Bought a couple of hand-powered flashlights at a monastery gift shop during my trip.
I kinda figured I'd be able to find something similar on Ebay, but this flashlight is exactly like 1 of the ones that I got! These are a really good idea, unless you want to sneak up on someone!! *laugh* With my little cheap ones (I paid less than $2 USD), you have to constantly be squeezing and releasing to generate the power, which results in a "whirring" sound. Mine have small watch batteries inside (despite saying "no batteries"), but you're not able to charge them. They work with a separate switch, like any normal flashlight would.
Here's a longer list of similar items on Ebay and I also found these nicer models on another site.
Has anyone seen more sophisticated/expensive versions? Opinions?
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
My New Apartment and Fast Internet?
Things in my new apartment are great! It's a wonderful place, less than 5 minutes from where I teach my English classes! I have most of my things moved over, so the place is a mess. I'm waiting until I get things put away before I take pictures.
So for now, you have to be satisfied with more photos from my trip!
Conveniently located across the street from my apartment is a nice Internet cafe'. In fact, I'm sitting there as I type this. I talked with them the first day I came about possibly getting a connection run up to my apartment, like other people in surrounding buildings have (it's obvious from the spiderweb of cables running away from the Internet cafe').
The price is decent, so I wanted to check the connection speed. I explained this to the nice guy who runs the place and he agreed.
So...I went to various "Internet Speed Test" websites. Here are the results:
BandwidthPlace -- 343.8 kbps (296 on second try)
CNET Speed Test -- 217.1 kbps (258 on second try)
McAfee Speed Test -- 150 kbps (150 again on second try)
SpeakEasy.net Speed Test -- 616 kbps (422 on second try)
PC Pitstop Speed Test -- 130 kbps (176 on second try)
What accounts for the variation? I think it's that some of the sites allow me to download from a site in/near Egypt, while others are only from America (and come up with slower results)
All in all, I think it's pretty good. From the looks of things, the Internet Cafe' is mostly frequented by kids playing networked computer games. There are only a couple on websites, so that means that I'll mostly be sharing the connection with my neighbors. Once I get the connection in my apartment (I'm pretty sure I'll get it), I'll do a bit of trial/error to see when people are home/downloading and when I get faster speeds.
Cool!
So for now, you have to be satisfied with more photos from my trip!
Conveniently located across the street from my apartment is a nice Internet cafe'. In fact, I'm sitting there as I type this. I talked with them the first day I came about possibly getting a connection run up to my apartment, like other people in surrounding buildings have (it's obvious from the spiderweb of cables running away from the Internet cafe').
The price is decent, so I wanted to check the connection speed. I explained this to the nice guy who runs the place and he agreed.
So...I went to various "Internet Speed Test" websites. Here are the results:
BandwidthPlace -- 343.8 kbps (296 on second try)
CNET Speed Test -- 217.1 kbps (258 on second try)
McAfee Speed Test -- 150 kbps (150 again on second try)
SpeakEasy.net Speed Test -- 616 kbps (422 on second try)
PC Pitstop Speed Test -- 130 kbps (176 on second try)
What accounts for the variation? I think it's that some of the sites allow me to download from a site in/near Egypt, while others are only from America (and come up with slower results)
All in all, I think it's pretty good. From the looks of things, the Internet Cafe' is mostly frequented by kids playing networked computer games. There are only a couple on websites, so that means that I'll mostly be sharing the connection with my neighbors. Once I get the connection in my apartment (I'm pretty sure I'll get it), I'll do a bit of trial/error to see when people are home/downloading and when I get faster speeds.
Cool!
Monday, September 11, 2006
Comparing Book Collections
One of our new/returning MCC volunteers is a writer and keeps up on book-related topics much better than I do.
So, when he says "I found this really interesting site" (in a way that only Keith can say this sentence", I listen! *smile*
The site he pointed me to is LibraryThing -- basically, you create a list of your books (for personal or public use) and then your list is compared to all the other lists from other people who use the site. Based on similarities, the site tries to predict other books you might like. You can go deeper than this, but that's the short version of what you can do.
Give it a try!
So, when he says "I found this really interesting site" (in a way that only Keith can say this sentence", I listen! *smile*
The site he pointed me to is LibraryThing -- basically, you create a list of your books (for personal or public use) and then your list is compared to all the other lists from other people who use the site. Based on similarities, the site tries to predict other books you might like. You can go deeper than this, but that's the short version of what you can do.
