Bambi92 Posted August 8, 2014 Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 I don't wake up till about 7.30-8 depending on phoenix I don't like mornings in a night owl How come you had to get up so early for school? What time did you start? We started at 8 and finished at 2 (when I went to school Lol) Wouldn't think the sun would be so different in each country but it is Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mydiamond Posted August 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 I remember I threw a tantrum as a little kid, asking my mom why "Western kids" get to start school at 8 and us Asians start at 7 plus, even if the bell rang at 7, we need to get to class at least ten minutes before it I leave at about 6:15 usually and arrive at 6:30. Our schedule varies from day to day though. There were days when I don't get home until 5 PM, but there are also days when I'm already home by 1 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chula Posted August 8, 2014 Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 Some schools here don't start until 9 am or even later! I think the point is to try to be on a more similar schedule to a parents work schedule since the majority of kids don't have a parent at home during the day waiting for them. And don't be fooled, while most Americans are generally nice and friendly, that guy in the hotel was showing you all those things so you'd give him a nice fat tip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mydiamond Posted August 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 he left before my dad handed him any. The tipping culture here is freaking me out a little. We don't do that in Asia, so I'd most likely forget to. But I heard if you forget to tip they'd let you know in a rude way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chula Posted August 8, 2014 Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 Yeah, you usually tip the guy who shows you your room or brings your luggage. Usually you leave a few dollars for the hotel maids. You tip at restaurants 15-20 percent of the bill before taxes. You tip a taxi driver. Ummm, what else...a hair dresser or manicurist. One thing to keep in mind is that a lot of restaurant staff are paid very little hourly wage (less than the legally required minimum wage for other types of employees) so if you don't tip them, they don't make any money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted August 8, 2014 Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 Yeah, tipping is customary in the US for the service industry! Hotels, restaurants, taxis, dog groomers, hair dressers, pizza delivery, etc. It is so weird how much different the sun rises and sets, even in different parts of the US. We were just talking about this a couple of weeks ago. In the summer, the sun rises about 5am over here, and sets around 8:30, but if you drive an hour east of here you go to a different time zone, so the sun doesn't set until almost 10pm! And in the winter, the sun does not rise until around 7:30, but sets shortly after 4pm. The closer to the equator you go, the more even the days/nights are (12 hours each). In Alaska in the summer the sun is out for almost 20 hours a day, but in the winter you only get like 5 hours of daylight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mydiamond Posted August 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 Yeah we were walking around with a family friend who lives locally and he told me that if we don't tip the servers don't make anything at all The sun finally rises at a little over six. It's now 7:30 and we're blaming each other about why we don't have anything to eat for breakfast we usually go to small roadside convenience stores to buy milk and bread for breakfast but yesterday we just can't find such shops the family friend bought us apples and bananas, but it's not enough for three people. Guess we'd wait until the mall opens and walk around... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahp87 Posted August 8, 2014 Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 Liv, What part of west Hollywood are you staying in? I'd be happy to direct you to convenience stores! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mydiamond Posted August 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 I'm staying in Sofitel Beverly Hills, or something. I just know it starts with the word "Sofitel". We have Beverly Center and Bloomingdale's right ahead of us, but they're expensive, high-end malls. I don't expect us to find cheap chocolate milk or plain bread there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahp87 Posted August 8, 2014 Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 Right opposite The Beverly Center (on N. La Cienga Blvd) you'll find a CVS store. Sells pretty much everything... Food, drinks, toys lol. Screencap of maps.. Cvs is bottom right Also, further up La Cienga there's an AMAZING Japanese restaurant called Koi. And a fab steak restaurant called STK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mydiamond Posted August 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 I can see CVS just right out of my room window! though their sign says "pharmacy"... or maybe there's more than one CVS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted August 8, 2014 Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 CVS is a pharacy but they also sell other stuff, like food, beverages, etc. It's like a convience store Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahp87 Posted August 8, 2014 Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 Yeah I got a bit confused when I went in one for the first time actually looking for a pharmacy... Obviously I found that but also found a load of other stuff lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chula Posted August 8, 2014 Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 (edited) There are very few stores in the US that are JUST pharmacies. Almost all pharmacies also sell convenience store type things. Nice hotel! You guys are fancy! I'd go sit by the pool and relax! Edited August 8, 2014 by Chula Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotTheDogWhisperer Posted August 8, 2014 Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 Good luck Liv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mydiamond Posted August 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 