Back Again

Hi everyone. I am here safely. I got in at maybe 8:30 or 9 last night. I flew from Chicago to Istanbul and then Istanbul to Cairo. Turkish Air fed me a lot! I was shocked! Probably because the last time I flew I took Spirit… which was cheaper than any other airline, but I had to pay for a carry-on. And either Turkish Air didn’t care that my backpack weighed 4000 lbs or I was really good at hiding my grimaces every time I put it on my back. It was FULL of books. And with a backpack that size, everyone and their mom knows that you’re American.

Pastor Tom Decker, the principal of Nile Union Academy, picked me up at the airport. It was nice seeing him. Everything was beautifully familiar. Though I didn’t see anyone in the airport wearing a shirt saying, “This is a realy many,” to unknowingly welcome me back. It is a completely different world here, and I just love it. I’ve missed the incessant honking and the calls to prayer from the mosques around the school. For those of you who hadn’t read about my experiences last time, I’ll mention that the driving here is unlike anywhere else I have been before. Lanes? Psh… what’s the point? People swerve around each other, drive within inche(s) of each other, honk like crazy, flash their lights at others, and go as fast as they want. If it’s more convenient, they’ll drive on the wrong side of the road to get where they’re going. The main form of public transportation is microbuses, which are vans that cram people in and stop along the road to pick others up. They all play Egyptian music—which sounds like something you might hear at a circus—and… I don’t know. It’s just a wonderful experience.

I unloaded my stuff into villa 3, where I am living with five other girls. Taylor, Mary, and Bethany (Americans) and Maryam and Mary (Egyptians). I share a room with Bethany, who teaches science. This is her third year teaching at NUA. She was here the year before I was and then came back last year and this year. Then all the SMs went to the Deckers’ house to “meet me” and eat cookies. The guys are Chris, Austin, Phil, and Jeff. The group seems really good. I like the dynamics, and I think that this will be a good year, and that they will all be good for the students.

I’m trying to be conscientious about being helpful but not acting like I know everything to the other SMs. I remember getting annoyed in elementary school with the new kids who would always say, “At my old school…” so I will try not to do that by referring to when I was first here.

I am currently “Ms. Peggy,” in other words the nurse, until she comes back from America in a few weeks. I pray for wisdom, but I know that God won’t give me more than I can handle. There have been some deaths of unknown causes in the past couple years, a microbus accident, and a water heater exploding in the boys’ dorm, so I may have to deal with more than stomach aches. I pray not though. There are two people with diabetes mellitus who have already crashed a couple times recently. One is a student and another is a new faculty member. Apparently the student’s mom handled his diabetes, so he doesn’t know much about it himself. He’s learning. I’m so thankful to those who donated the glucose meters, strips, and lancets!

As school gets started I’m going to start some individual counseling sessions. I’m also hoping to do some group therapy. I found some awesome cognitive behavioral therapy worksheets online that I think will be really effective. Just meeting some of the boys on the grass who didn’t even understand, “What’s your name?” in English gives me an idea of how to go about teaching ESL Bible. Charades. I'm also going to be teaching them some songs. Since I'm starting in Genesis, I could teach them some praise songs about creation. (And considering that most of the students are tone deaf, I can sing without shame :) ) I’m helping Pastor Tom teach his 11th and 12th grade Bible classes about marriage and family (though the first part of the semester will help them to understand themselves, their past, and others… aka counseling), and I will also be taking Peggy’s career class. Her husband Ron told me that I’m going to start by teaching first aid and how to address envelopes—the call to prayer just started. ☺ I remember last time I was here and was teaching class that nobody in the class flinched, but I completely lost my train of thought. There are at least five mosques surrounding the school, so their drawn out monotone prayers/songs overlap each other. I used to be kind of creeped out by the sounds and style, but now I understand better and appreciate the calls as a good reminder for me to pray too. Pastor Tom told me that since Pastor Isaac (who was also the boys' dean) left, they don't have a pastor currently, so he's it. I offered that if there's anything I can do to help, I'd be happy to. So he told me I can be responsible for all the vespers, not necessarily speaking, but just making sure to arrange everything. I'm looking forward to that.

It so great to see the students. Most of the ones that I taught when I was here from 2009-2010 are seniors now, and I’m so proud of them! They’re excited to see me too. Even though I felt like an utter failure at many times when I was a student missionary, I didn’t utterly fail because there are tons of students who love and trust me because they know that I love them too. And that is helpful because even the students I don’t know have heard that “Miss Sara is good and talks to the students.” I can’t imagine us in America being so accepting and excited about seeing us again. Maybe the Egyptians are just more open about it, but I really don’t think so. I want to be as accepting as they are.

I anticipate feeling somewhat lonely at times, but in a strange way I'm kind of looking forward to it. I want to be alone with God. I’m really happy to be here. Love you all.