Giving Thanks in the Western Desert

I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving Holidays as much as I did.

I joined a expat tour group for a American Thanksgiving in the Western Desert this past weekend. It was a fabulous trip! The scenery was amazing. See pictures below. And I met a lot of great people who were happy to offer help to a newbie.

I had no idea the desert was so diverse!

We climbed sand dunes like you see in the movies, parts of it looked like the American southwest canyon lands, the Black Desert is made from volcanic magma, and the White Desert filled with limestone rock formations that are 350 million years old. It was staggering! We swam in hot springs, had turkey dinner with a local Bedouin band, toured the Bahariya oasis, and saw the recently discovered greco/Roman golden mummies.

Enjoy!

Khan al-Khalili

Today I ventured to Khan al-Khalili - a mega market if there ever was one. I have no idea how the shopping King Chris and I missed this place the first time around. He would have loved it.
It is a maze of small shops that goes on for miles. It has been a center of trade since the 14th century.

It had everything from tourist trinkets of stuffed camels and paperweight pyramids, to gold, silver and precious stone jewelry, brass and copper, hand bags, clothes galore - eastern and western styles, rugs, shoes, home goods, cleaning supplies, you name they have it. If not in their shop, they’ll send a young boy to run and find it for you. (Yes, that's a picture of a woman in a burkha buying bras on the street.)

The vendors were a bit aggressive, “Miss! Miss! What do you want to buy today?” I said nothing, just photos today. “Nothing. I have nothing. What color do you want?” So, they also have a sense of humor and a few were interested in chatting.

Mostly, I got jostled around for a couple of hours. I happily walked in circles through the maze. And when the vendors starting saying welcome back and I actually recognized them as well I knew it was time for a break. So I stopped in a café. When I stopped for lunch the vendors came right into the restaurant to continue selling. And the cats were begging at my feet for something too.

I did buy a couple of things, mostly because I heard Chris in my head talking about how much fun it is. And it was.

Cairo Weather

I hear they are predicting snow at home. So I thought this would be a good time to discuss the weather here in Cairo. ;-)

It is winter here too you know. During the day it gets up to about high 70s to low 80s. But when the sun goes down it cools off quickly and its down right chilly when you wake up in the morning - high 50s to low 60s. I know you al will laugh in envy at me saying that low 60s is chilly but it's true. And there is almost a constant 10-15 mph wind that cools everything right down.

The best description truly is like camping in northern New England in July or August. It's nice and hot during the day but at night you're gonna want a sweatshirt and to be sittng next to a warm campfire.

So right now it is no burden at all to wear long pants or skirts and long sleeve shirts everyday. Everyone here is wearing sweaters and scarves especially when tey go out at night. I even see some winter coats already.

Honestly, I am not sure I packed enough warm clothes. My office can be quite cold during the day. In the school I work the hallways are open to envirnonment. (Picture schools in California - or 90210 - where the hallways are outside.) So, when the wind blows in the courtyard it's like sitting under and ac vent all day long. And the "floor matrons" - like teacher's aides - sit in the hallway all day long. I know they are thankful for their coats and head scarfs.

I'm not complaining in the least. This is my year of the endless summer. And I am grateful there is no snow shoveling in my immediate future. Enjoy whatever weather you may have today. And we'll check back on weather again in March or April when things really start to heat up.

Egyptian Food

Egyptian food is famous for its appetizers, called mezza. There's several kinds of dips, like hummus, tahina, and babaghanoush all served with freshly baked pita bread for dipping. There's also stuffed grape leaves and fallafal and a variety of salads and cheeses. You can make a whole meal out of hot and cold mezzas alone.

For main courses there are all the usual suspects - "mixed grille" is common with grilled chicken, beef and seafood, and kebabs, and kofta which is like a spicy meatball kebabs. And there are delicious "oriental pastries" what we would call danish or stuffed croissants. Everything that I have had so far has been great. I've enjoyed it all.

One thing interesting that I learned is that Egyptians have breakfast - typically foul and bread (a bean dip like refried beans and pita bread) - then they have small snacks all day and have a big "lunch" at 5 pm after work and then "dinner" again much later in the night 9 - 10 pm. My stomach has not yet adjusted to this time frame. Tourists and foreigners eat whenever we want.

Yes, there are the ubiquitous American fast food chains - KFC, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, etc. But none of these can compare to the uniquely Egyptian fast food "khousary." Khousary is this delicious concoction of pasta, rice, lentils and chick peas served with tomato sauce and those fried onions you thought were only good for that green bean casserole at Thanksgiving. The picture does not do it justice. You have to trust me on this one it's really a filling, delicious and satisfying meal. And you can get a huge plate of khousary, cold mezzas, and a pepsi for 5LE - that's less than $1.

I’ve already become friends with my khousary-man. There are 3 to choose from within walking distance of my apartment, but I’ve already picked out the best one. I’ll be saving a table for visitors.

The Egyptian Museum

I am quite proud of myself today. I ventured down to the Egyptian Museum all by myself. I truly hailed my own taxi to and fro. And with my trusty Arabic phrase book we were able to get going.

