Moon Belize

Born in Ethiopia and raised in Côte d'Ivoire, Lebawit “Lily” Girma became an expat at age one and has been traveling—across Africa, Europe, and the Americas—ever since. In 2008, Lily left behind a successful legal career in Washington DC and discovered her purpose in travel, writing, and photography. Her first visit to Belize took place in summer 2010, when she explored three districts in three weeks. In 2011, Lily worked as an in-house writer and photographer for the Belize Tourism Board, in partnership with the US-based Matador U Media School. She explored all of Belize's districts extensively, sharing her adventures through a collection of more than 100 online articles and photo essays. Lily later returned to Belize on her own, immersing herself in the culture even further. Her writing and photography on Belize have been published by CNN Travel, BBC Travel, The New York Times Magazine, International Living Magazine, Travel and Escape, and American Way Magazine, among others. Lily currently resides in Washington DC for half the year, spending the rest of the time in Belize. She is fluent in four languages— including Spanish and French—and holds a bachelor of arts from the University of Maryland and a Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law.