San Francisco and Scientology

I've become a tourist for a week, I'm currently in San Francisco before heading up north to see some giant redwood trees. I set off this morning at 4.30am in style - the taxi I had order turned out to be a limo! However my journey did not continue this way... The greyhound bus was about three quarters of an hour late and I had to wait in front of the bus station, even Santa Barbara is slightly chilly at that time in the morning. Eventually the packed bus set out just as the sun was beginning to rise and I was lucky enough to see it rise over the mountains. The journey was fairly uneventful, although very long (ten hours), thankfully I slept for a lot of it. We travelled up Highway 101, past many mountains, through valleys and past loads of Mexican immigrants working on farms (the Californian economy depends on Mexicans, they are a large minority and most signs are translated into Spanish).

Eventually I got to San Francisco and after finding my hostel I set about finding my first real meal of the day (at 4pm - prior to that I'd had 2 apples, 2 oranges and a packet of crisps, nothing like a well rounded diet). I walked into Chinatown and found a cheap and cheerful restaurant, I asked the waitress for the most authentic meal they have and ended up with a "Chow fun with Beef and Greens", it consisted of bean sprouts, beef, spring onions and something that I'm concerned may have been thin strips of fat. Whatever it was it was a delicious bargain - only $5! There is an Afghani restaurant near the hostel that does a lunch buffet, I have to try it. I also did a bit of shopping, buying a travel journal, a tiny statue of a Boddhisatva for my friend Rhiannon and a Christmas present for my sister.

After dinner at the hostel an Australian girl I've met and myself decided to go to a comedy club for the night, once we had go there we discovered it cost $19 and decided our money was better spent elsewhere, but we took a slightly different route on the way back and ended up walking past the Church of Scientology, that happened to be offering tours, so we decided to go in. It was fascinating - it was set out exhibition style and the first five or so boards were dedicated to the life of L.Ron Hubbard, much less time was dedicated to actually explaining what Scientology is. They had videos of various speeches all of which had massive flaws in their arguments - the assumptions just stood out. The rules Scientologists have to follow mean that they cannot discuss any problems they may be experiencing with their faith and they have to promise allegiance and devotion to any group they are involved in (which presumably includes Scientology). There is so much brainwashing, all of the exhibits showed pictures of beautiful people enjoying themselves and prospering. It was very commercial and very judgmental. They laid claim to a lot of things other people have done (such as administrative systems, drug rehabilitation, etc). It was very interesting, but at the same time very concerning. I've filled in their personality test (200 questions!), what will they make of me? They also have seminars in the day, I may pop along and pose some exceptionally awkward questions. I'm very glad I walked that way home, it has made my day much more entertaining.

As you may be able to tell I'm feeling a lot more positive today, life is easier as a tourist and I've had an enjoyable day. I've also learnt that a dime is worth ten cents, for some reason the American mint assumes everyone automatically knows what a dime is and so doesn't feel the need to put its monetary value on the coin... Hopefully these little discoveries will come easier as a tourist and I won't feel nearly so awkward as I have done recently. I think that I'll have to learn to be very patient with myself and then I'll be fine. I'll take plenty of things for granted soon enough and life will become easier.

America at last!

I have finally made it to the land of the free! After travelling for about 24 hours I finally arrived in Goleta, CA and found my apartment which from the outside looks like a motel. I managed to mess up my wi-fi access on the first night and have been without it for a few days, so I'm writing this on my third day here.

According to some of the bumpf I've been given I'm meant to be in phase one of cultural adjustment: Euphoria, "You are excited about the newness of your environment and initial discoveries of your host country." With me that lasted only a few hours before heading straight towards phase 2: "Culture shock - You begin to realize all of the cultural differences between home and your host country and you may not be happy with these differences. This is a common homesickness period." Whilst I'm not homesick I'm already fed up of not knowing what the hell is going on, I cannot trust myself at all. Most previous assumptions that I've used my whole life I now have to rethink, its all the tiny things that get me, like not hailing buses - in America if there is someone waiting at a bus stop then the bus stops, even if they don't want it. I have made a fool of myself about this and many other things. I'm only now realising what I've let myself in for.

Just before I left my next door neighbour told me that America isn't really that different from England, that I wouldn't encounter too many problems. Maybe that's true for tourists, but living here is entirely different. I have to ask help for everything. When I first went to Uni in England it took me a little while to adjust and I had to ask questions, but that was more a matter of geography, not basic things such as what something is called, or whether it is possible to buy jam. I know that soon enough I will know these things, they will seem automatic, but at the moment I feel that I'm on a steep learning curve and I'm going to have to work much harder than the average student just to keep up.

I actually really like the place I'm living in, its a suburb of Goleta called Isla Vista (or just IV) that is populated almost entirely by students, it is really relaxed and is full of underage drinking and illegal drug taking. It is so different from my home Uni. Its a short walk (or cycle - there are loads of bikes everywhere) from both the beach and campus and everyone is really nice. I got invited to a party that was being held in the flat below me and one of the guys just knocked on the door and invited me down. I went and had a few beers and met some new people, they weren't the kind of people i would usually hang out with but it was a good experience non the less. There is an English girl living next door to me and she's been really helpful, she brought me some tea bags earlier and we've had nice long chats (it was her boyfriend who fixed my wi-fi). I like the place, but I don't feel like I belong here yet, I can't relax properly, but when I do I know I'll love it.

This blog was meant to be light hearted, but at the moment I'm suffering from jet lag (my body wakes me up at about 6am) and fatigue brought on by thinking about everything. Hopefully when I reach phase 3 (surface adjustment) I'll be able to tell you about all the silly things I see, such as gas stations called Jiffy Lube and an English pub in Santa Barbara that has "No Wankers" written on the door, but at the moment I'm too tired and have to pack for going to San Fransisco tomorrow. I'm looking forward to just being a tourist and not having to try and buy things such as duvets (which I discovered are called comforters)or blue tac (tac), I think it will be much easier and more fun. I am now definitely able to see why foreign students often hang around together, its just easier. Hopefully I'll fight this urge and will come as close as possible to assimilation.

Ready, set, go!

It is the eve of my departure and I am still finding it hard to get my head around the fact that I'm going and that this time tomorrow I am going to be flying across America, I'm sure it'll hit me that there is no going back whilst I'm flying and I'll start having a panic attack and have to be restrained by the cabin crew, although obviously I'll do my best to avoid this scenario...

I'm sitting here in my nasty old clothes that I should have thrown out years ago, in the time honoured tradition of travellers. This should convince me that I'm going and yet it hasn't, neither has my farewell stroll of the suburb I live in, but going to my local for what will probably be my last legal drink for a year may help.

But I'm all packed up and ready to go on my 20hrs+ journey tomorrow. Quite how I'm going to look when I turn up at my apartment tomorrow and am greeted by the girl I'm subleasing from I dread to think, she'll probably take one look at me and think she's unknowingly unleashed a psycho on her friend who I'm sharing the room with. And that's if I'm awake enough to be lucid...

I've been sorting out my travel plans as well, I'm only in Santa Barbara for 2 days before going to San Fransisco for a few days and then up further north to see some giant redwood trees. All by myself. I'm a big girl now, I should be able to look after myself and make friends in the hostels I'm staying at.

I'm hoping that from now on this blog will become a lot more interesting, my sister keeps going on about how boring it is, but this should change when I actually get there and can fill this with lots of witty observations about Americans (and my own) behaviour. From now on you're actually allowed to read this blog.