Give it a try!
Sunday, September 10, 2006
My friend the Geek
I have a friend who is a geek. He now owns a Bluetooth Virtual Laser Keyboard. Can you guess who this friend is? (please post in the Comments)
I love a bargain!
As many of you know, I love bargains!
On this recent trip, we went to monasteries all around Upper Egypt, to Luxor Temple in Luxor, and then to beaches near the city of Hurghada on the Red Sea.
When we went to Luxor Temple, my friend decided that it would be funny to them to try to get me in for the Egyptian price.
Here's how the pricing structure breaks down:
Foreigners: 35 Egyptian Pounds
Foreign Students: 20 Egyptian Pounds
Egyptians : 2 Egyptian Pounds
So...they just bought the ticket for me along with the rest of the group and then pushed me into the middle of the mass of people as we went through. *laugh*
The pic is of me holding the ticket and of the price list on the sign!
On this recent trip, we went to monasteries all around Upper Egypt, to Luxor Temple in Luxor, and then to beaches near the city of Hurghada on the Red Sea.
When we went to Luxor Temple, my friend decided that it would be funny to them to try to get me in for the Egyptian price.
Here's how the pricing structure breaks down:
Foreigners: 35 Egyptian Pounds
Foreign Students: 20 Egyptian Pounds
Egyptians : 2 Egyptian Pounds
So...they just bought the ticket for me along with the rest of the group and then pushed me into the middle of the mass of people as we went through. *laugh*
The pic is of me holding the ticket and of the price list on the sign!
More pictures?
Well, I had intended to upload a bunch of pics tonight, but Flickr seems to be having some problems. So...I'm heading for bed and hopefully they'll have the problem fixed so that I can upload in the morning before starting the move into my new apartment!
Oh heck, I guess I'll give you another picture here! This one is of my friend Michael's mother (on the right) and her 4 sisters! They were great to be around and did their best to feed us whenever possible!
And here's an odd pic of me. We were at Luxor Temple, so maybe the explanation is that I was temporarily possessed by the spirit of a long-dead Pharaoh?
Oh heck, I guess I'll give you another picture here! This one is of my friend Michael's mother (on the right) and her 4 sisters! They were great to be around and did their best to feed us whenever possible!
And here's an odd pic of me. We were at Luxor Temple, so maybe the explanation is that I was temporarily possessed by the spirit of a long-dead Pharaoh?
First picture from my recent trip
As part of my recent trip with a large group of Egyptians from Tanta, a few of us took a side-trip which involved a nice boat ride, snorkeling, and relaxation. There were many foreigners on the boat, so it was very different from the other days on the trip!
The price of the trip was 55 Egyptian pounds (less than $11) which included mask/snorkel/fins and a very nice of salad, rice, meat, and fish. What a value! Something tells me that most of the other people on the boat didn't come for that price b/c they came on packaged tours!
Anyway, while waiting to board our boat in the morning, we looked around at other boats near ours. Look at the name of the boat in this picture. How would _you_ pronounce it?
Love and Marriage
Wait, wait, wait! Before you get too excited about this topic, it's a just a very general thing -- no specific ideas in my mind right now!
Ok, now that we've gotten that out of the way...
In our MCC group in Egypt, we have 3 young couples now, all under the age of 30. So this morning, one of the other single guys and I started talking about marriage and came to a question that neither of us could answer.
"What makes a successful marriage?"
The next time I see my married MCC friends, I will ask them this question, but for now I'm asking all of you! Please feel free to reply in the comments if you want to share with others reading this or email me personally.
Ok, now that we've gotten that out of the way...
In our MCC group in Egypt, we have 3 young couples now, all under the age of 30. So this morning, one of the other single guys and I started talking about marriage and came to a question that neither of us could answer.
"What makes a successful marriage?"
The next time I see my married MCC friends, I will ask them this question, but for now I'm asking all of you! Please feel free to reply in the comments if you want to share with others reading this or email me personally.
New apartment
Well, I move into a new apartment tomorrow. I knew this was going to happen before I went on my big trip, but I didn't have time to Blog about it.
However, that's a good thing.
Why?
Well...b/c I'm not moving into that apartment -- I'm actually moving into a different apartment! Long story which I'll try to write out soon!
However, that's a good thing.
Why?
Well...b/c I'm not moving into that apartment -- I'm actually moving into a different apartment! Long story which I'll try to write out soon!
