University: San Diego State University
City: San Diego
Country: United States
Continent: North America
Field of study: media studies
Study type: semester abroad
A thousand questions and thoughts ran through my mind just before I left for San Diego: How am I going to get on with my English skills? Will I be able to organize everything on site? Will I find accommodation? I hope to meet some nice people. Will my money be enough? What if I don’t get the courses I want or maybe I get sick? See anycountyprivateschools for 5 best medical schools in Canada.
Today, back in Germany, I can only smile about it, because my time in America was just great and there were always very simple answers to all questions.
Apartment Search
I found accommodation from Germany via the website http: //sandiego.craigslist.org. This homepage is really to be recommended, because all Americans use this portal to find rental offers, jobs, furniture or pets and also to place their own ads. A very nice family who lives not far from the university responded to my rental request. Since I definitely didn’t want to live with other German students and because the insight into the life of a “typically American” family appealed to me, I immediately agreed when they offered me their own “1-room house with bathroom” in their garden for 650 offered dollars. It was the best decision I could have made, because I immediately fell in love with all family members, including the three dogs.
When looking for an apartment, you should make sure that you live close to a bus or trolley station if you are dependent on public transport. On this website: http: //www.sdmts.com/Tripplanner.asp you can enter your potential address and see how far it is to the nearest station or to certain destinations in the city. Unfortunately, the timetables and routes are not nearly as good as in Germany and you sometimes have to plan a lot of patience and time. Some routes that take 15 minutes by car can only be reached by public transport in just over an hour with multiple changes and waiting times. You can buy the semester bus ticket at the university for $139. I partly regret not renting a car, However, so many interesting people ride the bus that I would have had to do without one or the other experience. I can recommend Dirt Cheap Car (http: //www.dirtcheapcarrentals.com) to anyone who would like to rent a car.
San Diego
The city really has a lot to offer and above all great weather. We were able to lie on one of the beautiful beaches (favourite: Mission Beach) and even go into the water until mid-November. Well, what else is a must-see of San Diego?
Down Town – This part of the city is ideal for shopping and going out. In the shopping mall Horton Plaza you can really find everything except the exit. Very important, you can park here for three hours free of charge if you validate/validate your ticket.
If you like sushi then you should definitely go to Deli Sushi 2 (135 Broadway). There really are the craziest Rolls here.
Old Town – Here is the origin of today’s San Diego. In 1769 the Spanish founded the first Californian mission on Presidio Hill. When this was then abandoned, the soldiers took over the hill and formed the settlement that grew out of San Diego. Some adobe houses still stand in the Old Town State Historic Park to give an idea of the city’s Hispanic origins. If you’re in the mood for Mexican food, you should definitely go there.
San Diego Zoo – This is well known in America and is considered one of the largest zoos in the world with 4000 animals from 800 species.
La Jolla Cove – This area of San Diego is particularly beautiful and also very expensive. There is a beautiful beach, a great view and if you are lucky you can also see sea lions there.
Coronado – A huge bridge leads to this peninsula from San Diego. There you can see the Hotel de Coronado where the movie Some Like It Hot starring Marilyn Monroe was filmed.
Sunsetcliffs – These cliffs are the ideal spot for romantic sunsets and picnics.
San Diego State University
The university campus is beautiful. Flowers in bright colors shine everywhere, the buildings are of special architecture and overall the area is very clean.
An unbelievable number of interesting seminars and lectures were offered for my field of study (media studies/communication science): e.g. Scriptwriting for TV and film, International Cinema, Study Teen TV. The lecturers were very helpful and interested in comparisons to the German media system. Since only very few Germans have my major in study, I was the only German in every course. If you study economics, you probably won’t think of that.
Due to the wide range of leisure activities at the university, it is also very easy to find “American connections” alongside the lessons. The fitness studio (approx. 25 dollars per month) offers a wide range of courses, there are always lectures, theater performances, film screenings and various parties. Don’t miss the SDSU football and basketball team games either.
The American Language Institute is the local contact for international students. The team is very helpful and not annoyed if you often come by with questions. Every week you get a newsletter from the institute with interesting event and travel tips.
Travel tips
- Los Angeles is definitely a great day trip. Of course you have to go to Hollywood Boulevard to snap some photos with handprints and the stars of the stars on the Walk of Fame. Then you should make a detour to Venice Beach, because there is just so much to see there. It’s worth renting a bike and taking a tour along the beach to Santa Monica. The Getty Museum and Universal Studios are also worth a visit.
- Santa Barbara is also a must-see. “The Pearl of the California Riviera” is really very beautiful. The special thing is the closed cityscape, because this is rarely found in America. After an earthquake that left a clean sweep, so to speak, the town planners decided to tackle the construction in a pseudo-Spanish style.
- Joshua Tree National Park: The park is 2250 square kilometers in size and is named for the striking Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia). This tour was really very impressive, because I saw a completely different landscape and vegetation from California.
- Of course, a weekend trip to San Francisco is a must. The following must then be on your to-do list: Chinatown, Golden Gate Bridge, take the cable car to Fisherman’s Wharf, Golden Gate Park and Alcatraz.
Finally, I just want to encourage you to take the plunge and do a semester abroad in San Diego. I had four wonderful months in this wonderful city and this stay brought me a lot. If you have any further questions or would like more information, please feel free to send me an email.