Emily's classroom. Not much on the walls yet.
Monday, August 30, 2004
Saturday, August 28, 2004
Friday, August 27
We ended up not getting the apartment we thought we would. We spent the last week or so debating about whether to get it. However, it turns out the "simsarr," or apartment finder, was not a very honest man. We went to see the apartment again before we signed the lease, just to make sure that everything was working and in good shape. We asked the doorman if Leia would be okay outside and if the whole patio was ours. While we were asking this, the apartment finder started getting anxious and urging us to come with him to go sign the lease.
It took about a half hour to get there, and when we arrived at the lady's house, we found out that the simsaar had lied and told her we wouldn't have a dog, and he had lied and told us we could have a dog. Apparently, in the Muslim religion, having a dog in the house is a bad thing. Dogs are considered unclean. We have heard that they have to be a certain distance away during prayer. (I don't really know the exact details of this.) Of course, not all Muslims practice this, (many have dogs and cats) but the lady who was renting out the apartment felt very strongly about it. So, naturally, we didn't get the apartment. We were very upset with the simsaar because we felt he was very dishonest with us. We wasted so much time thinking that he was actually getting us an apartment where we could live.
What would have happened if we had signed the lease and then they realized we had the dog? The simsaar would have already been paid, and he would have been nowhere in sight. It was just what he was hoping for. So, we didn't even ride in the same taxi back with him we were so mad. We thought that he realized we no longer wanted his services.
We couldn't believe it when he showed up this morning to tell Joe that he could take us to see some more properties. Joe pretty much told him to go away. It's difficult because we see it as one way, and I think he sees it another way. He thinks he didn't do anything wrong. We are his income, and he is going to do anything he can to make an income. In that frame of reference, he would do whatever it takes to make some money, and whatever brings him that money is okay. It's hard because Joe and I would never consider dishonesty to be okay. It was so uncomfortable sitting in that woman's home while she apologized to us that she could not have a dog in her rental property. We just felt like all of our time was wasted.
At any rate, as you can see, this apartment finding business has been a bit of an ordeal for us. It is difficult to know who to trust when you are a foreigner in a country where you don't speak the language. Joe and I find that we can be a little niave some times, but I guess we would rather be trusting in people's goodness than to always suspect the worst.
We are meeting with our current landlord tomorrow to see if he'll let us stay another month. He may be a little upset with us because the school told him we were staying for a year. Meanwhile, they told us we could stay a month and then switch apartments if we decided to. I'm sure it will all work out. We will find the perfect apartment in the next month.
Otherwise, we have been hanging out with our friends from school and with our neighbors. Last night, Joe went with Wael to play computer games at an internet cafe. He and Wael each choose a country to be and tried to destroy each other. Something along those lines. I guess he would have to fill you in on that.
I hung out with Gheda and Rola. We had a good time. It's fun to hang out with just the two of them because they act differently when they are not around men. We had a good time trying to make homemade donuts. They didn't turn out at all, but we had a good time laughing at our mistakes. We also played a few good rounds of cards. The game b*** sh**, if you know it, is called "cheating" here. A much cleaner name. Rola beat me a few times.
It's so interesting because as soon as we heard Joe and Wael coming up the stars, Gheda had to run and change out of her tank top and shorts. She put on a shirt and pants. Later, Rola changed her outfit too. They don't talk as much when Joe and Wael are around either. The men get to do most of the talking around here.
My American friends and I were just talking about this the other day. It is so difficult dealing with the gender division here. At first, I thought it was just hard for me as a woman, but it is also difficult for Joe as a man. He has to do many of the miserable jobs. In the States, we would split certain tasks, but he has to do it all here. For example, when we have to talk to our landlord, Joe will have to do it. If I try, I will be ignored. He has to do all jobs like this. He has to take the dog out at night. I've done it once. It's just so uncomfortable walking to the park where all the men hang out and having them watch you. So, Joe gets stuck with a lot of the yucky jobs. I wish we could negotiate more, but we've found that nothing gets done when I try to handle it.
My friends and I also decided that this experience has been completely enlightening for us. Kelly mentioned that in order for us to help women or people in the world who are the underdogs, it is good that we are getting to experience a little bit of that. I could not truly understand what it is to be discriminated against until I came here. And it's not even considered bad here! Now, I can begin to appreciate what it feels like to be treated differently based simply on how you were born. I have a whole new empathy.
(I think I'm going to have to quote Oprah here.) She said recently on one of her shows that we are so lucky to be born women in the United States. This cannot be more true, at least from my current perspective. For example, a girl I work with told us the other day that she was so excited for her engagement party. She is a Muslim girl, and she wears a head scarf, etc. She said that her fiance is her brother's friend. Her brother was at school with him for 6 six years. He told her brother that he liked her and asked him if he could marry her. She said they'd just talked on the phone a little, like "hi, hello, how are you" kind of stuff. The man's parents came and asked her parents if he could marry her, and they agreed. I'm not sure anyone asked her. She sounded as if she barely knew him. She told us her brother assured her he is a good guy. She said he was tall and he would be a doctor. I can't imagine! Arranged marriages like this are still very common. It's the little things like this that surprise us.
I think I have rambled almost enough for one evening. We had Wael, Gheda, Rola, and Carly over for dinner tonight. We tried to make a little Tex-Mex for them. Homemade tortillas, rice, beans, cornbread, etc. I don't know if they liked it or not, but it was fun for us to try to make something familiar from home. I think the rice was best because I followed Janie's instructions on how to make it. (Although, it was nowhere near as good as Janie's! While we like exploring the differences and interesting things from here, we still miss our home.) I promise to make Joe write soon, so that you can get a different perspective on Cairo life!
It took about a half hour to get there, and when we arrived at the lady's house, we found out that the simsaar had lied and told her we wouldn't have a dog, and he had lied and told us we could have a dog. Apparently, in the Muslim religion, having a dog in the house is a bad thing. Dogs are considered unclean. We have heard that they have to be a certain distance away during prayer. (I don't really know the exact details of this.) Of course, not all Muslims practice this, (many have dogs and cats) but the lady who was renting out the apartment felt very strongly about it. So, naturally, we didn't get the apartment. We were very upset with the simsaar because we felt he was very dishonest with us. We wasted so much time thinking that he was actually getting us an apartment where we could live.
What would have happened if we had signed the lease and then they realized we had the dog? The simsaar would have already been paid, and he would have been nowhere in sight. It was just what he was hoping for. So, we didn't even ride in the same taxi back with him we were so mad. We thought that he realized we no longer wanted his services.
We couldn't believe it when he showed up this morning to tell Joe that he could take us to see some more properties. Joe pretty much told him to go away. It's difficult because we see it as one way, and I think he sees it another way. He thinks he didn't do anything wrong. We are his income, and he is going to do anything he can to make an income. In that frame of reference, he would do whatever it takes to make some money, and whatever brings him that money is okay. It's hard because Joe and I would never consider dishonesty to be okay. It was so uncomfortable sitting in that woman's home while she apologized to us that she could not have a dog in her rental property. We just felt like all of our time was wasted.
