Just thought people would be interested in the bizarre collection of things I love when I am in the US and miss when I'm at home in Egypt:
1) Flavored soft drinks. Like Diet Vanilla Coke, or Diet Cherry Dr.Pepper
2) TV TV TV-- I get to watch House and CSI whenever I want to. And I have more than just a single channel showing US drama shows, mostly reruns.
3) A fast Internet connection that lets me download TV shows (to watch in Egypt) and upload multiple pictures to my blog in just a couple minutes (as opposed to forever).
4) Mexican food and drinkable tap water (though we do sometimes drink tap water in Egypt)
5) Not getting stared at (too much) while out and about with Maya. And no whispers, comments or rude queries. Plus when I am out alone I am completely invisible (socially that is).
6) The Gap, Old Navy and Childrens Place. Plus the entire Crayola brand.
7) Ethiopian restaurants.
8) Online grocery shopping (OK I've never actually done this, but I would so love to). Or just the basic ability to buy something, anything online on amazon.
9) Public libraries (and free storytime) and public parks with playgrounds.
10) Traffic lights that people obey, and sane traffic.
On the other side of the spectrum, here are things I like about being abroad in Egypt.
1) Maya eating fresh, juicy, dribbly mango on the balcony with Mike, and it's not expensive.
2) Tibby, and the ability to afford a nanny for Maya.
3) The Ethiopian community generally (fits in with no. 2)
4) Subsidized gasoline
5) Fluffy Egyptian cotton towels
6) Labna (Arab bitter yoghurt - a major staple of our diet)
7) Free home delivery of everything from prescription drugs (no prescription needed) to groceries to restaurant meals.
8) The Veg Box
9) The weather (except in July and August)
10) Our friends and Maya's school (which I am liking again after recently suffering from school envy...)
Wednesday, 31 December 2008
In the Shop
Maya has also been helping her grandpa out in the shop. She's been pounding and painting. With real (kid size) hammers and real nails. She also made a nifty coat rack for her bedroom that we are going to cart back to Egypt with us...
This was also pre-Christmas. I'll post the Christmas Day photos once I upload them from the camera.
Tuesday, 30 December 2008
Refugees again
Thanks to all who voted for Mike's idea to help refugees, many of them from the Horn of Africa. Mike is in third place in the humanitarian relief category and needs to keep getting more votes to make it into the final round of voting. If you haven't voted yet, please do it now. Thanks again.
Just follow these steps:
1) Join Change.org at https://www.change.org/admin/sign_up
2) Read Mike's proposal and vote on it by going to: http://www.change.org/ideas/view/usa_refugee_corps_-_export_hope_and_revitalize_our_national_moral_standing You should see your vote register and the number of votes go up! If you don't see that happen, try voting again. If you have already voted, then please - please - find some colleagues or friends, and tell them about this idea. Ask them to vote.
Just follow these steps:
1) Join Change.org at https://www.change.org/admin/sign_up
2) Read Mike's proposal and vote on it by going to: http://www.change.org/ideas/view/usa_refugee_corps_-_export_hope_and_revitalize_our_national_moral_standing You should see your vote register and the number of votes go up! If you don't see that happen, try voting again. If you have already voted, then please - please - find some colleagues or friends, and tell them about this idea. Ask them to vote.
Sledding
The snow has now melted, but Maya got in some good pre-Christmas sledding with her dad and grandpa. We made a sled out of the top of her water/sand table that grandma and grandpa got the last time we visited (in the summertime).You'd think from these pictures that Maya is used to a cold climate, as opposed to living in Cairo. But she doesn't seem to mind the cold that much at all. She loved the snow, and is so sad that it is (mostly) gone.
Monday, 22 December 2008
Decorating the tree
A couple days before Maya's salon visit, we went to a tree farm, picked out a tree, cut it down, and brought it home. Then we decorated it. It was a terrific experience for Maya, although she seemed a bit surprised that the trees at the farm did not already have decorations on it. She seemed to think that her Christmas tree should not just be a regular tree. She wanted it to come decorated.
Sunday, 21 December 2008
Salon pics
Here are Maya's post-salon pictures. Aren't they great! I can't believe how long the braids are. Usually when I do these types of braids, the ponytails end up really short. But by blow-drying Maya's hair, it made the braids much longer. I'm not sure whether I really want to start blow-drying her hair at age 3, but it definitely gives her some long braids.
