14 Things I learned in 2014

Warning: This is either going to be profound, cheesy, or really lame. :)

1. Everything that's supposed to be, will be. I was rejected from two scholarships and I was so sad. But then I came to Egypt and I wouldn't be able to come to Egypt if I got those scholarships and now I have this incredible family and I've met some of my best friends and it's great. 

2. Wear a watch. I started wearing a watch in mid November and it's made my life so much easier. If I can't use my phone for whatever reason (school) I just look at my wrist. Just do yourself a favor, buy a watch. 

3. People are people everywhere. We may have different beliefs, cultures, opinions, etc. But at the end of the day we all breathe oxygen and need food and water to survive so yeah. 

4. Eat all the food. Literally just do it. As long as your habits are relatively healthy, eat everything. Life is too short to not eat all the food. 

5. Leave your comfort zone often. Put yourself in situations where you are uneasy or uncomfortable. Obviously don't put yourself in harms way, but a little excitement never killed anyone. As far as I know. 

6. It's okay to be a kid. I traveled across the world with three stuffed animals and several kids books. It makes things easier sometimes. Plus kids had more fun. (I mean little kids. Obviously I'm still a kid I'm just not little). 

7. Don't judge a book by it's cover. I really don't have anything to add but don't judge by looks judge by character. 

8. Religion does not correlate to ethics. There are good and bad people across all religions. This goes along with the don't judge a book by it's cover. But you can't blame an entire group of people by one person or a small group's actions. 

9. Love yourself. You are a beautiful wonderful human being. Don't let anyone or anything make you think different. Age, weight, iq, gpa, they're all numbers and numbers don't equate the worth of a human. Did that make sense?

10. Follow your dreams. I did, and look at where I am. Writing a blog post on New Years Eve on my best friend's bed in Cairo, Egypt. I'm not saying quit your job to become a novelist because let's be real, that's a tough business. But if you want to write a novel, do it. If you want to travel, omg do it!! No time like the present. 

11. Keep a journal. You never know what memories will be important in the future. You might look back on that one thing that one person said that one Wednesday five years ago and smile and it's just good to have that collection of memories and words because we all love to reminisce. 

12. Read. You may not be able to travel all over the world. But books can take you anywhere you want to go. 

13. The world is a big place. Go explore it. See number 12 if you have big commitments or no money. 

14. Have a support system. Times are tough and it's great to have people surrounding and supporting you. Like you all have been supporting me these past months. And I am greatful for that. 

2014 has been a special year. My first interview, I learned how to drive, oh and I moved to Egypt if you didn't know. 

I am actually really tired and I want to sleep because I heard that's what people do when they're tired. So I will post more about my Rockin' New Year's Eve later today? Tomorrow? I don't know whenever I wake up. 

Have a good NYE if your still in the year 2014. Have a good year for those of you who have entered 2015. May your resolutions not crash and burn. Happy 2015 my lovelies. 

P.S. Merna says hi. 

Stay beautiful. 

Byeeeee 

Corie. 

The Toy That Will Crack Your Nuts

Oh hi! 

For those of you who didn't know, yesterday was the day that American Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus because in the olden days, Christians were illegal so they disguised the celebration of Christmas with a light festival or something apparently. So now we buy gifts for people, but we don't give it to them, a creepy old guy, who watches children dream of sugarplums and then proceeds to break into you home, does. Merry Christmas!

Christmas was difficult for me. I skyped my family for two hours in the morning (Christmas Eve for them)

After, though, I was really homesick. I didn't handle it well. I tried and failed to make chocolate chip pancakes. I are basically the whole coffee cake I successfully made the night before. 

Thankfully for me, I have people to put things in perspective for me. 

My grandma said: "Grandpapapapapa says coffee cake in Cairo sounds good.  Merry Christmas!"

