Schools in Egypt- Private

The last school we visited was actually 3 schools in one.  The Riyada Language School had 3 sections- the National, International and American Schools.  The National School followed an Egyptian learning curriculum, the International School followed a British curriculum and the American School followed a curriculum just like ours.  The word "curriculum" means all of the things that you will learn in a school year.  Each curriculum also made sure that the students studied their language of Arabic and the main religion of Egypt which is Muslim. The students here wear uniforms everyday.  They begin to learn English in the first grade and French or German in the 5th grade.  Some classes are learning Arabic, English and French all at the same time!  Can you say "hello" in Arabic?  It is "Marhaba!"  Can you say "hello" in French?  It is "Bonjour"!   Here are some photos from the Riyada School.  The children love to hug their principal too!

Schools in Egypt-Government Experimental

Another school we visited was called Zahrain Experimental School.  The students in this school all wore uniforms.  Their school had very colorful hallways and they even had a TRAMPOLINE for the students to jump on at the end of each hallway!  There was an art, music and computer room like ours.  The students sang some songs in Arabic for us and others showed us an Egyptian dance.  Here are some photos. What are the students doing in these photos?

Schools in Egypt- public school

Hi Boys and Girls: I am so happy to be back at Truman Moon.  I had a wonderful trip to Egypt but I missed you all!
There have been lots of questions about the schools and the students I visited in Egypt.  All of the children in Egypt were very serious about learning and very happy to meet principals from America.  The schools I saw were very different, but the one thing that they all had in common was that the students liked to ask many questions about YOU!
   The Degla Primary School was a very poor school.  There were 45-50 students in each classroom which made it very crowded. They had very few books or crayons or colorful student work to look at on the walls.  Because it doesn't rain in Egypt, the hallway between their classrooms was outdoors and made of stone. They were still very eager to learn.  They were learning English along with their native Arabic language.  They wore their everyday clothes and sneakers or sandals to school each day.

Meet Daisy!!

Hello...meet DAISY!!!  She was my personal guide to the pyramids!  Daisy got down on all four knees in order for me to climb on to the saddle on her back. When she stood up, it felt like I was going up in an elevator!  It is VERY high on top of a camel's back, and the ground looks really far away!  Riding a camel doesn't feel like riding a horse at all, it is a very smooth ride but you have to be extra careful to stay balanced on top of her big hump!  How do you think I got off of Daisy's back?

This is what it looked like when I was sitting up in the saddle!  What a unique view of the world...from over the head of a camel!

How to make paper from papyrus plants!

Today we learned how to make paper from papyrus plants.  Papyrus paper has been used in Egypt for thousands of years because it is lightweight, flexible, hard to tear and very easy to make!  Papyrus plants grow near the the Nile River.  This is a photograph I took of the woman who taught us about papyrus.  Read the directions on how to make paper.  Now look at the photo again.  Can you see all the tools and materials she will need to make the paper?  If you can, point them out and name them.

HOW TO MAKE PAPER FROM PAPYRUS
1.  Cut stems of papyrus lengthwise
2.  Soak in water
3.  Place strips side by side horizontally and vertically
4.  The "weaved" layers are rolled out and beaten with a mallet to bond them together
5.  Dry under a heavy press for a few days. 

The paper can be used for writing, for making mats and baskets too.

A King's Palace and food for the horses!

Last night we arrived in the city of Alexandria.  We are staying on the grounds of the former King's palace! There is a beautiful view of the Mediterranean Sea and of the palace lighthouse.  This is what I see from my bedroom window!

Even though the old palace of the king shows that he lived as a rich man, many of the people in Egypt are very poor.  There are many horses and donkeys that carry things through the streets for their owners who need them to help them work.  Here are two photos of a man and his horse carrying long stalks of green clover to use or sell as feed for the animals.

Interesting sights along the desert highway....

Here are two more photos of unusual things I saw while driving through the Sahara Desert.  First, there were small fruit stands in the middle of the desert, with men selling oranges to those working or driving by.  Second, there were more little road stands with men selling head scarves and walking canes.  Hmmm....why do you think it would be important to have fruit, head scarves and walking canes in the desert?  Hint:  a head scarf is worn by working men to cover their head, hair, nose, mouth and neck.  Only their eyes can be seen...

Wow! We have been really busy!

Hi Everyone!  What a busy weekend I had!  We visited two colleges so far- The University of Cairo and Alexandria University.  We met with experts on Ancient Egyptian History and experts who specialize in teaching English to Egypt's students who speak only Arabic.  We went to the Alexandria Library and I bought two books for our library that are written in Arabic- one is the Mixed Up Chameleon by Eric Carle!
  Yesterday we went shopping at the Khan El-Khalili Bazaar.  It has been in existence for 600 years and used to be a watering stop for caravans of people riding horses and camels!  Today there are hundreds of little shops selling souvenirs, rugs, jewelry, oils and scarves.

It was a very, very colorful marketplace!
     Today we rode our bus through the Sahara Desert to travel from Cairo to Alexandria.  We saw many interesting things and people along the way!
     We saw tall structures that looked like honey combs.  They were not for bees, however.  They were "pigeon towers".  Farmers raise pigeons for food in the desert like our farmers raise chickens.  The towers are their homes that they can fly in and out of.  The flowers in this photo were the only bit of color we saw in the desert.  They are called bougainvillea. The green plants in the photo are able to grow because of irrigation systems on the farms.

King Tut

Dear Girls and Boys:  Today I went to the Cairo Museum and saw King Tut's treasures!  Tutankhamun became the king of Egypt when he was only nine years old.  This was over 3,000 years ago!  Archeologists found the gold mask that was made for the young king when they were digging in the Valley of the Kings.  They also found many other things that had been placed in the tomb with him. Jewelry, furniture, games, clothing, statues and perfumes were just a few of those things.

      Here I am in front of the Cairo Museum.  We were not permitted to take photos inside, as everything is very old and needs to be taken care of in special ways!  Tonight we are having dinner at the home of an Egyptian family.  I hope you are enjoying your weekend!

Egypt is an amazing place!

Hi Everyone!  We arrived safely in Cairo yesterday afternoon after a very, very long plane ride over the Atlantic Ocean.  We had dinner (beef and rice) and breakfast (French Toast) on the plane.  The lights were dimmed in the evening so we could get some sleep.  It was 5 am our time but 12 noon Egypt time when we landed! A bus took us from the airport to the hotel.  Here is a photo of a beautiful mosque that I took as we traveled.  A mosque is a place of worship for many people here.










In the evening we took a walk along the Nile River.  The Nile River is the longest river in the world.  It starts below the equator in Burumbi, Africa and flows north all the way to Egypt before emptying into the Mediterranean Sea.  In Ancient Egypt, it was the only source of food, water, transportation and rich soil for crops. The boats in the photo are called Feluccas.  They are the traditional sailboats of the Nile.  The Captain steers with his feet and trims the sails with his hands!

Flying Through the Clouds...

Dear Boys and Girls:
     Have you ever taken a ride in an airplane?  It is so much fun to fly through the clouds and look down at the earth.  The buildings and the people all look so very small.  Even the mountains look tiny from the sky. 

Doesn't my airplane look like a bird?  Well, it flies very much like a bird flies too.  The wind gets under its wings and helps to lift it into the air and soar across the sky.  But, not to worry, the INSIDE of the plane is warm and cozy.  It is like sitting in a comfortable chair in your living room!  There are small televisions behind each seat so you can watch movies, and the stewardesses bring you beverages and snacks!

Tomorrow is my flight to Egypt!!  My next note will be from a country far, far away!