At any rate, as you can see, this apartment finding business has been a bit of an ordeal for us. It is difficult to know who to trust when you are a foreigner in a country where you don't speak the language. Joe and I find that we can be a little niave some times, but I guess we would rather be trusting in people's goodness than to always suspect the worst.
We are meeting with our current landlord tomorrow to see if he'll let us stay another month. He may be a little upset with us because the school told him we were staying for a year. Meanwhile, they told us we could stay a month and then switch apartments if we decided to. I'm sure it will all work out. We will find the perfect apartment in the next month.
Otherwise, we have been hanging out with our friends from school and with our neighbors. Last night, Joe went with Wael to play computer games at an internet cafe. He and Wael each choose a country to be and tried to destroy each other. Something along those lines. I guess he would have to fill you in on that.
I hung out with Gheda and Rola. We had a good time. It's fun to hang out with just the two of them because they act differently when they are not around men. We had a good time trying to make homemade donuts. They didn't turn out at all, but we had a good time laughing at our mistakes. We also played a few good rounds of cards. The game b*** sh**, if you know it, is called "cheating" here. A much cleaner name. Rola beat me a few times.
It's so interesting because as soon as we heard Joe and Wael coming up the stars, Gheda had to run and change out of her tank top and shorts. She put on a shirt and pants. Later, Rola changed her outfit too. They don't talk as much when Joe and Wael are around either. The men get to do most of the talking around here.
My American friends and I were just talking about this the other day. It is so difficult dealing with the gender division here. At first, I thought it was just hard for me as a woman, but it is also difficult for Joe as a man. He has to do many of the miserable jobs. In the States, we would split certain tasks, but he has to do it all here. For example, when we have to talk to our landlord, Joe will have to do it. If I try, I will be ignored. He has to do all jobs like this. He has to take the dog out at night. I've done it once. It's just so uncomfortable walking to the park where all the men hang out and having them watch you. So, Joe gets stuck with a lot of the yucky jobs. I wish we could negotiate more, but we've found that nothing gets done when I try to handle it.
My friends and I also decided that this experience has been completely enlightening for us. Kelly mentioned that in order for us to help women or people in the world who are the underdogs, it is good that we are getting to experience a little bit of that. I could not truly understand what it is to be discriminated against until I came here. And it's not even considered bad here! Now, I can begin to appreciate what it feels like to be treated differently based simply on how you were born. I have a whole new empathy.
(I think I'm going to have to quote Oprah here.) She said recently on one of her shows that we are so lucky to be born women in the United States. This cannot be more true, at least from my current perspective. For example, a girl I work with told us the other day that she was so excited for her engagement party. She is a Muslim girl, and she wears a head scarf, etc. She said that her fiance is her brother's friend. Her brother was at school with him for 6 six years. He told her brother that he liked her and asked him if he could marry her. She said they'd just talked on the phone a little, like "hi, hello, how are you" kind of stuff. The man's parents came and asked her parents if he could marry her, and they agreed. I'm not sure anyone asked her. She sounded as if she barely knew him. She told us her brother assured her he is a good guy. She said he was tall and he would be a doctor. I can't imagine! Arranged marriages like this are still very common. It's the little things like this that surprise us.
I think I have rambled almost enough for one evening. We had Wael, Gheda, Rola, and Carly over for dinner tonight. We tried to make a little Tex-Mex for them. Homemade tortillas, rice, beans, cornbread, etc. I don't know if they liked it or not, but it was fun for us to try to make something familiar from home. I think the rice was best because I followed Janie's instructions on how to make it. (Although, it was nowhere near as good as Janie's! While we like exploring the differences and interesting things from here, we still miss our home.) I promise to make Joe write soon, so that you can get a different perspective on Cairo life!
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
Tuesday, August 24
We haven't written much lately. We've been running around the city looking for a new apartment. It is very interesting trying to find an apartment when you only know the word for apartment! We have learned a few more, though. We decided that we would try to look for a place that was a little more comfortable. This apartment is good by Egyptian standards. Everyone tells us how nice it is, but Joe and I aren't that comfortable with the black tile that is in every room and the Egyptian-style furniture. We figure we'll be here a year and we might as well find someplace that fits us.
We have been working on our Arabic when we go out to look alone. Today, one of the doormen even told us our Arabic was good. He was being pretty nice, of course.
We employed our tutor to translate and he employed a "simsaar" (basically an apartment finder.) He took us to this great apartment. It has a new washer!!!! At least, I think it's a new washer in the box. I will definitely have to see before we lease. Also, the best part is that it is on the ground floor and it has a very large private patio that wraps all the way around the building. There's a park just outside our door. Leia would be in heaven. As it is right now, she's not very happy with us. She can't even see out of the windows here. It's quite a change from the view she had from the Bearns house in Iowa.
We've been trying to talk the landlord down, but we feel it's pretty reasonable for what we will be getting. It's like anything else in Cairo. The price is negotiable, but it gets tiring playing games to see who will win. It's like having to buy a car in the States. Back and forth, back and forth.
School is slowly moving along. In the last three days, we haven't done much but work alone. I guess we're supposed to be getting our lesson plans together. At least, that's what Joe and I have been doing. There's just so much more to do before next week.
So there's not much interesting to report, but I wanted to keep everyone up-to-date.
We have been working on our Arabic when we go out to look alone. Today, one of the doormen even told us our Arabic was good. He was being pretty nice, of course.
We employed our tutor to translate and he employed a "simsaar" (basically an apartment finder.) He took us to this great apartment. It has a new washer!!!! At least, I think it's a new washer in the box. I will definitely have to see before we lease. Also, the best part is that it is on the ground floor and it has a very large private patio that wraps all the way around the building. There's a park just outside our door. Leia would be in heaven. As it is right now, she's not very happy with us. She can't even see out of the windows here. It's quite a change from the view she had from the Bearns house in Iowa.
We've been trying to talk the landlord down, but we feel it's pretty reasonable for what we will be getting. It's like anything else in Cairo. The price is negotiable, but it gets tiring playing games to see who will win. It's like having to buy a car in the States. Back and forth, back and forth.
School is slowly moving along. In the last three days, we haven't done much but work alone. I guess we're supposed to be getting our lesson plans together. At least, that's what Joe and I have been doing. There's just so much more to do before next week.
So there's not much interesting to report, but I wanted to keep everyone up-to-date.
Saturday, August 21, 2004
Friday, August 20
Last night, we spent the night sailing along the Nile on a felucca boat. It was really a great time. We went with the other teachers from school. It was being run by the British Club. Feluccas are old-fashioned sailboats. They were surprisingly big and surprisingly comfortable.
