Student Stories: A day in San Francisco – the city of life!

Sibylle Broennimann is currently learning English at our San Francisco centre. Here she recommends things to do to make the most of your time in this exciting city.

Levis Jeans. Westfield Mall. Macy’s department store. SHOES! These are all wonderful things and you find it all in San Francisco. But is this really San Francisco!? My answer would be NO! Most people come here just for shopping. But this city has a lot more things to show you. I decided to take my bag and went out to find the real San Francisco.

My tour started by Pier 39. There you will find action, different cultures, passion, history (for example, Alcatraz) and people who want to tell you their story. I found an old homeless man sitting on a bank. I bought him a hamburger and therefore he told me his own story from San Francisco.

After a one-hour conversation with Brad, I had to go to my next stop: Union Square. There I took a city bus and had a city tour. On this tour, I met a lot of San Francisco people. I had several conversations, heard different stories, and learned a handful of new local expressions.

What I can say after this trip is that San Francisco is not only shopping or lifestyle; San Francisco is LIFE! It’s happiness! When you stay in San Francisco, go out with open eyes. Find the life stories and what this city will share with you. You will find a lot more than you expect!

If you would like to find out more about our English courses in San Francisco, and experience American life and culture first hand, please do not hesitate to email us or visit the St Giles Website