Lifestyle – Proud In Wanderland

If you read my first blog post, you would know that I actually grew up in California. Prior to moving to Bangkok, I lived in the Bay Area (Northern California) for 13 years. I moved there at the age of 9 and stayed there till I was 23. I have moved quite a bit, back and forth between Pacifica and San Mateo, but I guess they are all in San Mateo County, so when people ask, I usually tell them San Mateo is my hometown. Hehe.♥

Now, I may be a little bit biased, but if you have been to California, I am sure that you will agree with me that it is an amaazzzing state! If you haven’t…well, I would suggest you to hop on the airplane and visit this golden state right now. From time to time, I do get a bit homesick. I mean, what can I say…it was not easy to move away from this amazing state that I have called “home.” At the same time though, it is not easy to move away from my family and most of my family members live in Thailand.

The following are just some of the reasons why I love California so much.

1. Open-Minded Culture

Proud B.’s 22nd Birthday (Pacifica, California)

California has always been known for being an open-minded state as most Californians were raised to accept people of different backgrounds and cultures no matter of their ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation, and allows people to freely be themselves. As you may have seen on television or the news or even Facebook, you may see that California celebrates Pride Week every year. We are actually a strong advocate for that. As we are also culturally diverse, we usually celebrate many special occasions, such as Chinese New Year. All of this encourages people to realize that people do exist outside of our own bubble. When I moved to the United States at a young age, it was not easy at all for me to adapt. In the beginning, I was scared – scared about everything. I felt like I was different and I was not able to fit in. But, all of that was just in my head. Most people were willing to let me in with open arms, but I did not allow them until a while later. I feel really fortunate of having to grow up in a state where people accept me for who I am and not judge me of where I came from.

2. Diverse Population

Holi 2014 (UC Berkeley, California)

Another thing I love about California is its diversity. If you walk around the neighborhoods or streets, you may realize that it is not uncommon to see people of different races or skin colors walking around you, or hear three different languages spoken around you. The state has a great mix of all different ethnicities, which is fantastically awesome. By being exposed to people of different backgrounds and cultures, it has taught me to not judge people of the way they look or from their origins. This also proves my point above that California is an open-minded state. Being an Asian living in the United States is not that easy. As much as the society has tried to stop racism, we all can agree that it still exists and there is still stereotyping going on. I could not stress enough that I do feel very lucky to have lived and spent half of my life in a state where different kinds of people are accepted.

3. Freeeeedom

Happy New Years 2014 (Slide Lounge, San Francisco, California)

Having spent half of my life in Thailand and the other half in the United States, I was exposed to different cultures and it has helped me understand what it is like to be in different parts of the world and understand different ways of thinking and living of locals. Being born in a Thai family, I am not going to lie that you are restricted to do a lot of things, you are pretty much trained to think a certain way, and your life is pretty much planned out for you. Now, I am not saying that it is a bad thing as it is just the way most Thais were raised. They have to listen to their parents or adults and they cannot disagree as it may comes off to the adults that they are being aggressive and disrespectful. I am not saying either that it is like that with every family. I was very fortunate that my parents have spent part of their lifetime in the United States, making them be open-minded and they have raised me to be able to think and freely express myself. There is no right or wrong in this, this is what I prefer my life to be.

4. Great Weather & Sunshine

Knott’s Berry Farm (Buena Park, California)

California has always been known for its great weather and sunshine. Of course, this depends on which part of California you are talking about. In Northern California, where I came from, though it is sunny, the wind gets pretty strong. A light jacket may be needed. While driving, most people just roll down their windows and enjoy the fresh air rather than turning on A/C’s. You will never see A/C’s installed in houses as people never use them; they only use heaters when needed. Be aware though, the Bay Area can get pretty cold at night and temperature can drop to 50°F. However, in Southern California, there is rarely wind and it can be so sunny that you may sometimes feel the burn. Just staying there for couple nights, you may feel like you are constantly dehydrated. At night, it can be really warm, which feels kind of nice. I mean, of course, during winter, it gets cold anywhere, but we do not usually experience the snow (except for maybe Tahoe). The state rarely rains, which is good and bad as we just experienced the drought last year.

