Don’t know how many of you have been following the recent news out of Egypt concerning the unrest and demonstrations. We’ve tried to get in touch with some of our friends there but the government shut down the internet. Things look pretty tense there right now. This comes at the beginning of prime overseas teaching recruiting which may affect schools in that region as they attempt to hire new staff. This is also a prime season for tourism, probably the major industry for Egypt. A few years ago, while visiting Jordan, we spoke with a person who told us that she felt that Egypt was primed for a revolution because of the disparity of wealth within the country. As food and housing prices continue to rise and unemployment at a all-time high, her words seem prophetic now.
We hope that people in the West do not form their opinions of this wonderful country based on video clips on CNN or Fox News. If you do, you will have a false impression of what the people are like. The vast majority of people are friendly and warm towards Westerners and the unrest you see portrayed on television is the pent-up hostilities towards a government that has not been responsive to the needs of their citizens. We hope that the events of the past few days do not open the door to radical elements to seize control of the government and institute a radical Islamic state. We certainly hope that peace, order and stability are restored soon to that area.
Friday, January 28
Saturday, July 11
Saturday, July 11
We picked up our shipment from Egypt yesterday and unpacked everything this morning. Everything came through fine with no damage or loss. This officially closes the book on our three year Egyptian experience. When we decided to “take the plunge” three years ago, we honestly did not know what to expect. Obviously our experience exceeded any possible expectations that we may have had. We found the country, the school, the people and the culture very fascinating. It is hard to describe how this has affected us. Over the course of three years, we have taught with teachers from many different states, Canada, New Zealand, Korea, and of course Egypt. We have taught students from 20 different countries. And we have traveled to Thailand, Greece, Italy, Sicily, Crete, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, Austria, Spain, Turkey, Belgium, Jordan and of course throughout Egypt.
It has not always been easy but it has always been interesting. People everywhere are pretty much the same. They all want better lives for their children, a job that will provide for their families and a home that is safe. It is interesting when we made our decision to go overseas, many family members and friends were concerned about our safety, yet each June when we would leave Egypt to come home for the summer, our Egyptian friends would be concerned about our safety in the States. It is all a matter of perception and what the media shows. We have often said that during our three years we have never felt any danger or threats of any kind. People have been extremely kind and helpful to us. We’ve learned that we can get along with a lot less “stuff” than we had in the states and that a smile and “hello” can go along ways in a different culture.
We’ve given up some things to come abroad – missed out on events for our family and friends and given up some aspects of our lives that we had grown accustomed to. But we have also had the opportunity to share our experience with our family as our son, daughter and grandson, my sister and her husband and Pat’s two sisters and two of her cousins have been able to come over to visit and learn firsthand what another culture is really like from a resident standpoint off the beaten tourist path. It’s too bad that our experts in the government don’t take the time to actually live with the locals for an extended period of time – perhaps if they did relations between countries but be more amicable.
We will miss the friends that we have met over the past three years – teaching is teaching no matter where one is, but the relationships that you form along the way with others is what makes this such a rewarding experience. We will never forget the students, staff, friends and families we have shared both joy and sorrow with the past three years – we know there will always be a place in our hearts for them.
We hope that you have enjoyed reading about our overseas experience – in August we will take to the air again and leave for Tokyo, Japan. I’m sure it will be a very different and very interesting experience for us, one we are looking forward to. We hope to be able to share our experiences with you in a new blog (The Rising Sun @ http://macissh.blogspot.com/).
It has not always been easy but it has always been interesting. People everywhere are pretty much the same. They all want better lives for their children, a job that will provide for their families and a home that is safe. It is interesting when we made our decision to go overseas, many family members and friends were concerned about our safety, yet each June when we would leave Egypt to come home for the summer, our Egyptian friends would be concerned about our safety in the States. It is all a matter of perception and what the media shows. We have often said that during our three years we have never felt any danger or threats of any kind. People have been extremely kind and helpful to us. We’ve learned that we can get along with a lot less “stuff” than we had in the states and that a smile and “hello” can go along ways in a different culture.
