Lots of Updates

So… I am finishing my fourth week in the Bay Area, meaning I’m already halfway done with my time here (for now!). It’s been a busy two weeks, so I’ll try to get you caught up.

After my fun weekend with family, my good friend Taylor visited me in Berkeley. (She graduated last year and we became very close while both being on the board for HAPA.) Since she recently got back from India, we went to a very authentic and off-the-beaten path Indian place called Vik’s Chaat House. We avoided ordering the usual Indian in America fare (chicken tikka masala, samosas, daal, etc.) and I’m so glad we did, because it was all delicious! At this point, I completely forget what everything was called, but now I want to make myself try more new foods. I’m by no means a picky eater, but even in exotic cuisines I have my go-to favorites. Time to be more open to new foods!

Last week a boy moved into my apartment (don’t worry… he’s a harmless rising sophomore CS/chemistry kid), so now I have a roommate, which is kind of weird. I had come to enjoy having my own space, but we are rarely in the apartment at the same time so it’s like living alone for the most part. Sometimes when I don’t feel like talking after work, though, I come and find a nice space to hang out outside. Berkeley has such a beautiful campus that it’s not too difficult, and I’m glad I’ve been forced to venture out of my apartment more often.

After work on Tuesday I went into the city with my friend Liza (who is also in the Seneca). We wanted to go to a movie screening at the Top of the Mark (check out how steep the road was going up the hill!!! Good thing it doesn’t snow here), but so did dozens of other people and we didn’t get there early enough to get in, so we walked around and enjoyed each others’ company over a glass of champagne at Gold Dust.

Finally we reached the Top of the Mark!

This week I also read Michael Pollan’s book, In Defense of Food. I LOVED it!!!! (I highly recommend it to every person who is at all interested in health and diet!!!! Seriously, you HAVE to read it!) Between this book, Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, and the food-related environmental research I do for work, I’m becoming so so interested in and passionate about environmental health. Hmm… is that my calling that I hear? Maybe… we’ll see ☺

Things at work have been going really well over the past two weeks, too. I’m so thankful that my supervisor was so thoughtful in choosing projects that are meaningful to me and to the organization. This week she sent me to the County Board of Supervisors budgeting meeting so I could see more of the inner workings of the public sector. A few things really struck me. First, the board was INCREDIBLY diverse: two women (Latina and Asian) and three men (two black and one white). To me, it was so meaningful and inspiring to see that out of the 5 board members, only ONE was a white man!!! The second thing I observed was the extent to which the County is subject to the decisions of the state government. There were multiple cases in which seemingly minor changes in policy at the state-level caused huge changes in requirements and/or budgets of the County. Lastly, I realized how much we take for granted the services of local governments. The County here is responsible for so many important things that don’t usually cross my mind. For example, not only law enforcement, but also jails and probation. It’s easy for our highly-capitalist society that lauds the private sector to dismiss and criticize the public sector, but the truth is much of what they do nobody else can or even wants to.