5. The Food Scene

Blockheads Shavery (Los Angeles, California)

Benihana (Burlingame, California)

Though food in Thailand is pretty great and I did miss it a lot when I was in the United States, but food in California is pretty damn awesome too. I guess this has to do with the points I previously stated too. Since the population is very diverse, the culinary scene is also diverse. There are an array of great authentic restaurants in California. The food options range from ramen to veggies to milk teas to kebabs to tacos. All of the food options are just to die for. Food trucks have become California’s phenomena. You can find it everywhere on the streets really, from an actual food festival to a flea market to a university or offices to public parking lots and parks. Not even just food, but California is known for its top notch wines as well. Be careful though, if you visit California, there might be a possibility that you will gain weight. Been there; done that. Can’t say I’ve never warned you!

6. In N Out

In N Out (San Francisco, California)

This just deserves its own paragraph. In N Out has some of the best burgers in the world, I would say. I love it so much that when I visited California this past April, In N Out was the first meal I had. It is cheesy and juicy and its special sauce makes it extra delicious. Their freshly-baked fries are also very delicious. They have a secret menu that not a lot of people know about (you should Google it). Animal Style Fries are my favorite from that “secret menu.” What makes it unique is that it contains cheese, In N Out’s special sauce, and grilled onions on top of the fries. I usually order both regular and Animal Fries. I just love lovee loveee fries! Hehe. Although this fast food chain has its restaurants mostly in California and few in Nevada and nearby states, it is quite popular worldwide. To this day, I still suggest people (even to Thais) to try In N Out as it will not disappoint them.

7. Great Schools & Universities

UC Berkeley Graduation 2014 (Berkeley, California)

California may not have Ivy League institutions, but they do have numerous of amazing, prestigious, and reputable universities, such as UC Berkeley, UC Los Angeles, Stanford, and many others, and we are really proud of that. Since I have lived in California half of my life, the thought of leaving was quite difficult for me; therefore, I only applied to universities in the state. I was never really the smartest person in my class. As the matter of fact, I got lost along the way and I did not know what I wanted to do with my life. I then decided to go to community college right after high school and I eventually got into University of California, Berkeley, for which I graduated in 2014 with B.A. in Sociology. UC Berkeley was not my dream school (believe it or not, but UCLA was :P), but part of the reasons why I decided to go there was to pursue my parents’ dreams and make them feel proud of me…just once in my life.

8. Disneyland & Other Amusement Parks

Disneyland (Anaheim, California)

Six Flags Magic Mountain (Valencia, California)

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (Vallejo, California)

Universal Studios Hollywood (Universal City, California)

No matter how old you are, the magic of “The Happiest Place on Earth” is still in effect. California is home for amusement and themed parks, and this of course includes Disneyland and Universal Studios. If you like disney characters or universal pictures movies, you’d definitely enjoy Disneyland and Universal Studios! It is so cute you will feel like you are actually a part of that movie. But, if you are looking for a more thrilling amusement parks, California definitely has that too, such as Great America and Six Flags. As you can see in my pictures above, California has a so much variety of amusement and themed parks that you can explore. If you enjoy this thrill as much as I am, I would suggest you to get on to it and head on over!

9. Stunning Views

Mission Peaks (Alameda County, California)

The Big “C” (UC Berkeley, California)

La Jolla Cove (San Diego, California)

Golden Gate Bridge (San Francisco, California)

California has stunning views and with its amazing weather, you can enjoy the outdoors and scenery. You can relax by the beach and get some tan and enjoy the breezy wind by the clear blue water, and if you are into surfing, Southern California is great for that as well. If you have not done so, you should definitely visit San Francisco as the city is amazing and visit its greatest landmark, Golden Gate Bridge. The city has many corners and locations where you can take great pictures at. If you enjoy camping, there are many locations where you can camp, such as Yosemite. It is super nice and you will leave with a memorable experience. You can even ski in Tahoe as it occasionally snows. California also have many hiking trails, such as Mission Peaks. If you can catch a great sunset, I would suggest you to hurry and capture the unforgettable moment.