Countdown

Whenever I have a large task at hand with deadline, I need to have a countdown device. Note the word, "need." Not "like" or "prefer." Need. For work, I plan out my entire semester in an Excel spreadsheet. The schedule for each course is combined in one master schedule, with monthly meeting dates highlighted. As time marches on, my schedule shrinks as I hide the passing weeks. Most of my coworkers are aware of my habit and will often ask me: "What week are we on?" and I'll reply, "Week five, only three more weeks until Spring Break." I've turned into a speaking clock.

Some (such as my darling husband) would argue that my hyper-scheduling is a manifestation of my desire for control. Sure, I'm a list-maker and planner. I will not disagree. However, my countdown also serves as a motivator. When faced with a dreary, soul-sucking task, such as grading research papers or cleaning out the refrigerator, I will visualize my next break, or better yet, my next trip. This is why on any given return flight home, I will start thinking of when I can sneak away again. Day hikes are nice, but longer trips are much better at subduing the "I-can't-not-bear-one-more-day-of-this" blues.

(I am certainly not implying that my job is more miserable than most. Rather, this tactic helps me with any monotonous aspect of my life.)

There are sometimes in life when the countdown tactic just doesn't work. In the Summer of 2009, my husband found out on a Sunday afternoon his boss was sending him to Madrid for two and a half weeks - leaving on Tuesday morning. He called me on noon at Monday to let me know that the company travel agent found a screaming deal, and bought a ticket for me. I literally had 24 hours to reschedule my life and pack for Spain. My countdown was boiled down to hours instead of weeks. Even without the long-term planning, it was a fabulous trip. It taught me to allow time for wandering, and that some of the best memories are made by having a long lunch in a restaurant not listed in any guidebook.

My constant planning also runs against the Buddhist thought of living in the present moment.* Can I really be present when I am so focused on the future? Maybe the everyday doldrums wouldn't seem so bad... Clearly this is something I have to work on.

The countdown is now 7 days until we leave for Istanbul. I do have some days planned. But there are some days that are open for suggestions and other ideas. I do not know how to count in Turkish, and have yet to buy a map. But that's ok. We'll figure it out.

Babysteps.

*I am not a expert in Buddhism. Rather I enjoy expanding my mind by looking at other religions and philosophies. 'Nuff said.

St Mark

In preparation for Egypt, the Fulbright group met for three 8-hour orientations. Not only was a great chance to meet everyone on the trip and go over practical matters, but we also had guest speakers on various aspects of Middle Eastern/Egyptian history, culture and politics. Dr. Joy Lapp gave a talk on Coptic Christianity, which peaked my interest as I was teaching a class on Byzantine Art.

The word "coptic" linguistically comes from the Greek word meaning, "Egyptian." The Coptic Church (also known as the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria) split from Christianity in 451, over the nature of Christ. The Church regarded Christ of having two natures, one divine and one human. The Coptic Church regarded Christ as Monophysite, there being one nature of Christ that was both human and divine. One of the most important saints in the Coptic Church is St. Mark, the Evangelist, as it is believed that he introduced Christianity to Egypt. His relic were located in Alexandria until the two Venetian tradesmen stole/borrowed/pilfered the relics in the 800's and brought them to Venice to be housed in the Basilica of San Marco. Some of the relics have now been returned to the St. Mark's Cathedral in Cairo.


It was there sitting in the orientation that I realized that was going to all three sites: Venice, Cairo and Alexandria. What are the chances of that?

So I started to do a little research on St. Mark, and in one of my Google searches I found out that there is a St. Mark's Coptic Church right here in Denver. Originally, I was going to get in contact with the Priest, maybe take some photos, etc. But as we're leaving this Thursday, I really didn't think I would have time.

Then Saturday night I had a long conversation with a dear friend, and I was telling her about the St. Mark aspect of the trip, including the fact that there was one here in Denver. "Oh, Christine, you have to go! This is a sign!" Her faith was always stronger than mine, and I did have to agree, I really should go. But the lazy, I-rather-sleep-in-on-Sunday-morning side of me, complained. At 11:30 Saturday night I went their web site to see what time services started - 8:30. And this Sunday's feast day?

"Entry of the Lord into Egypt"

Ok, ok, I'll go.

8:30 the next morning I was there, but no one else was. A very kind family parked their car a long-side mine and said that services didn't start until 9, but I was welcome to come in and watch a baptism.

The church was on the small side, an older church whose original congregation move on to larger complex. In front of the altar, there was an iconostatis, with icons of various saints. The baptism took place in a small room in the back with a utilitarian baptismal. I was asked to take off my shoes, symbolizing a holy event taking place on sacred ground. At first everyone faced West, as the parents recited prayers that rejected evil. We all then turned to the East, raising our right hand to bring God closer to this beautiful baby. She was then placed in the holy water, and fussed like all babies do. Her baptismal name? Catherine. (This is where my Byzantine Art students gasp, as they are reminded of St. Catherine's Monastery at Mount Sinai and the fact that I was hoping all semester that I would be able to go there. Another sign.)

The three-hour (!!) service was lovely; a mixture of English and Arabic in chanting and prayers. There was a procession of the Holy Icon around the church with chanting, banners and incense; and later a second procession with Baby Catherine as the sacred one. Even when I couldn't understand the Arabic prayers, the realization came that I am actually going to Egypt. A year ago, heck, nine months ago, I had no clue what was about to happen in my life. And now I'm about to embark on a journey of epic proportions. This still baffles me, how did I get so lucky? Why me?

After the baptism, as I waited for the services to begin, I was looking through the lectionary and found this (I know this is a bad photo, but it very hard to take a photo in a church and not appear obvious.):




Pray for our fathers and our brethren who are traveling and those who intend to travel anywhere, that God may straighten all their ways, whether by sea, rivers, lakes, roads [air] or those who are traveling by any other means that Christ our God may bring them back to their own homes in peace and forgive our sins.