It was very relaxing to just be on the river, and the sunset was really beautiful. We met several interesting people at the same time. We met a man from Denmark who recently came from Ghana to lead a factory in Cairo. We met four lawyers (or they are studying to be lawyers) who are working in human rights as part of their graduate degree. They were from Ghana, Zimbabwe, and Uganda. We also met several people from Britain and a man from Ireland. The man from Ireland was a bit confrontational. He was giving us a hard time for American policies and what not. It's interesting when the discussions turn to politics amid such a dynamic group. You really begin to get a feel for what people in other countries are feeling/thinking.
We had a good time, all-in-all. We will have to post pictures once we download them from our friends. Our camera battery went ka-put, so we can't take pictures until we get a new one.
Today, we spent the day with the family from our building - Gheda, Wa-el, and Rola. They are really very kind. I know I've said this before, but today they spent the day helping us and our other American friends out. Wa-el drove us around to help us look for a few things. Then, he went to Kelly and Carly's house to fix their crazy phone wires. Gheda and Rola helped Carly and I go to fix her computer.
It was so cute because Rola asked me if she could call Joe, "Uncle Joe." I asked her what she would say if he were Egyptian and she said "Uncle Joe." He told her she could call him "Uncle Joe" in Arabic. She's a very sweet girl. She's 12, and they told us today that she will be going to college in just three years! We don't really get how this can be, but apparently it's the "new" way in Egypt. A few years ago they eliminated 6th grade all-together. That's why this year our school has 6th and 8th grade, but no 7th. I guess they're trying to get ahead in some way.
We spent the whole day with them and ended the day playing Tekken together on the PlayStation. We are very glad that we've met them. It helps to have kind people in our lives, especially when we are missing the people that we care about at home.
It was very relaxing to just be on the river, and the sunset was really beautiful. We met several interesting people at the same time. We met a man from Denmark who recently came from Ghana to lead a factory in Cairo. We met four lawyers (or they are studying to be lawyers) who are working in human rights as part of their graduate degree. They were from Ghana, Zimbabwe, and Uganda. We also met several people from Britain and a man from Ireland. The man from Ireland was a bit confrontational. He was giving us a hard time for American policies and what not. It's interesting when the discussions turn to politics amid such a dynamic group. You really begin to get a feel for what people in other countries are feeling/thinking.
We had a good time, all-in-all. We will have to post pictures once we download them from our friends. Our camera battery went ka-put, so we can't take pictures until we get a new one.
Today, we spent the day with the family from our building - Gheda, Wa-el, and Rola. They are really very kind. I know I've said this before, but today they spent the day helping us and our other American friends out. Wa-el drove us around to help us look for a few things. Then, he went to Kelly and Carly's house to fix their crazy phone wires. Gheda and Rola helped Carly and I go to fix her computer.
It was so cute because Rola asked me if she could call Joe, "Uncle Joe." I asked her what she would say if he were Egyptian and she said "Uncle Joe." He told her she could call him "Uncle Joe" in Arabic. She's a very sweet girl. She's 12, and they told us today that she will be going to college in just three years! We don't really get how this can be, but apparently it's the "new" way in Egypt. A few years ago they eliminated 6th grade all-together. That's why this year our school has 6th and 8th grade, but no 7th. I guess they're trying to get ahead in some way.
We spent the whole day with them and ended the day playing Tekken together on the PlayStation. We are very glad that we've met them. It helps to have kind people in our lives, especially when we are missing the people that we care about at home.
Wednesday, August 18, 2004
Tuesday, August 17
We've been spending much of our time at school lately, but it is still slow-going there. In the last two days, we have learned the grading policy, found out our positions, and received our books. Not much else. Joe will be teaching 12th-grade history, 11th-grade psychology, and PE for all grades. I will be teaching 12th-grade literature, 11th-grade grammar and writing, and music for all grades. That's right. We both got suckered into doing an elective. Music was pretty much a given, considering I am the only one with any knowledge of music. Joe said out of art or PE he'd rather teach PE. He will be teaching it with another female teacher. He will probably teach PE all day for just one day of the week, so he gets to come to school in shorts or whatever. Lucky!
At a school that is as small as ours, I guess there has to be a major amount of flexibility. We expected this because it is only the second year our school has been in operation. It sounds like they had a rough time last year, but the new American teachers are determined to make things run a little more smoothly this year.
We do not want to bore you with all of the teaching details. When we finally get our classrooms, we will take some pictures of our school and rooms. Our school is way out in the middle of the desert. It is weird because there is not much out there but schools. Apparently, there has been a boom in American schools. Most kids, until this point, would complete the British program, but apparently it is very difficult. If it looks like they will not get the grade point that they need to get into a university, they switch over to the American program. The American programs have the reputation of being easier. You pay more, but they are easier. The students need to get so many A's and get over an 800 on the S.A.T. test in order to get into Egyptian universities.
We thought when we came here that we would be preparing students to go to American universities, but this is not so. Instead they go to the American University in Cairo, Cairo University, or schools like the German University in Cairo. We were told that they felt it was difficult to get into America because of their nationality, but that they also were afraid of anti-Arabic sentiment in the States. Very interesting, because so many Americans are afraid to come to Egypt because they fear anti-American sentiment. We find that neither perception is really true. At least, it is not prevelant. It's weird how we have perceptions of places we've never even been to!
Also, Egyptian girls are meant to stay close to their families until they marry, so very few of our female students will ever consider going outside of Egypt.
Anyway, I am rambling tonight. Tomorrow we are supposed to go on a felucca ride on the Nile. I can't wait. We are going with Tom and Betsy's British Club friends. A felucca is a traditional boat; it looks something like a sailboat. I'll fill you in tomorrow, and hopefully I'll have some pics.
At a school that is as small as ours, I guess there has to be a major amount of flexibility. We expected this because it is only the second year our school has been in operation. It sounds like they had a rough time last year, but the new American teachers are determined to make things run a little more smoothly this year.
We do not want to bore you with all of the teaching details. When we finally get our classrooms, we will take some pictures of our school and rooms. Our school is way out in the middle of the desert. It is weird because there is not much out there but schools. Apparently, there has been a boom in American schools. Most kids, until this point, would complete the British program, but apparently it is very difficult. If it looks like they will not get the grade point that they need to get into a university, they switch over to the American program. The American programs have the reputation of being easier. You pay more, but they are easier. The students need to get so many A's and get over an 800 on the S.A.T. test in order to get into Egyptian universities.
We thought when we came here that we would be preparing students to go to American universities, but this is not so. Instead they go to the American University in Cairo, Cairo University, or schools like the German University in Cairo. We were told that they felt it was difficult to get into America because of their nationality, but that they also were afraid of anti-Arabic sentiment in the States. Very interesting, because so many Americans are afraid to come to Egypt because they fear anti-American sentiment. We find that neither perception is really true. At least, it is not prevelant. It's weird how we have perceptions of places we've never even been to!
