Happy Thankgiving humility...

Happy Thankgiving to all! I learned a lesson in humilty this year. As we were headed to Thankgiving dinner for our team there were children asking for money or food when we have so much. Right there as we were headed to dinner. It is one thing when you see these kids on tv, or in some sort of comerical. However when they are walking along side you as you are celebrating a time to be thankful, it is heartbreaking to see these people that have nothing. As Americans we are truly blessed in so many countless ways. The hard thing being we could not give the kids all of our food, because then they would be ringing the doorbell unendingly of the place we were at and it is someones house. We give the kids candy most of the time or our leftovers, or we order extra food at the places we go to eat. There are always more children though that have absolutly nothing. How can we say no to children and watch them suffer I do not know. I was so proud of one of my students though for giving to a child that was begging for money when I went out with her. I guess the best way is to remember these people and children and continue to love them in any way that we are able. It was a definite lesson in humilty seeing the children each day and on thanksgiving it meant even more...

Cultural Differences in a good way :)

Today we were driving back from another persons house and we got to an intersection. Everyone at the intersection was looking out of their cars and just stopped. We could not see what was going on and tried to see around the cars eventually we saw that three cars had gotten into an accident. The amazing and awesome thing was that people were coming from everywhere out of their cars their little stands on the side of the street. Just leaving whatever they were doing to go and help the people that had just gotten into an accident. Part of the reason for this is that the ambulances are well not that effective or quick and you would rather not go to the doctors in this country. So what you have is the people around you. I was completely amazed at how many people there were enough people at each of the three cars to probably pick each car up and then some. The people are not affraid of getting sued or being late to some meeting, they just want to help in any way possible. This does not help in the whole traffic area, because everyone just jumps out of their cars and leaves them in the middle of intersections. I have never seen a better example of helping your neighbors though.

The Importance of Soccer...

I get to school today and hear that the phone has been ringing off the hook, because there is a holiday and all the parents want to know if there is school or not. I am completely confused as to what the holiday is. Can you guess? It is a soccer or football game Egypt vs Albania. About 10 of my kids were not in class today and we had to cancel conferences and go home early because the bridges were closing and it was going to be impossible to get anywhere. It is a new one I have had school cancelled for snow, ice, possibility of ice, but never for a soccer match. You learn something new every day :)

Something I did not mention before is that this game was the last qualifying game to get into the world cup and the winner being Algeria gets to go to the world cup! The airport was trashed and there was about 12,000 riot police out defending the country from being attacked. The traffic was ridiculous!

Laundry?

Attempting to do laundry here is quite entertaining. Yes your clothes smell clean, for about 5 minutes and then everything is dirty again. There is so much dirt and sand that even when you do wash things they still look dirty. This place sure is hard on clothing :) I mean we do have a washing machine and laundry detergent. We are not completely out in the boonies, it is just more difficult to think something is clean for a longer period of time when it has sweat stains after you have had it on for about 5 minutes.

First Arabic Lesson

I had my first Arabic lesson this week, lets just say it was entertaining. I did not speak any English, but we did translate between the two different dialects. Then we would both laugh and say oh Mush Kila (problem). It was the most I had laughed in a long time, plus later when my class had come back. Since my teacher is the same as one of the teachers for the class. One of my students was telling the teacher I speak Arabic and she said yeah and she speaks more than you do (In Arabic.) Lets just say it is going to be fun adventure learning another version of Arabic. Good thing I love languages!

A fun day at the Market

We decided to go shopping today at the market, kinda like what you may consider a mall. Except completely different :) Before you leave you have to wear your poor clothes so that the shop owners do not think you actually have money. Just getting there is an experience, you get in a rickshaw which is basically a scooter with a big backseat. Hope that you do not die, because well they are crazy drivers. Then watch the scenery and we were all hoping we were going in the correct direction, but none of us really knew. Lets call it a new definition of trust in a person you just met, well negotiated a price with, meeting is a little much for a man and a woman to do ;)

Then we get to the market and start wandering around, careful what you say or how you look at any object, or someone might think you want it. Once you decide you actually like something then the bargaining starts it goes something like this... except in Arabic...

Me: For these three things 15 pounds good.
Shop Owner (SO): No 45 good.
Me: Look of being appalled and insulted 45 is expensive!
SO: (smiling now cause I am a white person speaking and arguing in Arabic) 45 good price
Me: No 15 good price
SO: Ok 40, 40 good price this from good country, you get three.
Me: 15 is a good price, how much would you charge if I was not an American...
SO: (Laughing again) Ok for you I give you 35 cause you speak Arabic.
Me: But how much if I was from this country? (A lady walking by starts laughing)
SO: Same price, I give someone from here for 40 I give you 35.
Me: No 15 good or I dont want.
SO: (gets worried) Ok ok 30.
Me: 15
SO: 29, then 28, then 25.
Me: 15
SO: 20 good 20 Ok Finish.
Me: Ok but you better give me a good price I live here.
SO: Ok then you come back and see me again.

If the Shop owner is not defiant you know it is not a good price, and if all else fails walk away and the price goes down really quick.

Really it is fun, just can get frusterating because they all think because I am white I am rich.

Wouldn't you like to do all your clothes shopping in another language where you have to negotiate for prices?

Odd things about my new home...

I have not updated my blog in a while, so I decided to tell you some of what it is like to live in my new home.

• When the power goes out no one even blinks, and you usually still have internet.
• You sweat all day long.
• You think it is a nice day when it is only 80 in the morning.
• Your kids are freezing and you are sweating. (Miss turn off the fan!)
• You never knew you could love the little Tweety bird so much! This is a place that serves smoothies.
• The electricity can run out in your classroom while you are trying to work there on the weekend, and you have to go somewhere else. They buy electricity pre-paid.

I am not sure what else to tell you guys about my new home so you should ask me questions! More later :)