Yes, it's true. Last Friday it rained here. And not only did it rain, but it rained hard. I was working on class planning in the computer lab and I stepped outside only to discover that the heavens had opened up and it was truly and genuinely wet outside. Accompanying this downpour was wind, lightning, and thunder. This lasted for about a half hour and then subsided. The day continued and I didn't think anything else of it. But a few hours later the same thing happened. This time the showers lasted for over an hour, thoroughly soaking everything not covered. I just stood outside for a couple minutes, letting the rain hit me. I closed my eyes and for a moment I felt like I was back home in Oregon. I later found out that the last time it had rained that hard was about 8 years ago. I'm glad that I was here to experience something unusual.
There were some unfortunate side effects to all the precipitation, however. Nothing in Egypt is built for rain. The roofs are sunken and have no pitch whatsoever. Some students with large squeegies had to climb onto the roofs of all the buildings to prevent them from collapsing. Another problem that resulted had to do with the power. Now, remember, here in Cairo it rains maybe once or twice a year and even then it is in trace amounts that are almost negligable. So it may not be any surprise that all of the power wires leading to the circuit boxes and transformers are exposed to the elements. So when water came into contact with these wires it caused an electrical surge that damaged electronics, burnt out light bulbs, and in the boys dorm started a small fire.
All told, the electrical mishap destroyed two laptop power cables, a computer battery backup, the main computer lab printer, and other assorted appliances. Things are basically back to normal now, but I will never forget the day it rained in Cairo.
But that was last week. Now let's talk about yesterday.
Every year the SA here plans a trip to Cairo's own theme park- Dream Park. So yesterday the entire student body loaded onto buses and made the trek across town (no small undertaking) and arrived at about 11:00 at the front gates. We spent the next 9 hours exploring the park, visiting the attractions, and generally having a good time. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Dream Park was in most ways comparable to any American theme park. There were some minor differences of course (you had to pay extra money to ride the big roller coasters, for instance) but on the whole it was very similar. I have to say that my favorite part of the day was playing bumper cars with NUA students. There were enough of us that we could occupy all 20 cars at once. The ensuing melee was the stuff of legend. I, of course prevailed thanks to my exceptional driving skills. But Some of my students felt the rubbery wrath of my bumper!
I also enjoyed the time I spent getting to know the students outside the classroom. It was really good for me to not be a teacher for once, but instead just a friend. After all, a fair number of the students are at least as old as I am, and in some cases older.
So that brings my story to the present. I think I'll go to bed now. Thanks for reading.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
I don't know...
I have learned some truths the hard way recently. One of them is that Muslim's don't think. I know all of you are gasping and shaking your heads at this revelation of my apparent intolerance, but I can back up this statement. When I came to Egypt I feel safe in saying that I had a very open mind about my experience here, including the role of Islam in Egyptian culture. But after nine weeks I can tell you all with certainty, that Islam isn't doing anyone any good here. It teaches absolute adherence without question, and therefore it comes as know surprise that nobody thinks. Whenever it comes to light that I am American, the Egyptian response is always: "I like Americans, but not their government." The reason for this is simple. The United States is a strong supporter of Israel, and Egyptians hate Israelis--a lot. Why? Because they were taught to. They don't even know why. It is the same with any given topic. They Like or dislike this or that only because that is the way they were taught. To think for one's self is not only discouraged, but according to Islam it is virtually forbidden. Even the word Islam means 'one who submits'. I am eternally grateful that I was born into a nation that encourages free thought. I am equally thankful that I am part of a religion that has firm reasoning for its teachings. I never appreciated these things as much as I do now.
Another point of frustration is the dysfunction and deceit that permeates life here. 9 out of 10 people on the street are out to take advantage of any situation. I find many friendly people wherever I go, but I have discovered that this friendliness is only a facade for alterior motives. Anyone is willing to be your friend--for a fee. Even amongst the students I am vigilant of over-friendliness. Too often the students try to become your favorite only to gain some sort of special treatment. I am sad to say that I trust few people here.
