Friends in Cairo

Not too much to blog about. Classes at the university have started and I'm busy teaching and preparing lessons. But I'm determined to have more frequent blog entries for all my adoring fans out there, so here are pictures of some people I have met here, one a friend in Maadi and the other some tourists on who are on their way around the world.

Last night (Friday) I went downtown and ate dinner at Cafe Riche. While I was there I met Jake and Megan:

They were at the table next to me in the cafe, and I saw them perusing through Lonely Planet Egypt, so I leaned over and asked them where they were from. Jake is from Indiana, Megan is from California, and they met while working in Washington, DC. I talked to them for awhile and then we sat at the Cafe behind Cafe Riche (the joke is it is Cafe Poor, being located behind and outside of Cafe Riche) and had tea. They were terrific company, and I enjoyed hearing their story of how their trip got started:

Jake & Megan were both working arduous long hours at jobs they didn't really enjoy while in DC, so they hatched a plan: let's save up for a little bit and then take an around the world trip! If I got the details right, they saved enough money, quit their jobs, and started their trip in London. They continued through Europe to at least France, Germany, Italy and Austria before coming to Cairo. I guess Cairo is about halfway. They are going to Luxor next week, and then to Dahab, and then finish their tour of the Middle east seeing Petra in Jordan.

Gee, those are all places on my list!

After leaving Petra, they are going to India and China, and then they have not determined exactly how they will get home from there. It sounds like a grand adventure, and I enjoyed their company. Bon Voyage!

Here is a picture of my friend Faiza:

Faiza is a student at AUC studying anthropology. She lives in Maadi, and I met her on the bus to AUC. I bumped into her in the neighborhood a few times after that, and we have become good friends. She is originally from Austria, so (here we go with the language thing again) she speaks fluent German and English, her Arabic is pretty good, and I'll bet she knows enough Spanish and/or French to get by. The big news with Faiza lately is the new edition in her family, a little girl born yesterday. It is her brother's child, so she is now "Aunt" Faiza. She recently showed me her pictures of her time home for Christmas in Vienna, and man! that is another place on my list.

I want an around the world trip! Me & my 3 boys. All I need are large quantities of money and time... Actually, I think I'm going to do it, just one leg at a time over the next 20 years, en shallah.