Busy!

Sorry for the lack of updates.  I have running around like a crazy person.  Whenever I get home I am either exhausted or without Internet, so I haven't been able to update this blog.  My "Word of the Days" are suffering from my current schedule.  (I will try to catch you up.)  Mind you, I have been Egyptian busy.  I am going to my classes, but other than that the things occupying my time are not especially productive or necessary by US standards.  I am out seeing friends and family, in commute, or simply too tired from early classes and late hang-outs.  For example, last weekend I went to Aida Beach on the Mediterranean with my friends (Photos are up on Facebook!).  It was great and beautiful and relaxing, except for the detail that Egyptians never sleep.  Then I came home and went straight to an engagement party (at the Four Seasons!) with my family.  Egyptian engagements are notoriously boisterous and late, and this one was no exception.  We arrived at 9 and food wasn't served until several hours in.  Then I stayed with my family in Heliopolis and had to get up even earlier than usually to make the trek across town to my classes.  The next day I squeezed in a brief nap, but then had another family dinner at the Fish Market in Maadi, which meant another late dinner, and three more treks across down before my class the next morning.  I love having so much to do, but I am now trying to strategically squeeze in some down time.  I have yet to recover completely from my beach vacation.  Today is looking to be a calm day, so if I can get my brain to slow down a notch, I anticipate long periods of uninterrupted slumber.