It might look like an ordinary small convenience store in the Financial District. But you can have great Kimbap (Korean style maki) and Kimchi burrito here. In small Kitchen John’s mother and some Mexican women cook 10 kinds of Korean food. When I heard of John’s Snack and Deli through Korean-San Francisco community, I was pleased I could get Korean food in San Francisco but I didn’t expect that I would see Americans waiting for food in line there. When I got there, I was surprised to see American – they didn’t look like Korean at least- filled with the small store during lunchtime.

After coming back home I googled and I found many Americans loved those foods, especially Kimbap and Kimchi burrito. You can try Beef kimbap, Spam kimbap, Vegetable kimbap, Tuna kimbap and Kimchi kimbap ($3,25-$3.75). They are rolled with carrots, pickled daikon, cucumber, rice and sesame oil and your choice (beef, spam, vegetable, tuna and Kimchi). When you get there, you could see John’s mother is always rolling Kimbap so you could get fresh Kimbap. I also found people loved the Kimchi burrito($5.95). The Kimchi burrito is stuffed with beef, chicken or pork, kimchi, rice, lettuce, salsa, onions and cilantro. Some people say that this burrito is better than any other burrito in this city and people love it calling getting it “Ultra spicy suicide kimchi burrito challenge” on www.yelp.com. As Korean, for me, it was not that spicy but I guess it’d be ultra spicy for American. Why don’t you try “Ultra spicy suicide kimchi burrito challenge” yourself?

Visit John’s Snack and Deli,
40 Battery Street, San Francisco, CA 94111.

On December 5th, 2010 my plane landed in San Francisco. My booking involved four weeks studying in Converse International School of Languages and eight weeks Volunteer English program. Also, I am living for those three months in a home stay.

I spent Christmas and New Year’s Eve in San Francisco. I didn’t wait for white Christmas and not for summer. Here I expected mild temperatures between 35 ° and 55 ° Fahrenheit (ca. 0 ° to 15 ° Celsius) perfect for shopping and sightseeing. I also met up with my classmates and fellow students to take, for example, dinner in restaurants. To fill out the program, CISL offers variety of offerings.

I spent Christmas with my family. This was a priceless experience for me to celebrate Christmas outside of my family in another culture. I could find out differences and similarities between American and my German culture. My wonderful host family is of Filipino origin. They have four grown children and eight grandchildren aged two to eighteen years. The whole family comes together to Christmas, on 12/25. There I could share with all family members everything possible and I could enjoy Christmas in a different family.

New Years Eve I spent with my classmates, my fellow students and my new friends. You meet up with them at one of your host family, residence, apartment or in public restaurants, bars and clubs. At 11 pm you should go to the “Embarcadero” because at 00:00 clock there starts big fireworks. Perhaps I’ve never even seen so many people in one place and certainly I’ve never seen so many different cultures in one place.
Then the party was into the early morning hours.

San Diego’s Little Italy

When you are staying in Vantaggio in San Diego, you will live in Little Italy. This is a little village in the centre of San Diego with a lot of restaurants, cafés and bars. People here will speak to you in Italian and they are very friendly and hospitable. Well and if you do stay in Little Italy, at least visit Pappalecco, Vincenco and Yoghurtland. Pappalecco is a really nice coffee café where you can not only drink a delicious coffee, but where you can also enjoy typical Italian food. Breakfast, lunch or even diner! Vincenco is meant for de real connoisseur.  Do you like it to have diner and to eat good Italian food? Then you really have to visit Vincenco. Especially cheesecake in lemon sauce is excellent… My last recommendation is Yoghurtland, the true paradise for ice lovers. In Yoghurtland you can tap your own ice and you can pick your own toppings. Fresh fruit, m&m’s, chocolate, cookies, nuts… just name it, they will have it!

Universal Studios

This park, based in Los Angeles, has not only got many spectacular 3d attractions but also offers the well known studios of many popular Hollywood movies. You can drive through the studios by train, so you will have a good sight on where it all happens. You can see many recording places of famous movies. Besides the tour in the studios you will also be entertained with some small, spectacular attractions. Visiting the Universal Studios is absolutely worthwhile money.

