Lists

Lesson planned the rest of my college classes this week and it hit me: things are winding down. Reminded me that I have wanted to make a few lists ever since me sister Nikki came to visit last June. Here they finally are!

Things I will miss about Mongolia:

• Aida, my cat (who is officially going to live with my landlady when I leave!)
• my piano students: in a country with almost zero pianos some of them still manage to knock my socks off at their lessons
• playing Phillip Glass pieces on a keyboard with settings number 33 (Strings II) and Drum Set Kit #5 (shame on me)
• the smell of vodka and cigarettes in the Children's Theater practice room
• practicing piano at the Shuren family ger
• my ger!
• Dogoo (my landlady) and her tea visits
• everything being within walking distance
• random French rapping on TV after a long day of hitting people over the head with English
• Nomgon mountain, Tui River, Eurol River, Selenge province...
• finding extreme answers while correcting tests ("I am wearing apple.")
  
• the feeling a warming sun after 6 months of winter
• my little brother's sketching, painting, and card playing visits
• my amazing site mates: couldn't have asked for a better PC family
• musing over the supply and demand of fresh tofu in this city
• making a 102 degree fire in January and enjoying it with some hot chocolate
• people singing on the street, at the store, and at work
• hearing Mongolian
• the veggie restaurant lady's smile
• drinking the camel milk that a student gave to a fellow teacher in hopes of not receiving a failing grade
• wrinkled old grandmas and grandpas in deels

Of course, there are also many things to look forward to about being in the States once again:

• my own piano, upon which I can practice WHENEVER I WANT!!!
• live music
• libraries
• cooking with friends and family (miss you guys!)
• having an apartment and forcing my father to assist in it's interior decoration
• living with less than I previously thought necessary (example: bowls and spoons, what other dishes does one need?)
• working with Dr. Rieppel in preperation for...
• grad school 2011!
• getting a new job
• dictionaries and the internet
• fresh fruit and veggies, all the time!
• growing herbs, lettuce...anything in my dwelling place

Will likely need to add some things to this list as these final months unfold. In the meantime, enjoy Spring!