We’ve given up some things to come abroad – missed out on events for our family and friends and given up some aspects of our lives that we had grown accustomed to. But we have also had the opportunity to share our experience with our family as our son, daughter and grandson, my sister and her husband and Pat’s two sisters and two of her cousins have been able to come over to visit and learn firsthand what another culture is really like from a resident standpoint off the beaten tourist path. It’s too bad that our experts in the government don’t take the time to actually live with the locals for an extended period of time – perhaps if they did relations between countries but be more amicable.
We will miss the friends that we have met over the past three years – teaching is teaching no matter where one is, but the relationships that you form along the way with others is what makes this such a rewarding experience. We will never forget the students, staff, friends and families we have shared both joy and sorrow with the past three years – we know there will always be a place in our hearts for them.
We hope that you have enjoyed reading about our overseas experience – in August we will take to the air again and leave for Tokyo, Japan. I’m sure it will be a very different and very interesting experience for us, one we are looking forward to. We hope to be able to share our experiences with you in a new blog (The Rising Sun @ http://macissh.blogspot.com/).
Friday, July 3
Friday, July 03
We arrived home safely Sunday evening around 10:45 at the Waterloo Airport. We had left Brussels at 9:05 AM and had connecting flights to Frankfurt (1 hour), Chicago (8 and ½ hours), Minneapolis (1 hour) and finally a 45 minute flight to Waterloo. All flights were on time and the lines moved quickly through security.
Our final day at Schutz (June 20th) was spent with those we have grown very close to over the past three years. My technology assistant Islam and his family came over for a little while in the afternoon. Islam has been a very important cog in our technology development. He has excellent rapport with the staff and has shown a willingness to do whatever he is asked to keep things running smooth. Later on we said goodbyes to many of the local staff workers (the kitchen and cleaning crews). These workers are the unsung heroes of the school. They take such good care of us and treat us as members of their families. We will really miss their friendly smiles and greetings each day. In the late afternoon, we went out to Montazah and spent two hours with Debbie, Mahmoud, Alaa, Ji Yung, Barb, Jaida and Lobna at Lobna’s cabana on the sea. It was a nice way to spend our final hours with these dear friends who have given us so much in terms of friendship and support over the past three years. They have opened up their hearts to us and shared their wonderful culture with us. No matter where we are, they will always be with us.
We left Egypt early in the morning on the 21st. It was a quiet ride to the airport as we drove down Schutz Street for the final time. We flew to Frankfurt and then on to Brussels (known as the Capital of Europe – home to the European Union), arriving around 10:00 a.m. We took the train from the airport to the north station in Brussels and then walked (around 5 to 10 minutes) to the Hotel La Plaza. We rested a little at the hotel and then spent a while walking and exploring the area around the hotel. Brussels is a city of approximately 1 million yet the area we were in was very easy to navigate. The first thing we noticed was how early the stores closed (5:30 to 6:00) and how late the sun is up. It was light until 10:00 p.m. each day.
On Monday, after a hearty breakfast at the hotel, we walked over to the main or “Grand Square” and took the “Brussels Bike Tour” with another couple from the states. We biked nearly 12 miles throughout the city, stopping at various historical and cultural sites. Traffic was light in some areas and heavy in others so you had to be alert, especially at intersections. Bikers are frequent and the laws are “bike friendly” as you can go either way on one-way streets and there are numerous lanes and paths to follow. The tour lasted 4 hours and we saw the following: Manneken-Pis, Royal Palace, Royal Garden, European Parliament, Palais de Justice, St. Catherine’s Cathedral and a few others.
Halfway through the tour, we stopped at “Maison Antoine” for what has been called the best “fries” in the world. Belgium fries are cooked for 8 to 10 minutes, allowed to “breathe” and then fried for another 2 to 3 minutes. They are served in a cone shaped wrapper with your choice of toppings (ketchup, curry ketchup, mayo and several other toppings). After the bike tour, we explored the area around the Grand Square before grabbing a bite to eat and heading back to the hotel.
