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.