About San Francisco

2000/5/10

Dear Erin ：

I have been San Francisco for 3 months. Before I came here, I had never gone abroad. So I feel very novel and strange for everything. When I just been here, the weather was so bad. It almost rain everyday during a month. And I was busied about my residence. In the first month, I didn’t have many chances to visit this city, but I had learned how to read newspaper, and call the phone number to ask about the house to rent. Then I have to know the address of the house, and I go to see the house by bus. And I must read English and speak English. It isn’t easy to find a house or room in San Francisco. But I already started to learn English before my classes had been began at City College.

In the second month, I started to visit this city. I went to many famous places that I had ever seen from the tour magazines. And I discover people are friendly in San Francisco. When I walk on the streets, I usually see people smile to me. Sometimes I meet people talk to me, about weather, bus, or something else. The air in here is very clean and fresh. Houses are very beautiful. In my country, people are live in concrete houses. I was so surprise that many different race of people can live together in a city. I was also surprise people can live with birds so close. The old building are being preserved very well, and the museums are collection many kinds of things in it. There are many parks in San Francisco, and grow many plants in the parks. And many kinds of plants I have never seen them before. So I think San Francisco is a beautiful and natural city for people to live.

But I feel the tempo of life is very slowly in here. I can’t stand to wait for a long time. But in here I have to wait, waiting for bus, waiting for a seat in the restaurants on the weekend, waiting for pay in the supermarket, waiting for the washing machine in laundry, and waiting for the restroom. I don’t understand why I buy the fast food in McDonald’s, and I still waiting so long? Is that fest foods or slow-foods? However, here is American, and I try to get with it.

I was used to live in my country for a long time. It is really different way to live in San Francisco. I’m glad that I made a right decision to travel here. I can realize and experience what is the different of American life. This is a new experience for me.

Reply from my Writing-teacher Erin

Yvette, WOW!  This was an excellent journal entry.  Your writing keeps getting better and better.  It is interesting to hear that you had to do so many things in English before you even started taking classes.  Trying to survive and live in a foreign country is the very best way to learn the language.  It is not easy to find a place to live in San Francisco.  I am sure it seems almost impossible if you are not a native speaker.  Many students from Taiwan also comment on the fact the pace of life here is slow.  Life must move very fast in Taiwan! Erin Lofthouse

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