On Tuesday, we decided that we wanted to go back to several of the sites we had briefly visited on the bike tour so we took the “Brussels City Bus Hop On and Hop Off Tour” in a large double deck open top bus. The entire tour takes about 90 minutes but you get off and explore at the various stops for as long as you wish as another bus comes along about every 30 minutes. We decided to stop and spend extra time at the “Atomium”, a unique monument built for Expo '58, the 1958 Brussels World's Fair. Designed by André Waterkeyn, it is 102-metres (335 ft) tall, with nine steel spheres connected so that the whole forms the shape of a unit cell of an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times.Tubes which connect the spheres along the 12 edges of the cube and all eight vertices to the centre enclose escalators connecting the spheres which contain exhibit halls and other public spaces. The top sphere provides a panoramic view of Brussels. The other site we wanted to spend extra time at was the the Parc du Cinquantenaire which was established in 1880 to commemorate the country's 50th anniversary. Its centerpiece is the monumental Palais du Cinquantenaire, the two wings of which, linked in 1905 by a massive triumphal arch designed by the French architect Charles Girault, The highlight of this stop was a visit to the “Autoworld” museum, home to over 550 vintage cars and other vehicles. Most come from private collections. Among them are all the best known names including Mercedes-Benz, Horch, Opel, Minerva, Cadillac, Rolls Royce, Hispano Suiza, Ford, Humber, Bentley, Packard and Oldsmobile.
On Wednesday we took the train (for 12.5 Euro each) to Bruges, the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. The historic city centre is a prominent World Heritage Site of UNESCO. The city's total population is 120,000, of which around 20,000 live in the historic centre. Along with a few other canal-based northern cities, such as Amsterdam, it is sometimes referred to as "The Venice of the North". Bruges has a significant economic importance thanks to its port. At one time it was the "chief commercial city" of the world. Along the way to Bruges, we passed through the lovely Belgium countryside which featured picturesque farms which small fields, dairy cows and well kept homes and buildings. It is hard to imagine that this area was a virtual moonscape during to extensive bombing and shelling during World War I. We noticed many bikes along the narrow paved roads. Our hotel (Martin’s Brugge) was located right in the heart of the colorful historical area right behind the “Belfry” and Main Square. Early in the evening, we took a 30 minute canal ride throughout the city. The “captain” of the boat provided a colorful description of many of the key areas in both English and French.
On Thursday, we took a memorable “Flanders Fields” day trip. This tour concentrates on the WW I battlefields of the “Ypres Salient.” This area was a prime battle area between the allies and the Germans. The operator of the tour was very knowledgeable about the war and the area and provided much information throughout the day. In addition, she shared many “personal interest” stories about the war and the long lasting effects of the “Great War.” Each year, unexploded shells and bodies are still being unearthed. Farmers have to be especially careful when they plow their fields.
Highlights of the tour included a restored trench, British Commonwealth War Cemeteries, the Essex Farm Field Dressing Station and the beautiful city off Ypres which was completely destroyed and now has been rebuilt to medieval plans. The cemeteries were very solemn sites – many of the head stones read “A soldier of the Great War” as identification was unknown. One of the head stones had the name of the soldier along with his age (15). A whole generation was lost in this terrible war that featured 19th century battle plans and techniques along with 20th century weapons. At the Essex Farm Field Dressing Station, our guide introduced us to the famous “Flanders Field” poem written by Dr. John McCrae who treated many of the casualties:
In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918) Canadian Army
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
On Friday, we toured sites in Bruges such as the Fries Museum, the Chocolate Museum (to see how the famous Belgium chocolate truffles are made) and the History of Light Museum. Later on in the afternoon, we took a carriage ride of the city and then toured the Basilica of the Precious Blood where we viewed blood that is said to have come from Jesus. Bruges is an interesting city to visit. We tasted the famous Belgium waffles (Pat likes hers plain while I prefer chocolate on mine!) as we strolled the cobblestone streets with the many sidewalk cafes. The lifestyle in Bruges and Brussels was pretty laid back, the cities were clean and easy to navigate and the weather was in the mid-70’s during the day. As we traveled back to Brussels on Saturday prior to our flight back to the states, we were struck by the phrase that we heard early in our trip to Belgium: “In Belgium, people work to live – not live to work!”
