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.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
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.
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Dan Murphy
I think I crossed path with someone named Dan Murphy. Well...I know his name was Dan and from the information he told me, I think his last name is Murphy. But after about an hour of searching, I wasn't able to find a picture of him anywhere online.
Anyway, he's a journalist based in Cairo and he writes mostly about the Middle East. Over the last couple of years, he's spent a bunch of time in Iraq and worked a lot on trying to find his co-worker, Jill Carroll after she was kidnapped.
Christian Science Monitor articles
and
Alternet.org articles
--plus, a fun one about the increasing number of Western students studying abroad in the Middle East.
This gives me another reason to start playing Ultimate Frisbee -- running across interesting people like this! *laugh* Apparently, Dan Murphy really enjoys playing...
That being said, he was a bit of a jerk, but I can forgive him b/c he's probably stressed out of his mind and needed to blow off some steam by playing.
Anyway, he's a journalist based in Cairo and he writes mostly about the Middle East. Over the last couple of years, he's spent a bunch of time in Iraq and worked a lot on trying to find his co-worker, Jill Carroll after she was kidnapped.
Christian Science Monitor articles
and
Alternet.org articles
--plus, a fun one about the increasing number of Western students studying abroad in the Middle East.
This gives me another reason to start playing Ultimate Frisbee -- running across interesting people like this! *laugh* Apparently, Dan Murphy really enjoys playing...
That being said, he was a bit of a jerk, but I can forgive him b/c he's probably stressed out of his mind and needed to blow off some steam by playing.
Dance Dance Revolution
Would you believe I played DDR on Thursday night? (If you don't know what this game is, stop reading this entry b/c I'm not even going to try to explain -- or read this to try to understand)
I was in Cairo to show some new volunteers around town...and 2 of them have a version of the game for their computer and 2 pads that plug into the USB ports.
Craziness with 5 of taking turns playing. I should have pictures to post soon! *laugh*
I was in Cairo to show some new volunteers around town...and 2 of them have a version of the game for their computer and 2 pads that plug into the USB ports.
Craziness with 5 of taking turns playing. I should have pictures to post soon! *laugh*
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Off to Cairo
Heading to Cairo today with a group from Tanta to see the old Coptic area of the city. After that, I'll stay around for a few days and help show some of our new arrivals around. So...nothing until Saturday or Sunday.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Housing Update
Currently, I'm doing my own special Tanta version of Couch Surfing.
*grin*
First, my new apartment was supposed to be ready on July 20th.
That deadline was missed.
So then they said August 20th.
Nope, didn't make that one, either.
Now the date for me to move in is set as Sept. 7.
God willing, that will happen.
For about 6 weeks, I stayed in a beautiful apartment owned by my friend Fady's family. I had the place to myself. But Fady and his family traveled to the U.S. last week, so I needed to move out. The timing would have been perfect, if the new apartment had been ready.
But it wasn't, so now I'm staying with my friend George. His wife and son are away from Tanta for the summer, so he's glad to have me around to keep him company. I'll give him a break for a few days b/c I'll be in Cairo from Wed. night - Saturday.
Really, it's not as stressful as it sounds! It's interesting to see how different people live and to see different apartments!
*grin*
First, my new apartment was supposed to be ready on July 20th.
That deadline was missed.
So then they said August 20th.
Nope, didn't make that one, either.
Now the date for me to move in is set as Sept. 7.
God willing, that will happen.
For about 6 weeks, I stayed in a beautiful apartment owned by my friend Fady's family. I had the place to myself. But Fady and his family traveled to the U.S. last week, so I needed to move out. The timing would have been perfect, if the new apartment had been ready.
But it wasn't, so now I'm staying with my friend George. His wife and son are away from Tanta for the summer, so he's glad to have me around to keep him company. I'll give him a break for a few days b/c I'll be in Cairo from Wed. night - Saturday.
Really, it's not as stressful as it sounds! It's interesting to see how different people live and to see different apartments!
Random TV-watching
So, I've been watching a bit of TV the last couple of days. This is strange for me b/c I usually don't watch TV.
What's even stranger is _what_ I've been watching. This morning, it was ABC's Good Morning America, Jeopardy, and Wheel of Fortune! *laugh*
There's a satellite channel that broadcasts all those! GMA was from yesterday morning and was quite painful to watch. There were some useful bits, but mostly it was just sugar-coated junk. They even showed a grainy YouTube clip of some stupid firefighter in England who let his buddies put him in an industrial-sized clothes dryer.
The game shows were interesting, mostly b/c I haven't seen them in at least 4 years and quite a few things have changed. Jeopardy was the Teen Tournament, so I was actually able to answer some of the questions! *smile*
Wheel was fun and there was even a puzzle with the solution "Cairo Egypt".
What's even stranger is _what_ I've been watching. This morning, it was ABC's Good Morning America, Jeopardy, and Wheel of Fortune! *laugh*
There's a satellite channel that broadcasts all those! GMA was from yesterday morning and was quite painful to watch. There were some useful bits, but mostly it was just sugar-coated junk. They even showed a grainy YouTube clip of some stupid firefighter in England who let his buddies put him in an industrial-sized clothes dryer.
