Predictions

Things I'm going to miss:

• The open air market right near where I live. I've had a blog post on it, but it is still wonderful. Fresh food for cheap, friendly people, local. I like.
• The campus and the surrounding park/woods. Okay, seriously I will take pictures one day, but for now you'll have to take my word for it that it's supa pretty. This is the nicest campus I've ever been on, and I think that's saying something (NW MO St. has a beautiful campus, but MosGu puts it to shame). Also, I'm trying to make it a habit to go running in them because 1) it's good exercise and 2) it'll give me something to be nostalgic about once I'm gone.
• The lazy mornings. Class doesn't start until 10, and so I can wake up slowly and finish my homework or read some or checking the news, and then head to breakfast around 9.
• The people. Cheesy, I know, and I'm not going to elaborate a lot, but the other people in the program are pretty awesome, and I'm jealous that so many of them are staying for a full year.
• The Metro. Public transportation that works and is convenient and is relatively inexpensive. I haven't ever lived in huge American cities like NYC, LA, Houston, etc., so I don't really have anything to compare it to. However, this is one thing that communism did right. Even if it blew up some churches and stole all the marble and gold to decorate the subway stations (okay, I'm not going to say I agree with this part of it... but at least the thing they built with it is still running and working effectively).
• Small classes. I have three other people in my class. I'm learning. Coincidence?

Honorable mention:

• Tea. I don't think it's something that I will miss, because I plan on drinking it in the states too, but I will probably miss the brand that I've become rather attached to (Russian Empire Tea). It's wonderful.

Things I'm not going to miss:

• Breakfast. Nearly every morning we eat a porridge-like dish called Kasha. I like it, but I'm not on the bandwagon like the other Americans here seem to be. I like it, but eeeevery morning is a bit much. And then the "pizza" that they give us about once a week. I will probably actually miss Kasha now and again, but I don't think I'll miss having it every morning.
• A SERIOUS lack of water fountains. About three times a week I feel dehydrated because it seems to be a constant challenge to get enough water here. You're not supposed to drink the water out of the tap (although some people do, I'm not risking it), and this is why I have been drinking so much tea here. If you're downtown and you want water, though, you either have to just put up with it, or find a place that will sell you a small bottle for three bucks. It's frustrating.
• Not having dryers. This actually isn't a huge thing, but having dryers isn't super common, and so everything air dries. It hasn't been the end of the world, but I will greatly appreciate having a dryer again back in the states. Some of the necks of my sweatshirts always look stretched out though, which is unfortunate. My clothes also fit bigger, which is unfortunate.
• Being "in the closet." This really only applies to when I'm in class (because I'm out to the other Americans here), but it is a bit awkward when I'm in class and my professor jokingly calling me a lady's man because I've just told about how I went to the market with one girl in my class, and how I walked the other girl home from the metro one night. I actually did tell her once that I was gay, but she just kind of looked at me funny and then changed the subject. I'm back to writing short papers about my "ideal woman." In general, though, this is probably the biggest thing that would keep me from wanting to ever actually live in Moscow. I certainly wouldn't feel comfortable trying to raise a family here now, and I don't know that the city is necessarily on the path to becoming more accepting, and this isn't something that I'd want to live with for the long term. I might blog about this in greater detail later, too.
• Not having my books. Obviously I didn't bring them with me, and I'm not thinking it was a mistake (I barely made the luggage limits as it was), but I do miss having them to read through. Also, libraries with books in my language. Or even fast shipping from amazon so I could buy a book. Basically, this entire point is that there's one book I want to have to help me write my application essays for Graduate Programs (Art of Recklessness by Dean Young) and I have no access to it.

I might do another one of these lists later, but I think that this is it for now.

Also, I'll try and get back into blogging again. I was really good for like 4 days two weeks ago... and then two weeks went by without a single post. I've been doing stuff, I promise. I'll try and catch you up, and also keep you more up-to-date about what I do this week. AND NEXT WEEK I GO TO ST. PETERSBURG!!!!!!