Rollin through the Jasmine in my Miiiiiiind

Dear friends, summer is coming to an end here in Ukraine. Last night I went outside to our outside kitchen in the middle of the night and it was COLD! Boo. It's still nice during the day though, so I'm holding on to the sun while it's still around. Those four-o-clock sunsets are just around the corner.

Although the season is fading to fall my mood is not. Why, you ask. Because my fall is stacked with awesomeness! Let me give you the breakdown. (Be warned- it's epic.)

Next Week- My friend Therese, who is currently a Peace Corps volunteer in Mali, will arrive in Ukraine for a two week extravaganza! On the docket- Independence Day in Kyiv, Buddha Bar, Lviv, and undoubtedly much more.

End of August- My counterpart, Victoria, is getting married! I will get to see a Ukrainian wedding up close and personal. From what I hear there is a lot of food, a lot of drink, and a lot of crazy wedding games and dancing.

Beginning of September- School starts. The "first bell" ceremony will be on September 1st. Everyone dresses up, gets assigned to classes, and the students give their teachers flowers. They wear the big white poof-balls in their hair, which is awesome.

Late September- Matt comes to visit!!!! He will be here for about three weeks, and I am ecstatic.

October- Getting back into the groove of school. I'm actually looking forward to getting back to work and a schedule. Plus there's always some sort of Peace Corps get together for Halloween.

November- Lauren comes to visit!!!! She'll be here for Thanksgiving, and I can't think of a better way to celebrate my favorite holiday in Ukraine.

December- I get to go home for Christmas!!! I'll be home for about three weeks. Perfect timing- I'll be there for Christmas and New Years, Sasha will be in America too, and it's just after my 1 year service mark.

So basically I love my life these days, and I can't wait to share Ukraine with some of my favorite people in the world! 2010 is shaping up to be one of the best years ever.