It has been a month already since I started my exchange program in Claremont, California at Pitzer College and I just cannot get enough of L.A.! The so called “City of Angels” has been my every-weekend-escape-plan from homework and hard exams. More than 30 days here and it still feels like I am never going to wake up from this beautiful dream!
This semester I am studying abroad in Pitzer College, one of the 5 undergraduate Claremont Colleges. The town I live in is situated very close to L.A. and with a student Metrolink pass I can get a round trip ticket for $10, which if you ask me, is a great deal here in the Golden State. In addition to that, you can use the same ticket for all public transport in the big city which is perfect for students on a budget.
L.A. is the second largest metropolitan area in the country after New York City, so there is always something fun to do even if you have not planned something beforehand. Here are some of my favorites:
- The first time I visited the big city I went to all the nice beach places that you see in Hollywood movies and Netflix series. Who does not want to go and see where our all-time favorite “Baywatch” was filmed, Santa Monica and Venice beach!
- One great experience that I was looking forward to was my first baseball game ever! In Bulgaria baseball is not a very popular sport but the minute you leave LAX (Los Angeles airport) you understand that Dodgers fans are the real MVPs. I had such a great time with my friends during the game, although we had no clue about the rules or the significance of the homerun.
Another thing I love about Los Angeles is that you never know who you may run into! As a true film maniac and series bindge-watcher you can imagine my reaction when the faces of Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis appeared on the jumbo screen during one of the breaks at the baseball game. Yes, I freaked out.
The famous Hollywood sign was on top of my bucket list even before coming to the States. Like Miley Cyrus says in her song, you look to your right and you immediately see the big white letters standing there waiting for you to climb the steep mountains. One tip from me: if you are not so keen on hiking, you would probably want to go to Lake Hollywood Park. You can walk or take any other kind of transport there and you will pass by some very nice houses. The size of the sign will amaze you because it is still far away but you can see it as if you are able to touch it any minute. I did not actually touch it.
Next month my friends and I are planning to go to more sports events such as basketball and American football games. The Wax Museum is one of the places that we will definitely visit and, of course, for a movie nerd like me, Universal Studios is a must.
Overall, time flies and there are no words to express my gratefulness towards life and the happiness I feel for having this opportunity! Follow my stories because I am coming with even more ideas to share and follow my Instagram page to stay updated every day! IG: megistoyanovaa
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