Yeah my uncle (who used to live around here) booked it for us I really did not expect to stay in such a posh place. Thought we're on a budget! So I've just roamed around Beverly Center to grab breakfast and a school bag (the back to school sale is a great deal) ate my first ever grilled cheese sandwich. There's no going back now! on my way back we came across this homeless guy with his amber-eyed GSD. I'd offer the man a sandwich if I was alone, but I'm not, so I gotta walk on. Too bad, he has the prettiest dog ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goingsolo Posted August 8, 2014 Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 Live sounds like you're having a blast enjoy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mydiamond Posted August 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 Well, that's it. We're leaving L.A this noon to head to San Diego but before that, we're going around to buy winter apparels and an American charger for my iPhone. Let's just hope there's not too much traffic, because it's rather busy when we went out for dinner last night We had Thai food last night, again my first time. The fish is a.w.e.s.o.m.e but other than that the flavor's not my cup of tea after the Thai restaurant we went to Griffith Observatory. Being a geography nerd (that includes astronomy, geology, and everything) I am totally fascinated by that place wish we have one in Indo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 Have fun in San Diego!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed #5 Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 How long are you going to be in San Diego?? Make sure you get to go to the Zoo there, it's one of the best in the US and you can easily plan on spending a day there! Well, okay, *I* could! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mydiamond Posted August 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 Yep we're going there alright we're spending two nights in San Diego Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mydiamond Posted August 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 So I'm not in San Diego yet. I'm now in Torrance, CA not sure what we're doing here. But my uncle used to live here and his roommate, who remains a great friend to the whole family, is taking us places. Maybe that's why we're here? To see where my uncle used to live at? leaving for Disneyland in several hours. Now time for a mini rant. Like I said, my uncle's old roommate is taking us places. He's very, very nice. He drives us here and there, take us wherever we want to go and make reservations and all. That is why I feel really bad =\ my dad is a very rude person. He just is. Guess he's born that way. He's also a bit of a self-centered clown and believes anything he said is funny. Spoiler; nothing he said is ever funny. Sometimes he even make very insulting "jokes". He kept speaking Indonesian (obviously our 'tour guide' here doesn't speak our language) even when the roommate was in the middle of a sentence. He kept laughing at the end of every phrase, even when it's not even meant to be funny. Then after the roommate dropped us off at our hotel, my dad would call him things like "stupid" or "crazy" just because he speaks slowly. I explained to my dad that is probably because he knows none of my parents really speak English. He didn't say anything. It does my head in. How impolite can somebody be? Earlier today we left for TJ Maxx to get an American charger for my phone (ended up buying a dog collar LOL) and my mom saw a Guess store across the street. She literally just left. My dad called me and told me where she went, but he said nothing to the roommate. *I* have to go around the store and tell him that my parents went elsewhere. Then we had to walk around and wait for my mom to finish shopping. I think that's rather uncalled for I'm looking to apologize yesterday, but thought my parents wouldn't appreciate me doing that. I feel really really bad though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed #5 Posted August 10, 2014 Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 Liv, I know from previous messages that your dad tends to be a problem for you. But consider, he's *completely* out of his world; he doesn't speak the language, he doesn't probably read it well, he doesn't fit into this society - he is probably just as nervous and unsettled as you are (for different reasons). Try to give him a little slack if you can, remember when you finally get to school, it's going to be almost a year before you have to "put up" with him again. But as I know from my routine with my brother, people can be really irritating at times!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mydiamond Posted August 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 Yeah I don't know, it's hard to sympathize with these folks I literally can't stand them. Not sure if I even want to go home once I pack up the dog and fly him over! Oh and I forgot to say that we met the roommate's dogs yesterday pretty little girls; a Yorkie and a Cocker Spaniel. I'm still amazed how they come whenever called LOL EDIT I think my brother is warming up to Diamond he sends me daily updates and pictures, telling me how did the dog's day went. There's rarely a lot to tell since he's a very boring dog, but he always mentions the dog. Yesterday he wants me to Skype Diamond and tell him to eat because he's not finishing his dinner. I told him that's just how Dime is every single day. He reported back an hour later telling me Dime has now eaten. Now he knows why I'm so worried about his food intake and treat amount! Today he told me Dime probably missed me. "He looks sad," he told me through WhatsApp. I told him that's just the dog's default face. He's not capable of looking happy for more than an hour a day My brother normally wouldn't even lay an eye on the dog. I don't know why, he just hates dogs (and fear them a little) since he was born. But Dime is one special dog, isn't he? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambi92 Posted August 11, 2014 Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 Aww that is so sweet of your brother to give you updates! Dime is a special boy! How's your trip going? Others then the issues with dad How was Disneyland? Always wanted to go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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