Q: Why are you going on this trip?
Our passports will initially be stamped with Egyptian tourist visas, but our trip won't be focused on vacationing. Once we're in Cairo, our goal is simply to make friends and continue our journey as eager students of the Arabic language and culture.
Q: Why Cairo?
Although taking a desert safari doesn't sound too bad, we have no particular interest in pharaohs or pyramids. If this were a four month vacation, Cairo would certainly be a curious choice, as it is a hot, poor, and overcrowded desert city. But as the largest city in the Middle East and Africa, it is full of opportunities for us to work and volunteer. It is also cheap. Where else could you ride the train for 15 cents or eat dinner for a quarter? To top it all off, Cairo is the cultural center of the Arab world. It seems to be a natural fit.
Q: What will Bill be doing?
Bill will continue writing and producing multimedia content, whether independently or on staff at an English language Arab publication. He has a particularly promising option that has recently developed. Stay tuned...
Q: What will Melissa be doing?
Melissa is interested in using her experience in education by working with Cairo's Sudanese refugees. She will most likely be volunteering at this church-run school a few days a week, as an aide and English language tutor. Another idea is additional tutoring for income.
Q: How long will you be in Cairo?
The length of our stay depends on many factors. We have no interest in relying on others to provide for our living expenses. Our experience in Egypt could be as short as four months; if we find meaningful and financially sustaining work, it will hopefully last much longer.
Q: Are you learning Arabic?
Starting in the summer of 2009, we began learning Arabic from a Palestinian tutor here in Kansas City. The good news is that Arabic script no longer looks like abstract art to us--and we can actually read some of it. The bad news? We can hardly speak a lick of the language. Regardless, we hope to form an adequate base knowledge of Modern Standard Arabic before our arrival. From there, we'll also focus on learning the Egyptian Colloquial version.
Q: Isn't Egypt dangerous?Actually, Egypt's crime rate is shockingly low. In fact, Egypt's murder rate is over a thousand times less than Washington, DC. As for terrorist attacks, they are isolated and rarely target foreigners. The local economy relies heavily on Western tourists--it is in no one's interest to scare them away.
Q: How will you fund your trip? Our goal is to be self-funded, but our mindset in Egypt will be no different than it is now--we'll humbly accept your gifts, but why would we live off other people's money if we can make enough to sustain our own simple lifestyle?
Q: What about Red?
Some Muslims think that if you have a dog in your house, then your guardian angel won't come inside your house. While we are more than willing to put up with this minor inconvenience in the states, we'll need all the protection we can get once we're in Cairo (ha). The truth of it is, few Arabs consider dogs to be clean animals and even fewer own them as pets. So needless to say, Red won't be coming. But if you know of anyone with a fenced yard and a love of golden retrievers, please let us know.
This is my view as I type this post from our air mattress. Except for boxes scattered about, and our dresser and our desk, there is very little in our apartment. This is the point where I start getting excited. Before any big move (and I've moved a lot -- not counting summer dwellings, this will be move #10), I really get into the packing! There's so much satisfaction in throwing/giving away bag after bag of old or unnecessary items. In finding the vase or pillow that perfectly fills in the remaining space in a box. In taping up the box and adding it to a neat stack. And I love change. New scenery is good for the soul. That's partly why I will always love teaching. Every year, a new batch of students, and the chance to do things differently with the class.