Abu Simbel

Today's main activity was visiting the two temples at Abu Simbel. The two options for getting there are a four drive in a military convoy (for fear of breaking down, not secure) or on Friday's a 45 minute flight. It all amazes me that we left Aswan at 10am and then flew back at 1pm. The temples were incredible, especially inside where no your guides or photos are allowed for fear of garbage to the carvings. It is also amazing to consider that they were relocated in the 1960s (as were 15 other temples), because of the Aswan High Dam.





Upon arrival back in Aswan we transferred to our cruise ship for our first of nine buffet meals! We don't sail until tomorrow at 1:30pm, so this afternoon a few of us visited the Nubian museum, which was very interesting abd psychiatry so fir me as these proper ate probably the people if Cush from biblical times who resided in Sudan.

There was a problem with the Egypt Air computer system so another lady, Janet and I didn't receive our boarding passes until everyone was almost on the plane. We were placed in business class, which just meant we were at the front of the plane and got a juice before take off. Upon disembarking we got our own private bus to take us into the terminal. The driver even stopped so we could take a photo of the welcome sign.

posted from Bloggeroid

Aswan

After a 13.5 hour overnight ride on the sleeper train from Cairo we arrived in Aswan about 10.45am this morning. As the train followed the Nile from Luxor I was amazed to see many farmers working with donkeys in the fields. It seemed like much hasn't changed since biblical times.

First stop was a short boat ride to Philae Temple. In a 13 year UNESCO project it was cut into 40 000 pieces and moved to a new island, due to the Aswan High dam being built on the Nile. Though it doesn't fit perfectly on the island and the carvings have been altered over the years, it is still incredible. Luckily for us there were no other visitors, unfortunate for the vendors who are struggling to make sales despite their desperate attempts to sell us items.




Prayer time, even for the security staff.


An unusual sight on the main street of Aswan.


The Cataract hotel, where Agatha Christie stayed while she wrote Death on the Nile. One of the most expensive hotels in Egypt but didn't seem to have many lights on as we went past on our way back to our hotel.


We went for dinner in a Nubian village, on a nearby island. It is considered poor by local standards but not by my South Sudanese standards. They had electricity, street lights, a well staffed primary school and hospital, water to their brick houses and satellite tv. We got to eat dinner sitting on mats on the roof of the mayor's house, which was fun.

posted from Bloggeroid

Alexandria

On Tuesday morning we made the four hour trip from Cairo to Alexandria. First up we visited the most famous site, the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa (no photos allowed). They were quite interesting, I continue to be amazed at how much effort Egyptians put into burying people.

Upon arrival at our hotel we were upgraded to suites, and I got one of the largest, complete with a balcony overlooking the Mediterranean Sea! We also got the opportunity to sample the local wine and beer, as there are a few bottle shops in Alexandria.





The next morning as we went to leave the hotel, a black suited man, carrying a small automatic rifle hopped on our bus. Turns out he is a tourist security officer who didn't have much to do and we suspect wanted a free lift to Cairo. Disappointingly, for security reasons he wouldn't let us have a photo with him. But at least he provided entertainment as he didn't seen to much except have coffee at each stop and then make sure we got on the bus, so we nicknamed him James Bond.

Our first stop on Wednesday was the Montaza Palace, built in the 1800s, so it seemed very new compared to all the ancient sites.


The new Alexandria Library was an amazing complex, so much more than a library but also home to some amazing ancient manuscripts. It was built on the site of the ancient library, which was once the largest in the world but was destroyed. They have some great online resources as well as a phenomenal on site collection.


We then visited the Citadel, of Qaitbay, (ie Alexandria fort) which was quite interesting despite having been continually rebuilt. The views over the city were great too.



One thing that struck me in Alexandria was the friendliness of the locals. Our guide suggested it was at least partially because there are so few foreigners visiting now that they want us to feel welcome. There are tourist police at all the sites we go, apparently our guide has to submit our itinerary to the tourist police at each city as they are determined to keep tourists safe. Tourist numbers are a small fraction of what they were prior to the revolution in 2011. Our guide last did a tour two months ago and doesn't have another your booked until July. Previously he'd do back to back tours for much of the year. As I write I'm on the first class sleeper train to Luxor and it's the only train tourists are allowed to take.

posted from Bloggeroid

Pyramids of Giza

Today, Monday was the first proper day of my tour of Egypt. We spent the morning at the pyramids of Giza, with a quick stop at the Sphinx. The texture of the pyramids amazed me, all the different sized blocks linking together. Their sheer enormity was also amazing. After a lunch stop for the best falafel ever, made with fava beans and the local version of a beef souvlaki, we headed to the Egyptian national museum. It's collection is incredible, beyond belief but unfortunately deteriorating as much of it isn't housed in protective cases. I can't begin to imagine how much gold there was there. The workmanship in each item was just incredible, from large coffins and statutes to jewellery.