The game shows were interesting, mostly b/c I haven't seen them in at least 4 years and quite a few things have changed. Jeopardy was the Teen Tournament, so I was actually able to answer some of the questions! *smile*
Wheel was fun and there was even a puzzle with the solution "Cairo Egypt".
Monday, August 21, 2006
Some like it hot!
...but not me! And it's been hot!
Really hot, as in sweating when you're just sitting sort of hot. Not sure if there's any end in sight. I guess I should check the weather to see! Thankfully, there's air conditioning in the classroom that I use most of the time so I get a break from the heat for a few hours each day.
100 degrees yesterday, according to weather.com. Plus, it's unusually humid.
Yes, I know the U.S. had a hot stretch a few weeks ago, but it's harder to escape the heat here, I think.
Really hot, as in sweating when you're just sitting sort of hot. Not sure if there's any end in sight. I guess I should check the weather to see! Thankfully, there's air conditioning in the classroom that I use most of the time so I get a break from the heat for a few hours each day.
100 degrees yesterday, according to weather.com. Plus, it's unusually humid.
Yes, I know the U.S. had a hot stretch a few weeks ago, but it's harder to escape the heat here, I think.
Keeping You Safe
This just in from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), you _are_ allowed the following items in carry-on-baggage:
-Corkscrews
-Knitting and Crochet Needles
-Metal Scissors with pointed tips, if less than 4 inches in length
-Screwdrivers, if less than 7 inches in length
-Walking canes and umbrellas, once they have been inspected to ensure that prohibited items are not concealed
(here is a full list of allowed/banned items)
Anyone else see a possible problem with this? Okay, I know the current issue of people going mad scientist and mixing chemicals on the planes, but if they're going to stop me from carrying Saline Solution, shouldn't they also ban all sharp pointy things?
On a related note, the TSA recently "discovered explosive residue at a checkpoint" in Huntington, W. Virginia. Here they note that the terminal was reopened later in the day, but fail to inform us that "chemical tests later found that there were no explosives in the bottles" (according to CNN).
The woman stopped with the bottles was 28 and of Pakistani origin. Her mother says she was targeted and humiliated.
-Corkscrews
-Knitting and Crochet Needles
-Metal Scissors with pointed tips, if less than 4 inches in length
-Screwdrivers, if less than 7 inches in length
-Walking canes and umbrellas, once they have been inspected to ensure that prohibited items are not concealed
(here is a full list of allowed/banned items)
Anyone else see a possible problem with this? Okay, I know the current issue of people going mad scientist and mixing chemicals on the planes, but if they're going to stop me from carrying Saline Solution, shouldn't they also ban all sharp pointy things?
On a related note, the TSA recently "discovered explosive residue at a checkpoint" in Huntington, W. Virginia. Here they note that the terminal was reopened later in the day, but fail to inform us that "chemical tests later found that there were no explosives in the bottles" (according to CNN).
The woman stopped with the bottles was 28 and of Pakistani origin. Her mother says she was targeted and humiliated.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Missed Opportunity for WVO!
Blast! I am a master of bad timing. Bidding on a diesel Volvo in Jackson just ended a couple of days ago! And it was a cheap car, too!
If anyone around Michigan knows of a good diesel for me to buy, please let me know! I don't want to miss a chance like this again! *sigh*
If anyone around Michigan knows of a good diesel for me to buy, please let me know! I don't want to miss a chance like this again! *sigh*
WRIF Rocks
Okay, I admit it...I'm a sucker for advertising. I've always liked the WRIF radio station and I'm registered to get their emails. Every so often, I look through what they have to offer on their site.
Today, I found the Interviews section which is full of downloads with the DJ's talking with musicians. Fun stuff!
Today, I found the Interviews section which is full of downloads with the DJ's talking with musicians. Fun stuff!
RenFest has started
I hadn't thought of this in a long time...I guess it was about 4 or 5 years ago that I made the trip to Holly, Michigan for RenFest. It's a fun way to spend a day!
(if you have no idea what I'm talking about, follow the link and look through the website)
For those of you in Michigan who enjoy attending the Renaissance Festival, I have an email that will get you Buy 1 - Get 1 Free tickets. Email me and I'll forward it to you.
(if you have no idea what I'm talking about, follow the link and look through the website)
For those of you in Michigan who enjoy attending the Renaissance Festival, I have an email that will get you Buy 1 - Get 1 Free tickets. Email me and I'll forward it to you.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Price Comparison -- dry cleaning
As I do from time-to-time, here's a message to tell you how much things cost in Egypt.
I just took in some dry cleaning:
-1 suit
-1 sweater
-1 short-sleeved shirt
Any guesses on how much the bill was?
19 Egyptian Pounds = $3.50
How much would it be in the U.S.?
I just took in some dry cleaning:
-1 suit
-1 sweater
-1 short-sleeved shirt
Any guesses on how much the bill was?
19 Egyptian Pounds = $3.50
How much would it be in the U.S.?
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