Friday, September 08, 2006
Learning about Teaching
So this weekend, I'm in Cairo for sessions on English teaching. Today, it was an intense few hours of hearing about the new Internet-based TOEFL test. Read about it -- I think it would even be difficult for native-speakers!!!
Back from my long Journey
Before being away these past few days, I never knew why most Egyptians talk about going on "journeys" instead of using the word "trips".
Now I know!
*laugh*
Long, long trip...but parts were really, really good. Other parts were quite tiring. But it was a good mix.
Pictures and stories this week. Right now I'm at an MCC welcome party for new people and things are crazy with kids running around everywhere!
Now I know!
*laugh*
Long, long trip...but parts were really, really good. Other parts were quite tiring. But it was a good mix.
Pictures and stories this week. Right now I'm at an MCC welcome party for new people and things are crazy with kids running around everywhere!
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Great Cairo site to keep you occupied
Since I probably won't be blogging for the next 2 weeks, I wanted to find things to keep you occupied! Well...while searching for a picture of the big governement building in Cairo, I found a beautiful, interesting, and well-designed Cairo site.
It's called "Last Tourist Cairo" and is sponsored by the Dutch Embassy in Cairo and one of the cutting-edge art galleries in Cairo.
I really think you all should take a look at this site. More than anything else I've seen, this site really captures the feel of Cairo. The hand-drawn maps and black-and-white pictures give it that timeless feeling that it has.
It's called "Last Tourist Cairo" and is sponsored by the Dutch Embassy in Cairo and one of the cutting-edge art galleries in Cairo.
I really think you all should take a look at this site. More than anything else I've seen, this site really captures the feel of Cairo. The hand-drawn maps and black-and-white pictures give it that timeless feeling that it has.
Easy dealings with the Egyptian Government
Would you believe that I just got back from a quick and easy trip to extend my Egyptian Visa? Well...it's true!
Granted, they didn't give me the Visa, but that's just a small thing!
*laugh*
(no, that doesn't mean I have to leave when my current Visa expires -- keep reading)
Without making the story any longer than it has to be...with my current Visa expiring in a week and passport expiring at the beginning of November, they didn't know how to process a new 6 month Visa at this point. So they told me there's a 2-week penalty-free grace period for renewing Visas and I'll just wait until I get my new passport and then go back to this same office again for the Visa.
Now that's efficiency! I don't have to go to the big, scary government building in Cairo or anything!!!!
Granted, they didn't give me the Visa, but that's just a small thing!
*laugh*
(no, that doesn't mean I have to leave when my current Visa expires -- keep reading)
Without making the story any longer than it has to be...with my current Visa expiring in a week and passport expiring at the beginning of November, they didn't know how to process a new 6 month Visa at this point. So they told me there's a 2-week penalty-free grace period for renewing Visas and I'll just wait until I get my new passport and then go back to this same office again for the Visa.
Now that's efficiency! I don't have to go to the big, scary government building in Cairo or anything!!!!
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Bible Quiz
Quick! Can you list all the books in the Bible? Just in the Old or New Testament?
If you're like me, the answer is no. In fact, if you're like me and someone says "Is there a book of Nahum in the Bible?", you will probably stare at them blankly. (What can I say? I never went to Sunday School very much -- watching Buck Rogers seemed like a better choice)
Well...as part of my ongoing educational experience in Egypt, I learned today that there is a book of Nahum, plus a whole bunch of other somewhat obscure books after Psalms and Proverbs.
So, think about this for a minute and then take a peek at a list of books of the Bible.
If you're like me, the answer is no. In fact, if you're like me and someone says "Is there a book of Nahum in the Bible?", you will probably stare at them blankly. (What can I say? I never went to Sunday School very much -- watching Buck Rogers seemed like a better choice)
Well...as part of my ongoing educational experience in Egypt, I learned today that there is a book of Nahum, plus a whole bunch of other somewhat obscure books after Psalms and Proverbs.
So, think about this for a minute and then take a peek at a list of books of the Bible.
Doing the paperwork
Applied for my new Passport last weekend in Cairo. So, that took me to the U.S. Embassy for the first time. Boring place, but I met a guy working there who used to plant tulips in the summer in Holland, MI.
Tomorrow, I go for my new visa to keep me here the next few months.
After that, I jump on a big ol' bus with a bunch of Egyptians and head south. Yes, to where the weather is even hotter!!! Monasteries, Luxor, Aswan, and Hurghada for about 9 days.
