The long-awaited medical exam took place on Saturday morning. My group was scheduled for 9:40am, but due to a power outage, the exam got pushed back to 10:40am. Everyone was complaining because we hadn't eaten since the evening before, and we had to wait until after our medical exam to receive juice / snacks to hold us over until lunch.
The exam was very thorough. We pee'd in a cup. They jabbed us with needles and took our blood. They checked our eyes / hearing / blood pressure / height / weight / chest measurements (don't ask me why). And the exam culminated in a chest x-ray, which was literally inside of a bus. The moments leading up to the blood test were brutal. Blood? Needles? Hell no. However, the nurse was very good, and my arm isn't even bruised or sore.
There's no better way to start life in Korea than with a 3-day weekend -- holla! Most folks -- and I mean hundreds of scholars -- booked train rides out of the boonies and are staying in Seoul for the weekend. The campus has been quieter than ever, but I actually like seeing fewer people because it's less chaotic. I am spending the weekend going on field trips organized through the orientation instead.
I finally ventured outside of campus! Everyone has seen the town outside of Korea University except for me, so it was great to see what lies beyond the forest-covered hills outside of my window. Some girls and I took a $4 taxi to Home+, a store comparable to Walmart or Target. It is several stories high and sells everything from groceries to clothes and all of the essentials of life ... well almost. I wanted to scope out the swim suits because we are going on a mud experience tour on Monday, and I didn't want to mess up my current swim wear. Their swim wear selection appeared very limited and not flattering at all. I ended up buying a plain t-shirt that I won't mind getting dirty. I also bought a pink digital stopwatch, probably the best 19,800 Won I will ever spend.
At night, a bunch of us went to "the benches," a local hangout spot on the edge of campus, that is conveniently located in front of a convenience store. I met my new best friend, Soju. One bottle is only 1,100 Won, which is about $1.10 -- so cheap! Afterwards, we ventured further into the town looking for a bar or a Noriban (Korean karaoke). So much fun! I can't wait to do it all again. Everyone is so friendly, and it's great to be meeting so many new people. Each day gets better and better, as does the food, the photo ops, and the friendships.
Stay tuned for my next entry! I will be describing my experience at the Kapsa (or Gapsa) Buddhist Temple. The air was so fresh that I could hardly breathe!
No comments:
Post a Comment