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Tourists swimming in the sea next to the Mayan Ruins of Tulum, Mexico on December 4, 2020. | Credit: Marc Guitard/Getty Images
It was a particularly cold October night when I decided I would relocate to Tulum. Like every other human in the world, my 2020 had not gone according to plan. I had intended to spend it traveling through Southeast Asia, working as a freelance journalist and photographer at the same time, but in March, I found myself back on a flight to New York with no idea how long I would be stuck stateside.
I knew some destinations had reopened, but I had heard Tulum was becoming a hot spot for digital nomads, promising decent Wi-Fi and phenomenal beaches. Pre-pandemic remote workers were accustomed to a lifestyle that meant changing countries every few months, but suddenly, all the doors were closed. When Mexico reopened, the digital noma