My Week in Food

I thought I would show you guys what an average week of mine looks like with pictures. But the focus of the week was food. Here is what I ate this week:

Friday

Nescafé and two cheese sandwiches

French fries

Koshary (rice, lentils, pasta, tomato sauce, chick peas and fried onions)

Roz bel Laban (rice pudding) made by me, burnt by me. 

Saturday

Big Egyptian breakfast (eggs scrambled with vegetables and cheese, fried eggplant, tamaeh aka falafel, foul aka beans, and bread). I helped make the eggs and tamaeh aka falafel. 

That night I went to a friend's birthday party. This is chicken stuffed with spinach and cheese, rice, and fries. 

Strawberry cake

Sunday

Poorly fried eggs and cornflakes. 

Rice with peas and carrots (not pictured: meat)

After that I ate peas and carrots and meat again that night. 

Monday

Bread and chocolate halawa (similar to Nutella but different)

Peas, carrots, rice, meat. 

After this I went to the doctor (no more ear infection, yay!). 

I also ate an ice cream bar that was half ice cream sandwich, half ice cream dipped in chocolate. 

Tuesday

I had exams so in the morning I ate a chocolate halawa sandwich, a candy bar (jelly beans and pop rocks INSIDE a chocolate bar), and Oreos. 

After school, I went to Cinnabon with my friend. (Really healthy day, I know)

After that I ate goulash and I didn't take a picture. 

After that I ate molokheya and rice and meat and soup and I didn't take a picture of that. 

Wednesday

More poorly fried eggs. 

Did I take a picture if the fries I made? No. 

I ate most of my pasta and all of my meat before remembering to take a picture. 

Thursday

Cheese sandwich and Nescafé. 

I went to another friends birthday party. This is a drink called "Sunshine". It's Pomegranate syrup, lime juice, and 7-up. 

Sandwich (chicken, turkey, cheese, mushrooms, tomatoes, lettuce, and barbecue sauce that was promised on the menu but costs extra in real life.) and fries. 

That is what I ate this week. This has been my attempt at food blogging. 

Learn something today. 

Byeeee 

Corie. 

Money Money Money

Hello humans! Yesterday, I went back to the WHO and got my very first paycheck. Yay, Corie's growing up. 

I decided to take the opportunity and talk about Egyptian money. 

I don't know anyone who uses a credit card. Everyone uses cash. The only plastic cards are debit cards to get money from the ATM. 

The smallest amount used is 50 Piastres. But Boosy has 5 and 10 Piastre coins. 

7.5 le (Egyptian pound) is worth $1 (ish) as of now. So 5 and 10 Piastres is worth almost nothing. 

These are 25 Piastre coins. I don't know where I got one, but I have one. 

These are 50 Piastre coin pieces. These are worth half a pound. 

Whenever you buy something. They round to the nearest half pound. 

This is 1 le, worth 13¢. You can buy a gumball, tamaeh, or a pack of 3 Oreos. 

This is a 5 le note, worth about 66¢. You can buy a bag of bread (a grocery bag size bag of oversized hotdog buns or 8 pitas) or chocolate milk and a sandwich. 

This is a 10 le note, worth $1.33. You could buy lots of things (mostly food). 

This is a 20 le note, worth $2.66. It is also the only note I could only find one of. 

This is a 50 le note, worth $6.66. 

This is a 100 le note, worth $13.33. 

This is a 200 le note, worth $26.66. 

And those, ladies and gentlemen are the moneys. 

When I got to Egypt, $1 was worth 7 le. Now, $1 is worth 7.5 le. This makes it harder to shop with my brain. 

I'm not good with economics so I don't know how the worth of a pound influences how cheap or expensive things are but maybe this will help give you perspective. 

Bus ride = 2 le = 26¢

Movie = 25 le (am) 45 le (pm) = $3.33 (am) $6 (pm)

Movie popcorn = 15 le (reg.) 18 le (Carmel) = $2 (reg.) $2.40 (Carmel)

Hijab scarf = 25 - 35 le = $3.33 - $4.66

Chicken = 40 le = $5.33

Eggs = 1 le/egg = 13¢/egg

Potatoes = 3 le/kilo = 40¢/kilo

Tomatoes = 5 le/kilo = 66¢/kilo

Onions = 2 le/kilo = 26¢/kilo

Rice = 4 le/kilo = 53¢/kilo

Pasta = 5 le/kilo = 66¢/kilo

Shampoo = 25 le = $3.33

Pen = 2 le = 26¢

Ice cream = 5 le/cup = 66¢

Koshary = 7 le for a large = 93¢ for a large

And that's how you money in Egypt. 

