Old Town - History of San Diego

Today, after exploring my surroundings while running, Eddie gave me a lift and dropped me out at the Westerfield UTC Mall, a huge shopping mall with dozens of cute and more upper-class stores. Around there were several snack bars, restaurants, fast food shops like subway or little coffee-shops. So whenever you are bored, go to a shopping mall and you are excited again just with window-shopping or hanging around and feel the easygoing life of California...

In the afternoon, I was going to meet Sarah, a student from the HWZ as well, and therefore took the bus to Old Town where we discussed what we are going to do this afternoon and the whole weekend. We decided to go visiting the famous and little part "Old Town" of San Diego. It is considered to be the "birthplace" of California and San Diego was the site of the first permanent Spanish settlement in California. In 1968, the State of California Department established Old Town State Historic Park to preserve the rich heritage that characterized San Diego during the 1821 to 1872 period. The park includes a main plaza, exhibits, museums and living history demonstrations.
(http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1096570/old_town_san_diego/)

Especially, the awesome Candy Shop was worth seeing it, thousands of different goodies and sweets! :)

And the facility of the dentist back hunderd of years was quite impressive and scary,
honestly, I'm glad i can live in this century and do have more convenient treatment... ;)

Since this week is a lot of administrational stuff to do and my studies do not begin before next Monday, we seize the opportunity of a long weekend and some free time for a short trip. For tomorrow and the day after tomorrow we have rented a car and will drive in the nearer area from San Diego to get used to the American traffic and freeways! ;) Our first stop is probably Carlsbad, then Palm Springs and further to a National Park called Joshua Tree which is famous for the equal named Joshua Tree... You will hear more soon...

First Day in San Diego

After a long journey of more than 24 hours, I arrived safely in San Diego. My roommates , Eddie and Brian, picked me up at the airport and did welcome me in California. Since Andrea, the third roommate haven't moved out yet, the couch will be my bed for the next few days and I'll live from the suitcase, like my brother Chris did once in Minneapolis. :) Eddie and Brian are really nice guys and made it easier for me to feel comfortable and convenient in this big city far away from home. Eddie works at medical center and takes some postgraduate courses at the same University as me. He's got a young sheperd which is very playful and friendly, and loses a lot of hairs! :( Brian is an information scientist and just passed his studies and started working.

Today, after more then 12 hours sleep, I got up and took a shower. Then, Eddie gave me a drive to buy some stuff like food and bed linens. The afternoon, I spent with hanging on the beach, feeling the sand under my feet, smelling the sea and watching a lot of people enjoying the beautiful and warm weather. Indeed, it was really hot, i definitely did need the suncreme (thanks to A-Team! :)).

Tomorrow, my studies will begin at the University, therefore I have to pack my stuff to be ready for it...

Arriving soon in San Diego

Just one week left and I'll be on the way to San Diego, California. After hardly await to getting to the "America's Finest City" San Diego, the days now are flying by so quickly and it's time to start packing my suitcase. However, I still get around doing it since I do not exactly know where I should begin. ;)

The next 6 months, I'm going to take an exchange program at the University of California in San Diego and hope to make beneath my studies a wide experience of American living, their thinking, behaviour, attitude, culture, sports (especially surfing :)) and much more...

On this blog, I'd like to inform you about my experience and impressions of San Diego as well as my planned travels in California such as Los Angeles, San Franscisco, Santa Barbara and the surrounding area Las Vegas or Tijuana in Mexico.

I'm keen to know what's going on in your lifes too and looking forward to emails or conversations on msn or skype when I'm overseas.