Walk of fame

Well, and if you are visiting LA, then you should also visit the Walk of Fame. The Walk of Fame is made up of more than 2000 colorful tiles with on the tiles names of celebrities. Near the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre you can also find many concrete tiles in which celebrities pulled their hand- and footprints in the wet cement. I must be honest, the Walk of Fame was nice to see, but it wasn’t what I had expected of it. In Holland we would have said: I am an experience richer, and a illusion poorer.

Hollywood Boulevard

Many people and very much P.I.M.P. Yes, now I actually know what p.i.m.p. is… on the Hollywood Boulevard you can see many fancy cars and well dressed ladies and gentlemen on the streets. The nightlife of this boulevard was really impressive! Don’t go here alone in the evening, I didn’t felt really safe there. But you must visit this boulevard for sure, and of course have a look at the Hollywood sign. Tip-off: Pick a crystal clear night to look at the Hollywood sign J

Venice Beach & Santa Monica

Venice Beach is an awesome place to shop!

Both beautiful beaches! Really worthwhile visiting! I liked Venice Beach because of all the little market stalls with colorful jewelers and cloths. And besides this, Venice Beach also offers a lot of sports and recreation activities. Par example you can skate at the skate park, you can play soccer, basketball, fitness, squash and many more! Really nice to have a look at all the different  sports played with people from different cultures. In contrast with Venice Beach, Santa Monica is more touristic. On the boulevard they have a rollercoaster and many restaurants and shops. Tip-off: Have a look at Santa Monica Boulevard with a sunset, really beautiful!

Ocean’s Beach

Ocean’s Beach is a little, but beautiful beach. Not really impressive if you ask me, but well, I can wrap that off my bucket list! I wouldn’t really recommend going there.

Pacific Beach

This really is ‘the place to be’ if you like surfing and enjoying the beach. Pacific Beach is a large beach with a very cozy boulevard, and there are many nice restaurants and cafés to go in the weekend. And of course you can relax and enjoy the burning sun!

Coronado Beach

This beach is definitely my number 1. It’s a kind of feeling that I have when I am at this beach. Fine structured sand, a beautiful view on the ocean, a nice boulevard, great surf shops, it’s really worthwhile visiting! A great beach!

Old Town

In Old Town you will find the preserved historic State Park. This park memorizes the beginning of the city San Diego and has got many historic buildings dated from 1820 till 1870, still in the original condition. Besides visiting the museum at Old Town, you can also find many colorful restaurants, market places and shops there, which are great to see!

Seaport Village

If you walk a little further in the San Diego Bay, you will find Seaport Village. In this little harbor village you will find a lot of artists, drawers and even parrots and birds! You will also find many nice shops, under which ‘the Tile shop’ was one of my favorites. Besides all these lovely shops you can also go to some good restaurants and have a look at the see while you are enjoying a drink. Furthermore there are some fields where you can go to read a good book. Beautiful to watch the sunset in Seaport Village!

Kate Sessions Park

Bougainvillea

If you want to, you can go to Kate Sessions Park for a nice barbecue with your friends. This is a big park with a beautiful sight on the Pacific Ocean, really great! Take some nice drinks and food with you, and just enjoy…

Fashion Valley

The real fashion fans can enjoy it to their hearts. Fashion Valley is a true paradise for woman! Many shops where you can shop till you drop… To see all stores in Fashion Valley, you will need at least 3 days. Not really my kind of thing, but if you will go there I have a tip-off for you: go to Fashion Valley at a chilly day!

And of course all these things are not the last I have seen in California. The upcoming 2 weeks there is enough time left to visit some other places. This weekend we will do a little road trip to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon with some friends. Besides that, I would like it to surf at the Pacific Ocean and to visit La Jolla Beach and Mission Beach. And of course we have to eat a dessert at Extraordinary in the Union Street. They told us that they have the best desserts in whole San Diego. Well, I can guarantee you 1 thing for sure when you will visit California: you will never be bored! You can enjoy many beaches en beautiful cities. If you ask me what I liked the most during my 4 weeks stay in San Diego? In secret Old Town and Seaport Village stole my heart… J

Both Hillary and Condoleeza appeared at different days as part of the Commonwealth club event. Jean-Pierre Guittard made an announcement at the school during graduation letting all students know that CISL SF had bought free tickets for Hillary’s speech and for Condoleeza’s speech (enough for an entire class of about 8 people). Jean-Pierre wanted our students experience what it was like to attend speeches from very important people such as Hillary and Condoleeza and learn more about American politics and culture.

