New year, still in Egypt

This update is long overdue. I left the Sinai and the castle, ultimately we were not a match made in desert hipppy castle heaven. Luckily the timing was perfect and I was able join cousin Ted and dad David on a fairly epic, historical, round about trip through Cairo, out to the Sinai, through the waters of the Red Sea to pay homage to Indiana Jones at Petra, a little further North to float in the Dead Sea, then across a bridge to Israel and all the old religious stuff that Israel entails.

Let me just say that could not have imagined a better trip. Kudos for Ted for just being awesome to travel with, really into fun stuff, easy going, and enthusiastic when we needed enthusiasm! As for dad I don't think there are many other people I would have rather visited the Holiest of Holy lands with and the much needed daddy-daughter time was much appreciated and loved. My friend Katie joined us for the Israel adventure and was an amazing trip buddy, cheerful, fun, picture taking snap happy silly bus! All in all a lot of love went into the trip and I enjoyed every minute of it. Causalities were low; besides a few annoying modes of transportation and delayed flights most things went smoothly. I have not yet organized my thoughts about Israel and am really waiting to pass judgement until I visit another part of the country. I hate it when people judge America based on New York or Florida, so I am reserving judgement until I am more traveled. I will say this though the Crowne Plaza Jerusalem has the worst customer service of any hotel I have ever stayed in. Never go there, ever.

After the trip I returned to Cairo and began a new job search. Why am I staying in Cairo? Who really knows. I have found a job, but will reserve judgment on it until a few weeks or months have passed. Am I staying in Cairo for the job? Maybe, the pickings seem pretty slim in America at the moment. Am I staying in Cairo for the fun? Maybe, there are beaches, craziness at every turn, and good friends around. But, ultimately I don't have an exact reason why I am here other than I feel like I should be for the moment. The other day someone asked my why I was here, I have no real answer for them. So, maybe I will search around for a few months and come up with a reason to stay or leave.

Until then I am apartment hunting! Frustrating in any country, it is even more so here. The first step is having friends who will help you, thanks be to the universe I have these. The second, third, fourth, and so on step involves wandering around neighborhoods you want to live in and asking doormen if there is anything open in the area. Then phone calls are made, hands are shaken, streets are walked, names are called across the streets, and maybe you find an apartment to look at. So far I have only looked at a few and did not like them, but I do have plenty of promises of showings tomorrow, inshallah. My budget is not very high and one bedrooms are really hard to find, people get lonely here quick or something. I may have a roommate, but who knows. Life is fickle, minds change, and you never know what an Egyptian day will bring you (thanks Rebecca W for that quote).

Honestly my head is full right now. Between leaving a job, traveling, being a semi-permanent house guest at a few houses, starting a new job, looking for an apartment, and being a little homesick I cannot evaluate my life right now. I realized that I have not unpacked all of my bags, has everything in one room or lived in the same bedroom for more than seven weeks since I packed my bags to travel in June 2009. I can handle change, I can adapt, I can fluctuate, but really this is getting old. I want all my shoes in the same house and pictures on the wall. The urge to nest is strong. Hopefully things will calm down and I will find a place. Then, life will be put on blast and I can figure it out, inshallah.

Inshallah. What a great word.