The start of something new

Wow I haven't updated this blog in like two years, maybe it's time for a new post. Here's an update: I am finally settled in my apartment (rather graduate dorm) and school starts tomorrow morning at 9am. Living by myself, I'm not going to lie, has been wonderful. The apartment isn't very large which at first was a little disappointing but now it feels good. Think of it like shoes. You don't want the biggest pair you can find, you want ones that fit comfortably. And this apartment fits me quite comfortably. I was a little scared thinking about how I was to feed myself but it turns out I can do that just fine. I did a whirlwind purchasing trip that included Costco, Ikea, Hmart and an outlet mall (thanks Jonathan) that has left me with the various essentials one needs to live on their own. I even bought myself a set of wine glasses because you know, gotta have class. I still feel a little strange not having my parents yelling at me for no good reason which is why I am cherishing my freedom. I tend not to miss people, when Dan went off to medical school, I felt nothing and even still I don't miss him one bit. So it comes as no surprise that I don't miss my parents or anyone back home (sorry guys).

The city has been awesome so far. A lot of activities are free, which in my book is a big thumbs up. The Grant Park Music Festival has got to be one of my favorite things so far, too bad it and summer are ending. I mean who doesn't enjoy classical music and alcohol? (and if you don't, I judge you) Lincoln Park Zoo is also quite nice. Better than Woodland Park Zoo with more animals and it is free. Furthermore the culture here is a lot more diverse than anything Seattle has got to offer. Just going from neighborhood to neighborhood you can see that we live in an international world. It isn't just whites or Koreans with a smattering of other minorities. Here you have whole towns of ethnicity which stirs up the anthropologist in me. I guess undergrad wasn't an entire waste of time, eh?

Anyway what I am really excited for is grad school to start. I know, who would've thought? But in all seriousness I've felt that the past year or so I was stagnating. I held two part-time jobs but they did not benefit me very much aside from paying me. And even hanging out with friends served no real purpose aside from killing time and using up the money I earned. But now I am at the start of something new. I know what I want to do in life and graduate school will better equip me for that.

On a side note I went to an American church today and it was quite interesting. It was a lot more formal than I am used to plus they sang hymns which I swear were a thousand years old. No guitar, drums or bass. Just a choir and an organ. I felt like I was in one of those history channel documentaries on the early church. Oh did I mention the trains? I feel like Sheldon but the transit system here is so convenient and the bus drivers are really nice. You really do not need a car to live here.