Another 2 (and some hours) day stop, now in our first German city! Right off the bat, I have to tell you guys that we felt that two days was much too short of a time to spend in a great city like Munich! It is most definitely on our list to visit again! We absolutely loved Germany, and I think Munich is probably our favourite German city. The history, the scenery, the beer are all super fantastic, and I'm sure you'll have a blast there too. So, without further ado, here is an overview of our time in Munich.
I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! We certainly had a lovely quiet Christmas out in the countryside with some close family friends! Continuing from the first post, we will now go into detail of our second day in Vienna.
Morning
Bakery and Belvedere
We woke a little later than the day before, but still got out relatively early to begin our day at the Belvedere Art Museum. On our way, we stopped by this bakery in the metro and had a great breakfast of Ciabatta salami.
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If you follow along on Instagram or Facebook, you'll know that we are on our long awaited Christmas holidays! This rather jam-packed three week holiday began in lovely Vienna, Austria! We spent just over 2 days there, and now we are sharing our itinerary, so you can see what you can do in 48 hours in Vienna. I'm going into some detail, so this will be a two-part blog!
Our day began early, with a long ride to the Cairo airport. There we found out the bad news of our flight being delayed by 1 hour, but it did not affect our connection in Athens.Two flights, one layover, a train ride from the airport and 5 metro stops later, we finally arrived at our Hostel "Do Step Inn" with hungry stomachs and ready for sleep.
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Welcome everyone! I am very excited for this first foodie-related blog post! I have been wanting to do recipes and explore ethnic foods for a very long time now, and now I am ready to do this on a more regular basis! Stay tuned now for recipes, restaurant recommendations, and ethnic foods to try before you die!
Today we are doing the Chaski: a highly nutritious breakfast sandwich, packed with protein and vitamins to fuel your day!
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Want to avoid two major mistakes upon the arrival at your destination? Click here to find out over at Hopeless Wanderer. Some solid tips that I can definitely relate to on a few travels! Watch out for tip number 2! It can be costly and eat into your budget.
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And our series continue! Don't forget to check out Hopeless Wanderer for next week's final installment of our What Not to Do travelling tips blog series.
Whether this someone is your friend, sister, husband, school mate, or significant other, there are some basic relational faux-pas you want to avoid when travelling with them, so as to avoid any awkward or unpleasant moments that may spoil the trip.
Surprisingly, this is not a topic that is widely written about. I have been fortunate to not have any truly unpleasant travel companions, quite the opposite, but I do know of people who have been ditched before the trip even began, or right in the middle of it!
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Last week was the launch of a collaboration between Hopeless Wanderer, and Wanderlust + Heart to bring to you a "What Not to Do" series of travel tips!
This week, Katrina has written about : What Not to do on a Long Flight. Follow the link to her blog where you can learn 10 really sound and great tips about how to properly survive those dreadful long flights that bring inevitable jetlag.
This week, Katrina has written about : What Not to do on a Long Flight. Follow the link to her blog where you can learn 10 really sound and great tips about how to properly survive those dreadful long flights that bring inevitable jetlag.
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Welcome everyone to my first collaborative travel blog series! Joining me is the ever lovely Katrina, a fellow Canadian who writes brilliant, quirky travel blogs over at Hopeless Wanderer.
Together we shall cover 4 topics under the umbrella of "What NOT To Do" while travelling. She will take over next week's topic, so stay tuned for that! Today we shall delve into some useful tips of what NOT to do when you are travelling solo! Let's get started.
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Whether it is the person you meet at the hostel, your Couchsurfing host, the other person on the walking tour who is travelling alone, or the couple you meet on a tour bus, travelling brings people together from all walks of life in such a way, that a simple 'so, where are you from' or a 'can you take a picture?' is enough to strike a connection, and then conversation begins, next thing you know, you're eating and drinking together, smiling and sharing with those who were complete strangers only hours before. You may even end up staying in the same place for some time, perhaps on a language summer course, or on the Camino. We cultivate these friendships, knowing full well that we just may never see them again.
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| Best hostel group ever! Budapest, 2012. |
So, who are these people? Well, first of all, they are travellers just like us. Chances are, they have travelled before. They come in all forms, and your relationship with them can be of varying degrees, depending on how long your paths run parallel. But they all brighten up our day, they all enrich our journey, and they all touch our lives one way or another. And more often than not, they give us a very good story to tell...
Some of you we will add on a form of social media, others, we may have never have caught your full name, and therefore can't find you on Facebook or Twitter, but we wish we could. Regardless of how well we are able to keep in touch, if at all, we will never forget about you, especially if you made us smile.
