Pros and Cons

The most commonly asked questions that I have been asked over the past few weeks is "What do you miss?" and "What are you enjoying the most about Cairo?" I thought I would share the answer to those questions. So in usual Dana form, here is another list post.

We all know family and friends are what I miss most but it isn't the thing that I miss most. The things I miss the most are:

- Convenience (calling a friend whenever I want instead of checking schedules, getting any type of produce at any time of the year, being able to pick things up that I need {oven thermometer, ingredients, things for school, etc}, watching college football with ease)

- Live theater

- Clean air - yes, after this experience, I would classify Houston's air as clean

- Tex-Mex and barbecue

- Green spaces to enjoy being outside

- Rain (no comments, Texas friends - I literally can't remember the last time I saw rain and I hear it's nasty here)

- Organization and predictability

Things I'm enjoying:

- While there is political junk going on, everyday day life is significantly less stressful. I no longer walk around with knots in my back and always feeling like I'm dropping the ball somewhere.

- Not feeling guilty for not having something planned for every night of the week.

- Investing in people/relationships instead of programs

- Traffic is still annoying but so much better when you are a passenger instead of a driver

- Missing the political scene in the U.S.

- Trying new foods

- Being a bit more adventurous than before

- Walking places

- Laughing at myself and everyday life around me - a lot

Ten Signs You Don't Teach in the States

- You know who is at work because everyone in on facebook

- Along with facebook, your internet history includes youtube and you don't have to be nervous about it.

- There are staff trips that leave from the school in which people bring their own "pop".

- If you don't get your students to the bus quick enough, you might interrupt their driver's prayer time.

- Your instructional time in anywhere from 1 1/2 - 3 hours per day.

- You don't flinch when a child looks at you and says "What!?" when you've told them to do something.

- Your students need to "make toilet".

- You have to send a note home to parents (of 4-5 year olds) that students must be able to "clean themselves" after using the restroom before coming to school.

- NCLB and RtI have no meaning on your campus.

- The attendance policy states that if a child misses 20 or more days, they MIGHT have to go to summer school to be promoted to the next grade.