Nothing Says Date Night Like a 3D Ride to Hell

Such was the advertisement for a movie here in Egypt.

But on to more important matters, our school was shut down a week ago do to H1N1 cases that arose in our student body. We are scheduled to go back to school on Thursday of this week, but there are still rumors floating around that perhaps we will not go back until after Eid el Adha. Speculation also suggests that schools throughout Egypt may be closed for 2nd term, so, December and January. We are all in the ever continuous waiting game that seems to be the nature of life here.

I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my mother and two aunts in the coming weeks. I'm particularly excited that they will be here for Eid.

One thing that never ceases to amaze me living here in Egypt, is the rhythm and breath with which things move when a society largely believes in and lives their religion together. There is a pulse, a beat, a unity. The call to prayer is music played on heartstrings. The assembly of men standing and kneeling, standing and kneeling, is pure movement, connected and bound in brotherhood. The kindness and hospitality of women, swept up in the Higab like a crown upon their heads, is pure religion.

I never commented on the month of Ramadan. I'd like to do so now. I think that in years to come, when I am back in the States living the life of a typical American, when I recall my time in Egypt, specifically the month of Ramadan, I will smell dates in date trees and the flowers still blooming in El Rehab. I will hear the stillness of the evening as entire families have sat down at their tables to share a meal. There aren't cars on the streets honking in familiar patterns of communication, there isn't the sound of conversations amongst businessmen, or young teens and adults socializing on the streets. No, there is a stillness as the sun descends, punctuated only by the clinking of silverware again dishes inside homes. The sun continues its decline, the calmness of the evening sets upon me as a physical comfort, and the colors and shapes of the Ramadan lamps light our world. It is a beautiful time.

A final comment for my roommates. Chan, you are much more than my roommate from England. :) You are my friend. A best friend at that. love you!

Dear Blog

Dear Blog,
How are you? I am fine. I've missed you. Sorry it has been so long since I've been in touch. So much has happened and now I don't even know where to begin. Perhaps a list, since my last blog entry until now:

-I moved from Agami to Cleopatra Hamamat in Alexandria.
-I attended the wedding of Maryam, a wonderful student and now wonderful friend. I became close to her entire family, who welcomed me with kindness and great generosity. I call them my Egyptian Family. My sister calls them my fake family. Either way...
-I was playing football with my Egyptian family one night and I ruptured my other achilles tendon.
-Had surgery in Egypt--Great doctor and surgeon, friend of my egyptian family.
-Became close friends with Mostafa, whose building I lived in in Alexandria/ am extremely grateful to him for his help and care and friendship and arabic lessons/ couldn't have made it through the recovery without him/ best of friends
-also want to thank Karim, Maryam, and rest of Egyptian family for their help throughout my recovery. i am so blessed to know people like this.
-flew home for a month and a half to finish recovery, attend the family reunion, and Rachel's wedding/ all great experiences/
-moved to El Rehab, Cairo with Beth (am very happy she came to egypt and to be roommates)
-Ramadan Kareem (school was postoned until after the holiday :))
-moved from rehab to el maadi with channan and beth/ love our apartment and area/ much more to do/ besides, maadi is fun to say
-began teaching--woke up for school the first day with a sore throat
-lost my voice
-taught anyway
-fully recognize that i am not cut out for elementary education/ i enjoy the children, and can teach them, but my organization skills are quite a bit lacking and that is pretty important when working with elementary grades
-frustration with the school, seemingly endless frustration
-danae comes to visit(coptic cairo, khan el khalili, downtown and Garden City, hospital (for Channan, who rebroke a toe whilst already in a cast--something that could only happen to her), Alexandria's Roman Theater (where I ran into a schoolmate from my undergraduate years), Catacombs, Calla Qaitbey (3 times), Alexandria Biblioteque and museums, Mostafa's home, because he is family and took care of us. x)
-wednesday afternoon, Amira comes to my classroom to announce the school will be closed for 2 weeks due to a couple cases of H1N1 virus amongst our students
-teachers are to report to school sunday however to figure out a gameplan for handling the latest developments
-friday, receive email announcing that a year 4 student passed away due to misdiagnosis and mistreatment of H1N1-no school sunday.
-waiting to hear the latest news in regard to school
-still love egypt with all my heart
-anxiously awaiting the arrival of my mother and two of my aunts for Eid.

So dear blog, it is with best intentions that i again venture into this business of blogging. But before I go, a list of books i've recently read in egypt (because i love lists):

--The Yacoubian Building
--Life of Pi
--To Kill a Mockingbird
--Stranger than Fiction
--and others whose titles escape me at the moment

Love you Blog,
Sincerely,
becky

P.S. Holla Holla Halloween