A French Student's First Days at San Francisco State University

10:06 pm. Lying on my bed, I am writing this article, to share with you the first few days I spent at San Francisco State University as an international student.

My name is Claire and I come from the Bask Country in the Southwest of France. I can’t believe I am here, in California. If you had told me I would spend one semester studying abroad in such an amazing place, I would not have believed you some years ago. Yet, I am here now.

First, did you know that there were many Basks in San Francisco? During the twentieth century, many of them came to the United States, especially in San Francisco and the Bay Area to “make a fortune”. Most of them were herdsmen; some succeeded very well and others were penniless, alone, and far from their families. I know some of them, who went to make a fortune. In fact, when I arrived at the airport, it was a friend of my grandmother who came to pick me up, and the next Sunday, she brought me with her to an afternoon at the Bask house, “Euskal Etxea” which welcomes the Californian Bask community. There, you can find people from Spain and France. I talked to some people, they explained to me their stories and, why and how they came here, it was very enriching. This place allows Bask people to find their roots again when they have been rootless.

Now, let me introduce another point: the way of teaching in the USA is very different compared to France. I know, it is only the beginning of the semester, and we did not have many classes yet. But I can already say that there is much more input and participation from the students here. The classes are much more active. For example, in most of the courses, teachers give quick lectures, no more than one hour, and then, students build the class. Study cases in groups are given, and negotiation simulation and role projects are examples. Moreover, students here are much more likely to participate and not be afraid to, at least according to what I can see. In France, most of us are passive in classes, and lectures can be very long. Furthermore, academically speaking, homework in the USA and France is different; in the USA, there are several articles to read each week for each class. In France this is very rare, you rather must learn and remember teachers’ slides.

Another point I would like to emphasize is the North Americans’ friendliness. It is easy to create first contact with North American people, at least in San Francisco. People are easy to talk to. But caution! This does not mean it is easy to develop a friendship. What I mean is that here, people easily talk to you, even between teachers and students. Between them, it is much less formal and hierarchical than in France. Here, they see each other as equal; one can help the other and viceversa. I could even say that students here seem less infantilized than in France, maybe because their attitude is different. But this is only my point of view.

Also, what strikes me in San Francisco is the city’s beauty, peculiarity, and diversity. Yet, I have many things, places, and landmarks to discover. But after seeing the few things I visited here; I know I love the city. The city is overflowing with beautiful points of view. For instance, from the top of Corona Park Heights, there is a wonderful view of the city center and the ocean. The view is even more impressive during the sunset, with all the city’s lights. Moreover, the fact that the city has many neighborhoods makes it culturally rich. For example, you can be at Chinatown, Mission, Civic Center, and North Beach in the same afternoon. Each of them has its specificities; in Chinatown, there are two parts; one in a Chinese style around Grant Avenue, with a lot of traditional boutiques and suspension lights, and a second Chinatown around Stockton Street, with its profusion of vendors selling fruit and vegetables, shrimps, and dehydrated seafood, its fishmongers, herbalists and rotisseries. On the same day, you can also visit Fisherman’s Wharf, the fishermen's ancient neighborhood. Now, it is one of the most tourist places in the city and from there, it is possible to take a boat to visit Alcatraz Island.

A neighborhood I love is the Mission. Historically, it is the first of San Francisco. It is one of the biggest, most colorful, and most animated neighborhoods of the city. There, many people speak Spanish as it is the Latino neighborhood by excellence.

Now, let’s deal with how it is to navigate in San Francisco as a foreigner. According to me, the transportation in San Francisco is well-developed and easy to understand. Even if the city is big, you can easily go to each of its corners, either by bus, tram or metro. In addition, one of the huge advantages of the university is that we can benefit from free transportation except for cable cars and the BART network. This is a big point as it allows us to save $81 per month. The buses are rarely late, and if so, the application is well connected to the buses, so you can easily track the bus in realtime. The only thing you have to pay attention to is about locating bus stops. Often, the bus stops are simply marked by a strip of yellow paint on an electric wooden post, so you need to look up!

Finally, so far, living in San Francisco as an exchange student is a captivating experience. With its hills and bustling streets, the city offers a unique setting for learning. Also, this atmosphere of constant innovation, especially in the tech industry, creates a stimulating environment. The fact that the city gathers many people with a big set of competencies and its relaxed side creates a perfect equilibrium.

Fortunately, I still have many things to discover and treasures to see in the city! I can’t wait to continue enjoying my experience here.