Well, I officially moved to Prince George this past weekend. Vancouver days are past. Everything has gone super smoothly and as always, I'm quite surprised - and grateful! - for how well this transition has gone! God always surprises me with his blessings! The biggest blessing was that my parents gave up their weekend to drive up with me. We fit all my belongings into their van and my little car and made the 8 hour drive up together! It was lots of fun along the way. We borrowed my brother's walkie-talkies and were able to keep easily in touch.
I feel like I'm already developing a bit of a community here in PG. I am living about 15 minutes away from the hospital, but in a nice area in town. I am renting a 1 bedroom ground level bright and airy suite, and it's quite lovely! It looked a little tight in the prelim pictures, but I think it will be perfect. My landlords are a wonderful couple - both very down to earth and super friendly, so I'll not lack too much on company :) It's my first time living on my own like this, and initially I had not wanted to do that for fear of loneliness. But God redirected my steps, and I actually think this will be a better fit for me here. I've thoroughly enjoyed 'setting up house', so to speak, in this past week.
One thing I love already about PG is the "big sky" feel. There are hills around, and much of PG is in a valley or "bowl", but there are no big mountains - we'll see if I come to miss those. But the benefit then, is that you get to see the great expanse of the sky! Today I watched a huge thunderstorm front roll in, and it just looked so majestic! More so than it might in Vancouver. The weather has been a bit funny, though. For 2 days in a row, I woke up to brilliantly blue skies with a few clouds spotted around. But by the afternoon, clouds had rolled in and we got a rain. Today we had lightning, torrential rain and hail!
I have the rest of the week off, and then have a 2 day training course over the weekend that I need before starting work at the hospital. Then, the following week will see me back in Vancouver for 2 days of orientation followed by a speedy return trip to continue orientation up in PG. My first official day of work is Wednesday. It's a little terrifying, but also quite exciting to anticipate that. I start with the little guys, pediatrics, which I'm looking forward to.
To give you a quick sense of what's to come, I'll be living in PG for the next 2 years for my residency in Family Medicine, after which I don't know what will happen! During these 2 years, I'll spend most of my time in the hospital in the first year and then more of it in a Family Practice clinic in my second year. Once I'm done residency, I anticipate I will continue to work in a rural community (likely more rural than PG, but still with a few other doctors around) for at least a couple more years to help pay off student loans/etc. That will also give me a chance to get more comfortable with medicine while still working with other colleagues for moral support. Eventually, I hope to do a combination of rural and international work, although in what proportions, and where, I don't know yet. We will see what God has in store for me!
Well, that about wraps things up in a nutshell! There might appear photos on my blog once my place is presentable :) It's coming along!
Blessings in what lies in store for you this week.
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