The Beginning
After some sudden changes of events, I found myself on a plane not to that dear city of Roma, Italia, but instead to Alexandria Egypt via Frankfurt, Germany. I was in Frankfurt for a LONG 10 hours or so. I took the 20 minute metro ride from the enormous airport into the city. After relishing the feeling of being back in Europe, getting some pizza, and checking some email, it started raining and the floor started to move in waves. So jet-lagged and exhausted I returned to the airport, where I slept off and on. I woke with a start at least five times and panically (is that a word?) thinking, "is it time to go now?"
I started to get really nervous as I boarded the flight (to Alexandria) and realized I was one of three "westerners" on the plane. Being in the minority is certainly something I've had little experience with. Everyone was really friendly, and after helping an older man who was struggling to put his suitcase up, and another man next to find his glasses which rolled under the seat, I felt a lot more comfortable. As we were landing I was looking down at the city and the idea that I was in Africa really started to hit me! And then I started thinking, "what the hell did I do!"
The Alexandria airport is really really small. It took a while to get through passport control, and once I did, I realized that I didn't see the driver who was suppose to pick me up anywhere! I was really nervous already, and then started to stress about what I would do if the driver never showed up! I didn't even bring a guidebook with me to give me hotel names! There were guys trying to "help" everyone with their bags. I waved the first one off, but was too tired to argue with the second guy who didn't really give me a chance to argue anyway. He grabbed my bags and was three steps ahead of me the whole time. I kept saying, "wait, there's suppose to be someone here to pick me up!" As we walked outside, I saw a man with a "TEFL International" sign and was VERY greatful! Hussein was really nice, and led me to his car (they guy with my bags was still three steps ahead, and had to be called back to go the right way to the car!) At that point I hopped into Hussein's old Volkeswagon van, and we headed on our way. (After the guy complained about the tip I give him, which I've since found out was quite high.)
The ride was hilarious because the van kept dying as he went around turns, and Hussein would just restart it as we were driftng along... The headlights kept going out on the van too, but apparently you don't really need to have them on while driving through the city in the middle of the night! It was also my first introduction to Middle Eastern traffic.
We drove along the Cornish (sea wall), which was beautiful, and arrived at the apartment building I have been staying in.
I started to get really nervous as I boarded the flight (to Alexandria) and realized I was one of three "westerners" on the plane. Being in the minority is certainly something I've had little experience with. Everyone was really friendly, and after helping an older man who was struggling to put his suitcase up, and another man next to find his glasses which rolled under the seat, I felt a lot more comfortable. As we were landing I was looking down at the city and the idea that I was in Africa really started to hit me! And then I started thinking, "what the hell did I do!"
The Alexandria airport is really really small. It took a while to get through passport control, and once I did, I realized that I didn't see the driver who was suppose to pick me up anywhere! I was really nervous already, and then started to stress about what I would do if the driver never showed up! I didn't even bring a guidebook with me to give me hotel names! There were guys trying to "help" everyone with their bags. I waved the first one off, but was too tired to argue with the second guy who didn't really give me a chance to argue anyway. He grabbed my bags and was three steps ahead of me the whole time. I kept saying, "wait, there's suppose to be someone here to pick me up!" As we walked outside, I saw a man with a "TEFL International" sign and was VERY greatful! Hussein was really nice, and led me to his car (they guy with my bags was still three steps ahead, and had to be called back to go the right way to the car!) At that point I hopped into Hussein's old Volkeswagon van, and we headed on our way. (After the guy complained about the tip I give him, which I've since found out was quite high.)
The ride was hilarious because the van kept dying as he went around turns, and Hussein would just restart it as we were driftng along... The headlights kept going out on the van too, but apparently you don't really need to have them on while driving through the city in the middle of the night! It was also my first introduction to Middle Eastern traffic.
We drove along the Cornish (sea wall), which was beautiful, and arrived at the apartment building I have been staying in.
posted by Abby at 11:24 AM
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