Re-entry

I feel as if I start many posts with "Yes, I am still here," but I am still in Cairo. I wake up many days and have no idea how two years (more really) went past.  The fact that I have been here for two years was made more apparent and also less obvious when I went home.

Home, Seattle, was an occasion filled event.

Occasion number one, Burning Man. There are many things to be said, I don't think there are any pictures of me so I can't post them and this experience has no doubt changed my life for the better. Absolute inspiration and creativity does not even begin to give justice to what people (horribly normal people and amazingly freaky people) create for this extravaganza. I am still in awe. Ayman and Chrissie could not have been better first time Burn Buddies and if I did not love them for any other reason (which of course I love them for many reasons) those days in the desert would be reason enough to love them forever. Yes, Burning man inspires that sort of love. It is worth it, everyone needs another reason to love something, someplace or something.

I "borrowed" the pictures below from a facebook album Ayman made of various people's photos. I can take no credit.

 The actual layout of the Playa.

I don't know her name, but she was a few stories tall, lit up at night and made me happy to be human.

Occasion number two, Maya's wedding. The first of my best buddies from high school and life in general to get married and she did it right. The ceremony and wedding were filled with tradition, friends, family and crazy Jewish folk dancing. Maya altered her grandmother's wedding dress into something timeless and perfectly Maya (somehow delicate, unique and yet strikingly traditional). I met the groom, Ben, for the first time and was impressed in many ways. All of the ladies showed up, traveling from Paris, SF and Portland.

 Quill, me, Becca and Caitlin.

 Nan, Becca, Besty, me, Caitlin, Sarah and Emily waiting for the ceremony to start outside the newly remodeled Husky boat house.

Occasion number three, Ana was in town. Sister time is always a good time. Family times are also good times.

Occasions four and five, September family birthdays. I was not around for the actual date of my dad's b-day but close as I could get. For mom's actual date I was there and she hosted a wonderful ladies only brunch with lots new friends from the new neighborhood (finally got to put some faces to the names) and old friends from all around town. A delicious way to spend what turned out to be a sunny day. Also, later at a Georgetown bar I figured out spicy chai tea tastes amazing when steamed with a little bit of soy milk and enhanced with a generous shot of dark rum. If it was ever winter in Cairo it would be my drink of choice.

The trip home was also incredibly stressful. Lots of travel time in planes and airports, I got sick and I realized just how absent I have been from America. Expired driver's license, not able to get a doctors appointment, dentist check ins, forgotten street names and  lots of new buildings. I have also grown used to how hard simple things are to get done (for me) in Cairo and this attitude transferred to America. Where, things can be hard to get done but ultimately I know how to do them in my native country and I should have calmed down and relaxed. Lesson learned.

The return to Cairo was rough. I got a bad head cold and had I hoped my time in Seattle would shed light on where I really want to be at this moment, it did not shed much light at all.  I did find out Seattle can still be a new city for me. My friends there have managed to discover  unknown aspects of the city and get involved in different things. Their actions have assuaged my fear about going back to Seattle and finding it to be the same as it was for the first 22 years of my life or not as exciting.

A couple weeks after landing life is smoothing out and Cairo, as ever, is proving to be an amazing host. Just when you think the whole country is silly a tiny phone call proves you wrong, you meet someone who blows all expectations out of the water or a good conversation reminds you are really just having a bad day and your mood has very little to do with Egypt.

The best news is that Anastasia is coming to visit. More words of excitement to come about this later, Boom! Wham! Whoo Hoo! Awesome! Those are all I got for now.