Friday's the new Saturday

So the weekend here is Friday and Saturday and the workweek is Sunday through Thursday. Weird, right? The acronym TGIF doesn't apply but is replaced by SHIT, So Happy It's Thursday.

Today I spent the day at Citystars, a huge mall a short drive from us. It was insanely big with more familiar stores, like H&M. We got there early to beat the crowds but it's usually not hard to do that. They seem to start their days late and go late into the night.

I got some things for my classroom, like tupperware and small rugs. I also got some more clothes. I feel like I've been clothes shopping more here than I usually do, probably since nothing has to fit properly right off the rack because I can always get it tailored really inexpensively. On the way home, we spotted this truck. Just last night we were discussing the lack of car seats in Egypt. Now we know why.

I was so pooped by the end of the day that I decided to have dinner delivered. We have a website called otlob.com that we use to order food online. Since it was just me ordering, I chose enough items to reach the minimum at this Egyptian place, Akl Beety, but decided to just keep going and get enough food for a few days. So this was my dinner spread tonight:

I got all kinds of goodies, from meat sambusak and molokheya to mesakaa and umm ali (came in a clay bowl-score!), for less than ten bucks. That's like four dinners for me! I will be doing this a lot because I am not going to cook if it's cheaper and faster to order in. Plus, lunch is already packed for the next day. :) 

Putting some sweat equity into the classroom tomorrow. That's right. On a Saturday. 

First Day of School

The vacation had to end sometime. Today we saw the school for the first time. It was beautiiiiful. Of course, I had the first day jitters so I didn't get any rest and suffered from a headache all day but I was still snapping away to capture the day's events. The kids do not come in for another two weeks but we have staff development and orientation (and classroom decorating) on the agenda until then.

7:25 Pickup by the no-longer-magic school bus 

Rachel and her bodybag full of books!

Reception area. Holy cow, right?

Meet n' Greet

Garden area for the kiddies

The lunchroom. Pretty swanky, huh?

Swimming Pool

Raymond, the principal, gave us the grand tour.

I know where I'll be in between lessons. Pumpin' iron.

Unfinished but imagine kids vaulting in school. 

Saved the best for last- my classroom! 

I'll start decorating tomorrow. My assistant for the year is a wonderful Arabic girl who speaks great English (and French). Crossing my fingers for a productive, enjoyable, memorable year!

Egypt in Pictures; Batch 1

This Egyptian woman is more current than I am! 

Patience is a virtue. 

Merely roadside decorations

Fuel efficient. 

Problem solved.

I see a twisted ankle in my future.

Beautiful Maadi.

Whatever gets you from place to place...

First batch of many miscellaneous pictures!

Alexandria

With all of the relaxation, exploration and free time I've had lately, I needed a vacation! So it was off to Alexandria. It really bought me back to my study abroad days where we would decide our international weekend trips on a Wednesday or Thursday and actually make them happen. 

Train Station- Very Grand Central-esque

First Class Seating- Look at all that leg room!

One small hiccup was that the first available train out was at 2pm. We found this out at the train station at 8:30 so we were advised to get on an earlier train without tickets and hope we find seats. Well, seats were found but only 3/4 so I stood the whole way there- 2 and a half hours. Sounds worse than it was. I actually didn't even remember that until I had to write this blog entry. That's selective memory workin for me. 

Chloe and I have it all to ourselves!

I'm sure Alexandria has a ton of interesting sites and a rich history but we were there for the beach. The Sheraton had a private stretch of beach which was what we were looking for. Those public beaches were awfully crowded and sprinkled with litter. A cute little man with a net tried to catch all the liter in our area. 

With Alexandria being a vacation destination for Egyptians- we were the only Westerners so we remained fully clothed out of respect- even when swimming! I have some funky tan lines to prove it. Egyptians don't lay in the sand like we so so the beaches are just covered in chairs and umbrellas. I wish I took a picture of the public beach. It's a sight! 

It was back to cloud-less Cairo today but it was actually a relief. Cairo's familiar and our home. I missed my rock hard bed and institutionally white apartment. 

Nevertheless, we're proud of our successful journey. Alexandria- we made it happen!

Gimme All Your Money

They may as well be saying that. Beware the Khan el-Khalili. More on that later.

Today we visited the Muhammad Ali Mosque and got a small synopsis of the Islamic religion- as much as could be covered in about ten minutes. I really learned just as much from observing those inside the mosque than being lectured but I now understand more about bringing up children in this religion and that will be beneficial, I'm sure.

We then proceeded to the Old Market, the Khan el-Khalili, where haggling is a must and a big pain in the butt. Vendors start at an exorbitant price and you must work your verbal magic and mental patience for as long as it takes to get them to about 40% of the quoted price. All this is going on while other vendors are hassling you to check out their stand. 

I make three purchases, all of which I am happy with. I bargained ruthlessly and nonchalantly tried to lose my blond haired, blue eyed friend who would make my job harder. We found a lot of these items in our own neighborhood later at a fair price so I'm glad I didn't indulge when I was at the market!

My favorite purchase and, ironically, the only piece I didn't bargain for. The vendor realized I couldn't afford the piece I reallly wanted- which was a beautiful, more intricate "Tree of Life" tapestry so he offered me this larger but more simplistic one at a great price. 

I got a great compliment that day. "You bargain like an Egyptian!"

The Pyramids and the Sphinx

Rachel + Group :)

Just chillin...on a pyramid!

My camel was the clumsy one.

Our group pictures need some work. 

No work, all play. I feel like I've been on vacation the past week and a half. I could do as I please and my only responsibility has been to be ready by a certain time so I could be picked up to do more fun stuff. 

"To the Bus!"

Like in the Magic School Bus, every time we step into our GPS school bus, we go to exciting places and learn new things. It took us to the museum yesterday, the pyramids today and will be taking us to the market tomorrow!

Ms. Frizzle is replaced by our tour guide Sharif. He seems to know everything- from the species of plant growing on the side of the road to how history played out thousands of years ago. 

Next week, the school bus will turn back into a regular school bus and take us to and from school but, for now, "Bus, do your stuff!"

Felucca down the Nile