Siwa and Homestay

Highlights: Siwa and Homestay
Just before our big week of homestays, our team escaped into the desert for a few days of fun in the sun. We took a 10 hour bus ride west into the Sahara dessert in a little, conservative town called Siwa. This is the location of some very historically ancient sites. The first day we rented bikes and made our way down the back roads to visit temples dating back to 5000BC (dang that’s old!) then cooled off in Cleopatra’s bath. That evening we biked just outside of town to watch the sunset by sea—which happened to be so dense from salt you are completely buoyant on top of the water. After a dramatic bike ride back to town (entailing bike frames falling off and a successful attempt at tandem passengers) we finished off the evening with a local cuisine and traditional dancing by the fireside. Quite honestly I don’t think I will be performing Siwa dances any time soon seeing that I embarrassingly knocked over some of the men who pulled me into the dance mash pit.
Day 2 was spent in dune bugs on the Sahara desert. When we reached our first sand dune I climbed to the top and rolled full-body down to the bottom with Emily by my side. Sadly it took me the rest of the afternoon to recuperate from the fall because my equilibrium was way off and I felt nauseous for the next 3 or 4 hours. I wasn’t going to let that ruin the rest of the day though because I still was able to successfully board down another sand dune without facing it. At the bottom of that sand dune was the most beautiful cold spring that was perfect for cooling off our sweaty bodies. That night we slept under the stars in the Sahara desert. Now that I think back, our time in Siwa was incredible!

We came back to Agouza just in time to wash our clothes and pack for our homestays the next day. I’m sitting here wondering how I can encompass an entire week of laughter, food, dancing, and Arabic. Okay, first off I was grouped with my awesome friend Kaeli who I seem to have the most amazing adventures with so it was perfect that we would be living together. My host family make up: Baba (incredibly gentle), Mama (the most kind and generous spirit), Nesma, 26(the only English speaker and our gateway to sanity), Besma, 14 almost 15(the ideal teenager girl), Abdu, 13 (the future engineer), and Hela, 10 (the essence of individual). Mine and Kaeli’s first night at home was spent belly dancing- just women- for literally 2.5 hours. It was a great way to start off one of the most rewarding experiences thus far. Nothing on this program can surpass the power that comes with human interaction. Simply because of the way the program is setup in conjunction with the cultural setting, we do not get nearly enough interactions with Muslims. Especially as a woman I have come to realize most relationships are built inside the home. Muslims in Egypt have separate lives: their public, on the street, get what you need life and then their private, uninhibited, candid lives behind closed doors. The personality I have faced since arrival is completely different than the personality I encountered in my Muslim home.
Best memories as a daughter in the family:
1. Communal living. Every meal, every conversation, every game was done together. There was no going upstairs and escaping into my room, but constant relationship.
2. Confidence building in Arabic. Before homestays I was somewhat intimidated to use what little Arabic I have been learning. We are pretty much the equivalent of a 3yr old when it comes to our Arabic vocabulary and grammar. But after being in an environment where I have to use what I know, I learned so much more. Languages are incredibly difficult, but extraordinarily rewarding.
3.Dancing. I don’t think that I have danced so much in such a short period of time in my whole life. Every day Kaeli and I were busting out the moves, quite embarrassing in comparison to Egyptian women. Whether we were dancing in the home with our sisters, or spending an entire day with relatives who don’t know any English, but completely understand how to make friends through a little booty shaking, Kaeli and I have never laughed so hard. To make up for our inadequate hip action I busted out a little C-walking to represent American dancing! I must also give a warning, because belly dancing is a private event just for women, the forbiddance of it highly attracts Egyptian men. To give a picture: one small room, two Americans, only Arabic is being spoken, 15-20 women, and the only single, eligible bachelor being pulled in to watch Kaeli or I perform our belly dance solos. AWKWARD!
4. Laughter. There were so many wonderful encounters with each member of the family. We would constantly play card games, take pictures, eat, play with hair, do makeovers, rough house, make farting noises- everything families do together. In was in these moments that I realized language is only a barrier if you let it be. Communication is lived out.

If you want more stories, I have plenty. Just ask.
I will continue to try and update more. Things are getting really busy these days. I have 3 papers and one week to finish them. Please keep me in your prayers, specifically for me to be more diligent in all aspects academically, spiritually, relationally. I have been slacking and it gets wearisome at times.