So that's my rant. Hope you enjoyed it. And now onto something new...
A couple weekends ago I had the privilege to go with the ministry team to the village of Massra, a place about 6 hours south of Cairo. On Friday morning Eric, Myself, and 10 others crowded into a minibus for the long trek there. The scenery was generally boring along the way, although I did get my first glimps of the Western Desert (All I can say is that there's a lot of sand out there). Stepping out of the door in Massra was like going back in time. Mud-brick buildings lined a quiet street along which men in traditional robes strode past and donkeys trotted complainingly. Our group stayed with the only Adventist family in town. Their abode was a large three-story structure occupied by three brothers and their respective families. In all, four generations were represented under one roof. The family made a living by raising crops, cows, and pigeons. The latter of these were raised in the house, giving a curious odor to the place.
But what the house lacked in amenities, the people made up for in hospitality. I had heard stories about the way in which guests were treated in Upper Egypt, but I never expected them to be so true. At meal times they would herd all of the guests into a separate room set out with a veritable smorgazboard of food. After we had eaten our fill, the family would come in to eat what was left over. When we met together in the main room it was a time for stories, songs, and laughter. My only regret from the weekend was that I didn't bring an extra camera battery, and so when my battery died prematurely I was forced to finish the weekend sans photographs. oh well.
So until next time, I'll be here, where will you be?
Another point of frustration is the dysfunction and deceit that permeates life here. 9 out of 10 people on the street are out to take advantage of any situation. I find many friendly people wherever I go, but I have discovered that this friendliness is only a facade for alterior motives. Anyone is willing to be your friend--for a fee. Even amongst the students I am vigilant of over-friendliness. Too often the students try to become your favorite only to gain some sort of special treatment. I am sad to say that I trust few people here.
So that's my rant. Hope you enjoyed it. And now onto something new...
A couple weekends ago I had the privilege to go with the ministry team to the village of Massra, a place about 6 hours south of Cairo. On Friday morning Eric, Myself, and 10 others crowded into a minibus for the long trek there. The scenery was generally boring along the way, although I did get my first glimps of the Western Desert (All I can say is that there's a lot of sand out there). Stepping out of the door in Massra was like going back in time. Mud-brick buildings lined a quiet street along which men in traditional robes strode past and donkeys trotted complainingly. Our group stayed with the only Adventist family in town. Their abode was a large three-story structure occupied by three brothers and their respective families. In all, four generations were represented under one roof. The family made a living by raising crops, cows, and pigeons. The latter of these were raised in the house, giving a curious odor to the place.
But what the house lacked in amenities, the people made up for in hospitality. I had heard stories about the way in which guests were treated in Upper Egypt, but I never expected them to be so true. At meal times they would herd all of the guests into a separate room set out with a veritable smorgazboard of food. After we had eaten our fill, the family would come in to eat what was left over. When we met together in the main room it was a time for stories, songs, and laughter. My only regret from the weekend was that I didn't bring an extra camera battery, and so when my battery died prematurely I was forced to finish the weekend sans photographs. oh well.
So until next time, I'll be here, where will you be?
Saturday, October 4, 2008
It's been awhile
Hello all!
I can't believe how fast things have been going as of late. It's already been six weeks since I first set foot on Egyptian soil and I've hardly had a chance to catch my breath. I am currently on a break that lasts until Wednesday, then it's back to teaching classes. Not much is new in the school here, so I will be happy to tell you about the adventures I have had this break.
