Free stuff to do in and around California

As you might have already read I've spent 3 months in California end of 2012 studying at the University of California Riverside.
I had lots of free time and tried to use every second of it exploring Cali. And I found a few cool things you can do in (or around) Cali that are completely FREE! (wohoo! - who doesn't like that?)

In the Christmas Bakery...

"In der Weihnachtsbäckerei, gibt es manche Leckerei..." This German Song basically says that when you're baking for Christmas you'll end up with a lot of tasty treats! And that's what I did.
It's a tradition in Germany to bake "Weihnachtsplätzchen" (Christmas cookies) during December in joyful anticipation of Christmas. They come in all sizes, shapes and tastes. My Mum and I usually make about 5-8 different types each year.
This year, of course, we can't bake together. So I thought I could at least try to introduce my American roommates to a few German holiday traditions.

Fun facts on a country you think you know everything about

Woho! First personal post!

 

I've been in Cali for a little more than 6 weeks now, so it might be time to explain why I'm here. I mean, I could have gone basically anywhere for my semester abroad, like France, Spain, Norway, England, Canada or South Africa. But I chose the States. Because I love American music, TV shows, novels and the accent. And because it is a country so present in the European media that you think you know it like the back of your hand. But you don't.
That's why I started collecting some interesting peculiarities of stuff that contradicts or backs up the preconceptions that Europeans tend to have of Americans.