Private

So, I got a call today from one of my yoga students and she asked me about teaching some private classes for a friend of hers! It seems like it's going to work well. They live in some big villa in Maadi, right around the corner. Now I just have to make it work with my schedule and theirs. I think it will be a good experience for me and I look forward to it!

The Breathing Room

Here it is! As I mentioned in earlier posts, there are some women in Maadi who were eager to start a yoga space, or "co-op" as they've been calling it. It's been wonderful, everyone has different talents and interests and we each bring something to the space. Gordana has been so great about the admin. side of things. Everything from making sign-in sheets, to crunching the numbers, she's been working hard. We had our first meeting on Saturday and talked about things like keys and money and all the boring stuff, and then I gave everyone a class. From a teaching perspective, it was very easy because all of them had experience. Last night I taught the first "real" class. That was a lot of fun! Mark, Amanda, and Ira came out and then there were a couple of the women from Saturday as well as some new faces. I did a led primary class and it was great, a lot of work, but great. Everyone was VERY sweaty, which is the whole point! I was very impressed with the whole group, there was a lot of "I haven't done it forever...blah, blah" but they were wonderful, and followed the cues perfectly. This morning was a much smaller class (although, I think this time slot will grow to be one of my biggest classes) there were only 3. Belle, who is also a newbie to Maadi, Wendy, who I met on Saturday, and Alice, who was new to me but not new to the space from last year. This was more of a Mysore class. They didn't need me to cue very much so I focused on assisting and "encouragement", haha. It was a different feel. They were still sweaty (it is Cairo) but I felt that the energy was a little less exciting than it was the night before. That could just be because there were less people, it was early, etc. So it's been a great experience so far. I have another class tomorrow night, and then another on wed. morning.

Ira and I have been eating in a lot. I've been too tempted by the veggies at the market so I've been making some stir fry and some pasta dishes. Although tonight I'm a little pooped so I think we're going to get some yummy La Rosa pizza delivered!

yoga playlists

I start teaching yoga next week! I'll be teaching four classes a week, Sunday and Tuesday night and then monday and wednesday morning. I am a big fan of playing music during yoga. I know feelings are mixed about this in the yoga community among teachers as well as students. I don't even know how my students here are going to feel about it, but I hope they'll keep an open mind. It's a challenge for me to make really good playlists. There's nothing worse than holding a pose that's not your favorite while listening to a song you can't stand. But there's also something to be said for being able to block things out while you practice. And it's a good tool for the teacher to see if she can hear your breathing over the music. If your not a yoga student, you might find my lists unconventional. But I would rather practice in silence than listen to "yoga music". All the chanting and bells really gets to me after a while! haha So instead I go for strong beats in the begining of class at least through standing poses, then I take it down a notch for seated poses and closing, finally, I play tracks that very little or no words for savasana (relaxation). I try to stay away from anything cheesy, or too lovey-dovey, or anything too obvious...like songs that talk about breathing and relaxing a lot. Anyway, if anyone is interested, here are the 2 lists that I've put together so far...Even if you're not into yoga, maybe you'll find something new to listen to!
Cairo Yoga Mix 1
15 Steps-Radiohead
7/4 (Shoreline)- Broken Social Scene
Bodysnatchers- Radiohead
By Your Side (Cottonbelly's Fola Mix)- Sade
Jigsaw Falling Into Place-Radiohead
Bend And Break- Keane
Move By Yourself- Donavon Frankenreiter
Like a Feather- Nikka Costa
Brighter Than Sunshine -Aqualung
Keep It Loose, Keep It Tight- Amos Lee
Chasing Pavements- ADELE
I'm Yours-Jason Mraz
Island in the Sun- Weezer
Put Your Records On- Corinne Bailey Rae
Better Together- Jack Johnson
Half Acre- Hem
Say-John Mayer
Speak Into The Microphone- The Dining Rooms
M.Dupont-The Dining Rooms
Walnut- Moby
The Blue Terror of Lawns-Moby
Love Song for my Mom- Moby

Cairo Yoga Mix 2
Going On- Gnarls Barkley
Flight in Dub- Wax Poetic
I Feel It All-Feist
Maybe Tonight-Nicole Atkins
Somewhere Only We Know-Keane
My Little Corner Of The World- Yo La Tengo
Let Go- Frou Frou
Video-India.Arie
A Long Walk-Jill Scott
(Nice Dream)-Radiohead
Endless Song Of Hapiness- Yael Naïm
Idle (The Rabbit Song)- Hem
1234- Feist
Breakdown -Jack Johnson
Bottom Of The Barrel- Amos Lee
Blackbird- The Beatles
Love Like Laughter-Beth Orton
We Are One- Kelly Sweet
Breathe Me-Sia
Three Little Birds- Bob Marley & The Wailers
Dunia-Bliss
False Start- The Dining Rooms
Chorus Of Flames- The Dining Rooms
Cosi Ti Amo-The Dining Rooms
Verso Il Sole-The Dining Rooms
Namaste-Beastie Boys
Burying Song- Hem

I am so very oriented...