Thursday, June 18
Thursday, June 18
It has been a very memorable and emotional last week for us here in Egypt. Sunday evening we traveled out to our favorite fish restaurant “Zypherion” with Massimo, Denny and Barb for an evening of good conversation and great food. The shrimp are really mis-named as they are far from small in size and grilled to perfection. We tried “bream” for the main fish and it was tender and flakey – almost melting in your mouth. On Tuesday, we had our final staff meeting of the year. It is customary to say “goodbye” to the departing staff and present them with gifts. This year, there are four others leaving along with Pat and I. It was a very nice presentation.
After the meeting, we were invited out to the “Fish Market” for a going away dinner primarily with local hire staff. Over the past three years, we have taught with many foreign hire staff as turnover has been somewhat high and it is local hire staff that has been our constant. Again it was another evening of great food (the mezes are the best in Alex), great company and wonderful memories of the past three years. It is very hard for us to describe or explain the impact this experience has had on us personally as well as professionally. The staff opens their hearts to us and truly make this wonderful country just like home for us. It is said that one is not the same after having seen the sunset on the other side of the world. The highest compliment that we have received is that we have become Egyptian – and those of you who have visited this wonderful country know how special that is.
Wednesday I taught my final class at school. Actually it is semester finals week and my last class is a service class in which I have one student, a young lady (Alaa) whom I have had for the past three years. To say she is a special student would be an understatement. In all of my years of education, I don’t know if I have had anyone quite like her. Towards the end of class, Pat came over along with our good friend Denny. Alaa took over (as she has often done in class) and showed a video she had made for me. In education, you often do not know what impact you have made on a student’s life but on Wednesday she gave me that opportunity. Early on when she took my class three years ago, I was the teacher and she was the student but as time passed, there were many times when she became the teacher and I became the student as she shared her fascinating culture with me. Tonight Alaa graduated along with 12 other outstanding students. Graduation at Schutz is indeed a special event. Four students give speeches and all did a wonderful job focusing in on the teamwork and togetherness that characterized this class. Although small in number, they have certainly left a lasting impact on our school. They will be missed.
Graduation is special for other reasons as well. We were reunited with several staff who retired last year and came back to celebrate the class of 2009. All of these former staff members had worked at the school for several years and truly represent all that is good about the school. I think also because we are such a small school, graduation is perhaps a little more meaningful as you really get to know the students and their parents and they are very appreciative of all that teachers do.
After the meeting, we were invited out to the “Fish Market” for a going away dinner primarily with local hire staff. Over the past three years, we have taught with many foreign hire staff as turnover has been somewhat high and it is local hire staff that has been our constant. Again it was another evening of great food (the mezes are the best in Alex), great company and wonderful memories of the past three years. It is very hard for us to describe or explain the impact this experience has had on us personally as well as professionally. The staff opens their hearts to us and truly make this wonderful country just like home for us. It is said that one is not the same after having seen the sunset on the other side of the world. The highest compliment that we have received is that we have become Egyptian – and those of you who have visited this wonderful country know how special that is.
Wednesday I taught my final class at school. Actually it is semester finals week and my last class is a service class in which I have one student, a young lady (Alaa) whom I have had for the past three years. To say she is a special student would be an understatement. In all of my years of education, I don’t know if I have had anyone quite like her. Towards the end of class, Pat came over along with our good friend Denny. Alaa took over (as she has often done in class) and showed a video she had made for me. In education, you often do not know what impact you have made on a student’s life but on Wednesday she gave me that opportunity. Early on when she took my class three years ago, I was the teacher and she was the student but as time passed, there were many times when she became the teacher and I became the student as she shared her fascinating culture with me. Tonight Alaa graduated along with 12 other outstanding students. Graduation at Schutz is indeed a special event. Four students give speeches and all did a wonderful job focusing in on the teamwork and togetherness that characterized this class. Although small in number, they have certainly left a lasting impact on our school. They will be missed.
Graduation is special for other reasons as well. We were reunited with several staff who retired last year and came back to celebrate the class of 2009. All of these former staff members had worked at the school for several years and truly represent all that is good about the school. I think also because we are such a small school, graduation is perhaps a little more meaningful as you really get to know the students and their parents and they are very appreciative of all that teachers do.