And then I thought: "Frickin duh Corie. Look where you are, a big dusty city with cool people. The only sure fire way to stop missing your family is go home. Do you want to go home? Yeah, didn't think so. Egypt has lots of people who are nice and generous because they want to be. Are there people like that in America? Exactly. There are like five. So suck it up. You're gonna be fine. (I censored. I mean sometimes you have to be harsh. And I'm sure there are more than five nice Americans... Maybe)

Anyway, I sucked it up, dressed up and took a taxi to the opera by myself like the bada** I am. I sat in the theater like the rich, fancy patron of the art I am. And it was great. I met my friend and her family and it made me think how my family aren't gonna meet my friends. And that sucks because my friends are great. I mean look how fabulous we are with the tree and strangers:

Me and Maria and Maria's family saw the Nutcracker. Ballet is kind of a thing in my family. My mom majored in dance. I danced. My sister danced. My grandpapapapapa took my mom to shows. My mom has season tickets to the SF ballet co. and she takes us. So I'm kind of an expert. 

During my first SF show, my mom showed me this thing called pretty feet. It's really hard to explain but

She has pretty feet. The girl who played Clara had pretty feet, and I was sitting there like "ooh, she has pretty feet."

For those of you who don't know the story of the nutcracker, it's about this girl, Clara, who gets a nutcracker and then it breaks and gets put back together. Then she hallucinates and the doll kills the mouse king, turns into a prince, and then takes her on a magical journey to Snow Land. It's literally the weirdest story. But it was beautiful. 

I have so much respect for dancers. The guys pick up girls like they are stuffed animals, everyone spins a lot, and the clown did the splits. You go Glenn Cocos. 

Afterwards, my counselor (liaison for those of you that are familiar with AFS lingo) picked me up from the opera. She gave me this really nice Christmas present:

It was wrapped in a very nice Christmasy wrapping paper. And it made me really happy. 

Then we went and got juice, and shawarma and fries. Food always makes you feel better. 

When I got home I was still feeling... negative. And also emotionally exhausted so I went to sleep and I slept for like 11 hours and now I'm feeling very positive. 

This is my family's Christmas card. The blonde who doesn't look related to is is our Costa Rican exchange student which adds to my giant family of 4 parents, 7.5 sisters, 2 brothers and 20+ cousins. (Cousins include cousins, host cousins, and random AFSers I've gotten to know over the years.)

So from all of us here at Corie in Egypt (me, Fatso, Pam Da Bear, and Jesse the Duck): We wish you a merry little christmas. I hope Santa came to your town and your true love gave you a partridge in a pear tree. I hope Frosty the Snowman walked you through a winter wonderland after you jingle bell rocked around the Christmas tree. I hope your mother didn't kiss Santa and your grandma didn't get run over by a reindeer. All I want for Christmas is you to have a holly jolly Christmas. Xoxo

That's my Christmas card to you. As you can tell I'm in my studying clothes because I have my first final tomorrow and je ne parle pas français. Je ne parle pas anglais either but I can pronounce Tchaikovsky. Also I couldn't do a whole hand heart because one hand needed to take the selfie, duh. 

I love you guys. :)

Happy Holidays. Stay beautiful. 

Byeeeeeee

Corie. 

Crappiest Crap in the Crap Pile

On Thursday, everyone was getting and giving Secret Santa gifts. While others got mugs and candy, I got tea, and orange juice, and medicine, and the flu. 

Day 1: I woke up at about 4 am freezing. So I put on a second pair of pants, a sweatshirt, and my slippers before attempting to burrito myself. I woke up and I felt so crappy like I had to keep telling myself "just put on pants", "just grab the goulash", "just get on the bus". When I got to school I was a wreck. I was no fun to be around my friends kept tellin me "just forget you don't feel well" and I tried but it sucked. At the end of the dish party (potluck), I could not stand for more than ten seconds, I could not keep my eyes open, I was so weak. I took the biology practical in this condition and then went to the doctor. (Known in America as nurse's office). Then I tried so hard to go home. I tried to call Nadia, but I don't remember if I did or not. But somehow Sara called me and told me to take a taxi. I was like ehhh idk but ten I was like fine if I get to go home. But then they wouldn't let me go home in a taxi. So they tried to get me on the KG bus that goes earlier but that didn't work. Then Mrs. Amany, the principal, ordered me tea because I'm so special. :) Then I went back to the clinic and slept for like two hours until I could go home. (P.S. While these things were transitioning my head was on my friends stomach while she like petted my head ?? Idk it made me feel better). 

So when I got home I went to bed. And I only woke up to take pills and drink orange juice. I felt like the crappiest crap in the crap pile.  

