I got to tour my school today!!!! I was so excited that I finally got to look around my school. I also got to meet the final teacher that I had been talking to the last couple of months. I met lots of other staff members too who were so nice. I got to go to lunch with a co-worker who has been showing me the ropes and helping me out since before I got here. Crossing the street is like a game of frogger, except for in frogger you get multiple lives. So I am extra careful. After the tour of the school and lunch Alanna and I walked all of Maadi. We went to the Grand Mall and I bought some things I needed for my flat. She also showed me where I could get a lot of American type food at a grocery store but it is VERY expensive. A bag of Doritos were ten bucks. But I guess if you really miss it, it is possible to get it. I am trying to get used to the local food and brands. The taste is a little bit different with some things but I am braving it and eating it.
I survived my first power outage and it only lasted 30 minutes. I was surprised. I also had my first meal delivered today. They have a website here that has almost all of their restaurants on it and they all deliver. Just just place your order online and they bring it to you in about 30-45min. Groceries can also be delivered for a small price, which is nice because you are usually on foot. Though you could get a cab. You can also send out clothes to be pressed. Which will be good when school starts because a lot of my clothes were wrinkled from being in my suitcases for a long time. I mentioned to someone that it is easy to be spoiled here and she said in some ways you are but in others you are not. These services, of course are offered for everyone, so it's not like they are just for Americans. I was just surprised at what I could get here and what services they had. I guess having no expectations before you get here are good. Then when you find things out you are surprised.
All around great day. My favorite part was finally seeing the school. Pictures to come on facebook!
Tuesday, 31 August 2010
Monday, 30 August 2010
August 30, 2010
Today was a good day :-) After getting ready I ventured out to find the Maadi hotel to meet my principal and all the other new teachers. When I got there, the others were surprised about how much I already knew. Then the principal showed up and we got to meet her. She seems very nice. She gave us some info and then sent us on our way until a driver came to pick everyone up to go look at flats. During this time I went up to the roof of the hotel and got to see a very good view of the Nile river and the pyramids! I was so excited because this is the first "touristy" place I have seen since I have been here. There was also a pool on top of the roof...Interesting. Then we all went to lunch down the street and had good conversations and got to know each other. After, they all met the driver so they could go look at flats. I tagged along because I never had the experience of getting to go look at flats for rent since I already had my place. Some of the places were...interesting. But there were a lot of nice places too. Tonight I got to go out with this same group of people as well as some teachers who have been here for a while. We exchanged stories and laughed a lot. It was a great day of getting to know new people who were at the school for the very first year and also those who had been around for a while. I am really going to like my staff! They seem fun and they all love to travel, so it looks as if I may have a few travel buddies :-)
One sad thing though:
I saw a little one get hit by a car while on his bike. I wanted to stop my taxi and help out because the driver of the car and some others standing around were all arguing. they finally went over to help him. He was limping and didn't look like he was in too good of shape. My taxi went around all of them and kept going. I am not sure how much help I would have been but my heart still went out to him.
Speaking of taxi's. Every taxi I have been in so far, the driver knew enough English to get me to my destination or I knew enough Arabic to tell him where to go. So taxi's have been pretty easy to use, except for the whole game of chicken and no laws to follow thing. Anyway Love you all!
One sad thing though:
I saw a little one get hit by a car while on his bike. I wanted to stop my taxi and help out because the driver of the car and some others standing around were all arguing. they finally went over to help him. He was limping and didn't look like he was in too good of shape. My taxi went around all of them and kept going. I am not sure how much help I would have been but my heart still went out to him.
Speaking of taxi's. Every taxi I have been in so far, the driver knew enough English to get me to my destination or I knew enough Arabic to tell him where to go. So taxi's have been pretty easy to use, except for the whole game of chicken and no laws to follow thing. Anyway Love you all!
Sunday, 29 August 2010
August 29, 2010
After seeing a bill board for my school last night I was excited to know that my school was in fact somewhere in this town I lived in. So today I caught a taxi down the road and they took me out to the school.. It was about a ten minute taxi ride and eventually after learning my way, I want to walk. When I got to my school there were three ladies at the front desk who were there signing up new kids. But no one else was to be found. So I headed home and kind of felt like I wasted past of my day but at least I new kind of where my school was located.
