Movies

As the summer movie series comes to a close and we begin to wait for the next batch in late fall, I am reminded of the many things I will miss when I finally leave for Russia. The spark for this little thought was the 4th Harry Potter movie, set to come out this November. As I eagerly watched the first trailer for the movie, it slowly dawned on me that I will have to wait a whole year to see that movie (Harry Potter fan that I am, I found this disappointing). I then looked at a few other movies I had been anticipating and realized that I will also have to wait for those. (I hear that most foreign films in Russia are dubbed, which is unfortunate when a foreign film is in your native tongue, trust me its not the same)

Now, don't think I am complaining here. In the long run I could care less about what movies I see or don't see. What struck me was being away from America, from Maryland and UMD, from my home for a year and finding that I'm going to miss a lot of things I really look forward to (and some things I take for granted.

Here a few that come to mind:
*Football season, NFL and college - I've watched every Redskin's game and been to every Maryland game I could
*Hockey season - stupid strike means it will be 2 years of no hockey for me, I'll miss my Capitals
*Baseball playoffs - I really think the Orioles have a shot this year (more so than the past 10!) Ya I know 6 game losing streak, so what 60+ games left, they can recover
*Maryland College Basketball - been to all those games too
* Halloween - I don't think they celebrate this in Russia, but even if they do it can't be the same
*The UMD Students for Life prolife club - I helped start this group 2 years ago, the school year will feel weird without it
*Fencing - I've been fencing for 3 years, I love, but I'll have to give it up for Russia (at least for the first semester
*English speaking Priests - I know several and I love the conversations we have, I just hope my Russian gets good enough fast enough
*The Internet - In Russia, I'll be held to internet cafes, although I hear the keyboards are English
*The Simpsons - oh man I am going to miss the Simpsons
*American TV - There are a couple of other shows I'll miss as well

Ok that's enough, I could probably go on, but that's enough for now. Perhaps tomorrow I will do a list of what I am looking forward too, or have I already done that? Whatever. But don't feel like I don't want to go, you should realize that because I am willing to give all this up that I really want to go. (Besides the Catholic Church is pretty much the same where ever you go!)