Student Lisa’s Experience in Santa Monica
Palm trees sway in the warm breeze, both along the coastline at Santa Monica Beach, with open views of the Pacific Ocean, and on Rodeo Drive among designer boutiques and luxury sports cars.
On the West Coast of the famed states of the USA lies Los Angeles, where everything happens and begins. Yes, the whole world watches and draws inspiration as business ideas take shape, the biggest hits in the music industry are written, and stars perform in front of the film cameras. Perhaps everything created in L.A. has become a worldwide success precisely because it comes from here, right in the center of creativity. Either way, we love it—and we want to be a part of it.
At Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport, a giant screen lights up with an image of Santa Monica Pier and the words “Stop dreaming. Fly to L.A. today.” The western part of the city has more of a small-town feel. Simply living and spending time in Santa Monica is enough in itself: a relaxed and safe small town in the heart of a global city. The area offers so much more than the famous beachfront path toward Venice. It is home to one of California’s largest community colleges, with around 3,000 international students in addition to its American students. You would be hard-pressed to find a broader selection of courses than at Santa Monica College anywhere. Everything from media, design, and communications to business, cosmetology, volleyball, boxing, and yoga is offered across the campus’s buildings and athletic facilities. Grab a coffee to go at SMC’s own Starbucks between classes, or enjoy lunch in the sunshine. Just a short walk from campus and only three blocks from the beach is the famous Third Street Promenade, with shops, restaurants, and movie theaters.
Santa Monica’s boardwalk continues toward Venice with its famous boardwalk. Here you can easily spend an entire afternoon watching street musicians, dancers, and skateboarders. The muscle-bound crowd also shows off at the outdoor gym, Muscle Beach. Many tourists are seen here, but not everyone makes their way up to Abbot Kinney, the cross street lined with palm trees a bit further into the neighborhood, filled with trendy cafés, homemade ice cream cones, and graffiti-covered walls. Continue south and the Marina del Rey harbor opens up, where large apartment complexes and beautiful boats rest along the water. Venice itself is relatively small, but since it connects with both Santa Monica and Marina del Rey and offers a fairly short drive into the heart of the global city with Hollywood and everything it has to offer, the area around the beaches is a perfect place to settle down. The ocean breeze and calm are always present, while the city’s energy and nightlife are available whenever you want them.
People arrive in L.A. in huge numbers every day. Some want to start their own businesses, go celebrity spotting, or live the luxury lifestyle we’ve heard about; others want to pursue a music career and hope for a lucky break. Maybe it’s the combination of small-town charm, big-city life, and a tropical climate that draws us in? Maybe that’s why it has become such a popular tourist destination for couples, families, and young people alike, and perhaps that’s also why thousands of international students choose Santa Monica College each semester in the United States.
Stop dreaming. Start your journey to L.A. today!