Riding around in Egypt:
Like my roommate puts it "It's like a constant game of chicken." It was a little scary at first but then you get used to cars almost side swiping you, and driving so close to other cars, pedestrians and bikes that they reach out and touch the taxi you are in. If you happen to "hit" another car, which in Maadi cars here cannot go fast enough most of the time to do much damage to another car because the traffic is so bad (except for the highway) I learned that this was called the "Cairo kiss." Usually neither party stops and you just go on your way. In Maadi Traffic lights=non-existent. Stop signs= very few and far between but never even acknowledged! A car horn= used all the time! They never stop! I think it gets to the point where you almost do not even hear them anymore because you are trying to drowned them out.
Walking in Maadi:
Which is how I get most places! Was a little scary at first because the sidewalks are messed up so everyone walks in the streets with all the traffic. You get used to it after a while. People are constantly honking at you and driving really close to you.
Something I thought would be funny would be to go around and disable the car horns in all the cars and then watch people faces and the mass chaos and everyone wondering what happened! In America we drive with our eyes, here you drive with your ears!
I did find out that tomorrow I am meeting some other teachers and my boss at the Maadi hotel. So that was a good phone call because up until a few minutes ago I had no idea when I was going to meet anyone from my school!
Riding around in Egypt:
Like my roommate puts it "It's like a constant game of chicken." It was a little scary at first but then you get used to cars almost side swiping you, and driving so close to other cars, pedestrians and bikes that they reach out and touch the taxi you are in. If you happen to "hit" another car, which in Maadi cars here cannot go fast enough most of the time to do much damage to another car because the traffic is so bad (except for the highway) I learned that this was called the "Cairo kiss." Usually neither party stops and you just go on your way. In Maadi Traffic lights=non-existent. Stop signs= very few and far between but never even acknowledged! A car horn= used all the time! They never stop! I think it gets to the point where you almost do not even hear them anymore because you are trying to drowned them out.
Walking in Maadi:
Which is how I get most places! Was a little scary at first because the sidewalks are messed up so everyone walks in the streets with all the traffic. You get used to it after a while. People are constantly honking at you and driving really close to you.
Something I thought would be funny would be to go around and disable the car horns in all the cars and then watch people faces and the mass chaos and everyone wondering what happened! In America we drive with our eyes, here you drive with your ears!
I did find out that tomorrow I am meeting some other teachers and my boss at the Maadi hotel. So that was a good phone call because up until a few minutes ago I had no idea when I was going to meet anyone from my school!
August 28, 2010
My roommate and I went grocery shopping today and then had our groceries delivered. It only cost 3LE to have your things delivered, which is under a $1.00. But when you are on foot in the heat and you buy way too much for two people to carry then delivery is nice. They follow you home pushing their bike behind you and help you up the elevator with everything.
Let me tell you a little about this elevator. See I live on the ninth floor and I though "Oh cool, I can take the stairs, so I can get some exercise in." After doing that once, I am not sure it will happen again. Not because it was too far but because the stairway is not lit and the third day I was here I twisted my ankle a bit and it hurt for a couple days after. Since walking is the way you get to most places here, a twisted ankle is NOT good. So the elevator is the best option. You get in it and sometimes it takes a minute for it to work. There is no door that shuts on it so you are watching the floors go by. Sometimes it stops and the lights go off several times before you make it to the floor you are going. They are also very small. We had four people (which we barely fit) in one the other day and it stopped! Not a place you would want to be stuck in for a long period of time. It is hot and stuffy and you sweat from going from just one floor to the other, so it stopping for a while would not be fun!
Anyway, yesterday I was supposed to meet my roommate at the church so we could go to life group. Well I got turned around somehow, which is allowed, I have been here less than a week and had to ask for directions. This person I stopped to ask just happened to be going to the same place. We started talking and I found out that he is from Tulsa, Ok! Go figure. He is here with his wife and kids for the next five years for work. Small world! So random! Anyway I finally made it and then off to life group.
