Starting to feel at home...

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Hello! I just wanted to put up a quick blog for all my international friends to whom I do not speak enough. To all those still in Japan--I miss you all very very much. Chris. Eric. Kennard. Ono. I hope you are bearing though the winter all right, putting enough kerosine in your heaters and using your kotatsu like crazy. I also hope you are enjoying Japan and teaching those wonderful kids, and soaking up every last drop of culture and people and Japanese oddities that you can possibly (and sanely) handle, because there's nothing like that life in Japan.

So, I live in a fairly large flat above an ice-cream store in a neighborhood called Elmwood, a 15 minute walk south of UC Berkeley campus. My place is kind of like a gnome's home, with ultral low ceilings, few windows, poor lighting, and year-round construction out back--it's ghetto, but the price unbeatable. I live with two brothers from NYC, who have proved to be two of the kindest people in Berkeley. They have taken me in like a sister (of which they have 7 already), and have generally bolstered my new life here with positive vibes, great stories, and strong drinks. Every day is quite busy, as I have been picking up as many jobs as I can fit into 24 hours. 'Nanny', 'public health intern', 'Red Bull promo team member', 'GRE sucker', 'wine retail associate', and 'desperate candidate for grad school' have been the most recent employment titles.

Keeping a busy work schedule, including some party time, and already getting my car stolen, Berkeley is feeling more and more like home.

Here are some highlights from the past several months:

• Wine-tasting in Napa
  It's what we do in California.
  
  
• Working the Red Bull Air Races
  These pilots trek the globe in a Nascar-style aerobatic race. They had a course set out for them and they were going against the clock, flying at 400 kpm and withstanding forces up to 10G. It was incredible. And the American won.
  
  
• Halloween in the Castro
  I had no idea it was this crazy! Just thousands of people. Last year, people were stabbed; this year, people were shot!! Locals putting on dancing shows, DJs, drunken rambunctiousness, drags, male strippers in the windows above, and cops everywhere. It was amazing.
  
  
• Learning how to ride a Motocross bike
  
  Going down Lombard Street

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  and working hard in San Francisco
  for a day
  I have a new-found respect for these guys who ride those things. These bikes are so heavy and there's so much to think about all at once--pace, changing gears, standing, turning, the clock--it was rough! I was beat after 15 minutes!
  
  
• Hanging out in LA with my dear friend Kory
  Somehow we got into the swanky Sunset Blvd. club, The Sky Bar, and the view was stunning--as were the 14$ drinks. We also went to The Standard, a super hip club-bar down the street. Lastly, we had to hit up the Sex in the City made famous Western bar, Saddle Ranch.
  
  
• Seeing old high school friends over Thanksgiving
  Always fun to catch up!
  
  
• Walking around the Marin Headlands on a gorgeous December day
  Thsi weather has been spooky...beautiful bluw skies, 70 degree weather. This is the Bay Area! Where is the rain and miserableness?
  
  
• A birthday party for yours truly...hosted by my flatmates, ballah style, with a fridge stacked with Red Bull, Grey Goose, and champagne.
  
  
• This New Year's Eve in the wondrous city of San Francisco was the best one I've had...since last year in Chiang Mai, Thailand :p ... A
  
  Red Bull Air Races

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  and the Golden Gate Bridge
  delectable five-course meal, wines paired with each course. Dancing in a quasi-VIP room for hours. Sneaking in to the Westin St. Francis' "A-List" party (200$ tickets) and meeting up with friends. And to top off the night...sipping nice champagne with friends in a designer's dream hotel room complete with a zebra striped robe (The Triton Hotel...Kimpton rocks). Pretty awesome night.
  

Well, I think that's it for now. Berkeley is fun and exciting. Life is good. And, just as I'm beginning to feel at home, I decided that I needed a vacation...tomorrow...stay tuned...

Love you all very much!

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