Reverb10 :: Everything's OK

I've decided to be a part of Reverb10. It's a 31-day blogging challenge where you reply to the daily writing prompts that are designed to get you to reflect on this past year as well as provide some insight for the upcoming year. I'm going to give myself 5-7 minutes for each post.

Day 24 :: December 24, 2010 :: Everything's OK

• What was the best moment that could serve as proof that everything is going to be alright? And how will you incorporate that discovery into the year ahead? (Author: Kate Inglis)

I was feeling stressed and overwhelmed in September and decided to take an unplanned trip to Dahab. Getting to Dahab at the last minute is possible, but you'll have to make some sacrifices and in my case, it was comfort. We took what turned out to be an 8 hour drive in a van on desert dark roads w/crappy rest stops sparingly along the way.

My last minute option for a place to stay was with a woman named Karen who I'd learned about on a list serve called Cairo Scholars. Me and some other folks would be staying at Karen's house for about 75 Egyptian pounds per day and that included breakfast; that's about $12 U.S. dollars.

One of our quad bikes/ATVs before things went astray. (Sept., 2010)

Karen's house is palatial by Egyptian standards: gated w/three bedrooms, a spacious porch and garden and on most days hot, running water. However, I would be sharing a room (and bed) w/another young lady and the mosquitoes would eat us up. Our other roomies, during our stay, were two other American boys. We all got along just fine, but I never felt relaxed while on my Eid vacation. I was still stressed: in an unfamiliar environment w/new people and pseudo-trouble lurking around nearly every corner.

• Our drugged-up ATV guide to the mountains lost it and threatened to kill us.
• My colleague came up missing for over 20 minutes at Ras Mohamed while snorkeling.
• I got extremely ill minutes before we were to get on the 8 hour bus ride back to Cairo.

The moral to this story ... I probably should not have taken that trip in the first place. I should have sat still and took advantage of some authentic 'me time'. But despite my rash decision to travel over the long holiday, and despite all of the mishaps, nothing bad really happened and in the end 'everything was okay'. *sighs deeply*

It should be obvious what my lesson was/is... just because the trip came together: I found transportation and a place to stay at the last minute, doesn't mean that I should have jumped at the opportunity knowing that I was already stressed out. You know, there's a saying that sometimes you just have to 'be still'. Note to self: Do Better.

5 Things I Miss About Cairo

I've been away from Cairo for a month. I've been living there for about eight months and I'll be heading back to Cairo from the U.S. in about three weeks; just in time for Ramadan 2010.

As much as we (my colleagues and I) complain about whatever (the heat, the long commute to campus on the bus, teaching long days - though we only teach two days a week, the language barrier, the lack of delicious food, etc.), I was only gone a week and there was a list of things that I miss.

The terrace at my apartment in Cairo. I'd like to decorate more, but the dust is a bit of a problem.

Here they are in no particular order:

• Moving across the world was a big decision for me. But my friends and colleagues in Cairo have made the transition priceless. I miss our regular get togethers and our spontaneous trips to the market.

• I miss my apartment in Cairo. Not the yucky smell that emanates from the bathroom, but I have a nice sized apartment w/a full kitchen and an incredibly large, private terrace. Love that.

• Though I'm learning Arabic, the language barrier is the one of my biggest frustrations. However, thanks to Otlob I can order food online from a wide variety of restaurants w/out the issue of language. Delivery is usually 45 minutes or less and there is a nominal delivery fee. Otlob is awesome.

• I've never been a world traveler and I still don't consider myself that. However, traveling around Egypt is relatively inexpensive. It took me minute to get in the flow of the traveling but when I jumped in - I jumped in full blast. I've been to Alexandria, Siwa, Dahab, Mt. Sinai, Sharm el Sheikh, Rosetta, the White Desert, Luxor. I've also been to most of the tourist spots in Cairo including those famous pyramids! Can't wait to get back and visit more of the Middle East.

• Lastly, I love, love, love that you can get nearly any and everything delivered in Cairo and not just from restaurants. I can order groceries over the phone and have them delivered in about 20-30 minutes. Want a nice, tall latte, but you don't want to venture out into the heat, get it delivered. Need your dry cleaning picked up right away; get it delivered. Purchase some large plants in another part of town; get it delivered. This last option is not one that I take advantage of a great deal. Don't want to be too lazy, but it is convenient.

No two days are the same in Cairo unless you never leave your flat. But I am sooo enjoying my life and living there. Of course I get home sick and I've been shopping like crazy while in the States getting some of the things that I can't get in Cairo. But living and working in Cairo has taught me a bit of how to live w/less because really, I can't get everything that I want and need into two large suitcases and a carry-on.

So, if you think I have a list of things that I miss from the States ... you just wait, that blog post is coming.