Day 2: I woke up at like 10:30 am. And then I watched The Santa Clause (the best Christmas movie FYI) and The Holiday. I also wished my mom a happy birthday a day late (I had the flu gosh). Then I are a little and I slept again. 

Day 3: I woke up earlier. I watched Elf and an episode of cupcake wars. And I are some more. And this day I was feeling better then I got hit with another fever thing so I slept. I also showered. 

Day 4: Now it's mostly coughing so I ate normally but I stayed in bed to make sure everything was chill. So I watched a ton of crap. Yay. 

So now I'm better. And my host family was really awesome this weekend. I will be going to school tomorrow. (Cross your fingers). So yeah. 

Being sick sucked because I was sick but also because I didn't have my family and that sucked but I texted them a lot this weekend so it's all good. 

I hope you all had a better weekend than me. 

Stay healthy. Stay beautiful. 

Byeeeeeee

Corie. 

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

I love Christmas. Seeing a movie that came out on Christmas Day, eating chocolate chip coffee cake, opening presents, holding candles and singing Silent Night, watching all the Santa Clause movies, buying gifts for my parents with their money. I think everyone knows the holidays are the hardest for exchange students. And I'd be lying if I said it was different for me. (Did that make sense? I was trying to say the holidays are hard for me too.) 

For exchange students feeling not so great, remember that

A) All the traditions you left behind will be back ther next year for you. (This point was given to me by my dad)

B) There is a good chance that there is an exchange student in your country right now experiencing your Christmas for the first time. Think of it as you giving it up for a year for them to experience it for a year. Like my family is hosting a girl from Costa Rica and my host family's daughter is in Missouri. During Halloween, Thanksgiving, and now Christmas I just think about me giving it up so they get a chance to experience it.  

C) You're on exchange to learn about another culture. Christmas in that country is different, embrace it. 

D) You are a (pardon my French) BAMF. You traveled to a foreign country by yourself. You are living a way of life that (in my case) didn't exist a few months ago. You are going to be telling these stories to your great grandchildren (inshallah) 

For people who know an exchange student:

Show them the Christmas spirit even if you don't celebrate Christmas. Show them how you celebrate. At the very least it will create a distraction. More likely it'll make life long memories and they'll be very happy and grateful. 

So now on to what I wanted to talk about  when I started writing before I got all AFS Volunteer-y was this lovely Christmas story. 

How Maria Didn't Steal Christmas

One early morning, a half asleep American named Corie sat on a bench on the playground. It took every once of strength she had not to give in to the beautiful sleep that was calling her. A lovely curly haired girl walks over and cheerfully wished Corie a good morning. 

"I have something for you," she said handing over a plastic bag. 

Corie took the bag and peaked in. 'Is it tinsel?' She thought thinking back to when she asked Maria to buy her tinsel. She pulled the gift out of the bag. It was better than tinsel. 

"Maria brought me a tree!" She exclaimed. "Maria gabetly shagara!"

During the school day, Corie made a 3D paper snowflake to put on her tree. 

Later that evening, when Corie was shopping for her secret Santa, she found super cheap, small plastic ornaments and lights. 

She raced home and decorated her tree. 

This is what the snowflake looks like. 

Corie had felt a lack of Christmas spirit. Now that she has a beautiful tree, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. 

The End

Thank you to Maria Ramy, my great friend, who actually gave me the gift of Christmas. I actually almost wanted to cry when she gave it to me because like wow. I can't even. I'm so so grateful for everyone making this Christmas so great. 

I'm also excited because Christmas lasts until January 7th so bring it on. 

Happy holidays!

Stay beautiful. 

Byeeeeee

Corie. 

Palace Party

I'm doing my best to describe the events that happen in my life, but more often than not my words do not do these experiences justice. Today is a great example. That's why as soon as I got home, it was shoes off, sweats on, hair up, blog. 