This week brought the official orientation given by AUC. Whew! It wiped both of us out, and everyone else we know. It started on Monday, we met at the Midan Victoria and caught the bus out to the new campus. There were some familiar faces, Mark and Gordana, Brandon, Malek, Steve and Stephanie, Hanan. And then we met LOTS of new people! Getting to know them has probably been my favorite part of the week. There's Amanda from Atlanta, she's going to be a librarian. She's super fun and I can tell we're going to be buds. Ana is a Fullbright here from Miami, she writes for the Herald (as well as having written a couple of best sellers!) and is going to be in the Journalism dept. Amy and Leonard both do Middle East Studies, Amy is in Ira's dept, Leonard is in Philosophy. There lots of others, but I guess I ended up connecting with them the most. So we made our way to the new campus. I'm sad to say that my camera battery died, I guess after all those pics in Dahab! So I don't have anything to show, yet. But it is amazing, an architectual feat to say the least. All the way out in the desert, a beautiful, sprawling structure with shade and light, green and sand. Although, it's not finished! There were dudes in hard hats everywhere and I would say that the overall theme of the orientation was "patience". I don't know how many times someone would ask a question like "when will we have computers?" "when can we get into our offices?" "Where can I print out my syllabus?" and they were met with "We don't know" I really feel for all of the new faculty. I can't imagine starting a job and not knowing where you're going to have classes, or how you're going to prepare for them. But everyone is taking it in stride, for the most part. So, the first day we heard from the provost and the president of the university. They were very enthusiastic and hopeful for the new campus and the new faculty. Then, we all stood up and introduced ourselves. I normally don't have any issues with speaking in public, but I have to say I was nervous. Especially when everyone that went before me had these amazing resumes. Even the interns are from Stanford, Columbia, Hopkins, Harvard....! So I it was finally my turn and I said that I worked with autistic children in the states and that I was hoping to fill the yoga void in our neighborhood by teaching. Well. Who would have thought that would have illicited such a response! Afterwards, I had few women some up to me and asked me to keep them informed if I find a place to teach. THEN, a guy named Jonah came over and told me that his wife is starting a "yoga co-op". I talked to her that night and basically what she's doing is renting a space where she's not charging the students very much but the teachers would still make more than they would other places because there's no middle man! Perfect! We're having our first meeting on saturday and it looks like I'll be teaching up to 4 classes a week! And then the president's wife came over and asked me if I could help out in the daycare if they ever have any special needs children. Ira was like "Did you know that was the president's wife?!" haha I have to say it felt good to have people talk to me about something other than Egypt for the first time all summer! The rest of the day was filled with (rather boring for non-faculty) tours and talks. And there was a nice lunch on the president's terrace. Nice, but a little hot baking in the 105 degree heat! We were all so tired at the end of the day that I can't believe the bus home wasn't full of nappers!
Day 2 was a little better. The bus came later and we were at the old campus. Not as hot, and we had some really useful presentations on health and safety in Cairo, and we had an Arabic lesson! Not easy, let me tell you. I don't know if it's my music backround, but it bothers me that I can hear the instructor saying it one way and then it doesn't sound like that when I say it. I guess I'm being too perfectionist about it...Later that night a bunch of Maadi people met up for Chinese and we had a blast. More and more people kept coming and we took over the place eventually. At one point, Mark and Gordana's boys were playing under the table and all of the sudden they each plunked a full beer can down on the table! We have no idea where they came from! Under the table, obviously, but we have no idea how they got there! It was hilarious to say the least. It's really great to be able to laugh again. Not that Ira and I haven't had our moments, but to laugh really loud in group of people like that, it was awesome.
Day 3 was great for Gordana and me! We skipped out at 10:30 after Arabic lessons! We met up with Kathleen and baby Andy for lunch and did a little shopping. We even went to the 2.5 pounds store! Like the dollar store! Well, the 46 cent store...anyway, it was just like it is in the states. I even saw a gift bag with a veiled Barbie on it! Last night we babysat the Wetmoreland boys, and had our "Ramadan Beer" delivered. Since they don't sell booze during Ramadan (which starts monday) we thought we better stock up. And just like almost everything else, we had it delivered!
And today, the last day, we had our last "Survival Arabic" class (we're both signing up for tutoring in the coming weeks) and then we had a lunch where they also had tables set up with different leisure activities in and around Cairo. Ira is sick now, I think he might be dehydrated. The heat is really bad but he's been resting all day (sleeping actually) and drinking lots of water. Hopefully he feels better tomorrow because tomorrow night we have a ride on a felluca! AUC has chartered a bunch to float down the Nile while we have dinner! I can't wait. And then Saturday we have a garden party at the Provost's house. I promise I'll be better about posting...and I'll charge the camera batteries!

