Day 13 - No School

Today I slept till 7, yay. I got ready to go to the center, walked to the metro and took the metro to the next stop like I usually do. I come up the stairs and one of my students and her sisters were walking towards me, "Miss, no school today, you can go home". I was quite confused by this statement. It turns out there was no water so school had to be canceled. Apparently this happens often. So I had the day off. I figured that I was there already so I may as well do some wandering. I have no clue where I was or what street I was walking down but I walked past where the newpapers are published (or at least I think that is what the building was) and a beautiful mosque. I saw a place selling lawn mowers. As I walked past this store I wondered to myself what the market for lawn mowers is here. There really isn't much grass...anywhere. I wonder if they get much business. I also saw a girl with make up on that made her look white. That is the second time I have seen girls with make-up like that. I am assuming they do it to make themselves look more attractive, but in my eyes it looks pretty strange. It is interesting what different cultures see as attractive and what is not.

I have a funny story to tell. I was proposed to today by a random young man who decided to befriend me while I was wandering around. His name was Mahmood, or at least that is how I heard it. He walked with me for 3 blocks, maybe 4 and insisted that I hold his arm, obviously so we looked proper together, but I am sure he just wanted me to hold his arm. This whole encounter was unexpected, slightly uncomfortable, but I just went with the flow because in all reality it was quite hilarious. I also could have easily taken him down if the need had arose, so I was not too worried. I got rid of him by saying I was taking the metro. I said goodbye, waited down in the metro for a few minutes, and re-surfaced when I figured it was safe and that he was probably on his way to where ever he was going. This is a prime example of what can possibly happen when any form of eye contact is made with a man here...
After this I wandered in the other direction I had gone which actually ended up being my way home. I was walking along and saw in the distant the Egyptian Museum and the Nile Hotel which are at the square where I get on the metro for work. I was quite excited that I had found my way home without even realizing where I was going.

Mom (and all you 'clean freaks' out there) you could not live here. There is always a layer of dirt on everything no matter how much you clean. I think you would have to wipe everything down a couple times a day to keep it dirt free. Maybe in a better sealed home it would be better but I don't expect there would be a huge difference.

I am beginning to get to know my way around a bit better and I am even starting to recognize faces when I walk to and from work and around my building. I like the feeling that gives me. Makes me feel more comfortable with my surrounding and like this is becoming more like where I am living and not where I am visiting....unlike these people....haha....yes I know I am a creeper but I couldn't resist taking the photo. Yay for travellers!