Last Tuesday Miguel, Daniel, Eric and I boarded a bus bound for Sharm El Sheik, a tourist hot spot on the tip of the Sinai peninsula. We arrived there at about 2:30 AM and by 4:00 we were on the road again headed for our real destination: Dahab. Dahab is a small coastal town situated along the Gulf of Aqaba. Due to it's remote locale, it doesn't see nearly as many tourists as Sharm and that makes all the difference in the world. When we arrived in Dahab, the sun was just rising. After consulting Eric's copy of the ever trusty Lonely Planet guide book we hit the streets looking to rent a couple rooms for the week. Finally we settled into a couple of rooms at a joint called Alaska Camp- a favorite of backpackers. After resting and cleaning up, the four of us headed out to see the town. Now Dahab exists for two reasons: for scuba divers, and for windsurfers. All along the seashore dive shops abound, mostly run by expatriate Europeans who offer fantastic tours to the areas many reefs. To compliment these shops are a slew of restaurants, bazaars, and hotels, making Dahab a fantastic place to come relax.
So, for the next few days we filled our time eating, sleeping, and lounging. I of course busied myself with some photography as well, but all in all I did as little as possible. I cannot describe to you how gloriously beautiful my time there was. The most active thing I did was scuba diving in the warm water and admiring the myriad of marine life. The rest and relaxation was exactly what I had been needing, and I enjoyed every moment of it. So that was Dahab. And now the real story begins...
Daniel Kempf is an SM from France who works as a maintenance supervisor here. He was at NUA last year and all of his knowldege about how things work here has proved invaluable. Needless to say, he knows what he wants, and he is always determined to get it on his terms. He absolutely will not let himself get ripped off by locals, which in most cases is definitely admirable. Anyway, on Saturday we chartered a minibus to take us to St. Katherine's monastary at the foot of Mount Sinai. Our plan was to visit the monastary and then begin climbing the mountain in time to watch the sun set. We would then sleep on the summit, watch the sun rise, and head back down into town to catch a minibus back to Cairo. It seemed like a feasible plan.
However, things got interesting once we actually arrived at St. Katherine's. While attempting to enter the monastary, a security guard confronted Daniel, insisting that Daniel had taken a picture of him. Daniel told the man adamantly that he had not, but the man persisted. After some more bickering Daniel ignored the man and walked away to look at the sights. All seemed fine until we attempted to climb the mountain later that afternoon. As we walked past the entrance of the monastary (the two paths leading up Sinai originate in the valley next to the monastary) the same security guard rushed out and demanded that we have a tour guide with us. This was strange for three reasons: 1. Daniel had climbed the mountain two other times and had never needed a guide before 2. Everyone one else we had talked to that day told us that tour guides were optional, not required & 3. This was the same guard who had hassled Daniel earlier in the day about the picture.
It was evident that this guard was full of it; expressing some sort of vendetta for the earlier events of the day. So the four of us headed way from the monastary until we ran into a tour group headed up the mountain. We quickly blended in until we passed the entrance to the monastary. The same guard again rushed out and confronted Daniel, this time demanding that we go back and get a different tour guide. By this time we were very upset with this guard. Daniel, especially was livid at this man's actions. So, together we formed a plan to sneak around the back of the monastary and get far enough up the hill that even if the guard saw us, he wouldn't be able to catch us. So that's what we did. With the help of a local bedouin boy, we stealthily went around the other side of the monastary and up to an alternate path. As we ascended higher, we heard shouting down below and saw some tiny figures rushing about. However, we didn't wait around to find out who they were yelling at. The next morning we awoke early and headed down. To avoid any confrontation we opted to take a round about route to the town of St. Katherine's, thereby avoiding the monastary altogether. And so after a day of travel, I find myself back at NUA, trying to gear up for classes on Wednesday.
So that's the update from Egypt. Finally some relaxation and an adventure to boot! I promise not to wait so long before my next post. Thanks for listening,
-Monte
I can't believe how fast things have been going as of late. It's already been six weeks since I first set foot on Egyptian soil and I've hardly had a chance to catch my breath. I am currently on a break that lasts until Wednesday, then it's back to teaching classes. Not much is new in the school here, so I will be happy to tell you about the adventures I have had this break.
