The Countdown Begins

I just returned from family vacation.... now, the unwelcomed task of unpacking from the Caymans only to be followed by packing for Egypt awaits me.  It is strange to think that I will be leaving the country for nine months this time.  My first expedition in the Middle East started with five months in Turkey in the fall of 2007; then last summer I spent two months in Jordan learning Arabic.  Nine months... I still cannot wrap my mind around missing Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter celebrations with family here in Kentucky. I am not sure waving to loved ones via Skype will be sufficent when I become home sick.  And then there is the painful realization that I will be missing out on both football and basketball season.... I can only hope the Wildcats continue to dominate despite the fact that I will be unable to watch half-a-world away (or maybe ESPN will consider allowing live-streaming to countries outside the US for this year!?!?).

Pre-mature nnostalgia aside, I cannot wait for this next year.  I applied for the Fulbright to teach English in Egypt last September and nearly forgot about the application until I received news the last weekend of May telling me I am bound for Alexandria University.  Over the course of the school year, I will be assisting in English language classes at the university and working on my Arabic.  I also hope to get involved on campus, specifically in women's sports as either a player or coach. 

This year I also intend on learning as much as possible about Egyptian life.  Working my way around the Mediterranean and through the Middle East, I have come to realize there are so many differences in cultures within this anything-but-monolithic region of the world.  I want to become as native as possible as a blond-haired, green-eyed, American woman in the land of Egyptians.  My goal is to return to the States with a new perspective on my Near Eastern neighbors and knowledge of how to bridge the gap between "us" and "them."  This blog, hopefully, will serve as an insightful, yet entertaining, look into my adventure inroute to Egyptian Immersion.