CISL SF student comments…

On October 18th, I attended the promotion event of Condoleeza Rice’s autobiography at the Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco. She talked about her background which was written in her book. Though I didn’t know much about her before this event, I could know a little about her. She spoke about her family, her college life and her major at the university.

I’ve never attended this kind of event. My biggest surprise was the behavior of 5 protesters. In this event, they stood suddenly and shouted to her about every ten minutes. They were escorted out of the event by hotel security, but after the event they still stood outside of the hotel and repeated appeals. I recognized free speech in America by their behavior. This day was my first day at Converse. It was shocking and a good opportunity to observe a part of American culture. (By Jin Yoshikawa, Japan)

View Condolezza Rice slide show.

I’m so glade to have this opportunity to attend Ms Clinton speech at San Francisco’s Marriott hotel that Converse offered to me. In fact it’s the first time I attended a speech in USA I guess I’m lucky. Ms Clinton is popular and people like her , we were clapping for her a lot and she’s also so friendly she took photos with people. One week later the school also offered another opportunity to attend a Condoleezza rice speech. Both speeches were interesting I learned a lot about U.S. policy and the future of the USA . I have attended speeches a couple of times back home in Saudi Arabia but it was a different experience to be in the USA . Finally, I’d like to thank my school because they always offer a great opportunities for students! (Ahmed Alsomali, Saudi Arabia)

View video of Hillary Rodham Clinton’s San Francisco speech.

By CISL SD student, Linda Sintniklaas (Netherlands)

“This morning I woke up with such a good feeling! I felt really happy! Maybe you are wondering why I felt so happy this morning? It was because of my experiences as a travelling student in San Diego. During my stay here I came to know about all the beautiful places and all the beautiful people who live in this world. Sometimes there are those moments you think: where has the trust in people gone? And is politeness and hospitality still common? “

Last weekend for me those questions were answered. Friday afternoon I came home after a busy week of working and following English lessons. I was exhausted. After having checked my email and also checked my Facebook account, suddenly my cooking buddy walked into the study area. He asked me if me and my study friend would like to go to a barbecue somewhere in a park. He would give us a ride and he would leave within 30 minutes. Well fine, I thought, let’s go for it! Once in the car we first drove to a supermarket to buy some food and vegetables for the barbecue. Then we went further on to Kate Sessions Park, where the security guy from Vantaggio already heated up the barbecue for all students. The location? On top of a mountain with a beautiful view on the Pacific Ocean, really great! Wonderful to be here! After preparing the food, the barbecue started. It was a lovely evening and we met a lot new people from many different countries.

Well, and that’s how it supposed to go: “come to know people”. It happens at moments you actually don’t expect it, or you actually planned something else. It happens at those moments you need something, but you actually don’t really know what. It happens at the moments when you just have to go somewhere. Do not plan too much when you are travelling; people around you are already organizing a lot of things! And you’re in, for sure!

During the barbecue I met Alexandra, a girl of French that now lives in America because of her boyfriend. She’d invited us for the next day to come to Pacific Beach. So we did, and we had a great day and we shared a lot of laughter. We are now also planning other activities for the upcoming week, really fun.

Aside from Alexandra we also met another couple, Philip and Marielle. We had such a great time with them in Kate Sessions Park that we spoke planning a second dinner. And because of all that on Sunday afternoon my cooking friend dropped us off at Philips apartment. The barbecue was already prepared and they really arranged the whole thing. A lot of food and a few cold beers were already waiting for us, such hospitality! I felt happy and I was surprised to see such hospitality, because we hardly even knew about these people. And guess what? After having a nice warm bath in the jacuzzi we met nice people again! Friends of Philip. Very friendly girls with whom we spoke to for a while. Now we are already having some ideas to go on a road trip with a little group of persons. Maybe we will rent a car and go to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. Wow, this happens fast “come to know people”. And yes, you can still trust people. And talk about politeness and hospitality? Yes, you can still find people that are! This conclusion brought a smile to my face!

