Category: SanFran Chronicles
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Cash Back
When shopping in the U.S. with a Debit card, there’s a question the card machine always asks after you enter your PIN. ‘Do you want cash back?’
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Doing Laundry in San Francisco
Everyone confidently offered their ‘home remedies’ based on personal experiences. Most didn’t work, but they lived happily thinking, ‘Oh, I accidentally tagged the card. Well, no big deal.’
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Finding a Home
I still can’t quite imagine what it feels like to leisurely dine out and watch a movie after retirement. But whenever life gets too chaotic, I remember the email from Bob, the landlord, after I signed the lease. It makes me wonder, ‘Do they still dine at Japan Town and catch movies at the Kabuki?’…
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Internet and Coffee
Even at Starbucks, people here spend five minutes detailing their desired recipes—from bean type to water temperature—ensuring they get their perfect cup.
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Sausalito and the Golden Gate Transit Bus
Even finding the bus stop is a challenge since signs are scarce, and when you do find it, the bus takes its sweet time to arrive.
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Home Sweet Home
I found a place in Pacific Heights. Just a short walk and I could gaze at the ocean. Though I dislike hills, I ended up in one of the highest areas in San Francisco. Life’s full of surprises.
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House Hunting
I don’t usually have a sweet tooth, but I went in and ordered a cupcake with organic iced coffee. For the first time since arriving here, I pulled out a book I carried daily but never opened.
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Phone Setup
Setting up the phone was urgent. Without internet access outside, finding my way, hunting for a place to live, and even grabbing a meal and returning to the hotel was tough.
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Opening an Account
The first thing on my agenda here was to open a bank account. After all, even if I found a place to live, I’d need money to seal the deal. There are a bunch of ways to do this, but a friend advised me that having a U.S. account would be super convenient in the…
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Arrival
Most flights to the US are large, with more passengers than you’d expect, so once you land, just head straight to immigration without looking back. A bathroom stop might mean despair as you face a line of passengers snaking like a boa.