Also, Egyptian girls are meant to stay close to their families until they marry, so very few of our female students will ever consider going outside of Egypt.
Anyway, I am rambling tonight. Tomorrow we are supposed to go on a felucca ride on the Nile. I can't wait. We are going with Tom and Betsy's British Club friends. A felucca is a traditional boat; it looks something like a sailboat. I'll fill you in tomorrow, and hopefully I'll have some pics.
Monday, August 16, 2004
Sunday, August 15
Today was a good day, despite its slow start. We started work today - true Egyptian-style. Our work week is Sunday through Thursday, so yes, we did work today. I say it was true Egyptian-style because we got to work at about 9 am, but didn't do anything until about 11:30. We sat in a conference room while we waited for Carly and Kelly, two American teachers to be picked up. We kind of all expected this from our first day, as the school really works at a slower pace and things don't always happen efficiently. We will make do, though.
It just takes some getting used to Egyptian work habits and the Egyptian sense of time. As our principal said today, "If you want copies next week, tell them you need them today." It makes sense when you think of the very popular Egyptian saying, "Inshallah." It means God-willing. Many things are God-willing around here. It is a popular saying for, "It will happen if it happens."
The day was good, though, because we had such positive experiences this evening. Joe and I decided we'd had enough of our computer viruses, so we set out in search of the computer store they recommended to us at Radio Shack. We had to go to Serag mall. We did a little browsing at the mall and came upon a store called, "1000 nights." The man working there was so nice! He showed us all his items. Then when we returned to buy my (first!) head scarf, he opened his store back up even though he had closed it to eat. When we asked where the computer store was, he ran out of the store with Joe to go show him. Then, he even gave Kelly and I a gift. He gave us beads for good luck and jewelry. He asked if we knew anyone who might want to tutor his daughter in math and English. Who knows, I may end up doing so. In general, he bent over backwards to be nice to us.
Then, we located the computer repair shop, (AKA man at a desk surrounded by old computer monitors). We sat with a young man for an hour while he rebooted out computer with software that was better than what we had before. He took care of our virus, gave us better software, and only charged us 10 bucks! Not only this, but in the middle of our wait, he had someone deliver Pepsi to us. He didn't speak a lot of English, but he was very kind as well! Joe paid him a bit more for his help. I can't imagine what this service would have cost us in the States. And I know we wouldn't have gotten any Pepsi served up in the process!
It just takes some getting used to Egyptian work habits and the Egyptian sense of time. As our principal said today, "If you want copies next week, tell them you need them today." It makes sense when you think of the very popular Egyptian saying, "Inshallah." It means God-willing. Many things are God-willing around here. It is a popular saying for, "It will happen if it happens."
The day was good, though, because we had such positive experiences this evening. Joe and I decided we'd had enough of our computer viruses, so we set out in search of the computer store they recommended to us at Radio Shack. We had to go to Serag mall. We did a little browsing at the mall and came upon a store called, "1000 nights." The man working there was so nice! He showed us all his items. Then when we returned to buy my (first!) head scarf, he opened his store back up even though he had closed it to eat. When we asked where the computer store was, he ran out of the store with Joe to go show him. Then, he even gave Kelly and I a gift. He gave us beads for good luck and jewelry. He asked if we knew anyone who might want to tutor his daughter in math and English. Who knows, I may end up doing so. In general, he bent over backwards to be nice to us.
Then, we located the computer repair shop, (AKA man at a desk surrounded by old computer monitors). We sat with a young man for an hour while he rebooted out computer with software that was better than what we had before. He took care of our virus, gave us better software, and only charged us 10 bucks! Not only this, but in the middle of our wait, he had someone deliver Pepsi to us. He didn't speak a lot of English, but he was very kind as well! Joe paid him a bit more for his help. I can't imagine what this service would have cost us in the States. And I know we wouldn't have gotten any Pepsi served up in the process!
Sunday, August 15, 2004
Saturday, August 14, 2004
Friday, August 13
Today was an interesting day. We spent a good part of the day at Gheda and Wael's house. I have no idea how to really spell their names or even to pronounce them. The man told us to call him Camel because that is his last name. They are the people we met the other night who helped us translate to our bowab, Muhammed. Camel's Egyptian and Gheda is Palestinian, but I think she's been here for several years. We went over to their house around 12:30 for lunch and didn't leave until around 5 or 5:30. You wouldn't believe the amount of food they made for us!!
The first thing Camel wanted to know was whether or not we drank beer. When we said yes, Camel and Joe took off to the store to buy beer. When they returned, we talked for quite awhile. I got some insight into Egyptian cooking from Gheda. She really is a wonderful cook, and in general, they both were so nice and welcoming.
The food was awesome as well. Gheda made musaka (an eggplant dish with red sauce), an artichoke and meat dish, a roasted chicken, homemade cream of mushroom soup, seasoned rice with toasted almonds, and molokhiyya (I think this is the name.) Molokhiyya is a glutinous green stew-like dish with lots of fresh garlic. You can dip bread in it or you can mix it with rice. Camel showed us the best ways of eating each dish. And no, I'm sure you're dying to know, I didn't have to eat meat. I was almost ready to. Dinner was being served and Camel said, "We almost asked if you were vegetarians over the phone, but we didn't think of it." He said, "You're not, right?" I couldn't lie. I had to tell them the truth. I figured this way I can avoid the ackwardness in the future. I'm always causing trouble!
Everything was really very good. It was funny because, as Camel explained, in Egypt they serve you and when you finish they offer you more. He served up a heaping, impossible amount of rice to both Joe and me.
We picked up a few Arabic words in talking with them. Camel speaks very good English and so does Gheda, but she often talks in Arabic, so Camel will translate. We watched TV and hung-out. Camel translated many of the Arabic music videos for us. We even brought Leia up to play. They really liked her (especially after she settled down.)
Camel introduced me to my first Egyptian mango. It was the best mango I have ever eater. He taught me to eat it by cutting it in half, digging it out with a spoon, sucking on the core, digging that out, and then digging out the rest. We stayed until nearly 5:00 after we had tea and dessert. They encouraged us to come by any time. If there is ever anything we need, they offered to help us. I think they will become good friends to us. I'm so pleased to have met them. Because we will be working with Americans all day, I was afraid we wouldn't have many opportunities to meet Egyptian people. The people here are so friendly and social, they tend to take us in.
Tomorrow is our last day before we start school. We may do a little touring with the other teachers before we have to dig in and start actually working.
The first thing Camel wanted to know was whether or not we drank beer. When we said yes, Camel and Joe took off to the store to buy beer. When they returned, we talked for quite awhile. I got some insight into Egyptian cooking from Gheda. She really is a wonderful cook, and in general, they both were so nice and welcoming.
