It really hits home...

I've heard, read, and even told numerous people myself that the inevitable effects of traveling and immersing yourself in a new culture is the unavoidable change of perspective when looking at world news. The events in Egypt this past week have hit incredibly close to home. Literally. filling the streets I know so well with thousands of protesters.

I have been contacted by countless concerned friends and family... some of whom were just hoping I was actually in Iowa and not back in Egypt... I am very thankful to be here...though, at the same time, can't believe i'm *not* there... There were several UNI students working and student teaching in Cairo just as these events unfolded... I certainly can't begin to comprehend the confusion of arriving just weeks before everything broke loose. My heart breaks for them though....... because they are going to be leaving with such a traumatized view of Egypt. I fully support the Egyptian people in their fight for fair democracy. It was no secret even while I was there that the people were extremely unhappy with their president, but even I have to admit I was shocked with the rest of the world when these protests unfolded. It's really mind-blowing to see these protests actually come to fruition, but I am truly proud of the people of Egypt this week. The violence and danger that have started to come about as side effects of this attempt at peaceful protest break my heart... and the difficulty in communicating with loved ones in Egypt too leaves me worried and uneasy most days and nights. The nice thing about not having a full time job/obligation at the moment is that I have been able to keep up on news reports and have been able to fill my time making calls in rounds to friends and family both at CAC and in the Cairo Community. My skype bills will be astronomical this month as internet is still blocked (no facebook, email, Egyptian based websites) but thankfully I can call cell phones through my computer still... All reports indicate safety for the people I know, but stray bullets have had some near scares. The overall moral of my american friends in Egypt is that there is no urgency to leave, rather just to hold down the fort and pray for normalcy to return to the country soon. My Egyptian friends are proud and are uniting with the entire country to stand up for their rights and protect their families in this time of teetering chaos.

I urge you to stay posted, and not let this slip from your mind. Keep reading, check CNN and Al Jazeera for updates if you're curious... and most importantly.. hold the people of Egypt and the chance for revolution in your prayers. Big things are happening. this is history happening in front of us. Let us pray for peace...

Moving on to Another Light...

"Light a small fire, watch the smoke rise, watch the paths clear, stand in awe of what you’ve done, warm yourself, then move along to light another."--thanks, Dallas Clayton

Amazingly enough, I am writing this from my cozy bed in little snow-covered Winterset just 36 hours from returning to the states. Somehow, my flights went exactly as scheduled, with no glitches, delays, or layovers... AND all of my overweight luggage arrived home on time and nothing broke... That Egyptian luck of mine held strong to the very end.. and for that I'm grateful.

It's really nice to be home, though.. to be honest it still hasn't fully hit me. I woke up at 3am today, because clearly it was time to catch a taxi to the family friday meal at the big house in Maadi.......... clearly... I'm jet lagged, I'm looking forward to being busy with the holidays this weekend and seeing all of my family gathered, but.. It still just doesn't quite seem real.

I'm jet lagged physically and mentally.

My last few days in Egypt were wonderful. We had a BBQ to celebrate my birthday which brought together so many of the great people I met in my travels in Egypt, spent a lot of time at Beet il Kabir with Ezzat and his family, had one last hoorah with new CAC friends at the facult y formal, and went on a few more adventures around Cairo as I said my goodbyes... I'm going to close this blog out with a few of my recent favorite memories...

Masalama, Masr.... I can't wait until we meet again.....

Soaking up every last moment...

Just as predicted, these last weeks are filling with friends and fun......

December thus far has included chaperoning the ninth grade Islamic Cairo field trip to the Ibn Tulun, Hassan and Rafai Mosques as well as the Citadel,

seeing the whirling dervishes live downtown,

exploring the Hanging Church in Coptic Cairo,


beaming with pride at the middle school talent show,

and celebrating Egyptian Culture Week at CAC...


The only remaining items on my Egypt bucket list: Islamic Art Museum and Saqqara Pyramids... But you know, I'd still be completely satisfied with my time here even if they don't happen...

