Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Coffee Anyone?

You Are an Espresso

At your best, you are: straight shooting, ambitious, and energetic

At your worst, you are: anxious and high strung

You drink coffee when: anytime you're not sleeping

Your caffeine addiction level: high

Monday, September 11, 2006

Rough Week

This past week has been really rough. Our little community here has suffered a great loss. The staff is all fairly exhausted and emotionally drained. I haven't been here as long as the others, so my role is more one of emotional support than personal grief. It's still pretty tiring. I am having on of those weeks where I feel like I just can't get ahead of things. I really enjoy my job, but I think it's going to take at least a year before I will be comfortable enough with the material and in the classroom to face a day without extreme amounts of time and preparation going into it.

Sunday, September 03, 2006

Engagement

I have now gotten engaged three times. The first time, was the necessary cultural engagement, with parents approval. Culturally it's inappropriate for a couple to go out together without that, and since we plan to live in this culture, we must follow it's rules. Our parents chatted and basically both gave their approval to our relationship. The second time was just three days ago when John proposed on a sailboat on the Nile. I must say the Nile provides an excellent stage for romance. That was our engagement, not for anyone else but us. The third time was last night at our Khotuba, or engagement party. It was almost a wedding in itself. I had the hair, the nails, the make-up done. Family and friends gathered. I was hidden from my fiance until he came to usher me into the party with everyone watching, including the professional videographer and photographer who was hired for the event. We exchanged rings. John's uncle did a special message and prayed over us. We ate lots of good Egyptian food. We toasted and fed each other wedding cake. It was quite an event. So now, after all that, I think I'm quite officially engaged. No questions about it. Who wants to help me plan the wedding?