The food was awesome as well. Gheda made musaka (an eggplant dish with red sauce), an artichoke and meat dish, a roasted chicken, homemade cream of mushroom soup, seasoned rice with toasted almonds, and molokhiyya (I think this is the name.) Molokhiyya is a glutinous green stew-like dish with lots of fresh garlic. You can dip bread in it or you can mix it with rice. Camel showed us the best ways of eating each dish. And no, I'm sure you're dying to know, I didn't have to eat meat. I was almost ready to. Dinner was being served and Camel said, "We almost asked if you were vegetarians over the phone, but we didn't think of it." He said, "You're not, right?" I couldn't lie. I had to tell them the truth. I figured this way I can avoid the ackwardness in the future. I'm always causing trouble!
Everything was really very good. It was funny because, as Camel explained, in Egypt they serve you and when you finish they offer you more. He served up a heaping, impossible amount of rice to both Joe and me.
We picked up a few Arabic words in talking with them. Camel speaks very good English and so does Gheda, but she often talks in Arabic, so Camel will translate. We watched TV and hung-out. Camel translated many of the Arabic music videos for us. We even brought Leia up to play. They really liked her (especially after she settled down.)
Camel introduced me to my first Egyptian mango. It was the best mango I have ever eater. He taught me to eat it by cutting it in half, digging it out with a spoon, sucking on the core, digging that out, and then digging out the rest. We stayed until nearly 5:00 after we had tea and dessert. They encouraged us to come by any time. If there is ever anything we need, they offered to help us. I think they will become good friends to us. I'm so pleased to have met them. Because we will be working with Americans all day, I was afraid we wouldn't have many opportunities to meet Egyptian people. The people here are so friendly and social, they tend to take us in.
Tomorrow is our last day before we start school. We may do a little touring with the other teachers before we have to dig in and start actually working.
Friday, August 13, 2004
Friday, August 13
We have been very busy in the last couple of days. Yesterday, we went to the Citadel downtown. It was interesting, but very hot. (We've decided the temperatures here are hot, hotter, and way too hot.) There were two mosques that we saw there. The first was the Mosque of Muhammad Ali. It was interesting. Muhammad Ali is entombed inside. There's also a clock that was given by France but that was damaged upon arrival and never fixed. There was a second mosque that we went to that was built in the 1300's. It was interesting to imagine what it must have been like at that time. The Citadel sits very high up so you can get a good view of the expansiveness of the city. It was a good day, but very hot. It wore us all out to be out in the heat.
We've mainly been trying to help the two new teachers get settled, so we've been going around to shops and showing them the area. We are doing much better at communicating with people and getting around town. We managed to get the post office to understand that we needed stamps. Joe and I also have been able to get around town in taxis, and we are finding that we are able to ask for what we want in stores. I'm so proud of us that we are actually learning a few Arabic words. We think our tutor is helping a lot, and we are finding that we just have to try to say the words. It is definitely slow-going!
We are still finding that people are so helpful and nice here. Just the other night we were trying to communicate with our bowab, and a man came up to help us. He lives in the building and helped us translate to Muhammad, our bowab. We talked to him and his wife just a little bit, and then they offered us the take-out dinners that they had just brought home! People here just offer you what they have. They offered to help us in any way that they could. Last night, they called and invited us to an Egyptian meal today. We thought that was really very nice of them. I can't wait to see what it's like. I'm a little worried because it's not like they know I'm a vegetarian. I may have to just eat meat. Yikes! Joe and I have to find a patisserie (bakery) that is open, because it is polite and customary to bring your host a gift. We are worried that none will be open because today is their holy day. I will have to write about our experience. Also, I will upload pictures from the Citadel as soon as I can find a camera battery.
We've mainly been trying to help the two new teachers get settled, so we've been going around to shops and showing them the area. We are doing much better at communicating with people and getting around town. We managed to get the post office to understand that we needed stamps. Joe and I also have been able to get around town in taxis, and we are finding that we are able to ask for what we want in stores. I'm so proud of us that we are actually learning a few Arabic words. We think our tutor is helping a lot, and we are finding that we just have to try to say the words. It is definitely slow-going!
We are still finding that people are so helpful and nice here. Just the other night we were trying to communicate with our bowab, and a man came up to help us. He lives in the building and helped us translate to Muhammad, our bowab. We talked to him and his wife just a little bit, and then they offered us the take-out dinners that they had just brought home! People here just offer you what they have. They offered to help us in any way that they could. Last night, they called and invited us to an Egyptian meal today. We thought that was really very nice of them. I can't wait to see what it's like. I'm a little worried because it's not like they know I'm a vegetarian. I may have to just eat meat. Yikes! Joe and I have to find a patisserie (bakery) that is open, because it is polite and customary to bring your host a gift. We are worried that none will be open because today is their holy day. I will have to write about our experience. Also, I will upload pictures from the Citadel as soon as I can find a camera battery.
Wednesday, August 11, 2004
Tuesday, August 10
Today we met the last two American teachers that will be teaching with us at our school. We all met for breakfast and afterward we were actually able to show them around a little bit. The rest of the day was devoted to laundry and cleaning. We are still trying to get used to that crispiness clothes get from drying on the line. The cleaning has gotten much easier after the intial overhaul.
Tonight was a nice evening so we decided to take a long walk to a new restaurant that serves our new favorite dish, Koshari. It is a mixture of pasta, lentils, chickpeas, fried onions, rice, and various seasonings. You then have your usual choice of spicy red or lemon sauces. The best part is that it is extremely cheap, even by Egptian standards. I got the largest portion and was only able to eat about a quarter of it while Emily got the medium and barely ate half. All for a grand total of $1.50. Can't beat that.
After dinner we had to arrange to have our Bowwab to start taking our trash for us. We have had a lot of concerns with his services. We have had a lot of troube determining what exactly his job is and how much we pay him. It is difficult to describe. He and his family (wife and three kids) provide any and all tasks you can think of. His regular duties include maintenence and the security of the building, but they are always doing side jobs for extra money. For example, today I saw them outside washing a tenant's car for a few pounds. Our tutor told us that you can send him to the store to pick up groceries or whatever. Seems a little strange. We want to give them money, but do not want to just hand it to them as some kind of charity case. The other day we needed a lightbulb so we had him run to the store to get us a couple. It was very strange. We are not used to having someone want to do these types of jobs for us. We are conflicted because we are not sure how they view us. We don't want to be the rich Americans who throw their money around, but we also don't want to be the stingy Americans who have everything and give nothing. I guess we will get better at judging what is appropriate with time.
Tonight was a nice evening so we decided to take a long walk to a new restaurant that serves our new favorite dish, Koshari. It is a mixture of pasta, lentils, chickpeas, fried onions, rice, and various seasonings. You then have your usual choice of spicy red or lemon sauces. The best part is that it is extremely cheap, even by Egptian standards. I got the largest portion and was only able to eat about a quarter of it while Emily got the medium and barely ate half. All for a grand total of $1.50. Can't beat that.