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| The sweetest German couple, I only remember her name being Pia Appel-something, and they were either from Hamburg or Hanover. If you guys see this, please give a shoutout! |
These friends are part of the reason we love to travel. It is not just about experiencing it all ourselves, but sharing some of those moments with others. This is best experienced when travelling alone, because it forces you to open yourself more and go beyond your social comfort circle, but even if you are travelling with others, that should never stop you from making these passer-by friends.
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| Her name is Stephanie, a Brazilian studying in Germany. We had no common language, but still spent a walking tour and lunch together in Budapest! If anyone knows who she is, please lead her to this post! |
So here's to you and all future passer-by friends to come. Thank you. Thank you for sharing a meal with us at the bus tour pit stop, thank you for striking up a conversation during the free walking tour. Thank you for taking pictures when we were tired of selfies, and thank you for sharing your story - a piece of yourself - over a local beer. Maybe you took us in, fed us, and gave us invaluable insider tips, and were more generous than we could ever imagine.
Thank you for being part of the good in this world, and for making wandering this Earth that much more exciting, enriching and rewarding.
Stay awesome.
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Imagine, you're going to see one of the 7 Wonders of the World! This may be a once in a lifetime opportunity, so you want to make the best of the experience! From what to pack, to who to trust, a trip to the Pyramids can be very hectic and stressful when not prepared both for the heat and the haggling! But fear not. It can also be a really cool experience.
Here are the 5 things you should have when you go to explore this incredible ancient site.
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Budapest is one of my top favourite cities, and I can't wait to go back to visit one day. The culture and history is so rich and deep, and it has such a unique character with so many things to do and see!
Apart from the fact that once you're here, the conversion makes you get a whole lot more bang for your buck, and it's a short train ride away from other equally amazing cities, such as Prague and Vienna, here are just 10 reasons why you should visit this historic and beautiful city.
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One of my favourite parts of travelling is the planning process, especially when it's somewhere I haven't been before. I get such a high! Planning a week-long vacation is fairly straight-forward, but planning a longer, multi destination trip can seem more complicated, but it just takes a little more planning to keep you organized and
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As you well know by now, though this blog and through Instagram, we came back a week ago from a lovely little vacation in Dahab, Egypt. A small coastal town along the Red Sea in the Sinai peninsula. It has the typical vacation-spot leisurely activities to do, such as souvenir shopping, swimming, and sight-seeing, but there is more!
This place is in a unique geological disposition having the sea, mountains and desert all closely knit together. Which makes this an excellent place to find adventurous and outdoor activities to do! Let's dive in to our list of things to do in Dahab, shall we?
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Once I knew I was going to teach in Egypt, I wanted to go to the Red Sea! So when we found out about Eid holidays in September, we booked a trip to Dahab, a small town 1 hour north of Sharm El Sheik, which is at the very bottom tip of the Sinai Peninsula.
The Town of Dahab
I have never been to California or Hawaii, but I can't help but think that they share that same surfing/beach-bum atmosphere of a place where most of the action and life happens on the water.
It is a small place, with small shops, many of them hungry for tourists to come and buy their souvenirs, so don't be surprised by the salesmen pulling every trick in the book to lure you to their shop! Learn how to bargain, and you should get a decent price for what you buy. The townsfolk are friendly, and there are many European tourists as well as Egyptian.
There are also plenty of restaurants lined against the coast. Give Meya Meya a chance, as it is further down the strip and struggles to attract more flow of customers. The owner, Mahmoud, is super friendly and a joker!
There is definitely a bohemian feel to the town, and you slowly start looking like a beach bum as your hair gets stiff with salt water, your tan gets darker, and you wear colourful loose pants and sandals 24/7 as you lounge by the water day in and day out. Embrace it while it lasts.
Where we Stayed
The hotel we stayed in was called Dahab Paradise, and the name suited the location very well as it is pinned right between the mountains and the sea. The manager was extremely helpful and definitely went above and beyond to meet our needs and expectations. The kitchen prepared excellent breakfast (not to mention its free!) and amazing, mouth-watering meals. The cost of the hotel was also not expensive, and they can help arrange several activities to do in Dahab. I highly recommend anyone to stay in this quaint and stunningly gorgeous place!
Over the 4 days we spent in Dahab, we did a number of things that ranged from adventurous to plain relaxation. It was a great balance, and the wonderful thing is that there is so much to do in Dahab, you will never be bored! But if you like, you can sit by the pool or the shore, day after day, and soak in the sun!
Swimming in the Red Sea
Like I said earlier, I had been greatly looking forward to dipping to the Red Sea, and Wayne loves beaches a it is. So naturally, we headed to the coast first thing. Our hotel arranged a driver and the typical spot to get dropped off is called Lighthouse. This is basically the beginning the Peace road, which hugs the coast that makes up the main part of town. All the lounge restaurants are here.
