About the Book

CultureShock! San Francisco provides first-hand advice that will quickly help you feel at home in The City by the Bay. You will come to know the city’s eclectic and tenacious spirit, and you will understand its overpowering charm. The breathtaking Golden Gate Bridge suspended over the bay, the cable cars that conquer steep hills, the sun-basking sea lions and the painted ladies of San Francisco—all will move from imagination to reality, here. Yet practicality rules! Let this guide show you the neighbourhoods, the restaurants, and opportunities for cultural enrichment. Let it help you through the challenges any newcomer encounters, from finding an affordable home to selecting a school for your kids. And most importantly, let it advise you how to fit in with that diverse assortment of locals who together make San Francisco truly unique.

About the Series

The CultureShock! series is a dynamic and indispensable range of guides for those travellers who are looking to truly understand the countries they are visiting. Each title explains the customs, traditions, social and business etiquette in a lively and informative style.

CultureShock! authors, all of whom have experienced the joys and pitfalls of cultural adaptation, are ideally placed to provide warm and informative advice to those who seek to integrate seamlessly into diverse cultures. The books in this series have a friendly and honest writing style and are full of personal experiences, practical advice and useful information.

About the Author

Frances Gendlin has held leadership positions in magazine and book publishing. She was Editor and Publisher of Sierra, the magazine of the Sierra Club, a worldwide environmental organization, and was the association’s Director of Public Affairs. As Executive Director of the Association of American University Presses, she represented the 100-member publishing houses to the public and fostered scholarly publishing interests. In 1997, she wrote Rome At Your Door (also published as Living & Working Abroad: Rome), a widely read guide to living in that city. In 1998, using the same format, she wrote Paris At Your Door (Living & Working Abroad: Paris).

While she was growing up, her family moved several times to different areas of the United States, each with its own characteristics and culture, climate, and cuisine. This has led her to appreciate many new cultures, to wonder about their differences and similarities to her own, and to try and understand them. All her life she has enjoyed travel and new adventures, meeting interesting people and making new friends.