Learn something today. 

Byeeee

Corie. 

Let's Have a Drink: The Beginning of the End

It's that time again. Let's get a drink and catch up. I'm drinking water, but you can drink whatever you want. This is what has happened in the past little bit.

ASMUN Conference and Closing

My conference station.

Things are starting to slowly come to a close. Last weekend was the ASMUN seniors conference. I was an observer which means I represented two countries. There was the first crisis about the Strait of Malacca. I represented Singapore. The second crisis was about South Sudan and I represented South Sudan. 

Observers are very much involved in the crises and they aren't allowed to vote. My main job was lobbying and arguing. 

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

The closing was at a cafe. The food was okay. The music was good and I had a lot of fun.

ASMUN was great. It impacted my life wonderfully. It was really fun and I met some amazing people. I'm so sad it's over and I miss it already. 

School

Today was the was the last day of the term. We have final exams start on Tuesday. 

Chocolate, dry erase marker, dry erase eraser for my wonderful teachers.

I got presents for the teachers and my principal. Chocolate, dry erase markers and erasers for my teachers. Chocolate, a notebook and a pen for my principal. I also donated six books to the school library. 

Books I have donated to the school library.

I really can't believe I'm almost done with school. 

Me with the sign I stole (with permission) from the classroom.

Health

Last thing I have is health. For the past couple of weeks (maybe months), one of my ears have been weird. I figured it was an ear infection. I went to the hospital and sure enough I have an ear infection. 

I am fine, elhamduallah.

A former Arabic teacher has brought to my attention something about my hijab post. I've made a few edits at the beginning of the post. If you would like to go back and take a look, I would very much encourage it. 

Also, my blog is going to be featured on the AFS-USA blog. I'm super excited and honored. It wouldn't be possible without you guys. I am so grateful for your support. I love you guys. 

Learn something today. 

Byeee

Corie. 

Hijabed For A Day

My American mother asked me to wear a hijab for a day and write about it. So yesterday, I wore a hijab for a day, and now I'm writing about it. 

The Hijab is worn by Muslim women to cover their head, hair, ears, and neck. Girls typically start wearing them when they become a woman (get their period). Basically, at that point, you can only show your face and your hands. You can wear and do whatever around all women. Men in your family can also see your hair. Supposedly, a woman also shouldn't wear pants, tight clothes or nail polish (I skipped out of this rule).

For Muslims, the hijab represents modesty and appropriateness. As my friend puts it: "...by doing all of this people will judge me by my personality and actions. Not physical appearance. It's all about my inner beauty. And because by wearing tight close and such can attract unwanted attention if you know what I mean."

 At a party, this appropriateness and modesty extends to dancing, which you should avoid doing while you're hijabed (i.e. wearing a hijab). I broke this rule too. 

For Muslims, the hijab is also a symbol of submission and love to God. Some Muslims believe that men play a major role in enforcing this practice, while others disagree. (In Islam, like in any religion, people have different opinions.)

Putting on a hijab is hard, and I couldn't do it by myself. So at about 8:30 a.m., my host mom "hijabed" me. At about 8:45 p.m. it fell off and I couldn't fix it. 

Here's what happened, how I felt, and what I learned in those twelve hours and fifteen minutes…

What Happened

I expected two things to happen: 1. People would ask about my hijab and 2. I would feel awkward when they did. I did not expect 1. To be congratulated and 2. To be told I looked good. 

Throughout the day, I wore a sign around my neck saying, "I'm wearing a hijab for a project." I thought this would get people to not ask me, but instead they just asked me what the project was. Most of these interactions were super supportive. One person said that my mom was awesome for asking me to do this.

Compliments came in from both friends and acquaintances. Lots of people said I looked nice, and some people even said, "Congratulations!" It was as if I got a job or graduated. This is because, to them, wearing a hijab is a good thing like graduating or getting a job. 

When it started coming undone at a party later that night, I finally just took it off.

How I Felt

Taking it off felt AMAZING, mainly because I was dancing and it was hot. In general, though, wearing the hijab wasn't bad. However, I definitely didn't love it. 

