I have mice. Well at least a mouse. The school gave me poison to put down with food. I basically refuse to cook in my kitchen until it is gone. I hate bugs and rodents. Oh well at least going out for or ordering in here is really cheap. Last night I slept at Athena’s who lives above me. But I guess tonight I will sleep at home. There was no air conditioning and I woke up many times in the night so I think sleeping here will be better even if I share my apartment with a mouse for the time being.
School has been really busy the last week and a half. Earlier this week we had “Meet the Parents” where we presented our year plan and beliefs about education and homework etc. It went really well. The parents over here do seem quite different then what I am used to seeing in Winnipeg. But I’ve never worked at a private school either so I think that is part of it.
I only met four of my students and their parents. Three of four parents told me that they had been on holiday all summer and their child did nothing and have completely lost the language (English). One parent told me her son is very naughty. He was standing right in front of her with a giant smile on his face. I apparently have one student who likes to take off his pants in class.
My classroom is really starting to come together (well it better be we have meetings for a lot of the day tomorrow and students starting the next school day!) but it feels like I have a million things to still do. Oh well, I guess not everything has to be done for the first day, only certain things. I`m trying hard to make sure I am organized, especially when it comes to daily routines. It really helps to have Aislinn as a teaching partner. She has been teaching for two years, not grade 2, but still she knows some of the more basic things that I don’t think of.
A few of us went to watch the boys’ first ball game. It was a lot of fun. The ball diamond is really nice, its clean and sort of quiet and filled with expats. When I was there I talked to a girl about joining her team. Their next game is Friday at 1pm so I’ll have to check into it and see if it works out and I can play. It seems like it will be VERY hot to play mid afternoon, but I guess I can handle it!
It is cooling off which is wonderful. At night the temperature is totally bearable. I can even wear a sweater comfortably if I want to cover my shoulders. It is about 30 degrees at night, but compared to about 40 its great.
I’m really starting to get to know the neighbourhood and like it. We’ve met the man who owns a dry cleaner down the street. He is really friendly. Our work clothes are getting ironed as I type so I shall see how it all works out. There is a man with white hair that sits on a bench a few buildings down. We always say hi and smile. He waves, gets excited, says hi and then continues to ask questions in Arabic. We have no idea what he is saying so we smile and keep walking. I really want to buy a bike so I can explore areas that are further away and get around faster. I’ve thought it through and decided that walking is traffic or riding a bike in traffic is about the same in terms of safety.
My bowab is wonderful. Bowabs are basically doormen, but they do lots of other stuff as well, like take the garbage that I put outside my door. He is really nice and I totally appreciate all his help. He always has a big smile on his face. He seems like a happy man. He is often sitting outside the building so it is welcoming when we come home or leave. If I have a bunch of groceries and he sees me getting out of the cab he will come over and help me bring them in. He fixed my toilet when it is broken, and I’m told he will remove the dead mouse after I kill it.
Some random things:
- · I listen to a radio station called Nile FM. It is great. It plays a random mix of music which is right up my alley.
- · They don’t have “ouchless” elastics here - very frustrating to tie back my thick hair without them.
- · I still love all the shoe stores out here!
- · I think when I go back to Winnipeg I will get bored with the shopping, because here there are a million different shops which offer many different things.
- · I found a pharmacy near my house
- · Ramadan is over so now we have to get used to stores closing at a decent hour (I think around eleven).
I would love to hear comments and about things going on in your lives so comment or email me!!
PS I post pictures to facebook becasue it is a lot easier to put them up there than here. You can view them by going to these links.
Egypt in August
The Dahab Experience
Egypt in September
you can check back randomly becasue I update the album as I take pictures.
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