The only downside is that this part of the coast is not your typical sandy beach. It's made up of small rocky cliffs, so you simply climb down a couple feet and then you're in the water. It can get very, very busy, especially in season, so try to get a spot early, around 11 am.
Now, much of the coast is occupied by lounge restaurants, so you have to go through the restaurant to get a spot, and typically the polite thing to do is to order refreshments and food. It is an ideal situation, though, because you are guaranteed cold drinks as you come back and forth from the water for as long as you like!
What else is there to do? Find out in my next blog post as I spill more details about the exciting and adventurous things to be done in Dahab!
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I've had the wonderful luck of having visited Paris many times, with more times to come in the future, I'm sure! With each visit, I not only crossed off the big things to see in Paris, but also discovered more out of the way, or less known places to go and see.
First, let me clarify by the "big" things one must see during their first visit or two to Paris:
La Tour Eiffel, the Louvre, Sacre Coeur on Montmartre, Notre Dame de Paris, The Latin Quarter, Pont Alexandre III, etc. I'll never say to not bother with these places, they are all spectacular in their own way, and all still very much of Paris. If you are looking for things on the path slightly less taken, or very much local and authentic, here are 8 other places you could add to your list.
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Let me tell you about teaching in an Egyptian school and my experience thus far with my Egyptian students.
Education in Egypt
Here is some background knowledge. There is no such thing as public education in Egypt. Ok, maybe there is, but the quality is so poor in comparison to western public education. There are either International schools, or National schools, all of which are private and require quite a bit of money. My particular school costs 12,000 US dollars per child. This is why you will see children in the streets working all kinds of odd jobs if they don’t come from a wealthy family. It is sad, but that is the reality. Public education is something I wish all kids in North America would not take for granted...
The Children at Heritage International School
Now that you know how much it costs to go to school in Egypt, it shines a light on the kind of students we get to teach. They are rich children with countless opportunities. They go abroad every summer holiday, and parents will not hesitate to pull their child out of school in the middle of a semester, and go on holiday for 3 weeks to Disney World. Many of the parents are in business and have acquired their wealth generationally, and have grown mainly through connections. It is a 'who you know' world, which means work ethic is not stressed on the children as much.
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Arabic people are very social and a bit loud when they speak. The children are no different. They are very friendly and for the most part wonderful young people, but terrible students. And I happen to have the chattiest group of kids.
By the way, the children are also SO CUTE! It’s hard to not smile at them and go easy when are such adorable and beautiful-looking children...The curly hair, the striking green eyes, the smiles...Egyptian kids are very handsome kids!
My Grade 6 Students
I teach ELA to all three grade 6 classes, and they are one of the largest grades in the school. This past week was the first week of school. There are five students named Omar, about three named Mohamed, several Youssefs, and others with very similar names like Hussein, Hassan, and Hazim. I love their names, except when I want to call on a specific student and I can’t remember the initial of any of their following names…Each student has an average of four names.
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| Positive learning environment and literacy! |
Many of them are sweet, enthusiastic, and charming...but I am here to educate them and get them ready for grade 7 and life. This is where it gets difficult.
From the time I came to Heritage, I was warned about 'the grade sixes', by everyone and anyone who had them since grade 2 (which is when they first developed this reputation). I can't say, after the first week, that their behaviour is all that too shocking or new to me. I have definitely had difficult classes before, where chatter and behaviour were an issue. In contrast to the other grades, however, I can see how my grade six stand out.
I am not the slightest bit discouraged, although I am amused that this should be how my teaching career begins. It was a difficult first week, but I am determined to work with the students in creating consistency in their behaviour. They know how to behave well, they really do, just not consistently.
I will try to do this, all while arranging ESL help for my weaker students, teaching them to spell and write correctly, learn who they are as a person, challenge those who are excelling, discipline those who think they can get away with being disrespectful, instilling a love for reading for those who won't touch a book by choice, and all the other things a teacher must do if they want to be faithful to their students and give them the best.
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| By the first day of school, I completed it with one more hill and a couple more sheep! |
One thing that I love is how willing the children are to share. They want to tell you about their day, about their summer, about the books their brother loves to read, and they are willing to love you sooner than you would expect. This week, I already got my first hug of the year from one particularly chatty, but sweet boy. I also had to give my first detention of the year to, yet, another talkative boy.
Investing in human beings is a wonderful thing, and that is why I do what I do. I come home mentally exhausted every day, and have to go to bed by 9:30 to re-charge over night until that 6:20 am alarm goes off, and I do it all over again. This is my life now, for the next X some years, but I'd say it's a pretty good life.
