getting started

So today I:

1. Successfully had an entire conversation with a taxi driver in Arabic. This involved him taking me exactly where I wanted to go in a neighborhood I'd never been for exactly the price I wanted to pay and him telling me I spoke arabic very well and he thought I was German, but I informed him of the awful truth of my Americanness. Yay.

2. ate a delicious schwerma sandwich and the salad that went with it, although it was most likely a hepatitis breeding ground, mmmm.

3. successfully found the school I'm working at, negotiated my teaching contract for exactly the salary and amount of hours I was looking for, and arranged my training (starting tomorrow). My bosses seem extremely nice, particularly the woman, and she tells me that teaching is "too easy."

4. helped find Alissa ear medicine at a pharmacy

5. had some guy follow me for a half hour claiming to be Iraqi and wanting to help me while I was attempting to call my boss from a payphone. However, after intense efforts at ignoring I finally told him in my meanest voice possible (which evidently worked), "I don't need help. Please go away."

6. Went back to visit our old neighborhood of Agouza and buy our dinner at the Sheik shop (where we always shopped), and walk past where our classes and apartments were.

7. sat in KFC in Cairo with Alissa and her host sister Nesma while Nesma told the man she was with that she didn't like him, didn't want to marry him, and was taking his number out of her phone right now. Right in front of us! In Cairo! In KFC! Hilarious and great bonding experience, I must say. We are now invited to visit her house as soon as possible and she's finding us an apartment, excellent.

So I'm starting to feel more and more integrated into society here, although I'm still kind of in vacation mode, staying in a hotel downtown, not much to do yet. I do feel so much like I belong here though. It seems so different coming back here than it did coming the first time, I notice everything opposite almost, and everything seems so much less foreign than I remember it feeling before. I feel more than ever that I am meant to be here and belong here, at least for now. I can't even begin to describe this place and its ridiculous amazingness, so come visit!!!

ana henna! (I'm here!)

So Kirsten is now, for real "fi Masr."

I slept like the entire way from LAX to London. I found Alissa. We got on our flight (I managed to get a seat two rows behind her). I was sitting next to this girl my age from Belfast who was going to visit her Egyptian dad that she hadn't seen in 5 years. She was all nervous he wouldn't recognize her and his family would judge her, it was pretty cute.

We made it to Cairo and as soon as we got off the plane I could smell Egypt. Its this hot, tangy, desert, BO, garbage smell that is impossible to replicate or describe. We eventually shoved our way through customs with 500 adorable pushy kids and their more impatient parents, but very friendly parents, after kind of accidently discovering we needed to buy our entry Visa first. Alissa noted that maybe white is this summers color for Muslim dress. It did seem to figure more prominently in robes and headscarves than I had remembered... We found all our luggage, and the guy picking us up from the hotel.

So on our ride back to the hotel we heard all about how our driver was tired and grumpy because of all the crazy people at the airport. He proceeded to tell us also that drivers are crazy here, while he, along with everyone else, has no idea what lane dividers or speed limits would mean. Here's part of the conversation (Oh I missed Egypt!)

Alissa: so what's your name?
Farek: my name is Farek
Kirsten: doesn't Farek mean chicken?
Farek: hahaha, Farekhh means chicken. I wish I were a chicken, then you could eat me, you look hungry

People here are so great. I'm already being reminded of their humour, friendliness, laid-backness and givingness (if that's a word) that make this place so amazing. He then took us to see the outside of this apartment that his friend owns and knocked on her window at 2 AM (of course everyone's awake). He then drove a block, stopped to buy fruit while apologizing profusely for it, and then took us to the hotel.

So 4 AM, its about time for Egypt to go to sleep, and so must I... Tomorrow life begins... with complimentary breakfast...mmm.

masalaama

So I leave in a couple hours for LAX.

I am really nervous all of a suddent today. But I'm thinking one step at a time is good.

1. finish packing
2. get on plane
3. find Alissa
4. get on other plane
5. get a visa
6. get a ride to hotel
7. sleep a lot
8. evaluate what next...

Ok I love you all and this reduced contact thing is saddening me greatly already, but I will try my very hardest to stay as close as humanly possible from another continent.

masalaama (with peace)

I started a blog

So I'm not in Egypt yet but I got bored so I started a blog. I will hopefully actually put stuff on here when I'm in Cairo.

Arabic lesson for my readers #1:

Masr = مصر = Egypt

fi = في = in

So I bet you could translate the URL and title for this blog now...