Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Making myself feel better
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Geting old ..er?
A few days before my bday i have discovered my very first grey hair; i was not too enthusiastic about it and tried my bet to hide it. I thought to myself: "a nice bday present for my 25th bday!". Anyway, there's nothing to do about it ... no point in crying about getting older or whatever ... I dont feel old, although grey hair is in itself a sign of being old.
Over the past week i have discovered 2 more grey hairs ... now i think it is time to dye my hair, as i've never done it. I guess i should consider it. I bet in 6 months there'll be more and more.
Now i should start looking into a new hairstyle and what colour to choose.
"Fighting with the windmills"
So, as i was saying... Egypt is not boring; i was suppose to go to a race today ... one that i've been looking forward to go since the beginning of March. Don't get me wrong, i was not planning on running for the big prize, but just being there with all the people only to be able to say i was in a race. In was a fundraising event for CCS. Anyway, i had to cancel that and go to my "favourite" place in Cairo - Mogamma ... again!!!!!!
I had arranged with Ehab to have an Egyptian man coming with me this time. So, Hany came- he does not speak any English, but this time i had a less traumatic experience that the previous ones. I just handed the papers and i'll have to go back in 10 days.
When i left the building (which btw, depresses me) i was at peace and i had a picture of Don Quijote/Quixote fighting with the windmills. Don't know if you've ever read the book or know the story; we have a saying in Romanian when you're fighting against something that is not worth fighting for because there is no way of winning and that is "fighting with the windmills" - just like Don Quijote.
That is how i felt like this morning - there was no point in fighting with them anymore or getting frustrated, because they still have their system, which is "no system" (quoting an Egyptian).
I chose to do it their way and left without any comments. I went to Road 9 for a bagel, met Luke then headed to Cilantro for coffee. Now i am at school, although it is the weekend ... i have loads of work to do! Nearly done...
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Too tired
I am too tired to trust and too tired to pray,
Said one, as the over taxed strength gave way.
The one conscious thought by my mind possessed
Is, Oh, could I just drop it all and rest!
Will God forgive me, do you suppose,
If I go to sleep as a baby goes,
Without an asking if I may,
Without ever trying to trust and pray?
Will God forgive you? Why think dear heart,
When language to you was an unknown art,
Did a mother deny you needed rest?
Or refuse to pillow you on her breast?
Did she let you want when you could not ask?
Did she set her child an unequal task?
Or did she cradle you in her arms,
And then guard your slumber against alarms?
Ah, how quick was her mother love to see,
The unconscious yearnings of infancy.
When you’ve grown too tired to trust and pray,
When your over wrought nature has quite given way;
Then just drop it all, and give up to rest,
As you used to do on a mother’s breast.
He knows all about it – the dear Lord knows,
So just go to sleep as a baby goes,
Without even asking if you may,
God knows when His child is too tired to pray.
He judges not solely by uttered prayer.
He knows when the yearnings of love are there.
He knows you do pray, He knows you do trust,
And He knows, too, the limits of poor weak dust.
Oh, the wonderful sympathy of Christ,
For His chosen ones in that mid-night tryst.
When He bade them sleep and take their rest
While on Him the guilt of the whole world pressed…
You’ve given your life up to Him to keep,
Then don’t be afraid to go right to sleep.
Poem
by Rudyard Kipling
IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Girly weekend
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Beauty ...and i had a glimpse of it today
Monday, March 9, 2009
The most amazing adventure i have had so far in my life
I had to travel back to Israel this past weekend for a renewal of my visa. I've done it before, so i had everything mapped out - i knew exactly where to go, how to get there etc. It seemed like a very simple procedure, although quite exhausting, having to travel by bus from Cairo to Taba during the night for 8 hours. After a busy day at school on Thursday and dinner with a family (the same family had me over for dinner before my previous departure to Israel - we thought we should make a tradition out of it) i managed to get on the 11 pm bus to Taba. John kindly drove me there. There were feelings of confidence and fright mixed up together ... but i somehow thought everything should work out. The main reason of my concern was the bus ride - as the Egyptian drivers have different rules than any other nation, or should i say no rules at all?
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Things that brighten my day/life
At that point a little girl shouts out: "THIS IS AWESOME!!!!!!" "Miss Mocanuuuu, YOU'RE THE BEST TEACHER EVEEEEER!!!!!!!". Imagine that sentence shouted out from the top of a 5 year old's lungs. It did make me smile though!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Needing time off??
I got home yesterday at 5:30 after a busy day and staff meeting. I was very tired and went straight to bed for a short nap. I woke up around 7:30 for dinner (Nichole's mom made us chilli) and then the guys came over to play Settlers.
I thought i would do some work, but for some reason i didnt. I just feel tired and i cant help not worrying about this Thursday when i am travelling to Israel (again!), plus all the planning that needs to be done, plus reports to hand in next week. I had a hard time falling asleep last night because of all of these thoughts!
I just cant seem to figure out when i will have the time for all of that ... Actually, i am sure there is time, but as always i cant help not panicking, despite the fact i am aware that it does not help me at all. I need my "me" time and it has to be this week soon!!
ALrighty... now i should go back and pack lunch, as it is 7:30 am and i need to be at school in a few minutes!