So, I’m sure you all are just itching to know what my living arrangements are. By the way, I am so sorry it took me so long to place pictures up and blog again. I finally have internet at home which means I’ll spend a lot more time writing and skyping all of you. I’ve been using my new friend, Charlotte's computer she is soooo sweet. After finding I would be joining Maple college, Charlotte was eager to help. Charlotte is from Venice, California so we have a lot in common. She and I emailed each other before I arrived and, although she was in Los Angeles for Christmas, she allowed me to use her internet connection to skype with the family. I love her very much, I can tell we will have a prosperous friendship.
Okay, now for my new home. I was so exhausted when I arrived after the long flight and I really wanted to conk out as soon as I arrived. I prayed the entire trip that a clean and organized apartment with a nice sized bed was waiting for me. There’s a God because I got just what I wanted. I am so thankful for my job. Without it none of this would be possible. After the flight I immediately fell in love with cozy place. I had a Queen sized bed with a brand new comforter, a gift from the principle. Agnes opened the refrigerator and showed me the sandwiches’, milk and cereal they provided to get me started. It was a beautiful gesture. The best thing about this place was that I had plenty of closet space which held all of my articles of clothing, books and personable items neatly. I was so afraid that all of my things would not fit. I guess the $160 I paid to get them on board was worth it.
My apartment is a very large Studio on the top floor with an amazing view of Isu Seoul, Korea. I can see many skyscraping buildings as well as the mountains from the Laundry room and rooftop. The heating situation makes the place even cozier. In Korea the heating system is underneath the wooden floor so when you take your shoes off at the door you immediately get warm after being in the cold and stepping onto the wooden paneling. That first evening spent here I learned this cool trick. As I was unpacking, I used the floor as a place to neatly fold and stack my clothing before placing them in the closet. When I picked them up, they were warm. It automatically reminded me of my childhood when my mom pulled out a freshly cleaned load of clothes from the dryer and my brother and I would waddle in them until they got cold; so comforting. Needless to say, I try to place my clothes on the floor every morning before work so that they’re warm when I walk out the door. Heated floors are by far one of the best inventions ever.
My Laundry room is like an enclosed patio. There's this gigantic window where I can see the mountain tops from. In Korea people do not dry their clothing in a dryer, all washed goods are hung to dry. Korea has a very eco friendly community which I love and hope to take back to the states one day.
My bathroom is a standard Korean bathroom. In Korea, the bathroom is open so there is no divider between the shower and the toilet. I personally like it but the only issue is that when I need to go in the bathroom after showering to do makeup or straighten my hair, I have to wear sandals or else my socks will get wet. Oh, one more negative; the shower nozzle is controlled in the sink. There is a lever you pull to allow water to be routed to the shower spout and I have to remember every morning to push it back after my shower. Brace yourself….I’ve forgotten on many occasions within the last few weeks to do this. When I’m done with my makeup I usually wash my hands to get rid of any residue that may have been smeared. Well, the problem with forgetting to push back the lever is when I turn on the sink the water continues to run through the shower spout. I don’t know if you guessed but, I’ve had to change my clothes quite a bit just before walking out the door because they are soaked from being sprayed by the shower…ugh! It’s different but I think I’m getting the hang of it. All the great things about the place outweigh the bad.
My Kitchen is small but functional. I have a stove but no oven. There is plenty of cabinet space for my pots, pans and plates which were all pleasantly provided.
I also have access to the roof which I think will be great place to sit and meditate one day when the weather is warmer. There are so many great things about my location. All of my neighbors in the complex are below me which means no noise. It’s so peaceful here, there’s nothing I would change about it.
The movie theater. I also see it from the rooftop.
This is the view from the laundry room behind the wall where my bed sits. The mountain top looks amazing on a clear day.
