Well, I survived my birthday weekend in Cairo. It was an overall awesome weekend. It began with the drawing at the Ace Club, which happens at the end of every month. You have to buy cards at the club to buy drinks or food, something about regulations, who knows...Anyway, every month they draw a certain amount of cards for prizes like more cards or local weekend trips, etc. I won a couple of cards last month worth about $10 and was hoping maybe I would win some more this time, but thought that was a long shot. Instead, I won the BIG DRAW! 7400 LE, worth about $1100 US. What a night! And what a way to start my birthday weekend.
It's surreal at times here and turning 37 in Cairo was one of those moments. And not in a negative surreal way, but in a cool surreal way. Well, there are definitely negatives to living here, but I felt good about turning over another year in such an exotic locale. It's not at all what I expected, even though I did tons of research, and it's insane and hectic and nonsensical most of the time, but I am thankful I did it! Last year at this time, I would've never thought I would have jumped through all the hoops to actually get where I'm at today.
The day after the draw, I dragged my butt outta bed at the crack of dawn (well 8) and went to touch rugby to cheer on the girls. My knee has been bothering me, again, so I've been trying to take it easy. Wow. What a rough morning that was. It POURED the entire time and was super cold. I would have never thought I'd be stuck in a frigid downpour IN EGYPT!! And since the roads here aren't equipped with drains (since there is so little rain), it gets really disgusting when it actually does. So, needless to say, it was not a fun morning to be stuck on the sidelines!
The rest of the weekend was just hanging at the Ace with friends, but it was a good time. And no hangovers to worry about (Yay adult me!).
On a side note, Chloe has decided to go back home at the end of March to live with my mom. I'll join her when the school year is over and stay for the summer. I know she has been homesick, missing my mom and Christina and the girls, so I think it will be good for her. And maybe, just maybe, we'll miss each other enough while she's gone to be nicer to each other :-)
It's surreal at times here and turning 37 in Cairo was one of those moments. And not in a negative surreal way, but in a cool surreal way. Well, there are definitely negatives to living here, but I felt good about turning over another year in such an exotic locale. It's not at all what I expected, even though I did tons of research, and it's insane and hectic and nonsensical most of the time, but I am thankful I did it! Last year at this time, I would've never thought I would have jumped through all the hoops to actually get where I'm at today.
The day after the draw, I dragged my butt outta bed at the crack of dawn (well 8) and went to touch rugby to cheer on the girls. My knee has been bothering me, again, so I've been trying to take it easy. Wow. What a rough morning that was. It POURED the entire time and was super cold. I would have never thought I'd be stuck in a frigid downpour IN EGYPT!! And since the roads here aren't equipped with drains (since there is so little rain), it gets really disgusting when it actually does. So, needless to say, it was not a fun morning to be stuck on the sidelines!
The rest of the weekend was just hanging at the Ace with friends, but it was a good time. And no hangovers to worry about (Yay adult me!).
On a side note, Chloe has decided to go back home at the end of March to live with my mom. I'll join her when the school year is over and stay for the summer. I know she has been homesick, missing my mom and Christina and the girls, so I think it will be good for her. And maybe, just maybe, we'll miss each other enough while she's gone to be nicer to each other :-)