I didn't like worrying about my skin or hair showing. I didn't like sharp objects (pins) so close to my head. I didn't like wearing long sleeves in hot weather. And although I liked not worrying about how my hair looked that day, I hated the idea of always hiding it. I love my thick, dark hair. It gives me self-confidence, and without it, I just didn't look like myself.

I also won the superlative for best hair in my ASMUN council. The second they announced I won I wanted to rip the hijab off right then and there. (But I didn't). 

Best hair in ECOSOC

What I learned

1. Hijabed women are strong and proud. Not only are they proudly displaying their religion (sometimes in places that are prejudiced against it), but they're putting up with the discomforts that come along with covering your head every day in the heat, wind, etc.

2. On a similar note, wearing a hijab takes a lot of self-discipline. There were times when I really wanted to take it off sometimes, but I didn't.

3. If a man wears a hijab, he is considered to be cross-dressing. (This is something I realized more than learned). 

4. Putting on a hijab is a lot harder than it looks, especially when it's the same slippery material that mine was made of.

5. Wearing a hijab didn't change me as a person. The hijab hid my hair, but it didn't hide my personality. I was still the smart, weird, goofy, open-minded, excitable, chocolate milk loving, barely bilingual exchange student that I am. I was still Corie.

Conclusion

Wearing a hijab was challenging and strange. While I appreciate modesty and displays, there are some things I don't agree with. Personally, I believe that everyone should be able to do whatever they want as long as they aren't hurting anyone else. And I don't think the presence of boys should dictate what I can and cannot do. As a girl, I should be free to dress and act as I please (as long as I'm not hurting anyone) and not have worries about what other people think. Of course, these ideologies of mine obviously come from my Western background.

All in all, the hijab project was a great experience. I won't start wearing one regularly, but I will try it again...in America.

It's not about what's on your head. It's about what's in your heart.

Learn something today. 

Byeeee

Corie. 

Easter

Hello, hello. Happy Tuesday. Today is my last day of Easter vacation from school and I am using it to research for my upcoming ASMUN conference. I'm taking a break to tell you all of my adventures for Eid. 

I don't know why, but Easter is celebrated a week later here than in America. I went to church for the first time. I went to the Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter (service on Saturday so people can spend time with their families on Sunday). It was all in Arabic, I didn't understand a word, but it was nice to be in church again. 

Maundy Thursday (aka Jesus dinner party)

The church I went to was two stories. It was a lot bigger than what I am used to. They have two monitors at the front that display song lyrics, bible verses, videos, etc. The first evening, my friend was working in the sound booth where they do all the technical things of getting the stuff projected. It was a very cool thing to see. The church even live streams the services on YouTube. 

Church ran pretty late that night so I slept over at her house and we went to church together again on Friday. 

Good Friday

This service was 3 hours long. It was also the most upbeat Good Friday service I have ever been to. 

Communion was served on Thursday and Friday. Since the church was so big, they didn't go up to the front, take the bread from the minister, dip it in the cup, eat it and go back to their seat. Instead some 15 people took bread to everyone. Once everyone got bread, they ate it. Same went for little cups of wine. (They actually use wine because they aren't Methodist.)

This is the body of Christ. Take, eat, do this in rememberance of me. 

This is the blood of Christ. Take, drink, do this in rememberance of me. 

Easter

This service was only an hour and a half. I wore heels and my host dad joined me. I thought this was really nice of him. 

They handed out flowers and sweets because Jesus. It was a very nice happy time. 

On Sunday (real Easter) my family and I went to Suez. My host sister(-in-law)'s grandfather passed away so we went to pay our respects. We dressed in black (I was in mostly black but I didn't know someone died when we left for suez so) and went to someone's house. The women sat in one room, men in another. We just sat there as people came and left. It was very funeral-like, just no body or coffin. 

RIP Host Sister(-in-law)'s grandfather. 

The next day we went to a different relative's house. It's been a while since I've gathered with my own relatives in America, but this felt exactly the same as that. 

There was a baby. 

She spit on me. 

After eating potatoes, fish, eggs, eggplant, etc.,

we painted eggs. 

We also played dominoes, mini-pool, chess, GTA3, and FIFA something. (I lost basically everything.)

After that we took one of the kids to a park. There he ride a little Ferris wheel. Then, we rode the bumper cars and a swing-spin-thing. 

It was a good Easter. 

Happy Easter. Have a good rest of your week. 

Learn something today. 

Byeeeee

Corie.