Egypt: Keeping On
Egypt 2006 June 26th, 2006 by GraceI have been here for a week now and am well adjusted to my new life. Even walking to and from the grocery store feels familiar. That said, I feel pretty lazy today. I didn’t really do anything, because it was too hot. In this weather, I have to be careful and pace myself even if I do feel rather sloth-like.
This morning my parents called rather early so I ended up going to bed after talking to them. I must say I feel like part of the modern world again with a working cell phone. For a few days it was nice to not have to worry about the interruption of constant ringing, but it is a good tool to have when you’re out and about or as a link to back home. You can’t be on Skype all the time!
So I went back to bed until it was time to leave for the preschool. The kids had a hard time settling down in the beginning, but I think having a clearer plan of action made things go much more smoothly after that. Last time we were searching for something to do to fill the time, today we finished and looked at the clock and it was time to go. We are starting to do a letter per day now, in order to finish the alphabet in a reasonable amount of time. It also helps keep things active so the kids get less bored, at least some of the quicker ones. So we did the letter C today and displayed some beautiful posters of a car, cat, and a cookie that Sergio had drawn. Then we colored cats and the kids spent a lot more time on these coloring sheets than they have on other ones. We also played a new game with several items in a bag, including apples, bananas, and boats that the kids drew out with their eyes closed and then had to identify. I think it went well. And of course, we gave them cookies at the end and the blessed silence was amazing. Usually they are pounding on the tables or crying or doing whatever it is young children do that makes noise, but give them a cookie and they sit there quietly munching. So all in all, it was a successful day.
On our way back to Maadi, we got stopped by the police. They were stopping everyone but I think they could tell we were foreigners and assumed we had money. They tried to scare us with the threat of an infraction but clearly they only wanted money. I think it was annoying but you also have to sympathize with the fact that they are struggling to make ends meet and don’t get paid hardly anything at all. That doesn’t justify the inappropriate methods of arbitrary pullovers and bribes, but when I look at them I see families they are trying to feed and an ineffectual government that doesn’t feed its employees. Anyway, we made our way back home and Mary Carmen set about making lunch.
We had hamburgers and french fries which were delicious if a little heartburn-inducing. Mary Carmen anyway, not me. They were very good but afterwards I was stuffed and didn’t feel like doing anything.
After washing the dishes I started on a book Gene loaned me that details the making of the modern Middle East as we know it today. I know sketches of the history surrounding the fall of the Ottoman Empire and British and French interference, but this is a much more complete account of the time period between 1914 and 1922. So I am reading that to get a better feel for the area by knowing its historical context.
Afterward, I took a nap and slept most of the rest of the day away. Tomorrow we are going to the Khan al Khalili market so I am excited about that. I will try to post some pictures as well. I have quite a few cute ones of the Sudanese children.