Last Tuesday Miguel, Daniel, Eric and I boarded a bus bound for Sharm El Sheik, a tourist hot spot on the tip of the Sinai peninsula. We arrived there at about 2:30 AM and by 4:00 we were on the road again headed for our real destination: Dahab. Dahab is a small coastal town situated along the Gulf of Aqaba. Due to it's remote locale, it doesn't see nearly as many tourists as Sharm and that makes all the difference in the world. When we arrived in Dahab, the sun was just rising. After consulting Eric's copy of the ever trusty Lonely Planet guide book we hit the streets looking to rent a couple rooms for the week. Finally we settled into a couple of rooms at a joint called Alaska Camp- a favorite of backpackers. After resting and cleaning up, the four of us headed out to see the town. Now Dahab exists for two reasons: for scuba divers, and for windsurfers. All along the seashore dive shops abound, mostly run by expatriate Europeans who offer fantastic tours to the areas many reefs. To compliment these shops are a slew of restaurants, bazaars, and hotels, making Dahab a fantastic place to come relax.
So, for the next few days we filled our time eating, sleeping, and lounging. I of course busied myself with some photography as well, but all in all I did as little as possible. I cannot describe to you how gloriously beautiful my time there was. The most active thing I did was scuba diving in the warm water and admiring the myriad of marine life. The rest and relaxation was exactly what I had been needing, and I enjoyed every moment of it. So that was Dahab. And now the real story begins...
Daniel Kempf is an SM from France who works as a maintenance supervisor here. He was at NUA last year and all of his knowldege about how things work here has proved invaluable. Needless to say, he knows what he wants, and he is always determined to get it on his terms. He absolutely will not let himself get ripped off by locals, which in most cases is definitely admirable. Anyway, on Saturday we chartered a minibus to take us to St. Katherine's monastary at the foot of Mount Sinai. Our plan was to visit the monastary and then begin climbing the mountain in time to watch the sun set. We would then sleep on the summit, watch the sun rise, and head back down into town to catch a minibus back to Cairo. It seemed like a feasible plan.
However, things got interesting once we actually arrived at St. Katherine's. While attempting to enter the monastary, a security guard confronted Daniel, insisting that Daniel had taken a picture of him. Daniel told the man adamantly that he had not, but the man persisted. After some more bickering Daniel ignored the man and walked away to look at the sights. All seemed fine until we attempted to climb the mountain later that afternoon. As we walked past the entrance of the monastary (the two paths leading up Sinai originate in the valley next to the monastary) the same security guard rushed out and demanded that we have a tour guide with us. This was strange for three reasons: 1. Daniel had climbed the mountain two other times and had never needed a guide before 2. Everyone one else we had talked to that day told us that tour guides were optional, not required & 3. This was the same guard who had hassled Daniel earlier in the day about the picture.
It was evident that this guard was full of it; expressing some sort of vendetta for the earlier events of the day. So the four of us headed way from the monastary until we ran into a tour group headed up the mountain. We quickly blended in until we passed the entrance to the monastary. The same guard again rushed out and confronted Daniel, this time demanding that we go back and get a different tour guide. By this time we were very upset with this guard. Daniel, especially was livid at this man's actions. So, together we formed a plan to sneak around the back of the monastary and get far enough up the hill that even if the guard saw us, he wouldn't be able to catch us. So that's what we did. With the help of a local bedouin boy, we stealthily went around the other side of the monastary and up to an alternate path. As we ascended higher, we heard shouting down below and saw some tiny figures rushing about. However, we didn't wait around to find out who they were yelling at. The next morning we awoke early and headed down. To avoid any confrontation we opted to take a round about route to the town of St. Katherine's, thereby avoiding the monastary altogether. And so after a day of travel, I find myself back at NUA, trying to gear up for classes on Wednesday.
So that's the update from Egypt. Finally some relaxation and an adventure to boot! I promise not to wait so long before my next post. Thanks for listening,
-Monte
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