Life group consisted of young adults of all ages and nationalities. They were so welcoming and nice. We share a meal together every week, sing together, pr together and then we hear a message and discuss or do an exercise. Last night we talked about hearing the Father's voice and then we pr for one another on what we felt the Father was asking us to pr for, for that person. It was awesome to be around a group of people who were here from all over with the same goal in mind. It reminded me of how the body of Ch are all unified no matter where we are in the world. We all work for the same Father. I talked a little bit to the girl I was partners with about how I love the fellowship with other believers and having a place to come be filled up but how I desired to work and learn with the locals here. I know when school starts up and I start my regular schedule, it will be different.I'll have lots of opportunities. I just remember what someone said at the last Tribe I was at and how easy it is to fall into the western culture here and just be around others like you and spend all your time with them. I am anticipating school starting up and meeting my staff and all my little ones. I can't what to be alight in their lives and see their smiles :-).
Another great day here in Egypt!
Let me tell you a little about this elevator. See I live on the ninth floor and I though "Oh cool, I can take the stairs, so I can get some exercise in." After doing that once, I am not sure it will happen again. Not because it was too far but because the stairway is not lit and the third day I was here I twisted my ankle a bit and it hurt for a couple days after. Since walking is the way you get to most places here, a twisted ankle is NOT good. So the elevator is the best option. You get in it and sometimes it takes a minute for it to work. There is no door that shuts on it so you are watching the floors go by. Sometimes it stops and the lights go off several times before you make it to the floor you are going. They are also very small. We had four people (which we barely fit) in one the other day and it stopped! Not a place you would want to be stuck in for a long period of time. It is hot and stuffy and you sweat from going from just one floor to the other, so it stopping for a while would not be fun!
Anyway, yesterday I was supposed to meet my roommate at the church so we could go to life group. Well I got turned around somehow, which is allowed, I have been here less than a week and had to ask for directions. This person I stopped to ask just happened to be going to the same place. We started talking and I found out that he is from Tulsa, Ok! Go figure. He is here with his wife and kids for the next five years for work. Small world! So random! Anyway I finally made it and then off to life group.
Life group consisted of young adults of all ages and nationalities. They were so welcoming and nice. We share a meal together every week, sing together, pr together and then we hear a message and discuss or do an exercise. Last night we talked about hearing the Father's voice and then we pr for one another on what we felt the Father was asking us to pr for, for that person. It was awesome to be around a group of people who were here from all over with the same goal in mind. It reminded me of how the body of Ch are all unified no matter where we are in the world. We all work for the same Father. I talked a little bit to the girl I was partners with about how I love the fellowship with other believers and having a place to come be filled up but how I desired to work and learn with the locals here. I know when school starts up and I start my regular schedule, it will be different.I'll have lots of opportunities. I just remember what someone said at the last Tribe I was at and how easy it is to fall into the western culture here and just be around others like you and spend all your time with them. I am anticipating school starting up and meeting my staff and all my little ones. I can't what to be alight in their lives and see their smiles :-).
Another great day here in Egypt!
Friday, 27 August 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010- Although a little late!
Less than a week in Egypt and I can already pretty much get around Maadi, which is the I live in. I still have not been to my school but I hope that I will get to visit on Sunday, which is the beginning of the work week here. I think I am finally getting on a regular schedule. I am waking up at a semi- normal time and getting hungry for dinner at 6ish rather than 9:30pm! Today I went to a place called CSA today which is a place expats can go for help, classes, coffee and to workout. They also have free wifi, which is one of the reasons I went, plus I wanted to explore more. Jenna had to go to work so I walked with her there and after spending some time at CSA, I caught a taxi and went down to road 9 to try to get a cell phone again today. I tried yesterday but I didn't have my passport so I had to wait. Cell phone minutes here are different than in the states. You get little scratch cards and when the minutes run out you go buy another scratch card. Well I got the phone and a new card, got back and it didn't work. So I will traveling back to Mobinil again tomorrow for a third try at a working cell phone! It is a good thing that I have not got lost because I would have no way of calling my roommate to ask her how to get home but it has all worked out. She is surprised that I have done so much and went out on my own after only being here for a short time.