Monday, June 15
Monday, June 15
President Obama’s speech was well received throughout Egypt. This televised event probably was viewed by nearly as many people as who typically watch soccer matches. It is clear that the President has made a connection to the people here. While they were impressed with his words, they are anxious to see if the actions of the US government reflect the words of its leader.
Two previous Schutz staff recently returned for a visit. Last year’s first grade teacher, Barbara, and our good friend from two years ago, Denny, flew in late last week. Denny will be here for graduation while Barb has returned to teach summer school and will stay on to teach 1st grade next year. It has been quite a treat to have them here as they like to get off campus and walk and explore the sights and sounds of this wonderful city. Most of the government schools have released their students for the year and as the temperature is rising, the crowds on the Corniche and the beaches of the Mediterranean have increased dramatically. People are out cooling down from the warm weather with a stroll along the Med or a dip into the sea.
On Saturday, the movers came to pack us up for our return to the states. While we didn’t think we had purchased much (and we did send a very large suitcase home in April with our family), we ended up with 10 boxes which will be shipped home. The crew came in a U-Haul type truck with several employees – three in the cab of the truck and at least a half dozen in the back of the U-Haul. They also packed up another couple who is heading back to the states. Our apartment is pretty barren right now and it certainly seems more like we are indeed leaving.
There have been a few cases of swine flu reported in Cairo and one or two in Alexandria the past week. Parents are getting very nervous about this and in some cases are keeping their children home, especially at the lower school. We had a sleepover on Thursday and some parents would not allow their children to attend. The school is trying an outside vendor to provide food for the Canteen on a trial basis and we had a few cases of food poisoning reported as well.
Two previous Schutz staff recently returned for a visit. Last year’s first grade teacher, Barbara, and our good friend from two years ago, Denny, flew in late last week. Denny will be here for graduation while Barb has returned to teach summer school and will stay on to teach 1st grade next year. It has been quite a treat to have them here as they like to get off campus and walk and explore the sights and sounds of this wonderful city. Most of the government schools have released their students for the year and as the temperature is rising, the crowds on the Corniche and the beaches of the Mediterranean have increased dramatically. People are out cooling down from the warm weather with a stroll along the Med or a dip into the sea.
On Saturday, the movers came to pack us up for our return to the states. While we didn’t think we had purchased much (and we did send a very large suitcase home in April with our family), we ended up with 10 boxes which will be shipped home. The crew came in a U-Haul type truck with several employees – three in the cab of the truck and at least a half dozen in the back of the U-Haul. They also packed up another couple who is heading back to the states. Our apartment is pretty barren right now and it certainly seems more like we are indeed leaving.
There have been a few cases of swine flu reported in Cairo and one or two in Alexandria the past week. Parents are getting very nervous about this and in some cases are keeping their children home, especially at the lower school. We had a sleepover on Thursday and some parents would not allow their children to attend. The school is trying an outside vendor to provide food for the Canteen on a trial basis and we had a few cases of food poisoning reported as well.
Wednesday, June 3
Wednesday, June 3
During the past week we have taken part in several events and activities which have been thoroughly enjoyable. Last Friday we had our regular movie outing with Debbie and Mahmoud. We saw “Angels and Demons”, the new Tom Hanks movie. As we were waiting outside at Green Plaza for Debbie and Mahmoud before the movie, a man from Malaysia who spoke very good English came over, introduced himself and began talking to us. He is an engineer working on a project at the Alexandria Power Station. The hours are very long and he has only one day off a week. Because of the traffic in Alex, he is very hesitant to use taxis so he hasn’t gotten out much and certainly hasn’t met hardly any ex-pats who speak English. He joined us after the movie for supper and we enjoyed talking with him as he told us much about the Oriental culture that we will be joining in August. We tried to convince him to venture out in taxis to see the sights of Alec, but I don’t think we were able to .
