I finally made it to Seattle! Have you ever driven from Indianapolis to the Pacific Northwest in a compact car with a cat, your best friend, and all the possessions you think you'll need to live for four months? If you haven't, it's not an experience I think of as necessary for finding true joy or anything.

All in all, the trip wasn't bad, but it sure was long. And now I'm more or less moved into the new place.

Pros: All the
furniture and utilities were provided for by the company. I literally rolled up to the apartment office, showed my driver's license, picked up my set of keys, and walked into a totally-set-up apartment.

Cons: I'm living in a south suburb, rather than the city proper. The commute to work shouldn't be too long, and I appear to have many dining and activity options right around me. However, I would prefer to be living in the city. I was intimidated by the idea of finding my own housing in a city I had never seen, and unsure of my ability to stay within the stipend budget. If I do take another travel assignment after this one, though, I think I'll make every effort to find my own housing, so that I can get more what I actually want.

Well, orientation starts tomorrow. Here we go.