For the Love of Clean Socks!!

Dearest Persons,

So I have heart-wrenchingly come to the conclusion that my pictures are not easily going to be shared with you because the internet connection here is incredibly slower than Moses with a toothache. (And yes, I know... that makes no sense at all and you're right it should probably be molasses, but Moses is funner.) I went to a coffee shop today and the wireless connection was no better. But be assured that as soon as I can my life will be displayed in pictures... I take SOOO many! :)

So many funny things have been said by so many of the people on our team so far. I'd like to highlight a few...

*A group of us girls are walking down the street, and you must know that in the Muslim culture women do not make eye contact with men on the street because that is suggestive... so basically they can stare at us and whistle but we don't dare look at them which is rather disappointing because, let me tell you there are a LOT of hot men everywhere! ;) So anyways we're walking and some guy yells out at us and we're discussing what we would say if we ever did respond and Esther says, "How bout we turn around and say 'How YOU doin'?'" Kinda gangster ghetto like. It was hilarious.

*One of the first nights we were discussing the "No Dating" policy that MESP maintains throughout the semester and our director, Dr. Holt said, "Basically, if you want to ruin your semester, Fall in love." I think that's a good one for all of us. :)

*So I guess that in Egypt there are camels everywhere, but we haven't seen any yet because they are mainly out of the city. Today we passed a zoo and I am so ready to see a camel that I asked if there were any in the zoo and Diia, our Egyptian guide slash co-director said disgustedly, "Why would anyone have camel in zoo?" I laughed really hard.

*Tonight we had shawaarma for dinner which is my very favorite sandwich ever and I may eat WAY too much of it this semester. We're sitting around the table and Esther says something like, "Mmm... I feel stronger about shawaarma than I have about any man ever." We are officially all in love with shawaarma. Yummy lucious!

*Good one from Ruthy... "My heart is sold to the pink shower!"

Today was Service Project Tuesday. In the morning I went to an orientation type deal at a deaf school for children and then vocational training for deaf teens and adults. I was amazed by their skills in wood and metal working and also sewing. It was amazing. Check this... 10% of the population of Egypt is deaf. The main reason? Incest. Marrying cousins and staying within and expanding the family is a huge emphasis in the Muslim world. Different, huh? And check this... these children learn Egyptian sign language (which is much different from American sign) and they also must learn Arabic along with Middle Eastern Sign because that will become the new Egyptian sign language and standard across the region in the next few years... so these children are trilingual! Dude, sometimes I can't even handle English let alone Arabic or sign or Spanish or anything. Crazy huh? Then in the afternoon I had a two hour training in order to teach English to Egyptian adults. We'll be teaching a conversational class and I'm excited, but a lot nervous. It will definitley be very interesting. Kewl fact about Kara... I speak English and Spanish, right... and am learning Arabic and will probably pick up some Egyptian sign language and I know a lot of American sign language. I've taken French and I sat next to 3 people speaking Portugese today and was amazed at how much I caught on to... that means that yours truly is either fluent in or familiar with 7 different languages!! How freakin' sweet is that!?! I know, I'm cheating a little bit, but what if I really could speak 7 languages. Wow.

Well I'm going to go finish my laundry which is quite the experience. Wish I could post the pictures of the washer... you have to do it in two separate parts... wash then spin and then air dry. It's intense but it takes like no time at all. :) Can't wait to have clean socks... which reminds me of my desire to complain. I HATE dirty socks and even more than that I HATE wet socks. The best thing in the world are clean feet with soft socks on top. I have 3 pair of new socks left that I am saving for crappy days throughout the semester (not that I'm anticipating crappy days, but yeah, one pair for my birthday, one for Valentines Day and one for some other day). Today I put a clean pair on though and then preceded to step directly in the center of a puddle of water in the bathroom.... For the love of clean socks!! WHY DID THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN!?! (Totally a Shannon moment.) I hate the floors and drainage system in our flat and I hate not having clean warm socks to change into every couple hours. :) Ok, enough complaining.

I love you more than the ocean!! Hope your day is super!!
In His Mighty Grip,
Your Kara Joy
I have finally been able to add some pictures to this site... I have some really good ones of the actually washer and spinner and process... but I didn't have time to upload them... so these are the beginning. Dude... check it: I have ALWAYS DREAMED of carrying a basket of stuff... namely fruit... on my head in Africa with the women... THIS COUNTS!!! Women here carry things on their heads, and I'm in Africa, and that is ON MY HEAD!! Yes, I'm holding it... but I'm carrying laundry on my head!! How awesome is that!?! :)
And this is how we dry our clothes in Cairo. I miss dryers. :)