My mini-Erasmus stay in San Francisco, USA. Experience by Miguel V

What is it like to live in San Francisco? Would you recommend it? What is it like?

I think it is a beautiful city to visit and live in for a while. But if you want to settle down there, you have to consider many different options. In my case for example, I went to learn English and I found out that California is the state with the highest number of Spanish speakers in the US haha! Although I definitely did learn English there (the American version, well it's still English at the end of the day! )

Maybe if I had enough purchasing power, it would be great to live here. Because, let's face it, I give the 'prices' in this city two stars because it is a bloody expensive city. I guess because it is such a touristic city, they make the most of all the visitors. Forget the famous scene in many Hollywood films where you see the typical protagonist running towards the tram up one of the steep streets of San Francisco and getting on it and grabbing and declaring his love for the woman he loves and he almost misses it haha. To get on one of these trams you have to queue for almost an hour... and when the time comes that you do finally get on one, it costs an arm and a leg for a journey of about fifteen minutes. And forget about hanging from a bar on it and taking a photo. If the conductor catches you doing it (and he will), you will get kicked off it. This is just one of the examples of the problems here.

Although no one can take the romance out of the city. If there is something that I loved about San Francisco, it was the "atmosphere" that you felt in most of its neighbourhoods. I remember it as one of the cities that I love most out of all of the places that I have visited (probably my favourite actually... ) because of the amount of different cultures in just one place. Some say that San Francisco is like a miniature New York. I have not been to New York (I would like to), but I can imagine which way the wind is blowing. And what a delight San Francisco Bay is to visit. But I will talk about that on the blog, I will focus a little more on the questions haha.

Would I recommend it? If you're going there to learn English or if you want to go on holiday there, I would 100% recommend it.

You definitely have to be careful with what you're spending, but it isn't really more expensive than other European Erasmus destinations such as Norway, France, Holland... it is pretty much the same. It is the city that I remember the most for its architecture and its beautiful views. Don't forget that the very famous Golden Gate bridge is there. And the most famous prison ever, Alcatraz. Its only downside is the weather. Just one drawback. I went at the end of August and I could happily walk around with short sleeves on but if it suddenly got cloudy and the sun was blocked with the sea breeze, it got weirdly cold very quickly! From wearing short sleeves to having to wear your coat in 10 seconds... true story. It is foggy a lot there, I remember riding a bike across the Golden Gate bridge and not being able to see two metres in front of me. An invigorating experience.

Also prepare yourself physically if you're going to spend some time in San Francisco. Unless you're downright lazy and you stay on the sofa with your blanket (if you're only going for a few weeks you can't do that), you'll be walking in some conditions that will definitely test your endurance. You will definitely be walking up and down the steep hills that you see in American films. They are exactly as you see them in the films. Just spending an hour walking through the neighbourhoods you are going to have to go up and down the steep hills, and you will definitely feel it on your legs unless you're really fit. So get running up and down some stairs to prepare hahaha.

So I've told you a little about what it is like but I'll talk more in depth about it in the blog. But to summarize: it is a gem, a fantastic city full of different cultures and people. Highly recommended!

What is the student life like there?

In my case, I was in the English school there which had a great student atmosphere. The school is located in one of the main streets in the city, Market Street. If I had to describe the student atmosphere I would say that it was very varied haha. In my friendship group, there were some girls from Japan, Spain, France... and at the end it was only me and a Japanese girl left. But at the school, the atmosphere was great, there were lots of events and unofficial trips organised where my teacher was the guide. So that part of it was great. As for the university student life I can't say much, but we went to a party in the science museum once and met some students that were very confident and would happily talk to us strangers. That's another thing that makes San Francisco great, the overwhelming amount of people that are willing to help you immediately and are very friendly. So much so that when they approach you smiling to see if you need help because you're looking at a map, the first thing you think is whether they have some sort of hidden agenda (it's a shame that we think that because in Spain a stranger would rarely help you... ). But even the bus drivers are very friendly (try and find a bus driver in Spain that will tell you to have a nice day... never). You will realise that when you're walking down the street smiling, the happiness spreads very quickly.