After dinner we had to arrange to have our Bowwab to start taking our trash for us. We have had a lot of concerns with his services. We have had a lot of troube determining what exactly his job is and how much we pay him. It is difficult to describe. He and his family (wife and three kids) provide any and all tasks you can think of. His regular duties include maintenence and the security of the building, but they are always doing side jobs for extra money. For example, today I saw them outside washing a tenant's car for a few pounds. Our tutor told us that you can send him to the store to pick up groceries or whatever. Seems a little strange. We want to give them money, but do not want to just hand it to them as some kind of charity case. The other day we needed a lightbulb so we had him run to the store to get us a couple. It was very strange. We are not used to having someone want to do these types of jobs for us. We are conflicted because we are not sure how they view us. We don't want to be the rich Americans who throw their money around, but we also don't want to be the stingy Americans who have everything and give nothing. I guess we will get better at judging what is appropriate with time.
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Monday, August 9
Today wasn't the most eventful day, but we did get a few more things accomplished. We had to go out to our school. There was more paperwork to be taken care of. When we go to our school, we always go into Mrs. Mervat's office. It is so interesting because she asks us what we would like to drink and then an assistant or servant comes in and brings our drinks. Mrs. Mervat has a personal assistant and then there seem to be lots of people in service-type positions all over the school. She suggested today that we might want to get a maid. Apparently, we can have a maid come once a week to clean for about 5 dollars. We aren't sure that we really need this, but it's interesting that we can receive these things for so much less.
We didn't do much all day, but we did go to Radio Shack for the third time trying to get our converter to work. We ended up having to get a big ol' box in order to get the PlayStation2 to work. We've really been looking forward to this, as our satellite TV only has a couple of English stations, BBCWorld and a NBC 2 station that plays a random mix of shows. Now we can not only play games, but we can watch our DVDs! The people at Radio Shack have been very nice to us and recognize us now when we come in.
We found out today some more of the difficulties of being foreigners here, especially western foreigners. Our tutor gave us some instructions on taking taxis last night. He warned us that they would try to get more money from us. (What can you expect really? We kind of stand out here!) We asked one taxi driver to take us to a certain area of town and he said, "How much?" The taxi drivers here never ask how much. It is just assumed that you know the price, so we knew that he was going to try to take advantage of us. He wanted 20 pounds so we said, "Shokran," (Thank you) and got out. We found 3 taxi drivers tonight who all asked, "How much?" Joe ended up having to argue with one. The man wasn't even going to accept his money, so Joe finally gave him what he asked for. Sometimes it is just easier to accept that we have to pay foreigner prices. It's not like it's that much, but we don't like to feel like they think we're suckers.
We ended up in a shopping district, so we did a little shopping for clothes. You wouldn't believe some of the deals. I got a shirt for about 4 bucks. I've decided to find a happy medium between western and middle eastern clothes. It's also interesting that you wouldn't think that people here would be very stylish or that they are not supposed to be interested in dressing stylishly. However, the women, despite being covered up, can be very fashionable. It's neat to see how the women match their head scarves to their outfits. The headscarves are a very pretty or trendy accessory.
The two other teachers get here at midnight tonight. We will have to do our best to help them get acquainted with the area. I wonder how their experiences will be different as two single women. Tomorrow we are having breakfast with some ladies from the school and then we will try to find a bank. It should be interesting!
We didn't do much all day, but we did go to Radio Shack for the third time trying to get our converter to work. We ended up having to get a big ol' box in order to get the PlayStation2 to work. We've really been looking forward to this, as our satellite TV only has a couple of English stations, BBCWorld and a NBC 2 station that plays a random mix of shows. Now we can not only play games, but we can watch our DVDs! The people at Radio Shack have been very nice to us and recognize us now when we come in.
We found out today some more of the difficulties of being foreigners here, especially western foreigners. Our tutor gave us some instructions on taking taxis last night. He warned us that they would try to get more money from us. (What can you expect really? We kind of stand out here!) We asked one taxi driver to take us to a certain area of town and he said, "How much?" The taxi drivers here never ask how much. It is just assumed that you know the price, so we knew that he was going to try to take advantage of us. He wanted 20 pounds so we said, "Shokran," (Thank you) and got out. We found 3 taxi drivers tonight who all asked, "How much?" Joe ended up having to argue with one. The man wasn't even going to accept his money, so Joe finally gave him what he asked for. Sometimes it is just easier to accept that we have to pay foreigner prices. It's not like it's that much, but we don't like to feel like they think we're suckers.
We ended up in a shopping district, so we did a little shopping for clothes. You wouldn't believe some of the deals. I got a shirt for about 4 bucks. I've decided to find a happy medium between western and middle eastern clothes. It's also interesting that you wouldn't think that people here would be very stylish or that they are not supposed to be interested in dressing stylishly. However, the women, despite being covered up, can be very fashionable. It's neat to see how the women match their head scarves to their outfits. The headscarves are a very pretty or trendy accessory.
The two other teachers get here at midnight tonight. We will have to do our best to help them get acquainted with the area. I wonder how their experiences will be different as two single women. Tomorrow we are having breakfast with some ladies from the school and then we will try to find a bank. It should be interesting!
Monday, August 09, 2004
Sunday, August 8
Now that we have most of our apartment set up, we are free to have a little more fun in Cairo. Last night, we went with Tom and Betsy to a Lebanese restaurant. It was pretty good and we tried our first sheesha. It is very common in Egypt. It is a water pipe from which you smoke tobacco. They have many flavors and we tried Arabic apple last night. It's not as heavy as a cigar or cigarette. Even though neither of us smoke, we thought we'd give this local tradition a try.
It is so nice in Cairo in the evenings when the sun goes down. It is interesting the way people come out after dark. We love it, of course, as both of us are night people. It cools down to the eighties and there is often a gentle breeze. It's perfect for the open air dining at most restaurants and for sitting on a balcony somewhere.We are thinking we might have to come home after work and take a nap, so that we can stay up at night. We are alsothinking we may have to move to an apartment with a balcony.
Today, we went down to central Cairo to an area called Midan Tahrir. We went to the bookstore at the American University in Cairo. We got a map and found lots of books in English. We will have to go back to get books to read. Then we went to the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities. It was amazing how large it was. There is so much housed in that one museum. We are going to have to go back to see the mummy room, but we did get to see King Tut's famous burial mask. It's interesting that the museum is like a big warehouse. The exhibits seem old and don't have much description. We will have to go back when we have a more thorough guidebook, in order to know what everything is.
