The First Day in the Bay Area ?!

(Joerg Schernikau, Germany, 1993)

You just arrived in the United States? Probably you are tired and want to sleep, but even more probably you are too excited to go to bed right now. So let's see how you can manage your start with the American bureaucracy. But don't worry if you have to wait in line, most clerks at the desk are very friendly.

Even if you want to buy a car it is useful to rent one for the first days. All you need is a credit card, (international) driver license, your passport and a letter from HP with your name.

Transportation

Why you should get the car first:

• Forget the possibility to go by bus, train or something else. There are some public transportation but you have to go all over the city and your time shouldn't be wasted by waiting for transportation, there are better things to spend your time on!
• Your are independent from your host family (if you stay with a family) or other eurostudents, who have to work during the opening hours of most authorities.
• If you want to buy a car, you might want to see some used-car dealers or drive to private persons selling a car. Sometimes you can't wait till somebody can give you a ride, the "dream car" is gone before!

So you have to rent a car! Read the article about renting a car (you need the HP letter with your name to proof that you will be a HP employee and that you are allowed to get the HP rates) and continue reading this article when sitting in your rental car ...

... now you can feel free in this large country!

Maps

But where are you now? And where want you to go? OK, you need some maps! Perhaps you got some maps within your welcome package, anyway, it is worth to drive to the American Automobile Association (AAA, "triple A") to get some maps. They have offices in all cities around the Bay Area (look in the Yellow Pages, AAA opening hours are 8.30am - 5.00pm).

Most European automobile clubs have contracts with the AAA, so you mustn't pay for their service. Ask for maps of Sunnyvale (includes Cupertino and Mountain View) and Palo Alto, the Bay Area, San Francisco, Santa Clara Country and whatever else you want. You will need all these maps to find out where all the other eurostudents live!

Now you are free and you can use your freedom!

Finished?

If your are satisfied with your rental car and really don't want to buy your own car, there is nothing more I can suggest: cruise around and try to find out where your HP site is, where all the other eurostudents live, check the shops (see article) out or, or, or ...

The End

If you have done all these things you are probably hungry and tired (don't forget the jet-lag!). But you can be satisfied of what you have done this day. You need another two hours to read all the papers and brochures you got during the day, so buy some food and try to find the way to your new home.