How much does it cost to live in San Francisco?

Ohhh.. If you look online, you will see that practically nobody lives in actual San Francisco. Even people that earn quite a lot of money live in the suburbs. If you want to live in the centre you have to be extremely rich, otherwise, forget about it. In my case, I spent three weeks living with a host family who lived in a medium-sized neighbourhood where I had to take a bus every day that took about forty minutes to get to Market Street. My teacher told me that the rent in that neighbourhood costs around $ 2, 000 a month (he lived in a shack in a hippie neighbourhood which was amazing). Which is euros is around €1470. So it is normal to live in remote areas and use the public transport (although they are also expensive, they are not as bad as the rent).

As for food, the prices are not so bad. Pretty much the same as in the expensive European cities, as I mentioned above. Junk food is often cheaper (there is McDonalds for the poor, it is common to see many homeless people in fast food restaurants). Clothing and technology devices are almost the same as European prices. Some tourist activities such as Alcatraz is expensive, but other things that are just as enjoyable are not as bad, like taking the Ferry, renting bikes for a day or renting a car between five people to go on a road trip.

By the way, going to watch baseball games is also very cheap compared to football in Spain for example... I have written the prices on my blog.

Did you struggle finding accommodation in San Francisco? Can you give us some advice?

Well I had booked the course and my accommodation with the same company, initially my choice to come to San Francisco was my second option so I didn't have much time to find anything, but yes it did cost me a fortune haha. I think I spent $1200 on the course and three weeks rent with a family including breakfast (who I got to know when I got there as well as the area where I was living).

My advice is to spend quite a bit of time looking and compare all the different options. But definitely don't go round San Francisco yourself looking as that is a waste of time. I personally preferred using the security of an agency because I was going out there alone and it was outside of Europe, but this is a more expensive option.

What is the food like there? What were some of your favourite meals?

My breakfast was included with my accommodation but I also tried some restaurants and some spectacular burgers, of course.

Street food is also very common there, you can find food stalls in the streets all the time and for very low prices compared to any of the local shops. It is quite normal for people to eat "quickly and badly" most of the time, that is another topic that is the same as you what you see in the movies. I found some places where I met some very interesting people... but I will publish a blog and call it "places" and tell you more about them.

But the typical food includes a crab dish which you can get on the pier (like a miniature amusement park haha), some dishes in Chinatown and the famous "seafood soup" on sour-dough, which is also typical in the spring. The rest... you know what the American gastronomy is like...

What places would you recommend to go and visit in San Francisco?

Everything. But let's talk about the main attractions first. You can't miss out on any of these.

• First, of course the Golden Gate Bridge ... strolling along the most famous bridge in the world is an experience, if you're lucky and get a sunny day (I had one day) you can walk over it and it's amazing. I actually walked across it, ran and biked across all three kilometres of it ​but you will see that it is worth it. You can see all of San Francisco from standing on it and if you reach the other side, you come to a little town called Sausalito which I have a video of that I will show you because it is amazing.
• From the bridge, you can see the second must see here which is Alcatraz prison, located on a small island that you get to by ferry from the dock of the bay. Essential visit (although pricey).
• As well as this, the most famous street in the city which you see on the postcards is Lombard Street, the famous winding street which is very steep which you can walk down if you watch out for the cars haha.
• For nature lovers, Golden Gate Park is also worth going to visit. Bigger than Central Park in New York, it's fantastic. I walked around the whole park but it does take a while, although you'll find all sorts of characters out there. And some animals...
• For culture and art fans, it is essential to visit the MOMA (Museum of Modern Art). We also got a guide from our teacher of the very pretty exhibitions by underground artists which are shown in different buildings that are free to enter. All of it is amazing.
• You also have to climb the two hills, the Twin Peaks, so that you can see the whole of San Francisco, but try to go a sunny day because you do not want to fight the wind even if your life depended on it haha.

