My birthday was this past weekend, so my parents flew out to visit me! It was great. They stayed in the downtown part of San Diego, which I had yet to explore. We walked around the Gaslamp district, a part of downtown San Diego that does in fact still have street lamps run by gas. TONS of shops, bars, resturants, etc., are in that area. It's small but densly packed, kind of like Hoboken!
We also went to check out Croanado Island. It is a small island right off the coast of San Diego and is connected by a bridge. The island has two major points of interest: a Naval base and the historic Hotel del Coranado, a beautiful, old hotel right along the beach.
The last thing we did over the weekend was drive along the coast. We went through all the little beach towns. It was too cloudy to fully enjoy the beach - but I did buy a wetsuit! I can't wait to try surfing!!!
So I have officially been in California for 9 days - and I finished my first week of work! I absolutlely LOVE it! I am working as a co-op employee in the Quality department of Hamilton Sundstrand Power Systems. My boss is awesome and even likes the same football team as me! I spent my first week going through various training modules pertaining to what I will need to know for the next 5 months. One of the biggest projects I will be focusing on is using a quality operating system to determine the various value streams within the company, making sure we are aligning to those value streams. By doing this, I will be able to work with professionals from various functional groups and see how each department operates, giving me a greater understanding of how the company operates as a whole.
On a different note, I am off to explore my new city! (I'm hoping to obtain a San Diego Library Card!!)
Thanks to all the friends I've met at Stevens Institute of Technology, I didn't have to be alone for New Years as I start my co-op placement in San Diego. I took a train up to LA and met with a friend who attends Stevens and was home in CA for the winter break. It was such an amazing trip!
I took an Amtrak Pacific Surfliner up the coast to LA, and the views were incredible. I could see tons of gorgeous beaches and the few people brave enough to put on their wetsuits and search for the perfect waves. I can't wait to try surfing!!
Since I am a vegan, my friend had no idea what to feed me once I got to his house. So we made rolls! (Basically, sushi without the raw fish.) We went out and bought plenty of fresh veggies: carrots, avocado, cucumber, jicama, etc. We then sliced them all up and rolled them into the rice and seaweed paper. It was such a fun, cultural experience!
For New Years, we left the gorgeous 80 degree weather and drove up into the mountains to about 8,000 ft. I was totally surprised to see ski areas, people having snowball fights, and most surprisingly - a frozen lake! We stayed in a cabin that was built completely by my friend's family. The views were incredible, and I never would have expected to have seen that much snow in California!
On a different note - tomorrow is my first day of work at my last co-op through Stevens! I am so excited to discover what I'll be doing and meet all the people I'll be working with!
Has it been an exhausting day or what? After waking up at 4am in my hometown in Hartford, CT, I stepped out into the 25 degree weather and made my way to Bradley International Airport. Just a quick breeze through security, and I was on my way. A six hour plane ride, two hour layover in Dallas, TX, and a shorter flight later, I finally made it to my destination and happy to feel the breezy, 70 degree San Diego air.
It is absolutely B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L here! There are mountains and palm trees right next to each other. The sun glistens nonstop throughout the day, so I have yet to see a cloud in the sky. I live in a part of town called Hillcrest. There are TONS of stores, restaurants, and coffee shops all within walking distance, and Balboa park is only a 10-15 minute walk away. Balboa park is home to the San Diego Zoo, the Air and Space Museum, gardens, carousels, theaters, etc. I couldn't have asked to live in a better location!
I wish that I could have walked around my neighborhood forever. But with all the flying, and the three hour time difference, I'm exhausted. I can't wait to sleep in my new bed and get ready for more exploring tomorrow!
