goodbye san fran day 3

Day 3. It's my friend Stacy's birthday. Happy B-day! We went with our other friend Rachel and saw Michael Moore's Sicko. Very good. I cried sometimes. There was a French bit, of course, since France has universal health care. I understood the French bits without the subtitles. It was exciting. Promising.

We then went to Mitchell's (see post below) to pick up her ice cream cake. She's a cinema studies major, and so her cake looks like a movie theatre screen with red curtains. We had an early dinner at Burgermeister. Stacy and I shared an avocado burger, and it was tasty. She and Rachel had root beer floats, and I had plain root beer. I thought that maybe they didn't have root beer in France, and tears almost came to my eyes...Not really. But there was some sadness. It feels stupid to miss something like root beer.

We enjoyed Stacy's cake back at her place, then I went home. Her and her friends went to enjoy the jazz festival in North Beach. I wasn't feeling well--major headache. I think it was my contact lenses.

goodbye san fran day 2

Yesterday (Day 2 Tuesday) was ever so loverly. Woke up and had my usual tea after dropping my roommate Catherine at school since I was going to pick her up later so I can go to Berkeley and get my backpack.

We headed to Wilderness Exchange. I read about this place on Yelp when I was looking for the North Face outlet, and it had a lot of great reviews so I thought I might check it out.

I was immediately greeted by the salesman Jim who had cool dreadlocks and looked like he came straight from climbing or a camping trip. I told him what I needed, and he took me straight to the backpacks. I asked him loads of questions, which he helpfully answered, and then he left us alone to look around.

I was immediately drawn to this one:
It was in my price range (it cost $119), and it was totally cute, which wasn't really a requirement, but it helps. The brand also looked French, or at least French Canadian. I admit it--I do care about brands. And I thought, "Hey--maybe people'll think I'm French and not mess around with me."

Anyway, I tried it on, and it fit very well. There was a crate full of sandbag weights, and Catherine and I stuffed 10 pound and 5 pound sandbags in it to mimic what it'll feel like when it's packed. Then I walked around the store in it for a couple of minutes. It felt good. It had everything I was looking for: compression straps, rain cover, and it was top and bottom loading. It was perfect. I bought it.

Then we headed over to the North Face outlet. They had loads of stuff that was still pretty expensive, but North Face is pretty expensive. I was looking for some sort of sporty winter jacket, anything that might keep me warm during the cold winter months. We headed to the back where there were loads of open boxes bursting with jackets on rows of tables. A total chaotic mess of goretex. I didn't think I'd find anything. We went down the row of women's and I plunged my hand into a box bringing out a brown down jacket. I put it on, and it fit! It was perfection. Catherine got mad at me for finding something so quickly. I held onto it and found another that had a fur hood attached and took that one instead. It was $100, which I was totally prepared to pay, and the lady rung it up and it was $50. I wanted to cry. How lucky am I. It's warm, cozy, waterproof and totally cute for Paris.

Back in the city, we went to Mitchell's for the best ice cream on Earth. Or at least in San Francisco. C. had chocolate, and I had strawberries n' cream. We sat on a bench in front and missed the early afternoon ice cream rush.

Later, I had dinner with my good cinema friends Brian and Ryan. They can't make it to my party. Brian actually left for LA today. We ate at Kiki Sushi on 9th and Irving, and it was very tasty. I also lurve that place because they have loads of Miyazaki's anime on its walls. Very cute and friendly place for cheap Japanese. Brian gave me this cute little guy seen on my new backpack:
He's a NINJA! I lurve him--thanks Brian! I'm taking him everywhere with me so that I can take pics of him wherever he goes. It's going to be fun. Like Amelie with the gnome.

We also went to Yancy's Saloon, just up the street. Brian bought me an apple martini which was really awesome of him. He had a white russian, like the Dude, and Ryan had scotch and soda water. I don't remember the name of the scotch. It's a cool bar, very chill since it was only a Tuesday night, and actually the first bar I've been to here since turning 21.

We said our goodbyes (sad!), and I hugged Brian twice since I won't see him for a while!!! Hopefully he'll be down in LA doing sound on numerous films when I return--goodbye Brian! I hugged Ryan anyway since I'll see him Saturday night.

Afterwards, I headed to Tart to Tart to get some coffee since my friend Ben was stopping by after work and he gets off around midnight. That place brings back memories since I used to sit in the cafe when I was spending parts of my summer in SF with my Kuya ("older brother" in Tagalog). He went to UCSF. I'd sit there and write or people watch. Good times. I was young, and I wasn't in college yet, and I loved to write and I loved film, and I still wasn't sure what I really wanted to do with my life, but I knew that it would come to me, and I wasn't scared.

Came home and watched Kelly's Heroes with C.. It's one of our favorite films. Telly Savalas and Donald Sutherland are amazing. Then Ben came over and we watched some random stuff from a Metal Gear Solid trailer to Young Guns II to bits of anime. It was fun. Then I kicked him out since I was getting tired.

So...a good day.

goodbye san fran week: day 1

I arrived yesterday in the Bay area. I'm back for a week or so before I bring everything down to So Cal for good. It's so weird being here for such a short time and saying goodbye.

I was driving across the Bay Bridge into the city and listening to Elliott Smith's "Bottle Up and Explode!" (XO album) which is perfect for driving across the Bay Bridge because it starts sort of slow and times perfectly with the ascent and then when you finally hit the middle, the song's fast and it's nice with all the orange street lights and everyone speeding to the city. You can almost believe that everyone's listening to the same song, and it makes you happy because maybe they're going somewhere nice, like a party or dinner or a club or even home, and all I could think about was my home for the past school year.

