The Curli are in Cairo, Egypt!

Here is a quick update of our first 3 weeks in Cairo. Next we will go back and add the chapters on leaving Cambodia and Summer in the USA.

Marc's First Nineteen Days in Cairo
I defiitely hit the ground running here in Cairo! Mel and were able to meet in Frankfurt and get re-connected for a few hours before meeting our fellow new staff members and the CAC administration after landing in Egypt. We arrved at our new home at around 11pm and began our orientation program the next morning. That was the first of nineteen straight days of orientation, training and work for me. Fortunately, the school has implemented a new software program for scheduling, report cards, admissions, etc., so the other three new counselors and I were able to go through the same training as the rest of the school staff, and we weren't too far behind in that category.

I've been blessed to be working on a team with three wonderful counselors with myriads of experience. They've been extremely gracious and supportive in helping me get acclimated to the goings on in the HS counseling department. We examine all incoming students' files and screening to determine what classes they should be taking this year. We then meet with the student and parents and go through their current credit standing, and then formulate their individual schedule.

Last weekend we also conducted a new student orientation session including a pyramid drive-by and lunch and swim at 5-star hotel (see photos).

The past week was spent meeting with all students wanting or needing to adjust their schedules. Although this has been extremely busy, the pressures have been less stressful than those I encountered the previous three years in an administrative position, so that's been nice. New and different pressures are certain to come, but its been a great start to a new chapter!

Before going on, I need to say that I truly miss the students and staff at NISC. You all remain in my thoughts and prayers as you've started the school year. So there it is - it's a Saturday night, and we're just about to end our first real weekend. The weekend included attending a service at the Maadi Community Church, playing in a grass volleyball tournament and walking around a part of downtown Cairo (as well as sleeping in and taking a couple naps). It's nice to know that the next weekend will come after only five more days!

Mel's First Week in Cairo
The flights here went well and I succeeded, somehow but in part thanks to that Gold Frequent Flyer membership that you keep hearing about, to get by with all 60kg of my luggage without any extra charge. Marc and I arrived in Frankfurt within 30 minutes of each other and met with no problems. We then enjoyed about 5 hours in the business class lounge (remember the Gold membership?) and were not too disheveled and exhausted when we finally got to Cairo about 7pm. Although we were met and everything (customs, immigration and baggage) was done for us, we still did not get to our apartment until about 11pm.

First impressions of our apartment started as we walked up the four flights of dingy stairs and looked and all the non painted walls with wires hanging out and broken tiles. Our hearts sank until they opened the door of the apartment. Inside was a complete different story.

We have since learnt that the normal situation is no money spent on the hallways or lobby. Our apartment is very spacious, 3 bedrooms, light, airy and level with the tree tops. It is light and airy and in a really quiet area that is convenient to the school and other places we might like to go. It is great. More on that later but start planning your tips folks!

The morning after we arrived our "buddy", a CAC staff member that has been assigned to help us settle in (!), came to pick us up and took us to the school. Since then it has been really packed full with orientation, shopping for house stuff, logistics and social events. Most meals have been provided and we have been out as a group multiple times. In fact in a minute we are heading to a Jazz Lunch at the 4 Seasons Hotel (today is Friday and as the Muslim day off is like a sunday).

Living it up at the Four Seasons (yes that is strawberry juice)

So far we both love our apartment, Maadi (the area we live) and the school.

Mel's Second Week in Cairo

This is my first week as a lady of leisure. So on the first day I slept in, had a leisurely beakfast in our new reading/library corner (its nothing special right now but we have plans) with the cool moring breeze blowing in. I then ordered some pharmacy items by phone and they were delivered (!) Then I planned my shopping list (they also deliver but at the moment I need to go to shop to get used to the brands and prices). We have started cooking now that all the meal events have slowed down! All my goceries got delivered which was nice since I would have had to take a taxi and bring them up 4 flights of stairs! I walked the 5 minutes from our place to school and got our bank account number (they have a branch at school as do the travel agent). Then I swam at the school pool (even though there were lots of kids they have lanes with strict rules so I did not need to worry about a kid jumping on my head).

There is still lots to do including getting the washing machine functional (a bit of a saga but the good news is now it works!). We have our major appliances and basic furniture is provided. I went to CarreFour (a big K-MART-like shop) to get some more household stuff with some other new folks. Amoung other things I got a computer for us, so I need to organise internet at our house and that part of life will be easier.

There are five other new "supporting spouses", two girls and three guys. So far I have got on well with the girls and I expect, at least at first, to be doing lots with them. Kendra and Elizabeth and I went on the "Metro" train system into the center of Cairo. On each train the first two carriages are for ladies only, so that helps not to be hassled and grabbed. Kendra wanted to check out the classes at the American University of Cairo (famous English language Uni here which is a branch of one in the USA) and one of the non teaching husbands is going to be a student there. He met us we went to the University to have a look around and to the great book shop they have there. It was a fun trip and good to get the hang of the train with others. It is very cheap (20c) so a good way of going into town. We had lunch at a great restaurant called Felafel with local food and cages of doves,budgies, fish tanks and turtles (bird flu?? - oh well).

We also went to Coptic Cairo the part of town that has very old Coptic and other Orthodox churches. One is even built suspended between two Roman towers (photo is of one of the mosaics in this church). Marc and I went here in 1997 and I loved it as a peaceful place, diffent from other parts of Cairo. The great news is that we can catch the Metro there!

The weekend did not really seem like a weekend as Marc worked both days. On Thursday evening there was a BBQ for all staff at the superintendant's house. There are a lot of staff and it was good to meet some of the folks that Marc has been meeting at school. Friday I went with him to a new student event to pyramids then to buffett lunch and pool time at the Sofitel Sphinx. They are a very diverse and nice group of kids.

Mel at New Student Orientation

Mel's Third Week
Please join me in celebrating a very great moment in my new life - Internet at home!!! Not only that but it is free AND it is faster than what we are used to.

In between "wifely duties", as Kendra so aptly calls the errands and house keeping we do while the guys are at school, we managed to fit in trips to the Cairo Tower and Zamalek (an island in the Nile in the center of Cairo), Old Maadi and the Community Center. Several members of the CAC community have been very generous in taking us around and showing us places.
We were taken to Cairo tower by another wife who has been here for a year. Unfortunately the tower is having some repairs so we did not go up but aparently it has very good views of the city. We also had a coffee at a palace that is now a Marriot hotel and explored some of the shops. This is the area that we stayed when on the NISC trip in November 06.

Elizabeth, Kendra and Melanie at the Mariot, Zamalek

Old Maadi is an areas over the Metro line that is a little more colorful but still easy to get around for expats. There is picturesque produce market along with live rabbits, chickens or pigeons to choose and watch being prepared in front of you. There is also a great spice seller with powers and seeds and things in little drawers. So you get the idea. My kind of place.

The Community Center is a great resource for expats living here and those trying to settle in. It has all sorts of classes (craft, exercise, cooking, language etc), tours, lectures, a library, a cafe and a gift shop, a magazine etc etc. It is probably where I will be taking Arabic Classes.

To be continued...