A Warm Light

During my master's degree, a friend and I had to gather tourist surveys for a study on the economic impact, visitor perceptions, and satisfaction of whale shark tourism, aiming to find a way to fund whale shark conservation and research. Admittedly, we were ambitious in our objectives for a two-year master’s program. We visited three sites in Mexico to implement surveys, and this was our final destination.

My friend told me he was tired, but I convinced him to go the extra mile to reach La Paz, one of the three most important places in Mexico for whale shark tourism. I will never regret this visit. We collected the surveys we needed, but most importantly, we got to know the place. La Paz is a favorite among visitors, and many choose to stay and live there if they can due to the tranquility and beauty of life there—I would too if given the chance. We recovered here from months of frustrations and stress about the logistical complications of our research. La Paz, which means "The Peace" in Spanish, restored us with its warm light.