This evening I got to experience my first international church service at MCC. If we were new, we had to stand up and say what country we were from. There were several visitors and they were from all over. Kenya, Holland, Australia, and Ireland (yes Suz, Ireland!) just to name a few. There are so many nationalities represented in Egypt! I have met so many people! The worship, the sermon and the fellowship was fantastic. I was almost in tears after the first song because I was so overwhelmed and overcome with joy that the Father had led me to a group of believers in this new land. It will definitely help when there are hard times and also in times of joy and celebration. After church I went to my roommates uncles house who had a group of people over doing the draft for fantasy football and then we went to a game night filled with high school students. The people I was hanging out with are young adult church staff and they went to game night not only to have fun but for mentor opportunities too. I have been here less than a week and so many opportunities have been presented. From places to serve in the community (orphanages, refugee schools, to tutoring public schools here), places to serve in the church and also a great group of people to stand by me and help me when I need it. Not to mention the staff, parents and students that I have not met yet to be an influence on. My roommate and I have also kind of started talking about maybe doing something with all the children who live on our street, there are a ton! We both have a heart for children.
I am trying to keep in the front part of my mind to stay balanced and not go forward with to many things too fast. There is so much to do here and so many different ways to work with kids outside of school but I need to remember that I am here for the long haul and not to burn myself out like I have in the past. I need an equal balance of time with the Father, serving, time with friends, time for my job and a time to rest (which I am the worst at!) Pr for the many opportunities that are ahead. And pr that I keep my life in balance and do not become so busy that I will burn myself out. Thanks for reading. I miss all of you :-)
This evening I got to experience my first international church service at MCC. If we were new, we had to stand up and say what country we were from. There were several visitors and they were from all over. Kenya, Holland, Australia, and Ireland (yes Suz, Ireland!) just to name a few. There are so many nationalities represented in Egypt! I have met so many people! The worship, the sermon and the fellowship was fantastic. I was almost in tears after the first song because I was so overwhelmed and overcome with joy that the Father had led me to a group of believers in this new land. It will definitely help when there are hard times and also in times of joy and celebration. After church I went to my roommates uncles house who had a group of people over doing the draft for fantasy football and then we went to a game night filled with high school students. The people I was hanging out with are young adult church staff and they went to game night not only to have fun but for mentor opportunities too. I have been here less than a week and so many opportunities have been presented. From places to serve in the community (orphanages, refugee schools, to tutoring public schools here), places to serve in the church and also a great group of people to stand by me and help me when I need it. Not to mention the staff, parents and students that I have not met yet to be an influence on. My roommate and I have also kind of started talking about maybe doing something with all the children who live on our street, there are a ton! We both have a heart for children.
I am trying to keep in the front part of my mind to stay balanced and not go forward with to many things too fast. There is so much to do here and so many different ways to work with kids outside of school but I need to remember that I am here for the long haul and not to burn myself out like I have in the past. I need an equal balance of time with the Father, serving, time with friends, time for my job and a time to rest (which I am the worst at!) Pr for the many opportunities that are ahead. And pr that I keep my life in balance and do not become so busy that I will burn myself out. Thanks for reading. I miss all of you :-)
Thursday, 26 August 2010
August 26, 2010
I am still trying to get over a little jet lag. I was up today at 4:30am. I got online on my phone and played around for about 2 hours. It was WAY to early to be up again. I took something that was supposed to help me sleep through the night, but it didn't! I finally fell back to sleep but then slept until 1pm! Grrr. Most of the day was gone. Oh well. I got up and around and ventured out for my first time by myself and it was only day two. But I needed to change my money and learn my way around. So off I went to find a taxi and I the one I got in knew English so it worked out, although I am learning the taxi lingo in Arabic. I have learned about five words so far. I am keeping a journal of words I learn. I met two really nice people while shopping. One was from NY, she helped me find my way to the market and then while I was in the market I met an Egyptian lady who knew English very well that helped me find the right laundry detergent. Help is all around! I learned how to tell a taxi how to get back to my house and he dropped me off at the door. The Father has been so good and provided so much along this journey. I am meeting so many people and it is only day two. Things are definitely going well so far!! :-) I live near a mosque so I need to get used to the call of prayer that goes off five times a day. But it does remind me and put me in check as far as how much day. So it serves as a good reminder. While reading yesterday, the first verse that came to mind was Ephesians 2:10. What a verse to start out this new journey that the Father has placed before me!
