San Fran Friday

I've fallen in love. Everything that I would want in a place to live is found in San Francisco, aside friends, family, and the Duomo... It's a smaller, cleaner, beachier New York.

I've explored Alcatraz, meeting Al Capone's grand niece. I've discovered the tunnel tank of the aquarium and tasted clam chowder and a cub of crab meat walking through the square listening to street music. I relaxed with a chrysanthemum bath and tea. What a beautiful Friday.

Today was another surreal day. I spent the morning exploring the California Academy of Science's rainforest, aquarium, and exhibits. After I checked out the de Young museum. Since the day was so overbearingly stressful (who says you can't understand sarcasm through written word$ I related in the Japanese Tea Garden with Miso soup and a dense Japanese pastry of sorts. I went on to thrift shopping on Haight-Ashbury, visited the painted ladies (homes featured in Full House), discovered the Palace of Legion of Honor and saw the Golden Gate Bridge.

I enjoyed my last sunset of the season with some sourdough and walked back to the hotel unbelieving that tomorrow I leave for home.

This trip has taught me a lot. Although I didn't have as many trips within the trip as I did in Italy, I really enjoyed the travel I've done here. I've met a lot of fun people, some I know I will turn into life long friends.

Way back in February, I had to decide where I would spend my last semester. I decided early to stay in California for my last semester, and I realize now that was definitely the best decision for me. Although I won't be playing field hockey, which I have a love/hate relationship with, I already played a decade and was one of the players of the game at our last game. We were also farther into the conference than we ever have been. We are getting a new coach in the fall, and it is only two months. Plus, I wasn't particularly happy with last season.

Although I have some friends at Ramapo, all of my best friends have graduated, transferred, or will be studying abroad. There's nothing holding me there and so much drawing me here.

I'll be excited to see my friends here again in the fall, meet the new study abroad kids, lay out on the beach in September and October, bike the California Coastal Trail, kayak, hike, and have my biggest responsibility be keeping myself healthy and going to three major classes. I'm really looking forward to it.

This summer I'll be interning in New York, interning online at a few places, doing some freelance work, taking an online class, and catching up with my Jersey friends. I love having so much to look forward to.

I've been sinking into this king size bed and feel my eyes closing, so I better cut short. I love that this bed is so big I could sleep in any direction. I definitely appreciate it even more after sleeping on a crappy dorm bed for four months.

Tomorrow I'll be going to a farmers market, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and wandering, and I can't wait.