March 10,
I’ve been in Cairo for 2 months, hard to believe. I’m getting used to crossing the streets but still run like a chicken to get across, while more experienced people and locals stroll through traffic. Today on the way home we noticed a large block of marble by the side of the road, the kind we usually see being transported on the back of large trucks. A second glance revealed on the other side of the road the smashed up truck on which the huge block of marble/limestone had been sitting, with the driver still sitting in the truck.
The streets are set out in the English Roundabout system. Trouble is…. Cars go around these 8 or 9 armed roundabouts from all directions. The side walks are an obstacle course, where they still don’t have large signs or restaurants built on them they have holes, pieces of metal and wood sticking through the cement. Most of the time people walk on the road.
The black smoke from the vehicles is unbelievable. I don’t know how their vehicles are still running.
School is still fun, the children are interesting and very nice. It is always so great to see them learn. They are well behaved but exuberant which is to be expected, when you see how animated the adults are especially when they argue. The high school kids quite polite and agreeable. All teachers here are called by their first names with a Miss or Mr. I am Miss Colleen. That is how people are addressed here. I think it is because their last names are long recitation of their ancestor’s names. So Duncan John Archie Jim Sandy would fit right in over here. Their official last name is about the last two or three grandfather’s names.
My gas bill so far has been 9 pounds total, that is $1.60. I do use the stove every day. A 15-20 minute taxi ride costs $5.45 or less. Twelve 1.5 liter bottles of Nestle bottled water costs $3.81. Four liters of fresh squeezed (before your eyes) orange juice costs 5.45. My electric bill since I arrived was $13.00.
Wednesday 12 March 2008
March 10,
I’ve been in Cairo for 2 months, hard to believe. I’m getting used to crossing the streets but still run like a chicken to get across, while more experienced people and locals stroll through traffic. Today on the way home we noticed a large block of marble by the side of the road, the kind we usually see being transported on the back of large trucks. A second glance revealed on the other side of the road the smashed up truck on which the huge block of marble/limestone had been sitting, with the driver still sitting in the truck.
The streets are set out in the English Roundabout system. Trouble is…. Cars go around these 8 or 9 armed roundabouts from all directions. The side walks are an obstacle course, where they still don’t have large signs or restaurants built on them they have holes, pieces of metal and wood sticking through the cement. Most of the time people walk on the road.
The black smoke from the vehicles is unbelievable. I don’t know how their vehicles are still running.
School is still fun, the children are interesting and very nice. It is always so great to see them learn. They are well behaved but exuberant which is to be expected, when you see how animated the adults are especially when they argue. The high school kids quite polite and agreeable. All teachers here are called by their first names with a Miss or Mr. I am Miss Colleen. That is how people are addressed here. I think it is because their last names are long recitation of their ancestor’s names. So Duncan John Archie Jim Sandy would fit right in over here. Their official last name is about the last two or three grandfather’s names.
My gas bill so far has been 9 pounds total, that is $1.60. I do use the stove every day. A 15-20 minute taxi ride costs $5.45 or less. Twelve 1.5 liter bottles of Nestle bottled water costs $3.81. Four liters of fresh squeezed (before your eyes) orange juice costs 5.45. My electric bill since I arrived was $13.00.
