The Beginning of the END!!!!! Muahaha

Hokay so... It has been quite a while since I wrote last. Sorry, things got kind of busy toward the end of my stay in Nablus. So the last few weeks were filled with moving apartments and the Project Hope office, saying goodbye to all except 2 of my roommates and then saying goodbye myself. First of all, we moved the volunteer's apartment and the office into the same building. It's a really nice, old building with a garden in the back. Moving is always more work than it seems and you always have more stuff in your house than you think, but it all went pretty well and we got settled into the new house quickly. The next day everyone left to travel around Palestine/Israel before they flew back home, so it was kind of quiet and lonely in the house, but that didn't last long. I was still teaching a full schedule, but getting ready to finish up and leave in less than 2 weeks. My university conversation class went really well up until the end. The students were all kind of loud, but they were generally loud in English, so it was ok. The new class I had with about 20 little girls went really well too. I alternated between reading stories to them and playing games. Once they found out I spoke Arabic it was harder to get them to speak in English, but we still had a lot of fun. I also made friends with the guys who started the center. The center has been going for 3 years and was started by 5, 20 year old guys who just thought their neighborhood needed a place for kids to come and hang out and have fun. The two guys we hung out with a lot don't speak any English so it was really good for my Arabic. They were really funny with us though because if I asked what a word meant, they would just say in Arabic, "I'll tell you later" and laugh and move on with the conversation. So there was never a whole lot of pressure to understand everything that went on, but we ended up understanding each other somehow, so I think laughing about it helps. As the final week rolled around, I started getting through my many invitations to eat at people's homes before I left. I went to the girl's school because when Alicia left they canceled all the classes there, so I hadn't been able to say goodbye. I was so happy to see them because they were the girls I had spent the most time with and they were the most fun and energetic. Then my electricians had dinner at the Union for Ryan (their new teacher from Canada) and me, which was really fun and nice to see them all again. Unless you're literally leaving the next morning, it's hard to say goodbye in advance because they will always invite you one more time for coffee, just before you leave. But Wednesday night finally came and surprisingly, I had successfully said goodbye to everyone, but of course, it was midnight and I hadn't started packing yet. Per usual, I ended up throwing everything in my suitcase thinking I would deal with it later. I don't even think I folded my clothes. Woops. So the next morning at 8 I left Nablus very tired and very sad. I really did fall in love with the city and so many of the people there. It was also frustrating to have to go through the check point as I was crying a little bit. They asked what I was doing in Nablus and I said (to avoid trouble from them) I was a tourist there for a week. My giant suitcase and the fact that I was so sad to leave might have tipped them off, but they were in a good mood that morning, so they let me go through without asking any more questions.
So, although I was still sad, my mind had to change to the next order of business which was the fact that I was going to Jordan that day and I didn't have a visa yet. But don't worry, I solved that problem and made it to Morgan's apartment in Amman by the afternoon. It was really good to see her and everyone else who's still studying there. I was in Amman for 3 days seeing old friends and visiting my host family, who I missed more than I thought i had.
Then I set off for Egypt by way of land and sea (bus and ferry) and made it to Cairo in a day with no problems. Barbara and I have been snooping around Cairo a lot and then on my birthday we came out to the pyramids where we're staying at the (very fancy) Mena House which used to be a hunting lodge for rich English people. Agatha Christie stayed here and Barbara tricked me into thinking there had been a murder here. Well, she didn't really trick me as much as I was really ready to believe it. Egypt is still really amazing just like it has been for thousands of years and probably always will be. (Side note on Ancient Egyptians: Barbara just told me that back in the day the royalty used to put a scented cone of fat underneath their wigs on a hot day and the fat would melt down their faces and body and make them shiny and good-smelling. Hmmm, I don't know how it would feel to be hot and sweaty and covered in fat, but hey, for each his own.) There are so many people and things going on everywhere at all hours of the day. It's a big change from Nablus or even Amman.
And now I'm going to go walk around and snoop into tombs with Barbara (one of her favorite things to do), then pack up and I leave for Senegal (via Madrid, strangely enough) tonight. Luxury vacation is over and I'm off to shoestringing it again. Hokay, I didn't even cover the half of it, but it's too hard to sum up a month! Hope all is well with everyone and that everyone is healthy and happy. I'm sending you the view of the pyramids from the hotel window and lots of honking horns and I'm asking all of you to send me the eloquence of speech I need to be able to update Irene on everything that has happened in the past year, which I will be attempting in less than I day! I miss you all so much and I'll keep you updated as the third and final leg of my year begins!
Love, Lisa