After receiving an internal-department fellowship from my university to conduct pre-dissertation research during the summer, I immediately started to calculate how long I could stay in the Bay Area with a $2,000 fellowship (also counting airfare, food, and transportation costs). I predicted that I could stay for two weeks through Airbnb, but once I came across Zoe's home, I figured that I could stay for an unexpected three weeks. Zoe's place was ideal and it turned out to be a fabulous experience (the best experience I have ever had while traveling). Not only did the fellowship I received covered a three-week stay, but the neighborhood is great, her home is beautiful, and her house is right around the corner from a BART station. You can actually walk to downtown Berkeley within 20-25 minutes. My research required me to travel all around the Bay Area, so this place was more than perfect. Unlike me, I imagine that most visitors won't travel as far and as frequently as I did (San Jose and Stanford University numerous times), but if you are only going to San Francisco, it won't cost you very much on the Bart or transbay bus. If you are like me and like to avoid tourists, you won't have to worry about that in Zoe's neighborhood since it's residential.

As for the house, the private room was wonderful and quiet, and I was able to use the kitchen to cook and store food. The security system is a bid complicated, but I got the hang of it after the third day. Also if you are traveling and California is still facing a drought, the water restricting aren't dramatic, and you will learn how to save water more efficiently.

Zoe herself is a sweet women, and I did get to know her better during my visit. We had many causal conversations. My research also interest her since she was a high school student during the time period of my study.