In the third installment of her photo diary, Ayeon talks about some things she likes about SF and American culture…and some things that puzzle her. Read on…
It’s been almost one year since I came to San Francisco. I’m glad to have the chance to look back on my life in SF through this blog. Below are some things that I find interesting about San Francisco and American culture in general:
Walgreens
Have you ever heard the following announcement at Walgreens? “Customer service is needed at the counter.” On my first day in San Francisco, I went to Walgreens to buy some groceries. I noticed there was shampoo on a locked shelf. I always wonder why those shelves are locked, especially here in the USA. Are those items really a target of stealing? I asked a bunch of people, but it’s still unclear to me. Crystal, Chris, Adam – I’m still waiting for a good reason…
Old and New Technology
I know there are plastic Clipper cards for the Muni bus and train, but I was surprised to see paper Muni tickets too. It’s strange to me that the best country in the world still uses paper for some transportation tickets. What if the paper blew away, or I tore it? After I got used to it though, I now feel like it’s more convenient, reasonable and environmentally-friendly. In Korea, most credit cards can be used as transportation cards. Another thing I find interesting is America’s obsession with Apple. One day while I was at a cafe, I realized I was the only person with a Samsung laptop. Everyone else was using Macs. It was the first moment that I really felt like foreigner. The power of Apple is beyond my imagination.