I had four wonderful months at Pamela's house. She and her family are very accomodating as well as friendly, and their pets are lovely and funny. You can be certain that you always have a furry fan club that welcomes you whenever you go back to the house. The house is close to Downtown and some pretty cool cafés such as the Berlin Bistro & Coffee House as well as to the Pikes (stores & movies). It is very cozy and the room gorgeous! I went to Cal State Long Beach while being in Long Beach. I didn't mind the distance to university that much even though it was usually a 30-40 mins bus ride, and the buses were not very reliable unfortunately. At least, there are several bus stops near the house! However, if you are a student at Cal State and you mind the distance, you should probably stay at a place closer to uni. :-) What I appreciated the most was my privacy.