6 Down

I didn't want to do another numeric blog title but the type-A in me loves to count and I'm now have 6 months down in Macedonia, 21 left to go. That second part still sounds like a lifetime yet but really, I feel like having been here half a year is significant. In six months I learned the basics of a new language, visited a half-dozen new cities, made many new friends, and started to get the hang of this whole volunteer thing. There have been a lot of highs but also some lows. Usually I try to focus on the good things about being here but when something frustrating happens, it is easy to think about what I miss about being in America. The best remedy for such nostalgia can be thinking about what I don't miss. Here's a sampling from both lists:

What I Miss:
Indian food, runners, burritos, happy hours, fresh cilantro and basil, going to the movies, my other clothes and shoes, comprehending office chit-chat, Thai tea, my iPhone, microbrews, not overthinking spending more than $15, pizza with tomato sauce, my queen size bed, choir, sidewalks, bagels, showers with automatic hot water, potstickers, recycling.

What I Don't Miss:
8 hour days at a desk, not knowing what ajvar and rakija are, American political bickering on TV, overcast Portland days, vegetables that aren't tasty but are expensive, people walking around with headphones like the rest of the world doesn't exist, shopping at a grocery store that's not playing the "Glee" soundtrack, paying rent.