Diana At the Crossroad: Recap, 45 Things

I have 2 days left as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Here is a recap of all the things I listed on my "__ Months, __ Things" series. Plus, I'm still trying to catch up with pictures.

Things I can't wait for in America

Grass
Toilet Paper
Snow
Wearing my hair down
Clean feet
My bedroom Walls
My mom
WIFI
Chicken Parm and burritos and all other SMOTHERED food items.
Driving a car
Singing at the top of my lungs while driving a car
Cushioned seats and couches
Ovens
Leopold, the best dog in the world
Christmas lights and trees
Trash cans and garbage trucks
Not being famous
Dr. Pepper
Printers and scanners
Wifi
Getting your own seat on all modes of transportation
Wearing sweatshirts
Wearing sneakers
Deoderant
Meeting new members of the family, including 3 nephews and a sister-in-law
Finding out what the Harlem Shake is
Radio
Nice roads
Musical Harmony
My violin
Church
Schools with discipline systema and teacher accountability
Rat/fire ant/gecko/tarantula – free houses
New York City
Plumbing
A real mattress
Breakfast foods for breakfast
Carpet
Dairy products
Delivery
Barbeques
Drinking from the tap. And taking showers with my mouth open.
Places of interest being open past 6PM
Proudly telling people I am a RPCV- Returned Peace Corps Volunteer. Not former. Not ex-PCV. Returned.
Now maybe this is far too general, but I can't wait for the future. I mean that I can't wait to start this next chapter of my life. Up to this point, every couple of years could be neatly organized into "chapters"- Peace Corps, College, etc. The next chapter is starting, and I honestly don't know what it's going to all be about. I have some ideas, some of which could potentially make me very happy. I guess I'll figure out over the next few months where this chapter will lead me.

Things I don't want to leave in Cambodia

Palm trees
Afternoon naps
Making my own work schedule
Sting and Samurai sodas
Korean Pop
Getting clothes made by tailors
My honor society students
Speaking Khmer
Hammocks
Being famous
Being called Teacher like it’s my name
Monkeys
Beer with ice and a straw
Students standing in respect when I enter a room
Vast green rice fields
Pink and orange sunrises and sunsets over the vast green rice fields
Nom Pow and Jayk K’tee
Super cheap hotels
Elephants
Cambodian Iced Coffee
Detail manicure/pedicure for 50 cents
Tuk tuk rides
Reading and writing Khmer
Cambodian Rice
Half a can of soda in a bag with a straw
Having visitors and being a tour guide
Going to bed at 8:30PM
Having time to read a few novels a month
Yeys (grandmas) touching my butt
My adorable 7^th grade groupies
Mangoes
My “ladies”. My coffee lady. My phone card lady. My nail lady. My sugarcane juice lady. etc
My bike. It’s crap, but we’ve been through a lot together
Shootin’ the breeze with my host sister or brother
My very good friend Rithy
The Korean volunteers and missionaries I’ve made friends with
My little Khmer church
Each individual student’s laughter
Bartering for everything
Eating on the floor
My sisters and brothers in Takeo and Prey Veng
The way Khmer people WANT to sit and listen to me play music and sing
Being surrounded by nature- looking out of my window and seeing rice fields instead of a parking lot. cooking, eating, and generally hanging out outside, etc
Helping take care of my baby niece Solita, and watching her grow and learn
Being a volunteer. In this life, every day I wake up with an opportunity to make a difference in peoples' lives on the other side of the world. It's never easy, but on the rare occasion when something goes right, it's the best feeling in the world. Here, I have time for others and for making a difference. I don't have to worry about work getting in the way because it IS my work. I know I'll always find ways to do what I can for this world, but I know it will never be in this way ever again.