We took our first trolley and metro rides. The metro was very efficient, but the trolley was a bit slow and crowded. In Egypt, if you are a woman riding without a man there are special cars reserved up front. Betsy and I were riding with Joe so we went to the back cars. Betsy and I were stared at and stared at. It was difficult to find a place to put our eyes with so many men staring back. There are so many more men on the streets and really everywhere. As western women, we are subject to being stared at and it is much better when we make sure to be conservative in our clothing.
We have another night of tutoring tonight. We are really looking forward to it. It is definitely helping us get around the city better.
It is so nice in Cairo in the evenings when the sun goes down. It is interesting the way people come out after dark. We love it, of course, as both of us are night people. It cools down to the eighties and there is often a gentle breeze. It's perfect for the open air dining at most restaurants and for sitting on a balcony somewhere.We are thinking we might have to come home after work and take a nap, so that we can stay up at night. We are alsothinking we may have to move to an apartment with a balcony.
Today, we went down to central Cairo to an area called Midan Tahrir. We went to the bookstore at the American University in Cairo. We got a map and found lots of books in English. We will have to go back to get books to read. Then we went to the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities. It was amazing how large it was. There is so much housed in that one museum. We are going to have to go back to see the mummy room, but we did get to see King Tut's famous burial mask. It's interesting that the museum is like a big warehouse. The exhibits seem old and don't have much description. We will have to go back when we have a more thorough guidebook, in order to know what everything is.
We took our first trolley and metro rides. The metro was very efficient, but the trolley was a bit slow and crowded. In Egypt, if you are a woman riding without a man there are special cars reserved up front. Betsy and I were riding with Joe so we went to the back cars. Betsy and I were stared at and stared at. It was difficult to find a place to put our eyes with so many men staring back. There are so many more men on the streets and really everywhere. As western women, we are subject to being stared at and it is much better when we make sure to be conservative in our clothing.
We have another night of tutoring tonight. We are really looking forward to it. It is definitely helping us get around the city better.
Sunday, August 08, 2004
Saturday, August 7
I finally have been able to get on my internet. Joe and I are suffering from an internet virus that kicks us off of our internet whenever it feels like it. Where do I begin? There is so much to tell. We have done so much in a few days. We are finally settling in to our apartment. It was very difficult at first. We were going through typical jet lag and culture shock. There is nothing worse than not knowing any language and having to find the simplest things. Luckily, Joe and I went to our school the second day we were here and another couple that will be teaching at the school met us there. Tom and Betsy have been here for about 3 weeks and live just five blocks away. They have shown us around the neighborhood. We've found the supermarket. (When I say supermarket, I mean market where we can get things similar to American. It's not nearly as large!) We've finally found an ATM where we can withdraw money. We've taken a taxi ride. It has been crazy.
There are so many differences between Egypt and America. First, Egypt is dirty. However, it isn't all that bad. Everything in our apartment has a fine layer of dirt over it, but we've come to accept it. What can you do when you live in the desert? When you go out walking, you will come home with black feet if you wear sandals. Your clothes will be dirty and so will you. It is hot. It is about as hot as San Antonio actually, but in San Antonio, it was rare that we would spend time walking around looking for shops and basic necessities.
Things are cheap here! You have to love the conversion rate. It's about 6 Egyptian pounds to 1 dollar. We bought a large glass bottle of Pepsi the other day for about 15 cents. A cab ride can be as little as 50 cents. Dinner at a "fast-food" Egyptian restaurant was 2 dollars for 5 people. The things that cost a lot are the things from back home. For example, Oreos. Very expensive!
In Egypt, we have a doorman, and we've been told that he can do whatever we need him to. We had no way of communicating with him at first, so he had someone write us a note in English. He and his family live below the building. We feel very guilty coming home with bags of groceries and stuff for the apartment when he, his wife, and his three children wear the same clothes almost daily and live in an open area beneath the building. It is amazing the combination of poverty and wealth.
We realized that our bowab (doorman) must know someone who spoke English, so we wrote a note back asking if he knew someone who might want to tutor us. He did! We have found a 26-year-old from Yemen. He is a student here, and has agreed to tutor us for 3 hours a week. We are so excited. We met with him last night. He is very sweet and a good teacher.
We have found that most of the people here are very kind. They appreciate our efforts to speak Arabic, although most speak some English. We were told by our tutor that they learn more about English in school than Arabic. When we were shopping, a woman gave us her number and said call with any questions. Our tutor did the same. They all say, "Don't worry. Call if you need anything at all." We do get many looks on the streets. I (Emily) get stared at all the time, regardless of the fact that Joe's right there. I have just decided to keep my head down and avoid the problems.
We went on our first touristic trip the other day. We went with Tom and Betsy and a friend of theirs to the Kan Khalili market. It was pretty cool. There were narrow streets with tons of stalls. We also went to our first mosque. Very interesting. There were men lying around during the afternoon, waiting until prayer time. There was a man who gave us a tour. There are always these people around, hoping to earn a little extra money. The girls all covered their heads. I'll have to include some pictures in our post.
We also went to a home that used to be a rich persons home in Cairo. It was very cool with a lot of interesting woodwork, courtyards, and screens that the women used to look out.
Leia has brought much interest in the neighborhood. Most people cross to the other side of the street. Some of the children from the building were really enjoying petting her last night, though. We even got the bowab to pet her. He and his children look at her like she might take their heads off.
It has been so interesting, but it is probably better that I am writing now, instead of in the first 3 days. We were so tired, and it was so stressful getting our bearings. Things are so much better now. We went to the British club with Tom and Betsy the other night, and met a few other expats. That was an okay time as well. We are looking forward to seeing a few more sites before school starts in a week or so.
If our virus allows, I will try to keep my blog more up-to-date. We, of course, miss everyone back home.
There are so many differences between Egypt and America. First, Egypt is dirty. However, it isn't all that bad. Everything in our apartment has a fine layer of dirt over it, but we've come to accept it. What can you do when you live in the desert? When you go out walking, you will come home with black feet if you wear sandals. Your clothes will be dirty and so will you. It is hot. It is about as hot as San Antonio actually, but in San Antonio, it was rare that we would spend time walking around looking for shops and basic necessities.
Things are cheap here! You have to love the conversion rate. It's about 6 Egyptian pounds to 1 dollar. We bought a large glass bottle of Pepsi the other day for about 15 cents. A cab ride can be as little as 50 cents. Dinner at a "fast-food" Egyptian restaurant was 2 dollars for 5 people. The things that cost a lot are the things from back home. For example, Oreos. Very expensive!
In Egypt, we have a doorman, and we've been told that he can do whatever we need him to. We had no way of communicating with him at first, so he had someone write us a note in English. He and his family live below the building. We feel very guilty coming home with bags of groceries and stuff for the apartment when he, his wife, and his three children wear the same clothes almost daily and live in an open area beneath the building. It is amazing the combination of poverty and wealth.
