Cal Sunshine

Day 4 8/22

We went to Ranch 99, it's a super market that sells asian food, especially Taiwanese and Chinese food.

It was really exciting to see the food and products from Taiwan.

After all, American food is not delicious for me. 

We bought quite a lot of veg there and olive oil, salt. 

I am so glad that I can cook now. We cooked pasta today, it was much more tasty than pizza and burger.XD

Day 5 8.23

Orientation at I-house.

It was a orientation for international students, so we met many students from all over the world.

The school offices and departments told us many things that we need to know.

Berkeley International Office also designed some activities for us to know each other more.

I talked to students from South Africa, Britain, Brazil, Singapore, Japan, Korea, Spanish, and so on.

There are so many Chinese.

What is interesting is most Chinese students are actually freshmen, and others are transfers.

Exchange students are not many.

I wonder how they'll feel to be a freshman in Berkeley.

Being an exchange student is quite different from study here for 4 years.

China is really growing, and their students are really competitive.

Taiwan has to do more!

I felt tired and frustrated after today's orientation because I found it hard for me to have conversations with so many different people.

However, I have to practice since I'm in U.S.

Berkeley has a slogan "Go bears!" for cheering.

Let me use it to cheer up myself. Go bears!

*this photo is the memorial stadium next to I-house.

Day 6 8/24

Trip to San Francisco!!

Hope and I went to SF with other international students.

It was an event held by student volunteers and BIO.

Volunteers took us to Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square, Golden Gate and Union Square.

It was great to have this trip, and we made friends with some international students.

We met a girl from China whose name is Iris. She is friendly.

We also talked to a guy from Saudi Arabia, and we learned a lot about his country.

I think I can handle more now.

I was so tired that I kept sitting on the bus and bart. 

I hope I can be stronger so that I won't be a burden of others.

Anyway, I really love the view of bay in Pier 39 and on Golden Gate Bridge. 

Plan to visit there again.

Day 7 8/25

Went to the school again for Caltopia.

Kind of like the 杜鵑花節 in NTU, but the tables are for stores around campus.

Got a lot of free stuff. XD

Met Hope's friend Ramon, he is a student of 政大英文.

Also a English major, we became friends right away. 

I guess it is much easier for us to become friends in this foreign country. 

We cooked our dinner tonight. I found I enjoy cooking a lot.

Maybe I can also be a good cook like Mom.

Day 8 8/26

Went to school again!

I met Angela Chang at Berkeley!

She was an exchange in NTU. She studies in Irvine and she lives in Millbrae.

She took me to a restaurant that sells crepes, they're great.

Then we had milk tea in PurpleKow, it was so similar with Taiwan's milk tea.

Well, that's California. With so many kinds of food here and so many people with varios ethnic background.

I also looked for my classrooms and I found the buildings here have the so-called underground levels.

Partly because the campus is on a hill so the classrooms would be underground.

Berkeley is quite different from NTU. 

Day 9 8/27

Walked to the park alone today.

I like to walk alone sometimes so that I can indulge in my own thoughts.

Time flies.

Already a week after we came here.

So many new experiences and feelings.

Looking forward to the new semester in Berkeley!

Day 10 8/28

One day left!

Went to Student Store today to buy clothes with 20% off.

I bouhgt a hooded sweatshirt and a T-shirt.

It is interesting that students here like to wear school clothes.

Though it's not uniform, people ususally wear them.

And you have so many choices.

After that I went to Doe library, the biggest library in Berkeley.

Bumped into the library tour so I joined it.

It was great. The librarian show us around and told us quite a lot of useful info.

I like the library because it is beautiful and historical.

NTU's library is also good, but I like Doe even more.

Hope introduced a friend of her cousin to me. 

She took us around and we went up to the Sather tower( or Campnile).

We could see the whole campus and even the bay from the top.

I love the view!

The photo is taken there. Makes me feel relaxing and calm.

The classes start on 8/29. Good luck to myself!