Despite everyone’s complaining about ‘Mondays’, I felt great today! Upcoming travelers, I can give you some advice: 1) Go for every adventure and take every chance you can take; 2) Things do always come when you will not expect them to come, be flexible, don’t plan too much and enjoy all those special ‘unpredictable’ moments; 3) Be open to everyone, this weekend I have really seen the best of people. Trust and hospitality therefore are determining factors. Go for it and enjoy!

Well, a day in the life of a student living abroad? It blew my expectations!

By CISL SD student, Dianne Kuijs (The Netherlands)

Do you know the feeling of arriving in a new city? When everything is strange to you? When you even have to find out where the nearest supermarket or what the best way is to travel from place to place? I experienced all that when I arrived in San Diego. Even though I have been living in the student residence, Vantaggio, for three weeks now, I still have those “new” experiences.  I have had more than 10 English lessons at Converse International School of Language (CISL) and I have a life now, here in San Diego. You can say I’m becoming a local instead of a tourist. In my opinion the best thing about exploring a city is discovering the typical things that make a city unique. I can tell that San Diego has a lot of typical things, I will tell about a few of them.

“Hi, how are you?”

This is something that isn’t only typical for San Diego but it’s also typical for almost the whole of America. It doesn’t matter if you buy something in a store, travel with the bus or trolley, or just walk down the street, everybody says, “Hi, how are you?” In the Netherlands, where I am from, sometimes you may say “hi” to strangers. If you know someone you’ll ask how they are doing. In the beginning, when someone here greeted me with “Hi, how are you?” I responded with uneasiness.  But after a few days you notice that everybody greets you like that and that it’s commonplace. So you respond, “Fine, thank you.” and start to greet other people in the same manner. Because people all over the world greet each other differently, it doesn’t mean that some are kind, whiles others are not.  I think people are all very kind here. Not only at CISL but also in stores and on the street. They take time for you and are always willing to help you. This is one of the reasons San Diego felt like home to me so soon.

A mix of cultures

A lot of people who are living in San Diego have originally come from many different countries. They all preserve parts of their own culture. The great variety of restaurants here shows you that. From Italian to Asian and from Mexican to real American food, you can find it all. I already have eaten delicious Italian lasagna and tried sushi for the first time in my life. The most influential cuisine here comes from Mexico because it borders San Diego. Sometimes you hear people talking Spanish and you see a lot of different people on the streets. But be careful, when you order the smallest coke, you’ll still get a coke according to the large American sizes!

Safety

San Diego is one of the safest cities in America. Of course you still need to watch out and there are homeless people who are living on the streets. But in the evening, you can walk around without getting hassled or feeling unsafe. Believe me, this is true. Over the last three weeks here, I have never felt unsafe or got hassled. As a 20 years old girl, I never experienced that in another city.

We love sports!

I’m sure the people in California love sports more than in any other state of America. You see a lot of people running on the streets and the fitness centers are open 24/7! Actually, you see more people engaging in sports, than extreme overweight people. Before I came here I didn’t expect that. I assumed that most American people were dealing with obesity problems. But here, almost everyone is a real sport lover!

Like I said these are just a few things that makes San Diego unique. I only have one advice if you also want to ‘live the California life’ in San Diego and want to explore and experience everything about this beautiful city: just come here, you will love it, for sure!

If you think you can’t go to a good baseball match in San Diego, you’re totally wrong! The home stadium of the Padres is located in San Diego, named the Petco Park. This stadium is the property of the much appreciated San Diego Padres, ‘the’ baseball team in San Diego. The San Diego Padres were founded in 1969 and through the years they have their share of awards. One of which was the National competition. The stadium of the Padres is built in the middle of town, a beautiful location where you can join a baseball match combined with entertainment.