On Saturday, we were invited over to one of our student’s home to meet with her and her fiancée. Her fiancée is hoping to get a fellowship at Harvard Medical and they plan to marry in a year. They wanted to talk to us about life in the States as well as things they need to consider financially when they live there. While the marriage is not arranged, it is a very traditional Islamic courtship. They were introduced by mutual friends with the intent to find a suitable marriage partner. They do not “date” in the Western sense as they always have a chaperone and family members around. Outing usually take place in family settings and they focus on conversations and making sure they are compatible. They became engaged late last summer and now are planning the rest of their lives together. They plan to marry after he goes to the States for the first year of his fellowship – but would like to be married before he leaves on paper and then live together as man and wife after his first year. Both families are in the upper class and are very traditional. The young lady lives in a “villa-mansion” that the family purchased 17 years ago in an area by the British Consulate. It took them nearly 7 years to renovate the home before they moved in. The home took up nearly a block with the yard and was completely surrounded by a high wall. The interior was decorated in a French provincial theme. We enjoyed a lunch that seemed more like a banquet in a large dining room with a table that seated probably 15 guests. It was a very pleasant and entertaining afternoon.
On Monday, we were invited to a birthday party for the two children of my assistant, Islam. Our friend Bev, who has been visiting Egypt, returned from a trip to Cairo and jointed us. The birthday was much like one we had attended earlier this spring except it there more family members present. Both sets of grandparents and the sisters of the parents were present with their children. Islam and his wife have two children (Adam, age 3 and Farida, age 1). It was really only Adam’s birthday, but Farida missed having a party a month earlier because of the chicken pox. It was really neat meeting all of the family members and learning about their everyday lives. Families are so close knit. Many live in close proximity to one another. In the States, young people often leave home and go off to other parts of the state or country for a variety of reasons – one of which is to make their own mark on the world. In this culture, if you want to make your own mark, you often do it in the confines of the neighborhood you grew up in.
On Tuesday, the resident teaching staff held an appreciation supper for all of the workers who make our lives here so worry free. The workers and their families were invited and it was such fun to go around to each table and meet the families of the workers. Everyone was dressed in the “Sunday” or in this culture “Friday” best. The workers were so proud to introduce their family members to us and for both Pat and I this was a real highlight of the evening as we were given the opportunity to show our gratitude to the workers and their wonderful families. Many of our workers have young children and both Pat and I were able to hold very young babies so their parents could eat their meals. For those of you who have never been here, the workers include cleaners, cooks, drivers, gardeners, security workers, painters, electricians, carpenters, etc. They are very special to us.
As you may know, President Obama is coming to Egypt on Thursday to present a major speech to the Arab World. He will be speaking in Cairo at one of the universities. Bev, our friend, was in Cairo last week and told us that many steps were undertaken to clean up the city. The people here are very anxious and excited to hear what the President will say. Needless to say, the current President of the US is far more popular than the previous President was.
On Saturday, we were invited over to one of our student’s home to meet with her and her fiancée. Her fiancée is hoping to get a fellowship at Harvard Medical and they plan to marry in a year. They wanted to talk to us about life in the States as well as things they need to consider financially when they live there. While the marriage is not arranged, it is a very traditional Islamic courtship. They were introduced by mutual friends with the intent to find a suitable marriage partner. They do not “date” in the Western sense as they always have a chaperone and family members around. Outing usually take place in family settings and they focus on conversations and making sure they are compatible. They became engaged late last summer and now are planning the rest of their lives together. They plan to marry after he goes to the States for the first year of his fellowship – but would like to be married before he leaves on paper and then live together as man and wife after his first year. Both families are in the upper class and are very traditional. The young lady lives in a “villa-mansion” that the family purchased 17 years ago in an area by the British Consulate. It took them nearly 7 years to renovate the home before they moved in. The home took up nearly a block with the yard and was completely surrounded by a high wall. The interior was decorated in a French provincial theme. We enjoyed a lunch that seemed more like a banquet in a large dining room with a table that seated probably 15 guests. It was a very pleasant and entertaining afternoon.