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Living in Egypt so far has its pros and cons. Fortunately, one of those pros is our apartment. While the furnishing is relatively basic, it is very spacious and comfortable for a newly wed couple. In 6th of October, there are many spacious apartments and villas, as it is a much newer area that is trying to attract the wealthier civilians.
Here is a tour of our Egyptian apartment! When you first walk in, there is the dinning and living room, a nice open concept area with many windows, two of which lead to balconies.
Off to the side, is the kitchen, which is in its own room, unfortunately. This room is probably the lead furnished, with only one counter, which makes the big kitchen feel really sparse. We managed to find a small coffee table that was being thrown out, and re purposed it for our kitchen.
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| We took this picture before we bought garbage cans. |
In the living room corner across one of the main balconies, is where I decided to set up my desk, since Wayne likes to use the dinning room table for his work. It felt too lonely being in the small spare bedroom, all the way on the other side of the apartment.
If you go around to the other side of the living room. there is the entrance to the main hallway that leads to the rest of the apartment, which is the bedrooms and bathroom.
First off, we have the master bedroom. It is quite large, and actually has two windows...but we covered one up with the wardrobe due to the odd placements of wall plugs and for the sake of an appealing layout. We also have our purple and mint master bathroom, with a bathtub! Now we just need to get some bath bombs...
As some of you know, we have two extra bedrooms, here is the larger one. The smaller one we may turn into an office if we feel Wayne needs a proper desk. I am envious of the wardrobe in this particular room, because it is the only one with a full length mirror! So if you are coming to visit us, this is where you will be staying! We promise it will look nicer when you arrive ;)
And lastly we have the big guest bathroom/laundry room. It also has a bathtub and our dryer rack. Again, very spacious, but awkwardly placement of things...Oh well. It does have some nice blue tiles, though!
So there you have it, this is our living situation for our first year in Egypt! Thank you for joining us on our tour! Stay tuned for more Life in Egypt blog posts!
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I'm a girly girl. I won't deny it. I love doing my hair and make-up, and pursuing my idea of beauty and femininity. My tastes have become finer over the years, which basically means I spend a lot more money on beauty products and accessories!
Moving to Egypt has presented to me a great conundrum: how to pack up all my make up supplies, jewels, scarves, and hair products with limited luggage space and weight restrictions? This was a big deal for me! I learned how to sacrifice, and also learned to fully embrace my favourite sort of beauty, which is elegant simplicity.
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Hello, everyone! It’s been five days since we landed in Cairo, so it’s time for an update.
So far life has consisted of settling in to a life in a suburb of Cairo. There are many, many suburbs, which make Cairo look enormous from above! It is definitely a big city, with many people coming and going.
This is the first time for both of us in Egypt, and in the Middle East in general. So, naturally, there are many things that have surprised us and enlightened us about life here in Egypt.
{1 - Construction, Construction, Construction }
Our area, in particular, is seeing crazy amount of construction, with buildings and complexes being built all around. It isn't the most beautiful scene, due to the rubble and dust left behind from demolitions but the areas that are done are simply stunning!
{2 - Indoor Smoking }
I lived in France for some time, and I did notice that many more people smoked, but it was fairly tolerable and there is a growing negative attitude towards smoking there. This is not quite the case here. While I don't see as many people smoking as they walk, like you would down Paris streets, you can go to a mall or restaurant, and be sitting next to three tables with people smoking. Needless to say, this puts a dent in our appetite...
{3 - The Night Life}
Our first evening featured a trip to Mall of Arabia to do some grocery shopping. We finished at nine o'clock and made our way out to head home. We pass the movie theatre, and within a minute, I see three Egyptian families,with young children of all ages, walk in to the mall and make their way to the theatre. Egyptians have very active night life, and even on school nights, they have their children going out with them to the mall, to see a movie, or even just run around and play at home. This makes teaching morning classes rather challenging.
{4 - Friendly Locals }
There have been many family members and friends who have warned us about trusting people in Egypt, even Egyptians themselves have told us to be cautious. While there are those who will try to pocket an extra 10 or 20 LE before giving you your change, so far we have had nothing but good exchanges with Egyptians. They are much more patient and friendly than I had imagined, and now that I am working at the school, I have a chance to interact with the Egyptian staff on a daily basis!
