Getting Settled

I finally get to move into my apartment tomorrow.  I found a place on the 18th floor of a highrise.  It's newly remodeled and has two bedrooms, hardwood floors, a nice kitchen, and a partial view of the river and of Namsan Park.  It's right across the street from the gate that is closest to the hospital where I will be working, and if I jumped out my window I'd land on the metro station.  It was by far the nicest place I looked at on that side of the post.  I saw some really snazzy apartments in Itaewon, but it would be a much longer walk to work, and they weren't anywhere near where I would run.  There is a running path along the Han River that should only be about 5 minutes from my place.  I'm looking forward to finally getting settled.  So far I think it is a good thing that I didn't bring my roadbike.  I think it would only get dusty.  I think I will have the opportunity to do some hiking, though.  The metro goes all the way to a big national park.

It will be a change to live off-post.  Right now I am surrounded by American thiings and English speakers.  I have to seek out unusual experiences.  I've wandered around Itaewon a little, which is not my type of place--lots of shopping and clubs--but it's within walking distance.  Today after church I planned to go to a changing of the palace guard ceremony at a palace by the city hall, but it rained really hard.  I decided to go another day when the weather is nicer.  That's the nice thing about knowing I will be here for a year.  It would have been my first attempt at the metro system.  Next week I am on a waiting list for a tour of the demilitarized zone.  I signed up for the tour on the 28th in case I don't get to go on Saturday.  That should be very interesting, and a good reminder of why I am here.  Yesterday I went to the Korea War Memorial, which is a huge museum about the size of one of the Smithsonians.  Lots of money was put into it.  I like going to museums that are in a language I don't understand because I don't feel like I have to read everything.  Most of the signs were translated in English, but not all of the tactical maps and chronological histories.  So I know we started with the Japanese Invasion in 1592 and ended with current UN conflicts, and I made up some of what was in between! :)

I oriented a little at work on Friday.  I will be travelling to Camp Humphries twice a month to treat the 5000 soldiers stationed there.  The chief of the clinic has also been going to Camp Walker, but I am going to let the new cheif know that I am really interested in doing that, too, if he'd like me to.  I want to get out with the troops more and start doing more at the unit levels.

View of the 121st General Hospital, Seoul Tower, and distant mountains from my apartment.  The mountains and tower actually appear much further away in this picture than they actually were.