I was sad, at first. But it seems like it's time for a different scenery and a change. I've become comfortable. The same bike route to school. The visit to Trader's Joes every other week for soy milk. I need change; I fear ruts. I need to grow. San Francisco has been good to me these past three years. I'm too soft. And now Paris...Paris is going to be mean and rude to me, I can feel it. But I need to experience it. I need to know.

I planned a picnic/barbeque with friends this Saturday. I'm also hanging out with people althroughout the week to say goodbye. I've already said goodbye to my friend Emilyn who's leaving for the Phillippines. She's my first goodbye here, I'm pretty sure. It hit me that I won't see her for a year. It felt so terrible, and then it went away. We both accepted it. The year will go by fast. We'll see each other next summer.

Tomorrow, day 2 of goodbye, includes dinner with a friend, and I'm going to go find a new backpack.

finally finally

My passport came in the mail today. Yes! It came by Fedex. I actually paid for the USPS express mail envelope for when it comes back to me, but they sent it Fedex. So that $16.25 is gone. Maybe I can get a refund.
The one on the left is my old one, and the one on the right is the new one. That little square on the bottom of the new one is the new microchip logo that makes processing in the airports easier. Supposedly. We'll see.

Anyway, I'm just so happy it came, and I can leave this country. I immediately went online and made an appointment with the French consulate to get my visa. Usually you can get your visa the same day. Mine will be in the first week of August. I'm really happy that I'm getting mine here in LA. I heard that it's pretty bad in SF. Appointments start after the day I leave, which is the 23rd.

Yay!!! It's finally coming together. I was looking through my new passport, and it has all these great quotes whenever I turn the top of the visa pages where I'll get stamped whenever I visit a new country:

"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty." -- John F. Kennedy.

I saw quotes like this with every turn of the page, and it made me want to cry. Because I thought it ironic that these quotes are in my passport, the one thing that ables me to leave my country that I honestly love and explore new ones.

And for the second time in my life, I felt so happy, so proud to be an American. So lucky to be born in this great nation to amazing parents who are willing to let their daughter go and explore and find herself in a place far from home. Thanks Mom and Dad. Thank you Kuya. This is the best gift I'll ever receive.

passeport

I absolutely detest the whole passport process.

Really, it's my fault. I turned in the wrong form, the DS 82, which is for renewals. I thought I'd be able to renew. But it's really the DS 11 that I needed to do. I called the passport people, and they told me that they were sorry for not letting me know that I did the wrong form, but that as soon as I send in the new one, they'll get my passport out to me. Argh!

I can't make an appointment with the French consulate for my visa without my passport. So until then, I'm still in passport visa limbo.

I'm in LA right now, just getting loads of stuff done and hanging out with family and friends. Tomorrow, I'm going to REI with Kuya (my older brother) so that I can check out their backpacks. I plan to travel with a suitcase and a backpack. It's weird that I'm packing or a year. I don't plan on bringing a lot anyway. Bare essentials.

I found my old packing list for when I went to Cambridge University for their study abroad program. Brings back old memories. I took a class on Alfred Hitchhock and one for War and Chivalry. It was lots of fun, and I prefer Cambridge over Oxford. I didn't pack that much for that trip either.

Here are the packs I like so far and fit my budget:
The North Face Woman's Terra 40:

The North Face Woman's Akila 40:

ma mere

I told my Mom about my housing plans, and she went ahead (without me knowing!) and emailed a French professor about whether or not living in Montmartre is a good idea. The professor advised her that although it's a pictoresque place, the area is not safe, especially around the Pigalle metro which is nearby the red light district where there are a lot of porn shops and hookers. Yech!

And even though that flat is not near Pigalle, Mom is still wary and would rather have me live in the Latin Quartier where there are many students. I love how she does stuff like this because I know she worries about her little girl going abroad. She loves me, and she doesn't want me to get hurt. I love you too Mom! I bet grandma worried about her coming to the States when she was my age. I can just imagine Grandma saying, "I don't want you living in Chicago!" Haha. And she didn't. She lived in Peoria. History repeats itself in strange ways.

So, my dream of living an Amelie/starving student-writer lifestyle in Montmartre is gone, for the moment. I'm going to wait until I actually get to France to find a place to live, which is the smart thing to do. I guess I've been just too excited about living there that I want to start everything. I made a resolution when I turned 21 to live for the present, and finding an apartment in Paris while I'm still in SF is not living for the present. If I take care of the present, then the future will take care of itself. So I gotta take care of things here like see my dentist and doctor and optometrist and all that. Bah! The present it not fun.

chambre de bonne

I think I found my new home in the 18th arrondissement! I'm currently communicating with a girl who is renting out a studio in Montmartre, which is in the northern part of Paris and closer to Paris VIII-St. Denis where I'll be attending classes. It's not for sure yet. I've always wanted to live in Montmartre and fulfill my Amelie fantasy, and I've been on Paris craigslist everyday looking for a place to stay.

The flat has a full kitchen and bathroom, a loft where my bed will be, and it's fully furnished. It's super cute, and close to the open markets and metro. I hope I get it, but if not, that's cool too. I heard it's not too difficult to find a place to live. The plan is that we arrive on the 25th of August, and we're given university housing for 10 days and within those 10 days, we're supposed to find a place to stay. And they said that almost everyone finds a place to stay that they are happy with.

I wanted to live alone in a studio and not with roommates because, well, I'm a "loner", as my Dad called it. No, but seriously, I've been sharing a room for the last three years, and it's been really great, no complaints, but I'd like to try the experience of living alone and being more indie. It'll be good for me. My Dad, when he was stationed in Spain, lived by himself, and I'm sort of following in his footsteps.

In other news, I just got back from Vegas and got lucky since I just turned 21 too. Came home with $700 bucks after shelling out $300 on the slots. So a profit of $400 which is not too shabby, I think. Money for Paris. Yay!