magic, discovering the best, the coolest, and the things you’ll never forget.

Hope to see you soon! And if not, write to us at Travel del Mundo — we’re ready to help!

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