As an international student at Converse International School of Languages (CISL,) I wanted to go to a baseball match of the San Diego Padres too. Personally, I hardly know about baseball and that’s the reason I would like to know more about this sport. I think baseball is a very popular sport in America, more than it is in the Netherlands, where I come from.  

After requesting some information about activities organized by CISL, the school turned out to organize several trips. Tickets only cost you 10 dollars. Then you leave from school to the Petco Park with a big group of international students. This is not only great fun, but it is also a good way to get to know fellow students.

But if you’d rather go to a baseball match by yourself, with some friends maybe, that’s also possible. Like many others, I decided to buy tickets on my own. These tickets are a little more expensive, nevertheless the seats you will have in the stadium are better. On the website (www.sandiegopadres.com) I easily bought some tickets with a credit card, and after buying they sent me a confirmation immediately. My pick was a match against the LA Dodgers, two rivals in California.

And now I can only agree with the fact that baseball is a fantastic sport here in San Diego. While enjoying churros, nachos and popcorn I was looking at the match enthusiastically: it was a great experience! During the match I quickly learned the rules of baseball and with great admiration I was looking at the players. To be good at this sport you not only have to be fast, being sharp and aware are necessary too. What an atmosphere! Baseball is not only a great sport to look at, but also a sport full of entertainment and sociability. In the audience you can find students, youth, elderly and even whole families fully wrapped in Padres regalia. Supporting ‘their’ team seems to be the only thing that matters. To me this is how sports should be: sportive, sociable and with respect for everybody. Without any violence or aggression.

After all the wonderful activities I’ve already done in San Diego, you definitely should visit the San Diego Padres. Baseball is really ‘it’ here in San Diego and you can see it everywhere you go. Even the streets are cleared off for a good game of amateur baseball! It’s good to see how American people are busy with sports. Yes, this is really how sports should be!

Arrival at San Diego International Airport

After a rollercoaster of emotions and events and 15 hours of travelling you finally arrive in America, at San Diego Airport. Wow, was what I thought, I’m in America. After all the preparations that have been made I’m finally here and it feels good immediately. In the central hall of the airport my driver is already waiting for me, he is carrying a sign with him with my name on it: Linda Sintniklaas. It was something I had always dreamed about, you can see those signs with names in movies and it made me laugh. The driver was very friendly and he immediately took my suitcase and put them in the beautiful taxi. Within 15 minutes I arrived at the Vantaggio 1736 State Street which I hope to make my home for the next 5 weeks.

“Welcome girl, how are you?!” asked the lady at the reception desk. Again, a warm welcome. After a mountain of paperwork to be signed in which I declared not to damage my room and that I would not harm my fellow students, I can go to my room: no 132. The room is beautiful, is looks neat and clean and the shower is warm. I also have at my disposal to a refrigerator, a microwave, a television, a table and chair, a sink, a closet and a balcony. But now I have to sleep, tomorrow I will go to Converse International School of Language (CISL) and I will explore Broadway.

After a good night’s sleep and a hot shower I walk from the student residence to Broadway (only ten minutes). In between I make a stop at Pappalecco, a nice Italian café where I drink a lovely macchiato and eat a tasty croissant. The student residence is located in Little Italy, that’s a little Italian village within the city with a lot of restaurants, cafes and shops. It looks really nice and promising!

I turn left on Broadway and then I only have to walk straight ahead until I reach the Converse Language School. Again, I am greeted by a friendly guard and I walk up the stairs toward the counter. Despite the confirmation email I received from CISL I check if my registration went well and if it is right that the English classes will start on Monday. “This Monday the English lessons will start”, the friendly lady tells me that on Monday there will first be a test to see what level you are and in which class they will put you. She further said that I was more than welcome and that if I have any questions I can come and ask. She also pointed out the many beautiful sights that CISL organizes or which you can do individually.

After a few days travelling around San Diego I found that this is a city with many beautiful places and sights. The Pacific Ocean, La Jolla Beach, Coronado Beach, the San Diego Cinema, Comic Con (a festival where people get all dressed up as their favorite comic heroes), the shopping malls, San Diego Bay with the big Navy ship, fireworks at the harbor and much more. I’m enjoying my stay here and I am so glad I came.

