This week, my international student endeavors took me to a familiar place, up past Stockton and Post Streets and down an alleyway called Campton Place. It doesn't look like much but then you pass the few strangers smoking cigarettes outside, be cordial with the overly brute bouncer, pay the five dollar cover (damn them) and then you find yourself walking down these dark flight of stairs that remind me of a secret ballroom stairs, into a club filled with mesmerized dancers, drunks and a few snobs. This is Vessel, and this is where IEEC's Wednesday Night Socialites has led me.

This weekly event got moved up a day in honor of Veterans Day. It took me a while to figure out why but I think it makes sense, right? Anyway, this place was pretty packed. Actually, I take that back. It was really packed. Although, it was quite different than the last time I went to one of these events because there were other people there who weren't international. The accents in the background were few and spread between but I still heard the occasional "ça va, ça va."

I wanted to get the bartenders' opinion on the many different accents that they're most likely heard but they were all busy as hell. If I were them though, I don't think that I'd think twice about the high volume of internationals. This is San Francisco we're talking about.

And did I mention there were go-go dancers? I didn't? Oh yeah, there were go-go dancers. Maybe that's why I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings.

All in all, it seemed liked a successful night for Vessel. As for the international community, there was a definite presence but, word on the street is, many of them were out of town. Still, I found myself dancing in the crowds with the other eclectic assortment of dancers and considering my night didn't end there, I can't complain. And sorry guys, I didn't take any pictures of the go-go dancers.

Just kidding. I so did.
Happy Veteran's Day.

-Daniel H.D. Nguyen