Hi! My name is Miwa Tamanaha, and I'm from Temple City, California—a little suburb just east of Los Angeles. I am now a senior at the University of Southern California, majoring in economics. (Fight on, Trojans!) Growing up in Southern California put the ocean pretty close to my heart. I love coming out of the McClure Tunnel at the end of the I-10 freeway and seeing the coastline suddenly appear. I welcome any time I can spend at the beach. I enjoy swimming and diving, and I have spent this past amazing summer learning to surf. Though I'll miss my family and friends, I'm incredibly excited about spending time in Baja, learning to love the ocean in a totally different way. If you're still wondering why an Economics major would want to go on an environmental field study, you're not alone—my parents are asking the same question! However, I believe economics has an important role to play in natural resource management. Economics is in many ways a science of making choices; good environmental choices will require economists who understand and appreciate the value of the natural world. I hope my experiences in Baja will bring me a little closer to being that kind of economist.