Eventually, I am going to write a list of things I will and won't miss about Kazakhstan. For now, I am going to try and do a little of each.

Something I will miss...The conservative dress of the Kazakhstani people. Of course there is some sarcasm in this statement. When I first got information from PC about KZ, it said that I should bring good dress clothes because the K-i people dress conservative. Although there are a few people who actually do this, and a few more who consider their style to be conservative, the reality is that style here is pretty much on par with most European and American style. Now, truth be told, I am not one to talk about style other than to say that I have no style. I know nothing about fashion. But I do get a kick out of seeing people walk around in clothes that most people would consider clothes that a street walker would wear. I have seen more short dresses, more cleaveage, more underclothing through overclothing (ie. shirts, pants, etc.) here than I ever saw in America. And there is no limit on what would be considered age appropriate dress. I have seen the bras of more than a thousand women over the age of 50 than I ever cared to see. The summer fashion includes many, way to many mesh and fine mesh shirts that do little or nothing to hide the clothes or flash underneath. The pants are often skin tight white material that leaves very little to the imagination or nightmare, which ever the particular case may call for. The part of this that I will miss, aside from seeing beautiful, scantily clad (raoorrr! hehe) women, is the free-ness in this Muslim-esque society to wear whatever is "comfortable" (in quotes because comfort and fashion do not necessariy go hand in hand). I will miss seeing people who aren't so concerned about how they look in something that is not meant for someone their size to wear. I will miss the older women who are comfortable enough being older that they wear whatever they choose.

Something I won't miss...and this is the biggest one...people yelling "Hey Americkanka!" at my back. I got to the point where I ignored it. But now, I'm at the point where I want to chase the little (radio edit) down and browbeat them until they apologize for their ignorance and uncouth behavior. I won't miss being singled out as a foreigner and all the attraction that entails. One of the questions that some of my students ask me is "If I was (their grammar at which point I correct them) America, what would people say/do?" My answer to them is "Nothing." They won't yell at you screaming "Hey Kazakhskee!" or "Hello! What your name?" or bother you when you are walking down the street by staring and following you asking questions even though you are a complete stranger. I won't miss being asked what is your nationality. In short, I won't miss the borderline harrassing behavior that so many people here consider ok, as long as you are a foreigner (regardless your nationality).

Well, I'm going to get off of here. 9 days...