We realized that our bowab (doorman) must know someone who spoke English, so we wrote a note back asking if he knew someone who might want to tutor us. He did! We have found a 26-year-old from Yemen. He is a student here, and has agreed to tutor us for 3 hours a week. We are so excited. We met with him last night. He is very sweet and a good teacher.
We have found that most of the people here are very kind. They appreciate our efforts to speak Arabic, although most speak some English. We were told by our tutor that they learn more about English in school than Arabic. When we were shopping, a woman gave us her number and said call with any questions. Our tutor did the same. They all say, "Don't worry. Call if you need anything at all." We do get many looks on the streets. I (Emily) get stared at all the time, regardless of the fact that Joe's right there. I have just decided to keep my head down and avoid the problems.
We went on our first touristic trip the other day. We went with Tom and Betsy and a friend of theirs to the Kan Khalili market. It was pretty cool. There were narrow streets with tons of stalls. We also went to our first mosque. Very interesting. There were men lying around during the afternoon, waiting until prayer time. There was a man who gave us a tour. There are always these people around, hoping to earn a little extra money. The girls all covered their heads. I'll have to include some pictures in our post.
We also went to a home that used to be a rich persons home in Cairo. It was very cool with a lot of interesting woodwork, courtyards, and screens that the women used to look out.
Leia has brought much interest in the neighborhood. Most people cross to the other side of the street. Some of the children from the building were really enjoying petting her last night, though. We even got the bowab to pet her. He and his children look at her like she might take their heads off.
It has been so interesting, but it is probably better that I am writing now, instead of in the first 3 days. We were so tired, and it was so stressful getting our bearings. Things are so much better now. We went to the British club with Tom and Betsy the other night, and met a few other expats. That was an okay time as well. We are looking forward to seeing a few more sites before school starts in a week or so.
If our virus allows, I will try to keep my blog more up-to-date. We, of course, miss everyone back home.
Monday, August 02, 2004
Monday, August 2
After many hours we arrived in Egypt yesterday. We started out early in Chicago and arrived in New York. After waiting for the Egypt Airlines counter to open, we stepped up to the desk and were told, sorry, but you have no reservation! We impressed upon the woman that we were not sending our dog to Egypt without us, and she thankfully, gave us tickets after making us wait.
The flight went well, and when we arrived we got our visas quickly. The fight for luggage at the airport was intense, as everyone pulls their cart up close and you have to fight for a spot. Joe went looking for Leia and we got no answers about her. Finally, after an hour or so, they let us know that we had to go to cargo to get her. Two people from the school were at the airport to meet us. These two ladies were an enormous help, but they probably thought we were absolutely crazy for bringing our dog to Egypt.
It took several bribes and couple of hours and we still didn't have our dog! One man was our helpful as a go-between. He would go talk to a very stern man about our dog. The stern man would look mean, shake his head, and tell us we had to pay more. They went in and out, in and out, but nothing ever happened. Finally, we left without our dog. The school's driver came back to the airport with us later and two hours and 900 pounds later we finally got Leia. We were both at the end of our rope, but we sat quietly in the back of the bus and let Egyptian bureaucracy work its magic.
After resting last night (with the requisite waking up at 3 am), we started the day fresh today. Our apartment is nice. It is not too bad. We do not having a working refrigerator, so the landlord promised us a new one tomorrow. We are very unsure about our washing machine. It has no lid, and it seems to be made out of plastic and some strings are sticking out. The landlord also assured us that he would send his cleaning servant tomorrow and she would show us how to work it. The apartment is clean for the most part, and we felt fortunate to have a shower with a door. Joe and I will have much work to do cleaning and settling in.
So far, we have not ventured far from home. There are always many people in the streets. Our bowab, or doorman, seems nice enough. He sits outside with his family. When we took Leia outside we got many strange looks and everyone walked away from us. So far, we've only ventured to small corner markets for water and snacks.
We did go to our school today. It was nice. They are working on several areas, so it is kind of a mess right now. It should be in good shape for school, though. The director, Mrs. Bassiouni, showed us around. Another American couple has been here for about a week, and they came with us to the school. They are very nice and live just a few blocks away. They are showing us the ropes and tonight we may go get some food with them, and they will show us around the neighborhood.
We are looking forward to learning our way around. There is so much to do. It's so weird feeling totally helpless. The most basic things become difficult, going to the store, finding a cash machine, getting around. We don't even know where to find toilet paper yet. We are missing everyone from home. I will keep this webpage as updated as possible. I imagine it will mainly me (Emily) writing, as this is more my thing than Joe's. Please e-mail us. We are all hooked up!
The flight went well, and when we arrived we got our visas quickly. The fight for luggage at the airport was intense, as everyone pulls their cart up close and you have to fight for a spot. Joe went looking for Leia and we got no answers about her. Finally, after an hour or so, they let us know that we had to go to cargo to get her. Two people from the school were at the airport to meet us. These two ladies were an enormous help, but they probably thought we were absolutely crazy for bringing our dog to Egypt.
It took several bribes and couple of hours and we still didn't have our dog! One man was our helpful as a go-between. He would go talk to a very stern man about our dog. The stern man would look mean, shake his head, and tell us we had to pay more. They went in and out, in and out, but nothing ever happened. Finally, we left without our dog. The school's driver came back to the airport with us later and two hours and 900 pounds later we finally got Leia. We were both at the end of our rope, but we sat quietly in the back of the bus and let Egyptian bureaucracy work its magic.
After resting last night (with the requisite waking up at 3 am), we started the day fresh today. Our apartment is nice. It is not too bad. We do not having a working refrigerator, so the landlord promised us a new one tomorrow. We are very unsure about our washing machine. It has no lid, and it seems to be made out of plastic and some strings are sticking out. The landlord also assured us that he would send his cleaning servant tomorrow and she would show us how to work it. The apartment is clean for the most part, and we felt fortunate to have a shower with a door. Joe and I will have much work to do cleaning and settling in.
So far, we have not ventured far from home. There are always many people in the streets. Our bowab, or doorman, seems nice enough. He sits outside with his family. When we took Leia outside we got many strange looks and everyone walked away from us. So far, we've only ventured to small corner markets for water and snacks.
We did go to our school today. It was nice. They are working on several areas, so it is kind of a mess right now. It should be in good shape for school, though. The director, Mrs. Bassiouni, showed us around. Another American couple has been here for about a week, and they came with us to the school. They are very nice and live just a few blocks away. They are showing us the ropes and tonight we may go get some food with them, and they will show us around the neighborhood.
We are looking forward to learning our way around. There is so much to do. It's so weird feeling totally helpless. The most basic things become difficult, going to the store, finding a cash machine, getting around. We don't even know where to find toilet paper yet. We are missing everyone from home. I will keep this webpage as updated as possible. I imagine it will mainly me (Emily) writing, as this is more my thing than Joe's. Please e-mail us. We are all hooked up!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