The apartment-hunt continues. No updates.
Helped some kids at the church today with their pronunciation in English. They have a big competition later this week in Cairo and they need to do short speeches and such in English. Kinda fun to see these young kids express themselves in English.
Tomorrow, I go for my new visa to keep me here the next few months.
After that, I jump on a big ol' bus with a bunch of Egyptians and head south. Yes, to where the weather is even hotter!!! Monasteries, Luxor, Aswan, and Hurghada for about 9 days.
The apartment-hunt continues. No updates.
Helped some kids at the church today with their pronunciation in English. They have a big competition later this week in Cairo and they need to do short speeches and such in English. Kinda fun to see these young kids express themselves in English.
Monday, August 28, 2006
My new apartment
Well, I just found out that the new apartment I've been waiting for months to move into isn't going to work out. *sigh* Long story.
So what this means is that I need to get things rolling over the next couple of days to get people looking for places for me so that there are options when I get back from my trip that leaves on Wednesday.
Kinda discouraging -- I've had so many conversations about this, including last week when I said "Look, just level with me and tell me the truth. I just want to know if I should keep waiting or look for something else." and it's just gotten me nowhere. Well, I guess I've learned from the experience, but it definitely hasn't gotten me a permanent place to live.
In the long run, this might work out for the best. We shall see.
So what this means is that I need to get things rolling over the next couple of days to get people looking for places for me so that there are options when I get back from my trip that leaves on Wednesday.
Kinda discouraging -- I've had so many conversations about this, including last week when I said "Look, just level with me and tell me the truth. I just want to know if I should keep waiting or look for something else." and it's just gotten me nowhere. Well, I guess I've learned from the experience, but it definitely hasn't gotten me a permanent place to live.
In the long run, this might work out for the best. We shall see.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Last Weekend?
Wow...I just love having other people in MCC Egypt with Blogs. They write things and take pictures so I don't have to!
For example, I didn't tell you much about last weekend when I went to Cairo...but Alice, the teenage daughter of my Country Representatives, James and Linda blogs about things. We happened to be at the same event last weekend, so you can read what Alice had to say about it!
For example, I didn't tell you much about last weekend when I went to Cairo...but Alice, the teenage daughter of my Country Representatives, James and Linda blogs about things. We happened to be at the same event last weekend, so you can read what Alice had to say about it!
Last Weekend?
Wow...I just love having other people in MCC Egypt with Blogs. They write things and take pictures so I don't have to!
For example, I didn't tell you much about last weekend when I went to Cairo...but Alice, the teenage daughter of my Country Representatives, James and Linda blogs about things. We happened to be at the same event last weekend, so you can read what Alice had to say about it!
For example, I didn't tell you much about last weekend when I went to Cairo...but Alice, the teenage daughter of my Country Representatives, James and Linda blogs about things. We happened to be at the same event last weekend, so you can read what Alice had to say about it!
What a difference a day makes!
Saturday morning -- woke up about 8am and relaxed with a good book in Heliopolis. The apartment I stay in when I'm there is away from a major street and doesn't get a lot of traffic. It's cool and quiet until around 11am.
Sunday morning -- woke up about 8.45am to the sound of a jackhammer going...and it hasn't let up yet after 5 hours. Yes, an actual jackhammer. They're starting construction on a new high-rise apartment right beside the building where I'm staying right now. In fact, I can look out the window of the bedroom where I sleep and see the project.
Sunday morning -- woke up about 8.45am to the sound of a jackhammer going...and it hasn't let up yet after 5 hours. Yes, an actual jackhammer. They're starting construction on a new high-rise apartment right beside the building where I'm staying right now. In fact, I can look out the window of the bedroom where I sleep and see the project.
The past few days
Just back from a fun few days in Cairo. I went on Wednesday afternoon on a trip with people from Tanta and then stayed after that. The trip was to Coptic Cairo with the old churches and also to a part of town called Ma'adi. There's a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary and a few decades ago, they found a Bible floating in the Nile nearby that was open to a passage that was interpreted as a blessing on the people of Egypt.
Then on Thursday I took some of our new volunteers to a small stretch of Islamic Cairo. It's an area I really love and a good opportunity to spend time with new people. On Friday I went to church and then took the new arrivals to play Ultimate Frisbee.
Now I'm back in Tanta for a few days of teaching. Wednesday, I leave for a big 9-day trip with people from Tanta to Upper Egypt. More details on that later.
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