Located in the south-western most corner of the California, San Diego is considered the birthplace of the state. Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo landed San Diego' s Point Loma area in 1542, claiming the area for Spain.

Spanish rule in California ended in 1821, and subsequently Mexico and America fought over rights to the land for many years. In 1850 California became the 31st state in the U.S., the same year San Diego was declared a city.

Named "America' s Finest City" due to its hospitality, beauty and ideal climate, San Diego is located on the border with Mexico. The residents are so active outdoors that Sports Illustrated magazine once called it "Sportstown, U.S.A." San Diego's 70 miles of beaches are a haven for swimmers, surfers, divers, boaters and sunbathers. Another favourite outside activity is golf. With 100 course’s (about 50 of them public), San Diego is a golfer' s paradise, with courses in the mountains, dessert by the bay or ocean. Several courses are even lit for night playing. Professional sports teams include baseball, football, hockey and soccer.

Many San Diego residents came here first as tourists who were enchanted by San Diego's sunny beaches, nearby mountains and deserts, plus the cultural delights of any big city. The world famous San Diego Zoo, Sea World, Wild Animal Park, museums, concerts and other attractions bring visitors from around the world.

The zoo is home to some 4,000 animals, including the world's largest collection of parrots. Animals are displayed in natural settings, and there is a petting zoo for children. By contrast, the Wild Animal Park is a wildlife preserve spanning over 2,000 acres and featuring more than 3.000 free roaming animals in natural habitats.

In addition to housing the zoo, Balboa Park is home to several museums and attractions, including an aerospace museum, art and history museum, the Old Globe Theatre, science museums and even a Railroad museum. Free concerts are offered frequently. Another popular attraction is Sea World, a 150-acre marine park. In nearby La Jolla, the Stephen Birch Aquarium and museum features 30 aquarium tanks. (including the largest tank on display in California), plus educational exhibits, and activities, and a scenic tide pool area.

America's sixth largest city, San Diego is a major commercial business center with more than 2.6 million residents and a varied economy based in agriculture, manufacturing, more than aerospace, technology, electronics. aircraft and ship-building, scientific research and tourism. The city is one of the largest biotech centers in the U.S.

San Diego' s varied attractions, as well as its business climate, offer many opportunities students to explore the local culture, meet people from around the world, and gain business experience. At San Diego State University, for example, students in the American Language Institute's study tour program learn English both in the classroom and while sightseeing.

For example, if students are planning a trip to the zoo, they first study vocabulary related to animals, play games and sing songs about animals and wildlife. The day after the zoo trip, students describe what they saw and what they liked. They use the lnternet to send "cyber postcards" about endangered species to their fellow classmates. An Internet game also is available to match animals to their paw prints.

Students may learn about sports through video clips, by attending games, or actually playing the sport. They can learn how to call plays, how to cheer and taunt.

Business students can visit local companies or hear guest speakers on a variety of topics. Some have a chance to work for a company in an internship following the academic program. In addition, San Diego offers so many opportunities for recreation and sightseeing that students learning English are motivated to explore the area and gain English practice at the same time. Students often live in residence halls with American students or in a homestay with an American family. Both offer many opportunities to practice English conversation.

Often, a language school can organize a program on a special topic, such as golf sports medicine or nursing. Participants study English in the morning and observe practices in their field in the afternoon.

San Diego's diverse economy offers something for almost everyone. Beyond San Diego, students can explore other areas, such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Palm Springs, Las Vegas, Mexico, even the Grand Canyon.

One hardly needs to leave San Diego, however, to find vast places to explore and people to discover.

For more information, contact:

Shelley Herron
Tel: 619 594 5907
E-mail: ali@mail.sdsu.edu
Website at: www.americanlanguage.edu

Author:  Shelley Herron, American Language Institute, San Diego State University

This article first appeared in Educational Courses in Britain & America