{ 5 - Tolerable Heat }
When it comes to heat, I have always been a big baby. I do not like getting too hot. Back home, anything above 27 degrees was enough excuse to stay indoors. Since we've been in Egypt, the weather has been low 40s and high 30s. I am very pleased to say that due to the dry weather, the heat is much more tolerable than back home! I now know that 39-42 is quite hot and you will get a sweat after 10 minutes in the sun, but you will make it for quite a while in the shade. When it is 34-38, it is quite perfect outside! By evening time, when the temperature drops to about 22-24, I can even turn the air conditioning off for a few hours!
There are may other things I could put on here, but these are things typical of most third world countries, such as the discrepancy between the rich and poor, the hectic driving, the stray dogs, etc.
So far, we are pretty excited to be here! We are planning to do some more 'tourist-y' things once the school year gets going. We have a bit of a holiday coming up at the end of September, so there is a group of us looking at Luxor and the Valley of the Kings! A visit to old Cairo and the Pyramids is also high priority on our list, so that will be happening over the next several weeks.
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In three days, my husband and I will be moving far away from all our friends and family to an unfamiliar land of Egypt. This move is particularly hard on my husband, who has stayed close to home most of his life. I have moved a handful of times to different countries, and while I even have moved away from my nuclear family to fly solo in France for several months, this next move is difficult, even for me.
There is so much to look forward to, and we know this adventure will really help us grow as a couple and enhance our marriage, as well as enrich our lives with so may unique experiences that are coming our way. But we are both very family orientated people, and our hearts will feel something is missing as weeks go by without a family dinner, or family movie night.
I know what to expect, and I know when home-sickness will hit the hardest. I also know that the reverse will happen once the two years fly by and we are on our way home. People are what really make a place feel like home, and chances are there will be new friends that will make it hard for us to come back!
Yet, knowing the adventures that will be had, the emotions that will come and knowing what the final parting at the airport will be like, doesn't lessen the experience for me. At the one week mark is when I finally began to crack {read as: crying randomly} and I could not be in denial any more of the reality that was ever fast approaching.
Because time is fleeting, I've decided to take some time and acknowledge the things my husband and I will miss the most while away, but not to become more sorrowful, but rather to remember these things fondly and hold on to them until we return.
1. My mother's lack of personal space as she tickles and hugs without ceasing.
2. Our niece's most beautiful and adorable toothless smile and sparkling eyes.
3. Sonny's dog kisses and cuddles.
4. Wayne's mom singing a prayer with joy in her face.
5. My dad's teasing jokes.
6. My little brother's nerdy facts that no one really cares about except him.
7. Our nephews many faces and hilarious moments.
8. The older niece's ability to talk better than most teenagers (she's not 3 yet!).
9. Seeing grandpa get lost in his world of tinkering, like fixing a car brake.
10. Listening to Wayne's dad's stories, no one tells them like him!
11. My youngest brother's hilarious sayings and adorable helpfulness.
12. Grandma's quick and witty come backs.
13. Seeing the end result of my sister-in-law's work of creativity, whether baking or décor.14. Eating that famous ham...
15. The way Wayne's brothers get excited about their passions
16. Our sister in law's great big heart for family.
17. My youngest sister singing off-tune made-up music with steadfast confidence
18. The love our family shows us in all the big and little ways!
This list could go on, and on and on...There is simply too much that will be missed! Yet, looking back on this list, it really becomes obvious that when it comes to family, my husband and I have been blessed! And it is thanks to their love and support that we are able to pursue this dream and great adventure ahead!
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Summer is great for getting away, and sometimes that getaway is only a few hours away from home. Cabins are a popular destination in Canada, and the best part is that cabins can be visited all year round! If you have never spent much time at a cabin before, and experienced the #cabinlife, here are ten easy steps to learn how to do so!
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Travellers and wanderers like to express their wanderlust and love for travelling, and one of those ways is through home décor and fun diy crafts! I was inspired by my friend over at Pretty Little Details, when she posted a tutorial of a DIY Wanderlust Globe, and simply had to make my own!
Sadly, I did not have great luck finding a full sized globe, so I opted for a smaller globe! Please note: if you go for a smaller globe, it makes it very hard to do the little details of land/water borders! But it is also very cute!
You can find the first few steps over here. Below is where I deviated and made it my own! As you can see below, I went with white for the water and used a gold marker for the land.
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My husband and I love road trips, even if it's only an hour long. We love spending time with just us two, and blasting some great tunes while hitting the road. Some songs are great for singing at the top of your lungs like a rock star, and other perfect for contemplating as you watch the horizon and landscapes pass by.
Over the years we've been on a handful number of road trips, and we've gotten used to a certain selection of songs that are our must-haves on any road trip playlist. Here are our top 15 current favourites, enjoy a little listen!
1. Send Me (On My Way) by Rusted Root - Wayne loves this song, and it's really fun to kick-start the journey with a song about going somewhere!