As part of reacquainting myself with the modern world, I walked down the road from the hotel and found a Carrefour (French supermarket chain). It was fun but overwhelming to be in a proper supermarket. I won't need to buy any more snacks while here as I was a little excited by all the options!

posted from Bloggeroid

Last Days...

I'm so grateful I got to stay in the nurses quarters, with these lovely ladies and Nurse Dawn. But so many people from all over the campus I'm missing.


I had breakfast with the kids my last morning, tea, bread and a boiled egg. I love how Maria ate hers.


Selifie with Mama and Bendita.


The girls love to play with our hair, they thought it particularly great when Nurse Lindsay came over with her long hair.



I'm always amazed to see how the local women can carry a child on their back and a load on their head. Lona walks about 30 minutes to work each day, with Moses on her back. When the kids are big enough they hold on by putting their arms under your underarms, rather than around your neck, which seemed to make them lighter. Though the afternoon the kids had me practise with them I kept choosing the smallest kids.


Pre School "Closing Ceremony", ie end of term assembly, I was asked to give an impromptu speech, as well as the opening prayer.


The guards got new uniforms, this is Moses proudly showing off his. The kids think they look like policemen, especially as most tuck their trousers into their boots. I think the berets and boots would be too hot but they claim they aren't.


Many of the kids like to do group skipping/jump rope.


One of the cleaners, Lona Kola. She was the keenest to practise English with me.

posted from Bloggeroid

Around Campus

There always seems to be something different happening around the campus. My last Sunday afternoon word quickly got around that there was a monkey over at the tractor. Turns out a mechanic came to work on the tractor and bought his pet monkey with him. Apparently he normally spends his day hanging out at the garage. Not sure what he thought of having a large group of kids watch his every move, though they did get him a dish of water.


This bicycle rim kept many children occupied and their skill at moving it long distances with a stick impressed me. This is Aaron with it.


The grade one and five students I worked with in small groups were keen to do some drawing one day at the end of exam week. Turns out they all created cards for me :-)


My Primary Five girls, Charity, Loyce and Dunea.


Jackie and I ended up spending almost three days sewing in the school library (the only place in the school with electricity), repairing school uniforms. Even the principal of the school had never seen an electric sewing machine before, so we had many staff visit to see it in action and kids watching through the windows.



Angelina, a beautiful lady and one of the hospital cleaners.


The pre schoolers love painting with water but actually liked to clean with a rag even more. Though I did take away all supplies after they started cleaning each other!


Given and Clinger her pet chameleon. The day after this photo he was made a jacket and a cardboard house. Unfortunately he is no longer with us but her family now has a pet porcupine.


Love this hammock made from a bag and some string.

posted from Bloggeroid

Nehemiah High School

On Thursday afternoon I finally got the opportunity to visit Nehemiah High School. It is a co-educational grade nine to twelve school, a mixture of orphans and fee paying students. 23 Harvesters children currently make the three minute walk there each day.

In South Sudan high school is only for those who have done academically well in grades one to eight and are able to afford the fees and lost income that further schooling entails.

Given the school is only about four years old in its current incarnation and has a repudiation for being the high school that gets the best results in all of Yei, I expected it to be much bigger and more developed, with specialist learning spaces. There essentially just four sandy bottomed classrooms, one for each grade level. All the other buildings I'd seen when waking past are student dorms.

Grades nine and ten have about 130 students in each year level and all students study the same ten subjects for five 45 minute lessons each week. The grades eleven and twelve classes are a bit smaller but will eventually be bigger. Those students choose an Arts or Business stream and study eight subjects from a possible twelve. The four subjects they don't choose are their study lines. I guess timetabling is easier when you only have four classes!

It was interesting talking to the vice principal, who told me that while they know the optimum class size is 45, they'd like to aim for 65, by building four new classrooms, cutting current classes in half. However he expected that when they build the new classrooms they will need to let more students in, as there is such a desperate need for high school spots.

The derelict building was their dining room until the roof was destroyed, now students eat anywhere they can find a spot. The building was originally built buy the UN, hence the colour scheme. This sight had been used for many different purposes over the years.

For my Science teacher friends there is a photo of the one specialist teaching space, a Science lab. It didn't seem to have any equipment. The library consists of a few books for teacher reference in the admin office.

This visit made me feel even more spoilt with all that we have in our schools in Australia.

posted from Bloggeroid