Well, it's almost holiday season here in Egypt. I'm excited, and depressed at the same time. I don't want to say too much, but some things I had planned for over the holidays aren't going to happen, and it's hard having your hopes up, and then dealing with disappointment ( Read more... )

http://www.thedailynewsegypt.com/crime-a-accidents/policeman-shoots-microbus-driver-in-maadi-triggering-angry-protest.html

http://www.kilgorenewsherald.com/news/2011-02-23/Front_Page/A_RISING_TIDE.htmlRead more... )

Well, I hit 30 this past February, and I've started thinking lately about a lot of things. I'm not sure if hitting 30 prompted me to evaluate my life, or if perhaps other recent things.. who knows, the point is it's got me thinking about where I want to be in my life 5 and 10 years from now ( Read more... )

So every day at lunch I eat in the teacher's lounge upstairs. An Egyptian woman named Mona and her son cook for us, and for 20LE (less than $5) you can purchase a hot lunch. Usually they have fried fish, chicken, meatloaf, turkey, shwerma, and lots of other things, plus rice, potatoes, veggies, and bread. They serve the meal at all of the schools ( Read more... )

Well, today was fun. I'm teaching Integrated Math 2, and right now we're studying statistics, correlation, causation, etc. and so yesterday I was reading BBC news and there was a study that suggested that kids who are watched by their grandparents tend to have a higher risk for obesity. So I thought this would be a great warm up question for the ( Read more... )

Well, I had a fantastic winter break. We had 3 weeks off from school, and I went back to Texas. I spent 1.5 weeks with my family, and another week in Austin with friends. I had dinner with Cheryl, one of my best friends I grew up with in church, and spent New Year's even with my best friend Benton and some of his friends in Austin. I also got to ( Read more... )

In response to my last post, I asked a few Egyptian teachers here this morning about whether or not this "marrying your cousin" thing is common ( Read more... )

So this morning, my driver was taking me to work, as usual. He recently got married last week. I asked him how he liked being a married man, and he said he was very happy. I then asked him how he met his wife, and he said she's his cousin. I tried to clarify by saying, "You met her through your cousin?" and he said, "Her father is my mother's ( Read more... )

Well, the last two weeks of school are here, and I'm ready for Christmas break. I'm so happy that I'll be able to see my family and friends over break, although I am NOT looking forward to the huge travel home. Cairo to London to Chicago to Dallas and then on the way back Dallas to Paris to Cairo with a HUGE layover in Paris.. that's not going to ( Read more... )