On the other hand, I recommend that you just simply wander around the city. It's amazing how you can be suddenly stumble across the Presidio Park (also recommended), Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39 (lots of atmosphere there)... Yerba Buena Gardens, wander through the Castro (the heart of gay culture) or Mission Dolores, the most Latin neighbourhood which is full of urban art... and the contrast with the financial neighbourhood where you'll see a lot of purchasing power (you only have to take a look at the amazing cars whizzing around there) and the famous Coit Tower.

It is a relatively small for the huge number of cultures that you will find there. The cultural mix is ​​brilliant and I loved being able to experience such different environments simply by cycling through the streets. The contrast of Union Square (the busiest square in the city) compared to the tranquillity of Alamo Square... is incredible. I will review these places in more detail later.

Ah! And I almost forgot, the guides often forget to mention it but you can not miss a real baseball game at the Giants Stadium. There are super cheap tickets (yes you are in the yellow square and you have to stand haha) but to experience the atmosphere and to eat one of the giant Hot Dogs is definitely worth it.

And where are some of your favourite places to eat in San Francisco?

The truth is that as for food... there is no "typical native food" but in the different neighbourhoods, each has its own dish. My favourite place was a restaurant near the Pier 39 where the interior was decorated like a rainforest, with a spectacular glass column tank in the centre that was filled with spectacular goldfish. It was like a giant aquarium lighting up the whole restaurant. It had several floors and there was lots of plants and animated animals. It was more of a tourist attraction than a restaurant but the food wasn't bad, although ridiculously expensive.

I also went to eat at Mission Dolores and Chinatown which were the most affordable places, although it was clear typical food of each neighbourhood. If you have a bit more money, you can choose from any of the restaurants in Union Square, there are all kinds of cuisines such as Eastern, American, Spanish, Italian... whatever you're looking for you will find there. But if you are on a budget I would say it is best going to Chinatown, Mission Dolores or Little Italy.

By the way, when you're paying, don't forget that the culture is different in the US than Spain. Many of the people who work in hospitality rely on tips, so unless there is a service charge on the bill, you must leave a minimum of ten percent tip.

What places do you recommend to go out in San Francisco?

During the three weeks that I was there, I went out a few times (afternoon-evening, we tried different places in Union Square and other places, but places that were within our budget haha) but you don't have much time to see everything so most mornings we were very busy (the nights were too cold).

One of the nights I found myself in a local, authentic place. It was a "pub" on Mission Street called... (I had to ask my friends who went to SF on our Facebook group) "Royal Cuckoo". Here is the website. It isn't that cheap but it is good to go there for a drink occasionally. We went once. It was great, but we made the cocktail last for as long as we could until we got kicked out haha. It is very expensive but the truth is that the atmosphere is very intriguing, there is live music (if not they put on old music on the vinyl haha) and it is decorated in a beautiful ochre colour. I guess now it is more of a place where 'indies' hang out but when I went it wasn't bad. We went to one close to Union Square... a few streets behind Market Street, I remember one had a massive queue so we couldn't get in. Also remember that the minimum age is 21 in all of them... Beware because they do ask for ID (at least in the one I went to).

Any advice you want to give to prospective students coming to San Francisco?

Not to be lazy and make the most of the time you are there. I always say the same, try to live the new culture, and meet new people and take in the atmosphere of the city, do not stick with Spanish friends because you won't benefit from the full experience. Discover the whole city, and get lost in its streets. Discover all kinds of places and in the end, it is the people that make the travel experience great and something to remember. Beware the issue of visas and medical insurance. I also recommend that you find someone you trust there who knows the culture and places to visit and not to visit. Go on as many guides as possible so you fully know the city.

If you have a chance, don't miss out on going on a road trip with some friends or colleagues (I did with some girls and a boy from my class that I barely knew before renting out the car and it was a great trip! ). We went to the famous Yosemite Park (recently in the news because of fires, a shame because you'll see the photos and videos that I took there... it's crazy how stunning it is, which is on the border of Nevada). Well that's it. Enjoy your unforgettable experience! Powodzenia!