Dear San Francisco Fellow

Let me take the chance to congratulate you again, and say welcome to the wild west coast! You just spent a lovely two weeks in the capital, taking pictures outside the white house and putting your feet where Martin Luther King once stood before and grasp your breath in front of the Lincoln monument. You loved Washington, DC. I know it’s hard to leave your fellows and head to the west coast. You might think that you won’t miss them, but believe me you will!

I would love to share with some tips that you will need in the city. First, don’t panic. You are in a better place than you first arrived to DC. I mean you at least have internet in your phone, so chill! That’s how California works, chill my fellow.

 

  • First thing you need to do is to get your clipper card for Bart + Muni from the nearest Walgreen to you. No Safeway doesn’t sell it. Yes, you will feel the monthly bundle costing $91 is expensive but it gives you unlimited free access!
  • San Francisco is a very steep city. It will be hard for the first 2 weeks. After this you will be grateful for the strong legs you have. A small tip, remember to move your shoulder when you go down the hill. I got a stiff neck in my first week because I was walking too seriously –  loosen it up fellow!
  • Enjoy San Francisco public libraries, you can read newspapers with a view. They have a good collections of books. My y first book was about Mark Twain and the bohemian poets in SF, and let me quote his words, “San Francisco is Paradise to me”. It is.
  • San Francisco is also one of the most expensive cities in the world, I really recommend to put up a budget for your tight stipend at the beginning of every month.
  • SFers taking their fitness and lifestyle seriously. Work out the  best way to exercise for you, I almost broke my ribs in the gym!
  • Food is yummy in SF, but ask about portions first, because sometimes it’s too much. And you don’t want to eat that Chinese food leftovers everyday for a week.
  • Don’t get afraid of homeless people. I know it’s very confusing that the city is so rich and you can find people sleeping in the streets. It’s complicated! (I will blog about it later).
  • Buy a reusable market bag, so you don’t buy bags every time in the supermarket. Be respectful to the city. SFers take a lot of effort to recycle everything. We hate plastic here.

In the end, Have fun! You are in an extremely beautiful city in California, it’s not a movie, it’s real. You won’t know what you really need, the city will tell you!

All the love

A fellow.

 

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