November 2008

A couple weeks ago, we were treated by a visit from Dave, Eric and Buzz from Indiana on their way to India. Although their visit was extremely short, we had a truly wonderful time with them. They wanted to see what our lives were like living in Cairo so we shared meals and our balcony with them, showed them the school, and did a quick exploration of Old Cairo (both Coptic... and Isalamic) and relaxed at sunset on the Nile in a felucca.
Now, around this time last year Melanie traveled to Sierra Leonne to do some advisory work with Word Made Flesh. So this year it was my turn, and I had the opportunity to attend a conference for high school counselors and college international admission staff. On the way and the way back, I was able to schedule university visits while extending my layovers in each direction. The university visits and the conference all provided fantastic professional opportunities for me, and I'm extremely grateful to have had the chance. But I have to say, my itenerary was absolutely packed:
Monday
- 6:30 - leave home for the airport
- 1:00 - arrive at destination and meet driver to take me to the university
- 2 - 6 - visit the campus and learn about programs
- 6-10 - dinner and socializing with school reps and 30 other counselors
- 10:00 - check into hotel
Tuesday
- 8:00 - breakfast
- 9 - 12 - check out and tour company where many graduates work, learning about work options - 12 - 2 - lunch
- 2-5:30 - free time
- 5:30 - go to airport and fly to next destination
- 11:30 - arrive at hotel, check in and go to bed
Wednesday
- 8:30-10 - conference and dinner
Thursday
- 8:30-8 - conference and closing reception
Friday
- 5:30 - check out of hotel and walk to bus stop for trip to airport
- 10:00 - arrive and receive train ticket
- 12-10:30 - visit two different universities and have dinner with two CAC grads there
Saturday
- 8:15 am- check out and take taxi to train to airport
- 9:00 pm- arrive home, unpack, and go to bed, as our work week begins on Sunday

As you can see, the itenerary was absolutely packed. Now, this was the only way that I could imagine getting any pity for the activities of the past week, because if I started by telling you where I went, all chances for anything but envy and grief would have been thrown out the window....

So the universities I visited were in Switzerland; they were all three ranked in the top five as far as hotel management and hospitality programs go, and they all extended a lot of hospitality. In addition, the conference, with over 150 school counselors and reps from over 150 universities, just happened to be held in Monaco. Both the visits and the conference were fantastic learning opportunities, but I do have to admit that the surroundings were amazing...:

the TV in my first room in Geneva... look at who's being welcomed (above the flag)...

just outside the conference center in Monaco

passing by a James Bond scene while walking back to my hotel

the view over Lake Geneva from Glion Institute

the view from my ski lodge balcony in the Swiss Alps

Now, I realize this may look somewhat extravagant, with gourmet meals, wine tastings, cheese fondue in a centuries-old chateau, 1st class train rides, and taxi rides in new, fancy Mercedes sedans... but come on... it's not I was given a Swiss Army knife with my name on it... or was I....

Melanie has been trying to keep up with herself at her various pursuits (school nurse at CAC, health and wellness advisor at Communiy Service Association [CSA] and first aid instructor as well a few online bits and pieces for Word Made Flesh).

As a school nurse she is still getting used

to things at CAC and finding her niche at the health office.

At CSA Melanie is wrapping up the intense period of her contract and is looking forward to just doing a few days a month maintaining the Health and Wellness program and health promotion at the organization. During the past 6 months she has added regular health fairs and monthly health promotion themes with feature articles in the organisation's magazine to the program at CSA. It has been exciting to see positive changes in the health behaviours of the staff at CSA as well increased interest and awareness in the community. Melanie has also developed a seminar for newcomers helping them to make plans for emergency medical care in Maadi and visiting local health care resources and the emergency room at a nearby hospital.

Melanie spent several days over the summer becoming certified as a first aid instuctor with the American Red Cross and buying CPR manikins. She is now putting this to good use in offering classes for community, schools, and businesses with a friend and collegue, Priscilla. Their first class had 18 participants and although it was a lot of work to get underway they were great students and after intensive practice felt confident they could administer CPR to adults, children and infants. There to seems to be some momentum with a one or two more classes before Christmas and several in January and February last week.

Things with Word Made Flesh have been somewhat on the back burner over the past few months as the above things all played out simulataneously. However, there have still been a few things she could help with via email and she is currently working on health policies for WMF staff. Thanks to generous contributions from many of you she will be able to make at least one field visit over the next two years, depending on the needs of the WMF global community.