January 18, 2008

Caught up on sleep this morning, got up at nine. Went to see another apartment, this one wasn’t very clean and had mould. Had a mould detector with me1 Linda C is very allergic to mold and loses her voice when she comes in contact with mold. Well she lost her voice a few min after we walked in. Later we went driving around town. Went to a leather coat shop where they craft their own coats. Bought a very nice jacket for ….$61 dollars!! Cheaper than getting an ordinary coat. I’m piggy backing on someone nearby’s wireless. Couldn’t get on last night because I wasn’t sitting in the exact place where I can get the wireless.

January 17, 2008

I'm cold because it is cold here plus we are teaching in a cold cold school. Much of it open to the air, only classrooms and specific rooms are closed from the outside air. The hall ways are open to the outside, balconies really. But then by 3:00 it heats up to quite hot. Our classrooms all have a heater which is AC in summer and heater in winter. Got to go in as soon as we get there to turn on my classroom heat and warm up before school starts. Temp in morning is 9 degrees. Not in my own place yet but saw an awesome place tonight for 3000 LE = $600 a month. The school pays 1700 LE + $340 so it would cost me 260 for a month. This one has 3 bedrooms, awesome furniture, Cable TV, Microwave, toaster over, kettle, dishes and utensils, bedding and more. The appt is huge. Might get it , will see tomorrow. Admin very, very supportive, staff excellent and friendly, we are all in the same boat, adventurers, such a learning experience. The kids are fun, very loving and interesting and rich!!! But still kids. Coming here was a good move, it is such an adventure and the people are great. The Egyptians are such a warm people. There are so many caste levels, There are many children who do not go to school we see them working on the streets. Families live in unheated hovels and in abandoned apt buildings. A good carpenter would make about 500-800 LE a month. That is about $100-$160 a month. We are considered very rich. When I get my apt I will have most likely 3 bedrooms and a huge living room. My weekend just started, Thursday, no school Fri, start again on Sunday.

January 16, 2008

Jan 16, 2008 This morning on the way to school we stopped to pick up another colleague. Had to wait about 10 minutes for he was stuck in the elevator. I guess it is quite common, power goes out, elevator stops, no big deal. I have my climate more under control, I wear many layers and the big shawl Susan Mallette gave me. Right in style, everyone wears them, men, women, children and foreign teachers. Even has the same label! I figured out why there are so many Egyptian support staff. In any company in Egypt the company must hire 8 Egyptians for every foreign worker. Classes are small but spirited, the children need lots of work on following direction, lots! Following the www.irlen.com recommendations, left off my fluorescent lights today and there was almost definite behavior improvement in my most, most impulsive student. I hope this continues. Going to look an another apartment tonight I think. Barry goes with me for he knows the score, what to look in, where to look under and how to bargain. The floors are all cement and I think most tubs are pre poured with cement when the house is built for all the walls inside are cement. No need to worry about sound between two rooms when you have about a foot of cement, must be a challenge to hang a picture

This is model of our school

 

Road Runners

 

On the road in Egypt

 

January 15, 2008

January 15, 2008 Third day of school, I am staying at Linda’s and Barry’s. Went looking for an apartment. last night. Looked at one, not too bad, it had two large bedrooms, large L room and a good sized kitchen, all furnished, TV, Washer, bedding and some dishes. It was clean and no cockroaches or creatures. It has a balcony to both bedrooms and on the third floor. This will cost about 3000 LE, the school will pay more than half, that would leave me paying about $200 a month. Lots of room for visitors. The children are very nice, some ridiculously rich but you can’t tell, they all wear uniforms. Rearranged my classroom today, it is my room now. The whole place is made of cement, the floors and the walls. It makes a wicked amount of noise when they scrape the chairs on the floor. Every morning they play O Canada and the Egyptian Anthem. Thought I wouldn’t be hearing that again in a school setting. Didn’t think I would be supervising lunch in the cafeteria again as well. This is a good school, the administration is supportive and staff very willing to help. Only complaint is …..I thought this was a tropical country. I wear layers and layers…ay least 6 every day. Each classroom has a heater the teacher turns on when she/he comes in the morning. The open layout of the school doesn’t add warmth either, all the doors open to an outside hall way. Driving home today…. I still can’t get over the people running across the road in traffic. Also they transport workers crammed together on the back of little trucks. Took some pictures and the occupants of the truck were all smiling and waving. Typical… such a warm friendly nation.