The other thing I realised is that I'm actually not too bad at doing her hair. The braids look great, but really are not so different from when I do them myself. I guess they are a little longer and a little smaller and tighter. But visiting the salon made me realise that I do her hair pretty well myself, too.
Help refugees....
OK. I normally don't post political stuff on this blog. But Mike, who has dedicated his whole career and life to helping refugees, has submitted an "Idea for Change" on www.change.org to persuade the new Obama administration to help refugees who want to reach the US. Many of these refugees are from the Horn of Africa, so we feel especially committed to him continuing his work.
Basically, the idea is that the U.S. should raise its quota of refugees who are allowed to come into the country. Currently, it is easier to get to the U.S. for work than it is to come to escape persecution. Mike wants the government to allow private individuals to sponsor bona fide refugees to enter the United States. Private sponsorships are already allowed in Canada and Australia and would help mainly African refugees stuck in places like Egypt from falling through the cracks. And his idea would also establish a refugee corp to help evaluate those people's claims to streamline the process. We have seen a lot of African refugees get stuck without any hope for the future, and while this wouldn't help all of them, it would allow some to live better lives.
Mike's idea is currently in third place and needs to keep getting more votes to make the next cut. So please vote if you can.
Here is a message from Mike:
Our proposal to revitalize US refugee policy started several weeks later than others in the Ideas for Change program, but it has been moving up. We're in third place now the ranks in the "humanitarian relief" category, and we are just 70 votes out of first place. But in just 10 days, we need to make the cut for the final round of voting.
Many of you have already voted, but some are still waiting. Now is the time. There is an opening to make a change for US foreign policy and for refugees around the world, but it won't last for long.
Just follow these steps:
1) Join Change.org at https://www.change.org/admin/sign_up
2) Vote by going to: http://www.change.org/ideas/view/usa_refugee_corps_-_export_hope_and_revitalize_our_national_moral_standing You should see your vote register and the number of votes go up! If you don't see that happen, try voting again.
If you have already voted, then please - please - find some colleagues or friends, and tell them about this idea. Ask them to vote. 70 votes is not very many. We can win this election, and give ourselves a major boost in the lobbying we will need to do in Washington.
And, finally, make this proposal your own. Add your input on the change.org website (http://www.change.org/ideas/view/usa_refugee_corps_-_export_hope_and_revitalize_our_national_moral_standing). There has already been a good discussion, and a lot of good ideas, and as this proposal is developed over time we will be incorporating them. And the more people discuss and debate it, the stronger this campaign.
Thank you. Mike
Basically, the idea is that the U.S. should raise its quota of refugees who are allowed to come into the country. Currently, it is easier to get to the U.S. for work than it is to come to escape persecution. Mike wants the government to allow private individuals to sponsor bona fide refugees to enter the United States. Private sponsorships are already allowed in Canada and Australia and would help mainly African refugees stuck in places like Egypt from falling through the cracks. And his idea would also establish a refugee corp to help evaluate those people's claims to streamline the process. We have seen a lot of African refugees get stuck without any hope for the future, and while this wouldn't help all of them, it would allow some to live better lives.
Mike's idea is currently in third place and needs to keep getting more votes to make the next cut. So please vote if you can.
Here is a message from Mike:
Our proposal to revitalize US refugee policy started several weeks later than others in the Ideas for Change program, but it has been moving up. We're in third place now the ranks in the "humanitarian relief" category, and we are just 70 votes out of first place. But in just 10 days, we need to make the cut for the final round of voting.
Many of you have already voted, but some are still waiting. Now is the time. There is an opening to make a change for US foreign policy and for refugees around the world, but it won't last for long.
Just follow these steps:
1) Join Change.org at https://www.change.org/admin/sign_up
2) Vote by going to: http://www.change.org/ideas/view/usa_refugee_corps_-_export_hope_and_revitalize_our_national_moral_standing You should see your vote register and the number of votes go up! If you don't see that happen, try voting again.
If you have already voted, then please - please - find some colleagues or friends, and tell them about this idea. Ask them to vote. 70 votes is not very many. We can win this election, and give ourselves a major boost in the lobbying we will need to do in Washington.
And, finally, make this proposal your own. Add your input on the change.org website (http://www.change.org/ideas/view/usa_refugee_corps_-_export_hope_and_revitalize_our_national_moral_standing). There has already been a good discussion, and a lot of good ideas, and as this proposal is developed over time we will be incorporating them. And the more people discuss and debate it, the stronger this campaign.
Thank you. Mike
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