2. Pompeii by Bastille - This is a great song overall, but can you imagine this blasting through your speakers as you see the sunrise? Or come upon some mountains? Pure epic-ness...
3. The Gambler by Kenny Rogers - Every classic road trip deserves a classic country song, and what could be more classic than this?
4. What I Wouldn't Do by Serena Ryder - This is one of my favourite go-to songs for something up-beat and a bit folk-y. I can picture and endless road and open skies whenever I hear this song.
5. Wake Me Up by Avicii - Great song over all! Definitely up-beat, which is good for those long, sometimes aching, hours of sitting in a car.
6. Lighthouse by Rend Collection - Wayne adores this song, it's très catchy and uplifting! Definitely gets us singing every time and bobbing our heads to the beat.
7. Secrets by OneRepublic - I love OneRepublic, and this is by no means my top favourite, but for the purpose of this list, I only chose one of their songs.
8. I Will Wait (or almost anything) by Mumford and Sons - We both LOVE Mumford and Sons, what more can I say? They are amazing!!!
9. Old Pine by Ben Howard - Such a soothing and earth-y song, and Ben Howard is wonderful. One of my faves. I would love to listen to this while driving through a dark pine forest!
10. Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer - Maybe this is my girly-girl side, but I love this song. I love the picture the words paint; goes fitting with a road-trip through the prairies.
11. Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus - If you're going to the US, this is so much fun to pump yourself up to! Especially when approaching a huge city like New York or LA!
12. Let Her Go by Passenger - What a charming song, and who better to sing it with than with someone you love whilst holding their hand?
13. You & Me by Lifehouse - If you're travelling with your significant other, it is literally just you and them. Too bad you can't dance a slow dance in the car...
14. Hey Soul Sister by Train - HE-EY! HE-EH-EH-EY! HE-EH-EH-EY!...
15. Any Other Way by Daniela Andrade - She's not big like that Ariana chick but I love this Canadian singer song-writer! (since there isn't much on YouTube, check out her songs here!)
Listening to these songs make me want to get in the car and take off...
What songs have you been listening to on your road trips lately? Or maybe air plane trips? Song suggestions are greatly welcome!
13:45
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Today officially marks 1 month until my husband and I touch down in the land of Egypt. I would be lying if I said we weren't nervous. While we've read as much as we could on life in Egypt, travel tips, and received info booklets on what to expect and customs, and such, there is no such thing as being ready, only willing.
There is some danger to be apprehensive about, as well as many comforts from home that will be missed. Yet there are countless new foods to try, new flavours to explore, new language to learn, new sights to behold, new people to embrace, new music and sounds to be captivated by, and new experiences to live.
Thus I present, first, the things were not looking forward to/will miss about home, and second: what we can't wait for!
Top 5 Things We're Not Looking Forward To
1) Women's Rights A-Lacking.
I've read many blogs and articles about how different life will be for me as a female in the middle East, and I dred it. I'm not a feminist in the radical sense, but I do think a woman should be able to show her knees without men treating her like a prostitute. Also, I've been practising how to say "I'm married" and "Leave me alone" in Arabic...
2) Illiteracy.
I am fortunate to know 3 languages fluently, and have a good linguistic talent for deciphering Latin based languages I do not speak. Arabic, however, could not be more foreign to me. While I am ecstatic to learn a new and different language, neither my husband or I are looking forward to the growing pains of learning to read right to left and in a new alphabet. Can I join the kindergarten kids in Arabic class?
3) Heat.
I am an odd creature. I don't mind warmth but always had low tolerance for extreme heat (and cold). Tropical places are not where I want to retire. Give me a cottage in Ireland, and I'll be thrilled. Fortunately, Egypt is a dry heat, which I know I can combat with much more ease than humid.
4) No Bacon.
And no pork at all for that matter. I'm not in love with pork, though I do really enjoy ham, but both my husband and I love bacon - we are Canadian after all! So knowing we will not be having these foods at all while in the Middle East, makes our stomachs rather sad.
5) On Your Guard.
There is a safety and sense of social respect that is present more Western societies that seems like a fairy tale in more exotic eastern countries. I know we will get used to it and it will become second nature, but we soft Canadians will have much to learn about who to trust and how to behave in society if we are to be safe and not get into trouble or mixed up in something.
Now for the Top 5 Things We Are SO Looking Forward To
1) The Food
We are BIG food lovers! There is very little we are shy to try, and we love ethnic cuisine, so we are definitely looking forward to the exotic tastes and aromas that await!
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| Food.com - Egyptian Recipes |
2) The Sites
The Nile, the pyramids, the Sphinx, the Red Sea, need I go on?
