Back from the party. It was fun - but I wanted to get home and work on the blog!
By the way, the picture above was taken in 1959 in Cairo. It's a shot taken when we visited my grandparents here that summer. I'm the littlest one on the left. I remember very little about that trip; the very few memories I have may not even be real memories; it might be that I "remember" just because I've been told the stories so often - of being carried up inside the pyramid, of a camel running away with my sister Connie on its back, of my grandmother standing on her balcony and flapping her apron. I do remember that she would let a basket down on a rope, then a boy on the street would put milk or bread in the basket and she'd haul it up. That was Cairo grocery shopping in 1959!
On to the present, or at least the very near past.
Cancelled my flight on January 28 because of the revolution and subsequent "ordered departure" of American Embassy personnel. That is State Dept lingo for EVACUATION. Luckily for me, I found a FAST Arabic class being taught at the Foreign Service Institute, and was able to get into the class at the last minute. FAST Arabic teaches very basic, survival Arabic - how to ask for directions, give directions, find a toilet, order in a restaurant, etc. I loved the class - no pressure, because there was no testing. Our only goal was to learn the very basic vocabulary. We were focussed on conversation, not reading and writing. I stayed in the class six and a half weeks before I got "the call" to go to Cairo. It was a fun six weeks, sometimes we laughed all day long. My class really bonded together, and I was almost sorry to leave.
I arrived in Cairo on April 5. Flight was uneventful. On April 6 I reported for my first day at the Embassy. That's right folks, no time off to get over jet lag, get comfortable in your housing, find your way around your neighborhood. If I hadn't arrived in the evening of April 5, I probably would have been taken straight to the embassy to check-in the very same day that I arrived. Not complaining though - it is easier for me to jump right in. In fact, I was truly dreading the jet lag, but this time - I really had none! I went right to bed and slept about 12 hours, got up, ate, and went to work. Never felt tired or anything until the right time to go to bed. Never lost any sleep at all. We are 6 hours ahead of Eastern Standard time, and I usualy suffer horribly from jet leg when flying east.
Before I get around to describing my house, my neighborhood, etc., here is a list of the interesting things I've done so far in Egypt:
- went on a dinner cruise down the Nile
- day trip to Ayn Sochna, a beach resort, where I saw dolphins swimming back and forth four times, about 50 yards out from the beach
- day trip to Alexandria by train for business; ate the freshest fish I've ever had in a wonderful restaurant called "The Fish Market" where you picked out your own fresh seafood.
- attended Good Friday services at a Greek Orthodox church built in 300AD where I think my father might have attended as a boy (still trying to find out)
- shopped in the maze of outdoor markets called "the Con" (trying to find out the origin of the name); had coffee in an outdoor cafe there, patronized by a pulitzer prize-winning Egyptian author
- been to the Ambassador's residence for a "hail and farewell" party
- attended a henna party last week - got a great design on my ankle but every time I look at it, I think there's a big bug on my ankle and I kind of jump a little
- Memorial Day weekend flew to Cyprus to attend a family wedding. The flight was about an hour and a half. Had a FABULOUS time. Saw folks I hadn't seen since I was a teenager.
Well, that's about it for now. More later with pictures of my neighborhood, apartment, etc. Take care all!
By the way, the picture above was taken in 1959 in Cairo. It's a shot taken when we visited my grandparents here that summer. I'm the littlest one on the left. I remember very little about that trip; the very few memories I have may not even be real memories; it might be that I "remember" just because I've been told the stories so often - of being carried up inside the pyramid, of a camel running away with my sister Connie on its back, of my grandmother standing on her balcony and flapping her apron. I do remember that she would let a basket down on a rope, then a boy on the street would put milk or bread in the basket and she'd haul it up. That was Cairo grocery shopping in 1959!
On to the present, or at least the very near past.
Cancelled my flight on January 28 because of the revolution and subsequent "ordered departure" of American Embassy personnel. That is State Dept lingo for EVACUATION. Luckily for me, I found a FAST Arabic class being taught at the Foreign Service Institute, and was able to get into the class at the last minute. FAST Arabic teaches very basic, survival Arabic - how to ask for directions, give directions, find a toilet, order in a restaurant, etc. I loved the class - no pressure, because there was no testing. Our only goal was to learn the very basic vocabulary. We were focussed on conversation, not reading and writing. I stayed in the class six and a half weeks before I got "the call" to go to Cairo. It was a fun six weeks, sometimes we laughed all day long. My class really bonded together, and I was almost sorry to leave.
I arrived in Cairo on April 5. Flight was uneventful. On April 6 I reported for my first day at the Embassy. That's right folks, no time off to get over jet lag, get comfortable in your housing, find your way around your neighborhood. If I hadn't arrived in the evening of April 5, I probably would have been taken straight to the embassy to check-in the very same day that I arrived. Not complaining though - it is easier for me to jump right in. In fact, I was truly dreading the jet lag, but this time - I really had none! I went right to bed and slept about 12 hours, got up, ate, and went to work. Never felt tired or anything until the right time to go to bed. Never lost any sleep at all. We are 6 hours ahead of Eastern Standard time, and I usualy suffer horribly from jet leg when flying east.
Before I get around to describing my house, my neighborhood, etc., here is a list of the interesting things I've done so far in Egypt:
- went on a dinner cruise down the Nile
- day trip to Ayn Sochna, a beach resort, where I saw dolphins swimming back and forth four times, about 50 yards out from the beach
- day trip to Alexandria by train for business; ate the freshest fish I've ever had in a wonderful restaurant called "The Fish Market" where you picked out your own fresh seafood.
- attended Good Friday services at a Greek Orthodox church built in 300AD where I think my father might have attended as a boy (still trying to find out)
- shopped in the maze of outdoor markets called "the Con" (trying to find out the origin of the name); had coffee in an outdoor cafe there, patronized by a pulitzer prize-winning Egyptian author
- been to the Ambassador's residence for a "hail and farewell" party
- attended a henna party last week - got a great design on my ankle but every time I look at it, I think there's a big bug on my ankle and I kind of jump a little
- Memorial Day weekend flew to Cyprus to attend a family wedding. The flight was about an hour and a half. Had a FABULOUS time. Saw folks I hadn't seen since I was a teenager.
Well, that's about it for now. More later with pictures of my neighborhood, apartment, etc. Take care all!
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