i spent my time away at home in nyc/nj visiting friends, and then i went off to peru for 15 days to explore a piece of south america. that trip was really exciting and challenging at the same time. but unlike my other solo trips, this one made me feel really lonely, and i couldn't wait for it to be over, for the sake of making my way back to egypt.
packing was a nightmare. i couldn't fit half of the things i needed, and even the things that did fit into my suitcase had to be emptied out at the airport, because the bag was 30lbs overweight. one of my most signficant sacrifices was my gallon-sized zip lock bag full of nailpolish-- nailpolish that i stocked up on for the sake of my 6 month trip. if i told you what kind of withdrawal i have been going through in just this first week alone, you'd think it was a trick.
i haven't unpacked any of the bags since i arrived, since i'm waiting until i find my apartment in zamalek. why unpack twice?
but since i came back right before the big eid, the holiday where we sacrifice sheep and eat lots of lamb for four days, and since the end of eid was spent celebrating my cousin's engagement party, i knew this week would be a bust. so today being my first official "working" day in cairo, i've tried to be as productive as i could be, productive being subjective when you consider that i woke up at noon and left the house at 3pm. my friend admitted he knew i'd become egyptian (and lazy) eventually, but even he's surprised at how quickly i've adjusted. nonetheless, i went over to my favorite cafe and spent the afternoon apartment hunting, job hunting, and blog-writing. all three endeavors have so far been successful. i saw a promising apartment prospect, have an interview at a language center tomorrow, and here you are reading my blog.
what's even more exciting is that tomorrow i get to vote, renew my passport, and review the other 8 items on my US Embassy to-do list. although speaking of America, i'm really sad to see all the devastating aftermath left by hurricane sandy in the tri state area. the nj shore and nyc especially were really torn apart by the storm. it's been difficult to get in touch with my parents and friends, but i'm relieved to know that everyone is ok, just without power. a lot of my friends are back to work already, which just goes to show you how new yorkers are. we are resilient, and we get right back to work. so while i may be here spending a very un-halloween halloween in cairo with a Nola pumpkin-flavored cupcake, i just have to say, new york is undoubtedly the greatest city on earth.
