PsSsssSss (Hissing sound)

So far, every weekend seems to top the experiences of the last weekend - and this one (inshallah) will do the same.
Last weekend was Mt Sinai wonderfulness - has anyone blogged about the food there? it was bliss on a plate - exactly what our bodies needed to detox the Cairo pollution. it was simply perfect - vegetables, salad, beans, bread mmm just thinking about it makes me hungry.
Its so so so so so hot outside. Lets take a hot (literally! ha ha ha) second to ponder it.
Lately, I've been experiencing how small this world is - a random girl we met in Mt. Sinai who moved there and married a bedouin - we convinced her husband to bring her to the bedouin camp so we could all chat and she turned out to be a Soas alumn! not only that but she has the same Sufi sheikh as one of my best friends from Soas - and they know each other from childhood.
The classes are chugging along just fine, they are grammar kings and queens and I'm really starting to get the hang of this lesson planning business. I can't wait to make some solid contacts to spread LE Egypt to more institutions!! Outside of class, I am really getting to know the students on a personal basis, there is so much to be learned and they are so eager to participate in a cultural exchange... my student invited me to his brothers wedding (which we saw the latter part of due to a prolonged visit by Mohammad, the guy who cleans our flat). We also had Kushari with some of my students (my new favoritestestest food in the whole wide world!), and we chatted about religion and world news which was one of the most fascinating eye opening conversations I have had in Egypt... I can finally wrap my head around what teachers really go through - holding back opinions, facilitating conversation, not getting personally involved - it is a really challenging thing to do! Especially for someone who gets riled up really easily (me).
I love walking around the streets of Cairo!!!! today I got lost trying to find fresh juice 'taaza a'aseer' on 26th July (todays date, AND the streets name = awesome) and although I didn't find it, I did find the Metro Mart - a western super market that sells chocolate digestives.
We are off to Taba in an hour via minibus, and we will be crossing the Egypt/Israeli border tomorrow afternoon....

HIBA