Saturday January 12

If you have a choice of where to live in Egypt don't live by a mosque, they pray a lot over loud speakers at all tines of day and night. Went to school with Bonnie this morning with a good cab driver, Yergus (Rhymes with Fergus). He has 1984 cab he bought in Italy and he repairs it all himself. He bought it in 1988 when the Egypt pound was equal to the US dollar. The school is very nice, all marble and granite, not much wood in the sand of the dessert. The school is out in the dessert but in a populated area. It is quite large 4 stories with many rooms. I will teach language arts to Grade 1,2,3 and Grade 4 science. I will have about 1 1/2 hours planning time and do duty at lunch in the cafeteria for 20 minutes every day. The supplies are meagre but I can live with that, (12 students!!)Can't believe it. My largest class will be 12 or 13 and smallest 9. YES!! That is numbers of students not age of students. The school has a pool and a huge amount of support staff 175-200. The chldren I met today are just like Canadians, nice kids as all kids are. Tested out my Credit Union bank card and it did work, spit out 200 pounds for me, about $40. Lunch today cost 21 pounds, about $4.40. The weather is similar to our June, but they are all bundled up and complaining of the cold, (saw some fur coats!!) Barry and Linda Crawford picked me up to go to dinner at their apartment, a very nice furnished place. Marble and granite floors, counter tops and other marble accents. Large two bedrooms with nice furniture and all needed to live which came with the appartment. Tomorrow is my first day of school, I meet the children and sit in with teacher who is looking after my classes. Linda and I went shopping on some side streets, I don't think the shops ever close, they are open way into the night. There are cats,cats and more cats. wonder if Archie wants another cat?