Dahab is Da-Bomb!

We just returned last night from our trip to the Red Sea! What a week! We arrived in time for breakfast on monday morning. The hotel had quite a spread for us each morning. Some of it might seem a little odd from an American perspective (grilled vegetables? potato salad?) but it became our favorite meal each day. We would spring out of our comfortable bed to go to the dining room! haha Some of our favorites were the rice pudding, warm hard boiled eggs, cheese, granola, and the best of all- Loukamades! I like to call them Leukatrienes like the allergy commercials because it's funnier, and it reminds me of Heather and the Greek Festival. But they are basically mediteranian funnel cake served with honey. Oh yeah!

So, I could go on for days about the breakfast but we did do other things. Like eat lunch and dinner! We went to several different places, that all served food along the sea and decorated in bright jewel tones and big cushions. There was lots of great vegetarian food and the fresh juices-everything from mango to watermelon-were to die for. At night we enjoyed the "Furry Cup" bar at the resort, it was a cool wooden building that had swings instead of stools at the bar, and a rooftop overlooking the sea. The Egyptian beer is growing on us. The two labels are "Stella" (not Stella Artois, sadly) and "Sakara". They're ok, a little bitter and boring for my tastes but they'll do...During the day we did a lot of plain old relaxing by the pool in big wooden chaise lounges with big blue cushions. Ira did some reading to prepare for the semester and I read David Sedaris' new book "When You Are Engulfed In Flames" which was hilarious, a novel called "Flower Children" about the hippie subculture of the 70's from the prespective of a child, and another novel called "On Beauty" by Zadie Smith.

When we weren't lying around, napping, or swimming lazily in the pool, we were busy studying one of the most incredible coral reefs in the world. Ira went snorkeling a couple of times without me, I was, uh, busy (see previous paragraph). But our last morning we woke up with the sun and went for a snorkel and we were the only people in the water. It was awesome! We saw dozens of different kinds of fish, including about seven Lion Fish which are poisonous, but very cool. And the coral looks like something in a science book, every color of the rainbow and just as many diffferent textures. We also got a chance to see the reef when we went scuba diving. We had a "lesson" before we went out in the water and then we had some more instruction in the bay, and then it was time to do it! Sadly, Ira had a lot of trouble with his ears so he couldn't stay down. He went snorkeling while I kept going with the instructor. I went down 30 feet below the surface! It was so strange and felt really unnatural to breathe when you feel like you should be holding your breath. But once you get the hang of it, it's truly liberating. I think i would like to continue on and get certified the next time we go.

We also took advantage of the yoga that's offered at the resort. The shala was up on top of the roof and had views of the mountians and the sea. It was hot! But, that's a good thing. I think we both enjoyed it. Our instructor was German and she would say things like "just take the posture a little bit furrrther" or "We'll do one more sun salute, yah?" Very cute...and as you can see I had some fun taking some picutres up there, too. By the way, it took me all damn day to figure out how to put that stinkin' slideshow on there so you better enjoy it! Just kidding...but not about the all day part. Well, I could go on and on about the trip but this entry is long enough and I don't want to make you too jealous. Now it's back to reality, still no internet, still no shipment, still no relief from the heat, and orientation starts tomorrow. I'll be sure to report back about the fancy new campus!

Guess who slept through the night like a big girl?!

Woo hoo! Finally! I had a theory that maybe I should stay up really late so I was good and tired, and it worked! I went to bed at 2 and got up at 8! Yay! Now of course, we have to wake up at 3am tonight to catch our plane to the Red Sea but I'm happy with one night of normal sleep...at least for now. So, we are leaving tomorrow for Dahab, a Bedouin beach town on the Red Sea. We'll be staying at the Blue Beach Club, a resort that has scuba diving AND a yoga shala! I'm very excited to relax and swim and read, etc. So, due to this little getaway I probably won't have any new posts for at least a week. But you will have lots of great photos and stories to check out when we return! Have a great week everyone!
The pictures above are just some silly neighborhood and apartment shots. Ira doing the dishes, a dessert plate that I put together last night. Those are "Hit" cookies (our version of Oreos, only way better), grapes, dried apricots, dried figs, sesame candy, and pistachios. Quite a feast! Then there is a cool house in the neighborhood, the outside of our building, and our staircase/hallway. Oh, and I put a link below to a map of Egypt so you can see where Dahab is located (or Cairo for that matter!) http://hereticdhammasangha.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/egypt-map-adj-fix-copy-net.jpg