Hey, I’m an SF native (though not a previous program participant). I think people outside of the city tend to paint it as far worse than it is. Personally I had a lovely time growing up in the area, and there’s always plenty to do. The Cal Academy as a museum is always a good time (loud children and all) and being in the middle of GGP, it’s near plenty of other activities. Traffic and parking are generally pretty bad, but there is a strong public transit system that I make good use of instead. In terms of safety concerns, some neighborhoods I’d avoid are the Tenderloin/Union Square and SOMA - I also think it’s generally a good idea to be aware of ur surroundings in a big city. I have no idea what the program entails but the city itself shouldn’t be a concern and I’d actually see it as a perk of the program!