3) The Cultural Experience
Getting used to a new way of life can be challenging and sometimes embarrassing. But once you get into the ebb and wane of life of the culture around you, it's a beautiful experience. I believe in life-long learning, and being exposed to the new and different is bound to teach you some things.
4) Adventure
What do wanderers want more than an adventure? We wouldn't be going at all if it weren't up for one! We are building our To-Do list, which already includes: scuba diving in the Red Sea, climbing inside a Pharaoh's tomb, visiting visiting countries such as Turkey and Israel and so much more!
5) Teaching
As a new teacher, I'm gushing over having my own classroom and students for two years!!! I know I will be learning just as much as I am teaching, if not more, but I couldn't be more excited to put my skills into full gear and truly begin my career! I'm also thrilled to have a classroom full of brown-eyed pupils with dark curly hair...My grade sixes will be the most adorable!
Have you ever moved to a completely new culture and country? Have you lived in Egypt? What was it like?
As a new teacher, I'm gushing over having my own classroom and students for two years!!! I know I will be learning just as much as I am teaching, if not more, but I couldn't be more excited to put my skills into full gear and truly begin my career! I'm also thrilled to have a classroom full of brown-eyed pupils with dark curly hair...My grade sixes will be the most adorable!
Have you ever moved to a completely new culture and country? Have you lived in Egypt? What was it like?
11:23
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Hello wanderers!
There are plenty of tips and pieces of advice for travelling Europe that many people will be familiar with or easily find on most travel sites. Don't forget your umbrella while in the UK, do not leave valuables for pickpockets to easily snatch, keep a close eye on your taximeter, wear appropriate clothing to visit the Vatican, etc.
Yet, there are small details that will come up in your travels that could cause confusion or trouble. Here are 5 tips that I have recorded from my time in Europe. They should prove to be useful, especially if you are planning your very first trip over to Europe. Here we go!
There are plenty of tips and pieces of advice for travelling Europe that many people will be familiar with or easily find on most travel sites. Don't forget your umbrella while in the UK, do not leave valuables for pickpockets to easily snatch, keep a close eye on your taximeter, wear appropriate clothing to visit the Vatican, etc.
Yet, there are small details that will come up in your travels that could cause confusion or trouble. Here are 5 tips that I have recorded from my time in Europe. They should prove to be useful, especially if you are planning your very first trip over to Europe. Here we go!
06:46
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There are many kinds of travellers out there. Some travel as part of their work, others sell everything they own to wander the globe. Many are everyday people with more typical jobs, who make an effort to use up whatever vacation time they can get to go out and see the world.
Then, there are those who travel for very selfless reasons. Missionaries, relief volunteers and aid workers are these kinds of travellers. They go where they are needed, not necessarily what is on their bucket list. They don't go to resorts, or with the mindset to hit up attractions and monuments. They are there for the people, the locals, who are in need, and they come to serve and share hope, life and love.
A couple months ago, on April 25th, you may recall the terrible earthquake that shook and tore across the country of Nepal, leaving behind utter destruction, fear and hopelessness. Among the survivors was my very good friend Julia, who had only landed there a couple weeks before with her YWAM (Youth With A Mission) team from Kona, Hawaii.
It has been 2 months now since that disastrous day, and Julia is back home safe and sound, and with incredible stories of what happened there in Kathmandu before, during and after the two earthquakes. I decided to sit down and chat with her, to get a first-hand account and perspective of Nepal, the country, the people, the event, and the aftermath. We met up at Tims, and the following conversation and questions ensued.
 (c) Julia Rattai - Beautiful Nepalese boys |
Nepal: The First Impressions
The noise! The vehicles, the honking, and crazy driving were the first things I noticed when I arrived in Nepal. "It scared me, it was scary!" The roads don't have lines and no speed limits.
Motorcycles zig-zag through traffic anyway they can, it’s chaotic. There are also no stop signs, so you better run when you cross the street! Drivers don’t get punished the same way if they hit a human. "They would rather hit a human than a cow, you could go to jail for hitting a cow". Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, has mostly dirt roads, there not many that are paved. “You can see electrical wires hang just a few inches above your head from electrical posts!”
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(c) Julia Rattai |
The capital is very polluted and dirty, so much exhaust and grey-coloured skies - "you can't even see the mountains except on really clear days". Other sights include goats tied up, stray dogs wandering around, and cows literally lying and gazing around. "Because they consider the cow holy, you cannot even touch it, unless you own it". It gives whole new meaning to the term ‘holy cow’.
