KHALAS! CAIRO to NANTUCKET!!

You have to hhhkkhh! when you say it! The word for finished! It is said very often here in Egypt. It sort of means - OK, that's the end of THIS conversation. OR Finally!!! OR of course - YAY! it's over! And yes, my adventure here in Egypt is over. It is 11PM and I will be picked up at 2:30 in the morning to go to the airport. Ughhhh! it is such an awful time to depart and Ughhhh! my suitcases are waaaay tooo heavy. I can do nothing about either and I am dreading dragging the luggage around . . . A LOT!! But in one day I will be home. Khalas! (See? now you are getting the hang of it!!

I will learn what this year has meant to me in the coming weeks, months, and years since I cannot truly digest it all until I am away from it. I stood on my balcony just a bit ago and felt the hot night air. It is like standing in an oven . . . with a breeze. And of course the mosque is right across the street with its ghostly green uplighting. I try to memorize it all but know that you can only be here now. So, it will all meld into a memory and I have to wait to see what that memory ends up being. For now, I know I will miss the adventure. Life will sure seem dull with traffic rules obeyed . . . no language barrier to strategize around . . and no hikes up mountains or dives into the Red Sea not to mention machine gun toting guides and police . . . Ho hum!

So, it is quiet and I am sitting in my packed up apartment glancing out at the mosque. Everyone in the villa has come to say good-bye, not without my tearing up of course. All of them are such good people and I really enjoy knowing them. The people part is my favorite and the thought of missing so many new friends is the only thing that makes me sad.

Perhaps one day I will digest the whole teaching experience. When I started this I thought for sure I would be talking about teaching in this blog all the time but . . . that would have been a lot of negativity and not much for growth so I left it out. For now, I will miss some of the kids. And, I did have a hand in the beginning of a school and that is pretty cool. I contributed quite a bit in various ways to feel positive about that.

Well, I am off to shower and get in my "airplane" outfit and . . . what?? Sleep?? for 3 hours?? possible I guess but . . . I am just a wee bit PSYCHED!! to being going Cairo to Nantucket!! so it will be hard to sleep. Next post will be from the USA and I will have to think if I have enough to say to continue . . .like I said. I will miss the adventure that was a school year in Egypt.