The people are very kind and hospitable, the student residence is good and I am really looking forward to my first English lesson this Monday. I am so glad that I travelled all over the world as a 20 year old student to come here.
Yes, I really do feel at home here!

By CISL SD student, Dianne Kuijs (The Netherlands)

Do you like adventure? Do you like getting in touch with people from many different countries and cultures? Have you always wanted to learn English or wanted to improve your English? If you answered yes to any of these questions then I have the golden tip for you: English courses at the Converse International School of Language (CISL) in San Diego or San Francisco, California.

Personally, improving my English has always been a dream of mine not only because it is a “must have” when you are in business but also it can allow you to feel more confident when communicating in English.

When I spoke of this dream with my supervisor during my last internship, she told me about CISL, so I visited the site (www.cisl.edu). What struck me first about the site was that the classes have a maximum of only eight people, so you can get plenty of personal attention, a big plus in my opinion. Also I was happy to learn that students from other countries will be in the class with me. This will give me a opportunity to discover other cultures. As I continued to read the site and as I found out more and more about the CISL language school, the more excited I became.

However, before I decided to join CISL, I thought about it a lot and also discussed it with my parents. They said that if I really wanted to do this, I should go for it because it is definitely a great experience and I’ll learn a lot.

Finally, I decided to do it, so what’s the first step I took to begin my trip? Well, making a trip to America as a Dutch student is a big journey and there are many things to consider and arrange.
First I went back to the site, downloaded a form, printed it and filled it out. After doing that, I scanned the forms and emailed it to CISL. Surprisingly, this process turned out to be really easy. I was even able to book my housing on the website where I could specify exactly what kind (alone or shared) of room I wanted. CISL responded very quickly to my application; after sending the email I received a confirmation within only 2 days. I also had some questions about the residence, and, again, they replied very quickly. After I prepared everything right down to the last detail, I could finally relax especially because CISL arranged a driver to pick me up when I arrive at the San Diego airport. The only thing I had to arrange separately was my ticket, but booking that online was also very easy.

My trip includes 3 weeks in San Diego where I’ll complete a Standard English course at CISL. I’ll stay at the student residence on Vantaggio State Street for 5 weeks, so I can explore San Diego. I can’t wait to not only walk across the Broadway, enjoy the many beaches, swim in the Pacific Ocean, watch San Diego’s famous baseball team, the Padres, and go on a trip to LA where I can walk around the huge shopping malls, but, also, to finally fulfill my dream to improve my English!

Does this wonderful trip sound great to you? Do you have a similar dream to improve your English? If so, let CISL help you plan your trip and survive language school, just visit the site www.cisl.edu!

© Dianne Kuijs

By CISL San Diego student, Nicolas Sayo (France)

If you are a shopping addict or if you just like shopping, San Diego is the ideal place. There are clothes for everybody : fashionistas, bargain hunters,  sportsmen, etc…

San Ysidro, 40 minutes south of San Diego by trolley, is my favorite shopping destination. San Ysidro, just across the border from Tijuana, Mexico, is a great place to shop with many factory outlet stores where you can buy casual clothes in many different fashions. The big Nike shop is a good place to start,  and afterwards you can try your luck at the Aeropostale store (I bought a tee-shirt and a polo for only 39 dollars!), or the Vans store (2 tee-shirts for 15 dollars). There are other interesting shops like Tommy Hilfinger, The Gap,  and the Cap New Era store. There are also lots of promotions such as “buy one product and then get 50% off of the second.” So San Ysidro is very attractive destination for people who like good clothes with low prices!

Another excellent shopping destination is the Fashion Valley Mall, a more upscale place for the shopping addict, featuring many famous designer boutiques. The prices are more expensive than San Ysidro, but  less expensive than in Europe. Fashion Valley is easy to get to by trolley from downtown (20 minutes). Fashion Valley Mall is very big! Here you can find many chic labels such as Hoolister and Abercrombie & Fitch, as well as electronics brands like Sony and Apple, where you can try out many products and receive advise from the sales staff.  So if you go to the United States looking to buy the latest fashion collections and brands, San Diego is the place to go!