When it came to first impressions of the people, the way women are dressed really caught Julia’s attention. "You knew who were Hindu and who were Buddhist. They (Hindus) wear a kirta of bright colours - lots of reds, purples and oranges. Buddhist women wear a longer head piece that wraps around their bodies". As a female, Julia was not allowed to show shoulders or above the knee.
Many Nepalese women wear nose rings on the left, as opposed to the right, which is the Indian way. "They believe it will help make babies!"
Speaking of babies, the children in Nepal are not afraid to go up to people and start talking to them. While Julia admits that this is typical of most kids even in our culture, it was much more pronounced and open with these Nepalese children. "They fall in love with you instantly, and climb up on you. They (the families) love to invite you over into their home and feed you constantly". Hospitality is prevalent in their culture, which is surprising for us North Americans, who have so much to give, and yet are not nearly so open to give and share with others, never mind complete strangers.
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(c) Julia Rattai - Taken on a clear day and cleared up more on Adobe Photoshop. |
When the earthquake hit, what changed -
"Before - it was harder to talk to people about Jesus and to witness, to share about what we believed and talk about what they believed. Afterwards, they were much more open because they faced death, and realized that they had no certainty of where they were going after death". The landscape obviously changed, but it is shocking in what ways it did. For instance, the Temples were all fine and standing, after the earthquake though, every single one in Kathmandu fell down. Dogs were freaking out more and barking at people, clearly also shaken after the earthquake. Life as they knew it, changed. Before, there were a lot more markets open the earthquake, and afterwards many of them did not open again. Their spirit of hospitality, however, was still very prevalent during the chaos.
How was the state of the locals?
Shaken. Every 50 years or so they experience a big earthquake, but they were still shaken. The Nepalese were very fearful, and the government already likes to use fear tactics to control the people.
They were searching for a sense of peace and would surround us whenever we were praying out loud in the streets. On the bright side, local churches were once segregated and not even aware of each other’s existence, now had a very good reason to rally together. Our team decided to get all the churches in Kathmandu to get together and 15 out of 25 of them came out to a worship event. It was very encouraging.
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(c) Julia Rattai |
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(c) Julia Rattai |
What was the greatest need?
"Peace and comfort". As previously mentioned, they were filled with fear. Material-wise, they needed the everyday things to stay comfortable. The government, however, is so corrupt that they kept some of the materials that came in for relief, so the people weren't getting things like blankets. They needed shelter, which we helped build, especially for those whose houses completely collapsed.
How did you comfort them?
We would walk around and pray for direction, then we would be led to a house and talk to the people, get to know their story or need. Many would come out to us before we even got there. We would pray over them. We raised some money for our close neighbours and friends in the neighbourhood where we were stationed, whose houses had completely collapsed. It was great to see how at peace and loved they felt - they almost didn't accept the money.
How were the people’s spirits when you left?
The people that we knew well, we felt that we were leading them to a state of hope, "that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and something for them to hold on to". We felt bad because we (the missionary group) got to leave the situation, but they have to stay behind and who knows how it will pan out, but they felt that they were going to be OK, and it is not the end but only the beginning of something huge. Nepal is definitely going to be a turning to Jesus, there is a chance for a revival. Everyone thought after the earthquake that "this nation is finished" but we spoke to them and said "no, Nepal is going to come back, and it's going to prosper".
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(c) Julia Rattai - "This was the scariest bridge I ever went on my whole life!" |
What still needs to be done?
More missionaries, more people from anywhere to be placed there, because "the harvest is ready, but the worker are few". Naturally, more materials are needed for houses to be built, and even for the temples. Offering to build up their old temples is a way to show the love of God and evangelize, which is what one missionary pastor is doing over there right now. Honestly, the government needs to change. They need a new person in charge, someone who wants to help and not leave it hanging on a thread. Ultimately, what needs to be done is to build Nepal back to be even better than before.
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There are people out there, just like Julia, who are doing good work across the whole world. They get no special recognition, award or building named after them. Our society and media is obsessed with actors, musicians, and famous idols who, for the most part, simply provide entertainment. Yet it is the humble, the selfless and the loving ones willingly serve others that we should look to as role models and with admiration.
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(c) Julia Rattai |
I am so proud of my friend Julia, and I am so excited for what is in store for her in the coming years and she returns to do more missionary work in the fall. She inspires me to become a better person, to grow my faith and to open my heart to those who need it most. While life has not been arranged in a way for me to travel along with missions and relief groups, I know it is possible to share hope and love wherever you are and wherever you go. As wanderers, we have the opportunity to touch the lives of so many people in meaningful ways, both abroad and locally, and we should never forget that.
Do you have a story that involves travelling that you are inspired to share? Let me know and your story just might get featured in a future post!
Wanderfully yours,
Elizabeth
08:50
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