So…last week was my birthday. It was “a big one”. I adore celebrating my birthday, and Jack humors me about it, although he feels that one should give that up around age 12. I was feeling a bit melancholy in the week before my birthday. I couldn’t figure out why. I really was not concerned… Continue reading Random
Author: Kaddee Lawrence
Beautiful migrants
Jack and I were sitting in a (not-yet-ready-for-primetime) new roof-top terrace in Zamalek last evening, when we saw a bird that we’d never seen in Cairo before. Not my photo. From Wikipedia.com. When I got home, I had to look up what it was. It is an European Bee-eater. It uses the Nile Valley as… Continue reading Beautiful migrants
Unacceptable behavior
It, apparently, happens everywhere. In the last few weeks there have been multiple occasions where I’ve been expected (not asked) to either (a) give up my evening/weekend at the last minute for a school event, (b) drop everything I am doing to work on an EMERGENCY that needed to be completed yesterday (Makes me think… Continue reading Unacceptable behavior
Visitors!
March madness has new meaning in Cairo. This has been the month for visitors. Not too many people have decided to brave the “wilds” of BFE (a.k.a. Cairo), but those that did chose March to do it. Our first visitors, since my family left in January, were Beth and Flash. They were unbelievable mules for… Continue reading Visitors!
Good to know
This morning, after 8 months of “commuting” in Cairo by taxi, my driver actually dropped the meter flag when I got into the car. This has never happened before. I didn’t realize the meters even worked. There are “standard fares” that one pays from point A to point B. The only taxis that USE their… Continue reading Good to know
Khamiseen
April 17 2006 We are having our first real khamiseen (sand storm) in Cairo since I’ve been here. The wind is whipping. The sky is an odd orange color, like Creamsicles. The sand in the air is thick enough to make breathing difficult, and seeing nearly impossible. It is not the “white-out” effect I had… Continue reading Khamiseen
The Citadel
We have been incredibly lucky to have the resources of AUC to help us get to know our new home. The Faculty Services Committee here arranges the newcomer orientation program and MANY tours and trips around Cairo and Egypt. The Arabic Language Institute (ALI) also arranges tours and trips – however these are primarily for… Continue reading The Citadel
Qatar is DisneyLand
So…only a month or so after the trip, and another trip since then, I’m finally getting back to the blog. Sorry guys, apparently the month of March just disappeared. Yes – we went to Qatar from March 8 to 11. Why? you might ask. And, having been there, I have to admit, it is a… Continue reading Qatar is DisneyLand
Driving myself nutz
This semester is an exciting and nerve-wracking endeavor. I am (as usual) my own worst enemy. I am teaching 2 classes that I taught last semseter (can you say CAKE WALK?) which, I have to be honest, I am doing little with. channeling Jack: push lever, get food pellet. I worked out the basics for… Continue reading Driving myself nutz
Road Rage in Cairo
This morning, I had my first ever road-raging taxi driver. He seemed a little perturbed when I got in after asking for the University. “How odd” I thought – normally all the taxis assume you are going to the university from the hostel This driver was very hard on the horn. Using it more as… Continue reading Road Rage in Cairo