Wednesday, 25 August 2010
Arrival:
I made it! Cairo is huge! Flying over it was crazy! There is so much. Oh and riding home to Maadi=Scary. People drive where ever they want. No lanes and like five cars at a time driving next to each other! But we made it to my new apartment alive. I heard I would get used to the driving though. My apartment, I love it! It is absolutely beautiful! I have a huge room with lots of furniture and a bigger bed than I have ever had. After we were dropped off and lugged all of my 5 suitcase upstairs, Jenna and I talked for a little bit and then walked to dinner. Maadi is a cute little suburb and seems like it has a lot of little shops around. I was so tired but had a good meal and I have not been asleep since 4am Monday, Cali time! So two straight days without sleep because sleeping on the plane was NOT working! SO I am very tired! The weirdest thing about the day was coming into my apartment and feeling like it was home...When I was unpacking, I felt like I was unpacking from a long trip. It was crazy, but I had skyped with my roomie and chatted with her starting in May. It was really neat. I think it was not only knowing Jenna but spending the last couple weeks in Tulsa all over and then three weeks in Cali and traveling there, it was like I was finally home!
Day 1:
I woke up at 4am...I do not like jet lag. I was wide awake and wondering what I should do. I laid around til a little after 5 and then just got up and started unpacking. My roommate was surprised to see me up. Then around 10am just as I was finishing up with setting up my room, it hit me! I was back in bed asleep. My plan was to get up and skype with my mom at 2pm my time, 4am her time. It didn't happen because I was asleep. I finally woke back up around 3 and had lunch and got ready for the rest of the day. Tonight I went to a going away party at the church for two high school students. I met LOTS of people from all over the world. Everyone was so nice and answered some more of my questions. Things are great so far and they are getting better. Now tomorrow I will venture out on my own to explore, find a place to change over my money, buy some essentials and look around. Pr that I find my way back to my apartment! It doesn't seem too hard though. Lots of love!
I made it! Cairo is huge! Flying over it was crazy! There is so much. Oh and riding home to Maadi=Scary. People drive where ever they want. No lanes and like five cars at a time driving next to each other! But we made it to my new apartment alive. I heard I would get used to the driving though. My apartment, I love it! It is absolutely beautiful! I have a huge room with lots of furniture and a bigger bed than I have ever had. After we were dropped off and lugged all of my 5 suitcase upstairs, Jenna and I talked for a little bit and then walked to dinner. Maadi is a cute little suburb and seems like it has a lot of little shops around. I was so tired but had a good meal and I have not been asleep since 4am Monday, Cali time! So two straight days without sleep because sleeping on the plane was NOT working! SO I am very tired! The weirdest thing about the day was coming into my apartment and feeling like it was home...When I was unpacking, I felt like I was unpacking from a long trip. It was crazy, but I had skyped with my roomie and chatted with her starting in May. It was really neat. I think it was not only knowing Jenna but spending the last couple weeks in Tulsa all over and then three weeks in Cali and traveling there, it was like I was finally home!
Day 1:
I woke up at 4am...I do not like jet lag. I was wide awake and wondering what I should do. I laid around til a little after 5 and then just got up and started unpacking. My roommate was surprised to see me up. Then around 10am just as I was finishing up with setting up my room, it hit me! I was back in bed asleep. My plan was to get up and skype with my mom at 2pm my time, 4am her time. It didn't happen because I was asleep. I finally woke back up around 3 and had lunch and got ready for the rest of the day. Tonight I went to a going away party at the church for two high school students. I met LOTS of people from all over the world. Everyone was so nice and answered some more of my questions. Things are great so far and they are getting better. Now tomorrow I will venture out on my own to explore, find a place to change over my money, buy some essentials and look around. Pr that I find my way back to my apartment! It doesn't seem too hard though. Lots of love!
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