Things I'm Learning about Myself:

1. I'm a clean-freak.

I have always been a thorough cleaner--just ask Momma Sibet which child she would rather have do the dusting or clean the kitchen...

But only in Russia, having my own room and sharing a small flat with two other girls, I have realized I am slightly obsessive about things being clean. I try to go more than a week without vacuuming the floor, and rarely succeed. My room is almost always tidy, and my clothes are USUALLY put away! I wash my bedding nearly every-other week. I feel uncomfortable if the kitchen table is dirty...Oi.

I suppose the change came with having my own space, and a little more time on my hands. Aimee and Jo (my previous long-term-room-sharers): you have helped me reach 23 years old without realizing I am a CLEAN person! Thank you, I surely enjoyed my childhood more thoroughly with your help.

2. I love being alone.

This change is something I hoped and expected would come out of this Russian experience. But, it took 6 months for me to really feel HAPPY being alone. I take every opportunity to escape my flat and wander off by myself, on walks around Mitino, or to the center of Moscow to do sight-seeing, shopping, or coffee-drinking. I smile to myself now, often. As my wise mother said, "you are your own best friend." After living 22 years constantly being surrounded by people, literally having no more than two hours to myself EVER, this is a welcomed change. Now, hopefully I can learn how to incorporate this new aspect of my life into my relationships (without being anti-social) when I return to the States...

3. I love teenagers.

Love 'em. I guess I wasn't around them enough before, but now my teenage students are what drive me forward in this place, making me see that there is something worthwhile here, a reason to go to work, and potentially an area of work or volunteer I could pursue in the future!

4. I'm bad at learning languages.

It is just not a skill I possess, or have the patience to acquire. This took me a few months to realize, but now I have accepted the fact that I will NEVER be good at Russian. As I told Jen the other day, my Russian skills are maybe a 3 on a scale of 1 to 10. Oops...

5. I HATE drama.

My life before this point seemed so NORMAL and care-free, compared to all the crap I have experienced/seen experienced around me here. I wonder if it's simply boredom, or an eclectic mix of foreigners who CHOOSE to live in Russia, but it seems everything is a big deal around here, and the rumors/gossip fly quickly and efficiently. I tried to stay out of it at first, but now I'm learning to simply let it slide. Maybe I've developed a thicker shell--I do think I care less about what people think of me now than ever before!