Whirling Dervishes==> Whirlwind semester

I came to Cairo to complete my student teaching. I came, and did so much more than that. This experience has blessed me, pushed me, and pulled me in so many ways. My placement at Cairo American College, working with Joan, Neil, Michael and the rest of the CAC staff was the most amazing blessing to start with. I cannot fully express my gratitude at being in such a professionally minded atmosphere, quite the transition from undergraduate work. I observed and learned from example how to demand the best from my students as well as myself. My students were absolutely incredible, literally unbelievable at times, and will always hold a place in my heart. Cairo pushed me to accept and acclimate to change. Pushed me to yet again shed my personal bubble and immerse myself in a new culture and language. Then once I allowed it to push, I felt it pull me in and capture my attention and appreciation. My experiences at CAC are too numerous to even begin to count; from back to school night, to my after school program, middle school play and talent shows, parent teacher conferences, setting up art displays, creating progress reports, revising standards, and chaperoning on the prime trip to the White Desert as well as the outing to Islamic Cairo. While this list goes on and on, the list of experiences and accomplishments outside the walls of CAC continues even further to Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel, Alexandria, Nuweiba, every corner of Cairo, museums galore, the khan, Cairo Tower, faluca rides, family dinners on Fridays, the street of the tentmakers, jazz concerts at the Citadel, numerous trips to the best sobia shop in Zeinab, womping in the waadi, and on and on to the top of Mt. Sinai. I will never forget these 5 months spent living up every moment of Egyptian culture and will truly miss this life I’ve found. I leave knowing that I will return again, insha’allah.

blessed beyond belief

I can already tell these three weeks are going to be spectacular. Filled with continual adventure, the company of the good friends and family I've found here in Cairo, and more joy than one can imagine....

Of course there will be tears. I love it here.

"How lucky I am to have something
that makes saying goodbye so hard"

~Carol Sobieski and Thomas Meehan, Annie

it won't be long...3 weeks left in cairo...

...I will laugh, I will cry, I will close my eyes
Cause I know that it won't be long

Until we sing, we will write
We will laugh away the night
And the good times will never end
When we meet again...

...And I look forward to that day
And the smile on your face...

...We will sing, we will write
We might cry and we might fight
And the good times will never end
We will laugh, we'll relax, we'll reflect on the years we've past
And I know that it won't be long, until we meet again...

"Leaving Song" -Stephen Speaks

Owie Mallawy Thanksgiving

The seemingly awesome thing about working for an American International school in an Islamic country is that you get breaks for both cultures... Fresh off a week long Eid break, we got a long weekend for Thanksgiving (too bad the upcoming Islamic new year falls on a Tuesday or we'd have another long weekend!). The frequent breaks and days off we've been having have been marvelous for traveling but horrible for planning classes, especially ceramics...



BUT. back to my weekend. I traveled to Mallawy with Joan to spend a few days with her in-laws. When I told my friend in Cairo I was going there, they said "Mallawy, I don't think I've ever heard of any tourists going there, why are you?".... Their question was actually my answer. I love going in little off the beaten trail places and Mallawy is just that. I was *the*only* foreigner I saw for 2 whole days... It's a small village town near Minya; a 3ish hour train ride going (and a 6 hour coming back...I'm not a math person but even I know that does not add up)...

Mallawy reminded me of Iowa in many ways... It's a rural, agricultural village... People are friendly, family lives close and together (as in most of Egypt).... Really though, it was just so good to see GREEN and to *not* be a spectacle walking down the street that got hassled with every step. Joan called it the zebra phenomenon. It's like if you saw a zebra cross the street in Iowa, you'd do a double take, then shake your head in disbelief because it just wouldn't make sense that you saw a zebra. By the time you convince yourself it may have actually been there, it's gone...

We traveled the city and the country... Visiting farms with animals, dropping in on two random weddings (where everyone thought I was a celebrity, had me take pictures and dance with the family), exploring tombs and ruins rarely visited by tourists-including an underground city-like complex of tombs with a room for baboons and an underground tunnel that connects to the citadel in Cairo!

My favorite part though, putting the "tours" and "traveling" aside, was spending the weekend with a family. They were so generous and welcoming. There was a significant language barrier, they spoke little english, and I forgot my arabic dictionary at home.. but somehow... we communicated extremely well..

I bonded with the kids, especially Mahmoud... who I let use my camera the whole time (first experience with a digital camera) and as a result, have more pictures from these 48 hours than I took in my entire Eid break traveling ;)

Hip hip hooray for a Mallawy Thanksgiving... What a perfect way to celebrate the day to give thanks... with beautiful people, family... all you really need in life...