Frogger

Does anyone remember the beloved video game Frogger? Did you ever want to be that lil' froggy and hop from moving log to moving log risking your lil' green life? Well, if you ever wanna play real life Frogger, come to Cairo and try to cross a street. I believe the only time Egyptians feel real empowerment is driving in their lil' Daewoos, Hyundais, and Peugeots. They will try to run you over just for the sport of it. There's a hand gesture (if you can imagine an Italian saying "bellisimo" with the hand kiss action - its similar) pedestrians use that's supposed to mean "slow down i'm crossing", but to some drivers i swear it means "speed up and yell at me loudly". I learned the word "Jax" which means a**hole, taxis and pedestrians alike use that one a lot. (Un & John, another reason not to name your zygote "Jack".)

Here's some pics

...Going to check out the churches tomorrow, but here's some pics in the meantime. Enjoy!

Walk like an Egyptian

I made it safe and sound! Flight was great! I flew business the first 9 hours to Frankfurt, which was the shortest long flight I've every taken. I ate dinner, watched Ocean's 13, fell asleep and I woke up as we were preparing for landing. Btw, my opinion about Germans in Germany have not changed from my last visit in April. I try not to generalize a whole population based on a few rude encounters, but it's challenging not to do that since everyone (i mean every service person: at the cafe at Fraport; ticketing people; flight attendants...) was sooooooooo rude, cold, unhelpful...why do the service people, e.g., ticketing counter person, act like they don't understand or speak English? Do I look menacing? Anyways, whatever, i'll give 'em another chance. Then the last 4 hours from Frankfurt to Cairo I flew economy, but the flight was hella empty and I sprawled across the four middle seats and slept the whole way - NICE! So, on the way to the hotel, we were sharing the road with an X5, S500, pre-1985 vehicles, donkey and cart, and random people just loitering in the streets. No lines on the roads. People drive both ways on one road with no lines! For instance, to get to the club building from the main tower of the hotel, the bell hop drove me in a golf cart against the flow of traffic (assuming there is a flow of traffic). So, if you can imagine, a golf cart on Fairfax County Parkway going North and traffic on either side going South - cray-G!I think traffic patterns will take a bit of time to get used to. However, I'm looking forward to the eats! All the locals are telling me about the feasts and fireworks at dusk for Ramadan, so I'm looking forward to that tonight (~if I can stay up). Much luv from your one & only Joo in Cairo.

A little piece of heaven

Church was a real blessing today. Three people were baptized. Yes, I cried. Not to get all existential on you, but I was sitting next to an Indian guy, a Black woman and her teenage son, behind me were some Asians, you get the point...It just made me think that this is how heaven's gonna be...praising with everyone no matter the color, language, culture, or smell (indian brother left me jones'n for some curry rice - no joke!) and Yes, I cried. A lot of crying goin on in my life right now...and I'm not even pregnant...I must be experiencing sympathy emotions because of Sandra. Oh! btw, for those of you who know my pregger sister, check out her blog via the link on this posting. Anyways, for those of you who believe, please pray that I can get plugged into a good church group quickly and that I will adapt quickly to the work and new team. ...oh, and of course, minimal GI issues. I was reminded after dinner today of how painful and disabling GI issues can be...I could go on, but I'll save the best for when I get to Cairo. LoL! :P (Btw, Fleming's Chocalate Lava Cake - Ah-Maze-Zing!)