I was charged more than twice what an Egyptian would pay for the same trip. But, I knew that would be the case and figured it’s just part of the experience and I suppose my duty as a “rich” American living abroad. However, I was a bit annoyed when the driver fawned he did not have change for me and wanted 5 LE (Egyptians pounds) as baksheesh (tip) on top of the 20 LE he was getting for over charging me in the first place. All said and done, I still paid only about $8 (US dollars) each way for a trip halfway across town. A virtual bargain.

I strolled around the museum for several hours. I also walked along the Nile a bit and stumbled into a shopping plaza for lunch. I thoroughly enjoyed the lunch, of shawarma chicken sandwich fries and babaghanoush.

Sorry, no pictures allowed in the Museum. So you'll have to check out their website. www.egyptianmuseum.gov.eg There are literaly, hundred of thousands of artifacts, including King Tut's treasures, and real mummies, even animal mummies, monoliths, and a recreation of hte Rosetta stone. (The original Rosetta Stone is in the Bristish Museum in London from when they "looted" the place years ago.)

It’s not so much the museum that is the accomplishment today. Although I really enjoy that place and will go back many times, I am sure. It’s that I ventured out alone. Up until now I have always had an escort of some type or another. But, it’s like making that first cold call to recruit some one in the study. (Or ripping a bandaid off for those non-researchers readers.) Once you get the first one over with the rest are easy – you know you can do it now. So, I'm already thinking about my agenda for next weekend.

My Work Day

My work day here probably isn't much different than in America. Except our work week here is Sunday to Thursday, with Friday and Saturday for the weekend.

Right now I work with only one school. There will eventually be four to five in the study. Hamdy, my faithful driver, usually picks me up about 9 am. But if there is traffic or if someone more important than me (anyone else) needs the car, I am picked up late. No problem. No one else seems to mind so why should I. Just going with the flow here.

The school I work with is called Futures Tech. It is a private school with moderate tuition fees. (I’ll have both public and private schools in the study eventually). Future Tech enrolls children in Kindergarten thru High School and is located in a 3 building complex. I work only with the primary/elementary school age children. I have a small office on the 2nd floor and constantly hear children working and playing. Right now I’m still working out the details of the research design – I am looking at the use of technology in the classroom and how it helps with learning.

I have to admit this is the most technologically advanced school I have ever seen in my life – in ANY country. It has by far more technology than any of the Boston Public Schools I have spent so much time in over the past few years. All the kids at Future Tech have their own laptops, all the classrooms all have “Smart Boards” – computer linked white boards that act as an LCD and a chalk board (but can save or erase work with the click of a button); there are so many computers everywhere – lab, library, hallway - and they have a “Robolab”; and the children all have Memory Sticks around their necks like latch-key kids!!!

But I’m getting carried away; I have to save something for month 8 and the final report. However, I really am curious if the schools of say Newton-Wellesley have this much technology per child. It’s staggering.

I observe some classes when I can and some of the students are learning my name. “Hello, Miss Julie. Giggle, giggle, giggle.” I am trying to learn their names, but there are so many faces, it’ll take me awhile. Everyone is so warm, welcoming, friendly and helpful. It’s really a nice place to work.

I’m pretty busy now trying to finalize a plan that may or may not work with the other 3 schools. But it’s off to a good start. And it’s nice to work out all the kinks in the plan at a familiar location. I worked with the Kindergarteners at Future Tech last year. And it’s fun to see some of their faces in the 1st grade this year. Although the ones I remember the most were the ones who were traumatized by the English vocabulary testing (PPVTs) I did with them last year. For their sake and mine, I have no plans to repeat anything like that in this study.

At the end of the school day, about 3 pm, I check in with Hamdy. If he is available, he takes me home. If not I take a taxi (see previous post about taxi riding). Or I visit with my friend Shiamaa, the Admin, until Hamdy is free. I usually get home by 4 or 5. And then set off for an adventure in dining.

il hamdu allah - TV

il hamdu allah - (thank god) I found the TV room.
I know some of you out there are saying what the hell is she doing watching TV? She should be out enjoying Cairo, living it up.

Well, do any of you know how tiring it is to suck the marrow out of life and live in the Now all the time?!?!?! It’s freaking exhausting! So, do not begrudge me one small vice of the occasional CNN and American re-runs. OK and the chocolate Halloween candy that the kids so graciously lined my pockets with before I left. But who’s counting.

I was down right giddy when my neighbor showed me the locked room off the lobby that housed a gorgeous and large sectional sofa and a huge satellite TV. Honestly, we spent more time trying to talk then watch anything really. But, it’s nice to know the TV is there when I need a break. Mostafa is a young engineering student who lives next door with his two roommates. They are all very nice and we try to communicate in broken English and they try to teach me some Arabic words. As anyone who has tried to do this before knows most of the conversations are pretty simple and revolve around myths about American culture (they asked, half-jokingly, if I was in the Mafia) and American pop-culture – which I forgot to study up on before leaving. Anyone who knows me in America knows I am not savvy at all with pop music and current films.

But it’s a start anyway.