Moving into a New Flat

Yes, we did make it back to Egypt! Yes, we did move into our new flat. When our landlord wanted to raise the rent $400 per month, we found a much cheaper place that was on the ground floor AND had a small yard AND it’s by the back gate of Alex and Karan' school so they only walk a half block. But it was far from easy. When we left for our summer trip for the US, our flat was supposed to be almost ready when we returned July 30. Here began our growing experience. We had to impose on friends for over a month to live in their flat. When we finally did move in on September 1, we lived without a usable kitchen for another two weeks. Customer service, especially during Ramadan (Aug 21-Sept 21 this year), is not a core value in this part of the world. We have only had DSL Internet for a few weeks but it's only 256 kb, while we wait for the Internet provider and the separate marketing company to quit arguing over payment.
←our two-story new flat from the outside

The most disappointing aspect of the whole ordeal was how grouchy and complaining we were. All of our illusions about how flexible and adaptable we had become living overseas were shattered. We realized how easy we had it last year living with a landlord that fixed everything quickly and at his expense. We found how much this is NOT the norm in Egypt. For $600 month less in rent, we have used up all of the first year’s savings just fixing the place up. Were it not for the “angels” God sent us to minister in the fixing, remodeling, feeding us meals, washing our clothes (we also weren’t able to hook up our washer/dryer), we would really be a mess!! Our desire for being “in control” remains an illusion. We are thankful for the body of Christ alive and at work!! We have learned what is more of a typical expat experience moving into a new culture … we just had to wait a year. We will have much more compassion on those who struggle with adjusting to Egypt since we have tasted more deeply what they feel.

While all of the joy of moving was transpiring, Karan began her teaching at CAC at 40% on August 2 (classes began on the 16th). Her new position in learning support services (aka special education) involved dividing her time between high school and middle school. Learning the procedures, expectations, and relational dynamic of two very different divisions of the school in an entirely new position has also been a learning experience. Karan feels good about the situation so far, especially helping students. Soon after September 1, she was moved up to 60%, so she works every other day now. As in any new work community, there are lots of new rules and hidden social dynamics to learn, so navigating these waters has been yet another stretching experience. It takes you to a place of just discovering who you are and being true to that identity when other forces try to shape you into something different and lesser.

Karan's new kitchen→

Working every other day enables Karan to work with the women’s group MWG (Maadi Women’s Guild). Though it has had many faces in the many, many years of existence, the consistent one is the benevolence, to help support various charity work in and to this country. There is a woman to woman aspect, which began more intentionally, last year as more of an outreach to the expatriate community (not necessarily only the Christian women) in connection and relationship, with the hope of joining hands to sow into other lives. From that group, smaller groups from bowling to in depth Bible studies are offered to women in the community. It is exciting to see what the Lord will do this year!
Meanwhile, there have also been some shifts at church. The Anglican (Episcopal) Church, who owns the property where we worship, wanted the prime Friday morning worship time (our local holy day). So we shifted our worship services to Friday afternoon and evening. So far it has gone fairly well. The spirit has been good in the church as we have emphasized the priesthood of the believer and serving as a fulfilling lifestyle. It has been hard to measure attendance because of the irregularity of the school year start-up this year. (As of September 18, all public and private schools and universities were closed until October 3 because of fear of swine flu outbreak.) If the delay had continued, there could be a mass exodus of people taking their kids back home to not compromise their education. So we were sweating it for awhile. The rhythm of this Fall has been very unusual according to long-term residents due to the school closure and Ramadan, but we think we are ready to now begin the year as everyone has filtered back in.

←Steve in the living room with new oriental rugs

Alex has seemed to have the easiest adjustment. He has established a good group of friends who hang out together regularly. He has stayed quite socially active. He likes his classes (mostly). JV soccer try-outs began last week with 72 showing up. It was extremely competitive and Alex was pretty worried, but he made the team of 16. So we are all holding our breath to hope he makes the travel team of 11 this year. He also joined a men’s Fall softball team, so that keeps his baseball skills sharpened. He also had his birthday party this year amid the last boxes of unpacking. What a difference a year makes!! We are thankful!!

Video game area 2nd floor→

Meanwhile back in Spokane, Travis has one more quarter of classes at Eastern Washington University before he comes here to Egypt to do his internship in International Relations from December through May. He broke his wrist in two places, though, and so no longer can work. He is in alot of pain as the splint is trying to hold the bones to mend so he doesn't need surgery. He looks forward to getting it put in a cast and seeing if his fingers and thumb can move so he can work and type, etc.
Brett is in Bellingham in his junior year at Western Washington University. He worked all summer in a state park at the entrance station. He is a photojournalism major, but is trying a class in the Art department enroute to either a double major or minor in graphic design. The issue is that our former science-math student has ventured into an arena that he has had much less background. He is living in an apartment with several others in different apartments from a campus Christian group.
We did manage to take a four day trip to the tip of the Sinai peninsula to Sharm el Sheikh (pronounced "shake") to snorkel in the Red Sea. It was wonderful. The hotel even had three large water park quality water slides! The fish around the coral reef were amazing and we got to sample the night life of Sharm.

Let me encourage you if you haven't signed up to be a "follower" of this blog so you can receive email notice that you follow the directions posted in previous blogs. When we were back home this summer we discovered many people who didn't know how to sign-up, but wanted to.
Let us hear from you! Remember that no matter what the economic and political situations, God is still good and He is in control. His purposes will not be thwarted.

Steve and Karan