Once upon a time there was this dude. His name was Édouard Empain. He was an official amateur Egyptilogist (it actually says that on his wiki page). Édouard was born in Belgium. In 1904 he came to Egypt. He established the Cairo Electric Railways and Heliopolis Oases Company. He then built the town of Heliopilis 10 km from the center of Cairo. It was designed to be a city of luxury and leisure. Okay, so then there's this palace. It's called the Baron Empain Palace or Qasr el Baron or The Palais Hindou. It was designed by a guy named Alexandre Marcel. He was French. It was decorated by Georges-Louis Claude. It was inspired by the Angkor Wat in Cambodia (which my dad accidentally recreated in a sand castle building contest a couple years ago). It was built between 1907 and 1911. The connection between this and the amateur Egyptologist I'm not sure others than it's in the neighborhood he built. 

It was designed to follow the sun. Part of it supposedly turned and it was supposed to be one of the seven wonders but was rejected because it doesn't turn anymore. It's also supposed to be haunted. 

Now, if you had told me a year ago that I would be in a dress and heals at a party at The Baron Empain Palace. I wouldn't have not believed you, but it's still incredible to think about. 

Today was ASMUN's official opening ceremony. So I put on my dress and my heals and I went to a party at a palace. Where we danced. So you could say I went to a ball at a palace tonight. I went with Myrna and I met my other ASMUN friends. We sat and listened to speeches, then we danced and took pictures, then we ate, and danced and took more pictures. We got a picture with some Egyptian football player. 

It was great. I also learned that they reccomend some people from the junior councils to participate in the senior councils. Which means that they get to attend the sessions and conferences with the college students. And I was reccomended for the ECOSOC council  (!!!) I'm so excited because that means that my ASMUN is not over and I can continue to express my opinion and get to know more people and ahh. So yeah. 

Tonight was on of those nights I can't describe because it was so amazing. So maybe seeing it will be helpful... I don't know. You guys. Egypt is great. And I would love for you all to come and experience it with me. So enjoy a bunch of pictures. 

Stay beautiful. 

Byeeeeee

Corie. 

Fake It Til You Make It

Today we went to a place. You could call it a bazaar or a souq. I don't know if either are the technical term for where we went but yeah. 

Anyway, I guess my host cousin was buying bed spreads for when she gets married. I don't know if there is some significance to it but we got a ton of bed spreads. I also decided it was about time for me to get a clutch because if I dress fancy (stay tuned) I can't bring my hippie purse that is actually starting to fall apart. That would ruin the fancy. Besides both my purses are big. And if I want to dance, I don't want to have to lug it around and blah blah first world problems. Anyway I bought a clutch (a small purse with out handles therefore you have to "clutch" it hence the name clutch). I'm excited because it's small enought to be a clutch but I can fit both my phones, my passport and id, an epipen, my keys, my Chapstick, and money. Unfortunately, my inhaler doesn't fit so I can't party too hard. I also bought a gift for my secret Santa and I love it so much. I'll show you when they find out who I am. 

Towards the end of the shopping trip, Nadia and Boosy had to pray so we went to a mosque. This is the fourth mosque I've been to. (The one near my house for eid, the mosque of Muhamed Ali/the castle of some other dude, some mosque close to the AFS office and this one). 

So fourth mosque, first one to ask me to cover my hair. I'm not sure why. Maybe because I never had anything to cover my hair with before, I don't know. Luckily today, I had a scarf on. Also luckily my hair is long enough to be put in a bun without a hair tie. So I got my hair into a place where it could be covered and wrapped the scarf around my head. 

The top isn't very good, you can't see it anyway. It's not at all secure, and the scarf wasn't wide enough for it to perfect. But I tried. And I rocked it… for like ten minutes. Fake it til you make it, right? So that was fun. Mosques are really cool. They're always really nice. Something I finally noticed was that the women are always separated from the men. Also, just because and Egyptian doesn't wear a hijab or burka does not mean they are Christian. One of my Muslim friends told me that Islam is kinda like a mixture of the religions (by this she meant you have to believe in Jesus because he was a prophet). 

Advice: when visiting a Muslim country (and you are female) always carry a scarf. I get lucky when I don't have to wear one. But you never know when you'll go to a mosque and whether or not you must cover your hair. Especially when with a Muslim host family. 

After shopping we came home and ate Koshary. 

And then I studied for my exam tomorrow. I have three more and then finals will be in a week or two. 

So my blog has been a little dead. Well maybe not dead but in a coma. Or passed out. Anyway, a LOT of stuff is happening in the next couple weeks. And lot of bloggable exciting stuff. For which I am hella excited for. And it will be swell. 

