Blogs from Africa - page 3040

The Power of the Printed Word. We’ve all heard that phrase before … maybe about poetry, the Bible, political debates on the front page of the newspaper, or words of wisdom from a simple children’s book. I have never witnessed such a reaction to something I have written myself until June of this year. Most of you know that the Kensington Woods Church of Christ distributes a monthly newsletter for the TZ2000 work. Several try to pitch in and provide articles for it as we can, and I was excited when my “Sew Bee It” article was printed in the June edition. In case some of you done receive the Newsletter, let me first say that if you want to be put on the mailing list to receive it (it’s free of course), just let me ... read more

Woke up to a yummy breakfast, pastries, breads, coffee etc. Went off to get our driver sorted for the rest of our travels around Tunisia after an eventful morning of trying to get money out of the teller machines. Then off to Carthage to see the ancient crumblies! Straight to the Antonine Baths on the Mediterranean Sea and then up to Byrsa Hill to see the Cathage Museum and Ancient Forum ruins. We then caught a taxi to Sidi Bou Said, which is a small village on the top of a hill overlooking the Sea. It is famous for its Whitewashed buildings and blue doors and fretwork on the windows. It was just as stunning as the pictures we had seen before arriving, we have taken so many photos of doors etc that we could publish ... read more

Well nothing went as expected this week: the dining room floor is being finished as I write this and the water filter showed up and is working properly (I have drank 2 litres thus far and nothing bad has happened). Needless to say, I am a little worried right now because nothing has gone wrong in so long and things are actually being completed in a reasonable amount of time. It's just not Africa. With all the work though and Julie having gone to Masaka to teach kids there Capoeira, my week has been rather hectic. After teaching Monday, or was it tuesday? from 9-12, I then proceeded to help in moving sand and rock and mixing the materials for the first layer of the floor, all whilst mixing sweety water, handing out toothpaste and dealing ... read more

It has been less than a week since I arrived here and already I have begun to fall in step with everyday life here. Currently I am lounging on a couch in my favorite spot here in Maadi, drinking an iced tea and escaping the unforgiving desert heat. Oh, and enjoying the free wireless internet of course. Cairo has been as crazy and hectic as I have been informed, the people as friendly and unpredictable, the traffic as horrific, and the air... don't get me started. I am actually looking forward to inhaling the sweet, sweet smog of Los Angeles once again. So my apartment here is nothing home to write about, but by Egyptian standards, I know I am rather privileged. Anyway, we are having cleaners come by the flat later today and repairs are ... read more

http://macalester.facebook.com/photos.php?id=19401119&l=ca93f Only one more addition of photos of the mountain range that our school sits on which provides us with a nice hike from our house even when we don't necesarrily want the work out. School has been pretty hectic leading up to Spring break and now I am going on this crazy adventure. I leave early in the morning to fly to Joburg and then hop on an overland truck to go to Northern Botswana to a city named Maun and then we go to the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park where we will go on safari at night and in walking groups. Then after about a week there we will be heading over into Zambia to see Victoria Falls and enjoy some whitewater rafting while we are there. I will post pictures as ... read more