On Monday, we were invited to a birthday party for the two children of my assistant, Islam. Our friend Bev, who has been visiting Egypt, returned from a trip to Cairo and jointed us. The birthday was much like one we had attended earlier this spring except it there more family members present. Both sets of grandparents and the sisters of the parents were present with their children. Islam and his wife have two children (Adam, age 3 and Farida, age 1). It was really only Adam’s birthday, but Farida missed having a party a month earlier because of the chicken pox. It was really neat meeting all of the family members and learning about their everyday lives. Families are so close knit. Many live in close proximity to one another. In the States, young people often leave home and go off to other parts of the state or country for a variety of reasons – one of which is to make their own mark on the world. In this culture, if you want to make your own mark, you often do it in the confines of the neighborhood you grew up in.
On Tuesday, the resident teaching staff held an appreciation supper for all of the workers who make our lives here so worry free. The workers and their families were invited and it was such fun to go around to each table and meet the families of the workers. Everyone was dressed in the “Sunday” or in this culture “Friday” best. The workers were so proud to introduce their family members to us and for both Pat and I this was a real highlight of the evening as we were given the opportunity to show our gratitude to the workers and their wonderful families. Many of our workers have young children and both Pat and I were able to hold very young babies so their parents could eat their meals. For those of you who have never been here, the workers include cleaners, cooks, drivers, gardeners, security workers, painters, electricians, carpenters, etc. They are very special to us.
As you may know, President Obama is coming to Egypt on Thursday to present a major speech to the Arab World. He will be speaking in Cairo at one of the universities. Bev, our friend, was in Cairo last week and told us that many steps were undertaken to clean up the city. The people here are very anxious and excited to hear what the President will say. Needless to say, the current President of the US is far more popular than the previous President was.
Saturday, May 23
May 23
Our high school prom, scheduled for last night, was cancelled. If you have been reading the news during the past few days concerning Egypt, you may have read about a major criminal trial in Cairo. The verdict came in on Wednesday and it affects not only the nation as a whole but our little school personally.
The case involves a very wealthy man who was changed with hiring a “hit” man to murder a well-known entertainer in Dubai with whom he had been romantically involved with. The man has had children attend our school as well as numerous nephews. He headed a real estate conglomerate, was a member of the upper house of Parliament and had close ties to the family of President Hosni Mubarak. He was part of the most elite strata of Egyptian society, one that Egyptians have long assumed to operate beyond the reach of the law.
However, Egyptians have been growing increasingly frustrated with two scales of justice, one for the poor and one for the rich. And there was pressure from Dubai, which was unwilling to let a murderer walk, no matter how rich and connected. The investigation proceeded and both the “hit” man and the businessman were arrested, charged and tried for the crime. Perhaps due to pressure from the United Arab Emirates and others, the current government felt the costs would be too high if they attempted to intervene in the proceedings although the court proceedings were held behind closed doors.
In the Egyptian courts, the verdict for the crime and sentence (if guilty) are both handed down at the same time. Both the “hit” man and the businessman were found guilty and sentenced to be executed on June 25th. The businessman claims that he is a victim of jealously for his success. There will be an appeal but as of now, the execution is scheduled to take place on June 25th, one week after graduation.
The case involves a very wealthy man who was changed with hiring a “hit” man to murder a well-known entertainer in Dubai with whom he had been romantically involved with. The man has had children attend our school as well as numerous nephews. He headed a real estate conglomerate, was a member of the upper house of Parliament and had close ties to the family of President Hosni Mubarak. He was part of the most elite strata of Egyptian society, one that Egyptians have long assumed to operate beyond the reach of the law.
However, Egyptians have been growing increasingly frustrated with two scales of justice, one for the poor and one for the rich. And there was pressure from Dubai, which was unwilling to let a murderer walk, no matter how rich and connected. The investigation proceeded and both the “hit” man and the businessman were arrested, charged and tried for the crime. Perhaps due to pressure from the United Arab Emirates and others, the current government felt the costs would be too high if they attempted to intervene in the proceedings although the court proceedings were held behind closed doors.
In the Egyptian courts, the verdict for the crime and sentence (if guilty) are both handed down at the same time. Both the “hit” man and the businessman were found guilty and sentenced to be executed on June 25th. The businessman claims that he is a victim of jealously for his success. There will be an appeal but as of now, the execution is scheduled to take place on June 25th, one week after graduation.
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