I hope you all are having a fabulous holiday season. 

Yesterday, I was in a bad mood in the morning because I was tired and I got paint on my face in art. But then I got this:

And it made my day. 

I've also made the executive decision in that I will never go this long without a dog for the rest of my life. Not living with a dog is horrible. And I don't know how people do it. I don't know why people do it. But it is nice to have my black clothes be black instead of dog fur. 

Have a fantabulous day, I'll see you all very soon. Happy Holidays. 

Don't drink and drive. Stay safe. Stay beautiful. 

Byeeeeeee

Corie. 

Thoughts From a Tired Procrastinator

Okay so today was a thing. 

I had to miss ASMUN (again) because I had to go to this AFS thing. And I really didn't know what it was. But we got on this bus and went somewhere. And I was sitting on the bus, and like, I literally had no clue where we were going. But we go to this park thing and there are tables set up almost like a wedding reception. It's a thank you party for AFS volunteers because international volunteer day was a couple days ago. 

Honestly, I was kind if bitter about going. I didn't want to skip ASMUN, but I had to. And I got there and was thinking that I really didn't need to be there. But the whole time there was the part of me that was like, "It'll be good for you to go." So they ended up playing some games, and they were explained in Arabic so I was very confused and therefore frustrated. But then they opened the buffet and all was good. 

I don't know if it's like this for you, but buffets always make me feel super fat. Because the plates are never big enough, and you end up piling food on top of other food, and you're just thinking, "am I really going to eat all this?" And then, if you're like me, you don't. I get through one layer, and I need a wheelchair. But then they say the word dessert and I suddenly grow another stomach in order to eat dessert. 

My favorite dessert here is this thing that I don't know the name. It's like a donut hole, filled with honey, covered in honey. It's great. 

I did get a thing:

It's a bowl. It's plain except for the AFS logo. So I might get people to sign it or something. I don't know yet. 

My class is doing a secret Santa, and I'm really excited for that. I've been listening to Christmas music for about two hours now... Here, Christmas lasts from 25 December until 7 January because people celebrate on both days. 

I have three exams left for this month. It's the home stretch. Wait there's four more. I'm procrastinating studying for French. I mean I studied the easy stuff, I just don't understand the hard stuff. And now all of you are thinking something like that's why you study it. But I don't have enough experience in French to understand the Advanced Level. I'm not making excuses, I'll go back to studying after I post this, but I'm preparing for disappointment. 

The thing about school is at the beginning, I was like all in. Doing all the work, studying, paying attention. And then it got to a point where I was stressed out. So then I took a full 180. I was like, "I can fail every class, and still graduate on time when I get back. Might as well enjoy doing nothing while I can." But by that standard, I probably will fail every class. And even if I could fail, the other Corie can't let slacker Corie fail so I need to find like a happy medium. Plus it seems like all anyone does is study here so... I don't know. 

Also a couple days ago I literally just googled Five Guys and Chipotle and spent about 15 minutes looking at pictures of their food. 

It's December 5 which means I got here 3 months ago. And it feels like so much longer. Because more things have happened in 2 months in Egypt than in like 2 years in California. Which is probably why I'm SO FREAKING TIRED. I had to close my eyes several times while typing this. 

The weather last week was pretty cold. And I loved it. But now it's back to like not cold. There's also been a lot of what looks like fog, it might be smog, in the air.  And I don't know what's up with that. 

Yesterday was picture day. No individuals, just class pictures. And it's funny. Picture day is probably a way to remember what you looked like in that one year, but no one looks the way they normally do. All the girls straighten or curl their hair. It's kind of pointless. It's like that's what I looked like on that one particular day. 

Okay I think that's it. 

I apologize for the randomness of this post. I don't even know what I meant for this post to be about. I just started writing and I didn't stop. 

I hope you all are having a great December. I hope if it's cold where you live you're enjoying it. I hope you are all getting enough sleep. Remember that sleep is important. I should probably get ready for bed. So yeah. 

ALSO LOOK UP JACK JOHNSON'S VERSION OF RUDOLPH THE RED NOSE REIGHNDEER. I REALLY LIKE IT. OKAY? OKAY. 

Stay beautiful my lovelies. 

Byeeeeee

Corie.