Amen.

First Aid

Suzanne left an comment on the previous post, "So what kind of first aid kit are you putting together for this trip? Will you be in mostly urbanized areas or out in the remote desert? Bugs? Scorpions? Hot? Cold?"

Umm... yes.

Let's start with the hot/cold. We are starting in Amsterdam, and spending time in Lake Maggiore in Italy; highs in the 70's will be a warm day. Rome can be blistering hot, but hopefully not too torrid in mid-June. Layering will be key for this trip. However, that's pretty much how we live in Denver during the Spring and Fall, where the morning can start out in the 40's and be in the 70's by noon.

As for Egypt in July, there will be lots of hot. I have two shirts with SPF 30+ and am bringing five bottles of sunblock. (Remember, this is a redhead who managed to get a sunburn in Ireland.) Two bottles of Neutrogena SPF 85, (yes - SPF 85! Thank you God!), two bottles of Neutrogena Body Mist Sunblock (SPF 70) and one Neutrogena SPF 70 for the face. Geeze, I hope that's enough. Since I'll be in Europe three weeks prior to the Fulbright group leaving for Egypt, my roommate in Egypt was kind enough to offer to pick up any toiletries from the States for me, in case I ran out of, well, sunblock. (Did I mention that this sunblock is all for me? Son and hubby are bringing their own.)

There were some shots I had to get for Egypt, as suggested by the CDC. I've already gotten my Hepatitis A and B shots; and I'm finishing up my Typhoid pills. The Typhoid pills actually give you five years resistance compared to two years with the shot. (As if you need another reason not to get a shot.) I decided to pass on the rabies, I'll take my chances that I won't be bit by a rabid animal. The rate of malaria in Egypt is low, so I will not need to bring any medication for that.

Most of the places we'll be visiting in Egypt (and Europe) will be urban. The big exception will be Mount Sinai in Egypt. I'm trying not to think about scorpions, or Egyptian Camel Spiders, telling myself that I lived in Tucson, Arizona for six years and never got bit by any critters out there...

For medication, I'm really not bringing anything out of the ordinary. Two-months supply of allergy medicine, some anti-diarrhea medicine, Advil, Tums, band-aids, Neosporin, Air-borne, Benadryl spray and lots of hand sanitizer. I'm also a big fan of melatonin, helps with overcoming jet-lag.

Now how I am going to haul this stuff around? I was attempting to go with the Rick Steves' mode of travel with one backpack that has a zip-off daypack. Found a lovely one at REI, and then I started packing. It was not the clothes or the five bottles of sunblock that was the problem (honestly!). It was the laptop and camera - there was no way they were going to fit in the zip-off daypack, and I am not about to check them on to the plane. So that bag had to go back. I was quite relieved to see that Matt Gross of the NYTimes was bringing a wheeled duffel bag on his twelve-week trip to Europe - very similar to one currently residing in my basement. It is a large bag; last time the three of us went to Europe for ten days, we used two of them and had plenty of room. For the laptop and camera, I found a smaller backpack made specifically for a laptop, which the camera will fit in as well. Right now, I feel good about my choice, but may change my mind when I am hauling it all up three flights to get to our hotel room in Florence.

What's your Title?

When you sign up for an airline miles program and are asked for "Title" there are typically a handful of choices; Mr., Mrs., Ms., Miss., Doctor and that about it. When I went to sign up for the British Airways "Executive Club" their list was a bit more extensive. Ambassador, Contessa, Datuk Seri, Frau, Kung Ying, Marquise, Marshal, President, Rabbi, Sultan, Viscount... I never knew so many titles existed. Thought I was quite tempted to choose "Her Majesty," I refrained. If I'm going to be queen, I rather not be Queen of the Coach Section.

Umm Kulthum

In preparing for the trip to Egypt, the Fulbright group met for three orientations. One of the topics was Umm Kulthum, an Egyptian singer and cultural icon. I guess the best way to describe her is an Egyptian Edith Piaf. Even to this day, Egyptians can sing her songs. Here is a clip from Youtube.

Bibliography

Art historians read a lot. We research and like to look at subjects from different perspectives and debate (read: argue) their merits. When I grade papers, I often start with the bibliography. If the sources are interesting, there's a good chance the essay will follow suit. In that vain, I thought a bibliography would be appropriate for my trip. What am I looking at before I go?

Now personally, I do go a little nuts with the research. I will recall books that are vaguely related to my topic just because they strike my fancy. This explains why I have a copy of Coptic Monasteries: Egypt's Monastic Art and Architecture by Gawdat Gabra amidst a whole stack of books which are part of my "To Do" list. Do I have a good pair of walking shoes yet? No. But I do have the following books at the ready.

Books which I have actually finished reading:

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (Not the most academic choice, but you can't read heavy stuff all the time...)

Culture Smart! Egypt by Jailan Zayan

I will not even begin to list the Rick Steve's and Frommer's guides (plus back issues of Budget Travel) from the library.

Books I'm most likely bringing with me:

Lonely Planet Egyptian Arabic Phrasebook

Blue Guide: Rome, by Alta Macadam.

Islamic Monuments of Cairo: The Practical Guide, by Caroline Williams.

Books I am currently reading, and may actually complete before I leave:

Venice: Lion City: The Religion of Empire by Gary Wills

Miramar by Naguib Mahfouz

Books that I have, but have as much chance of reading them before my trip as I do losing 25 pounds:

The History of Egypt by Glenn Perry

The Art and Architecture of Ancient Egypt by W. Stevenson Smith

Egypt, Greece and Rome: Civilizations of Ancient Mediterranean by Charles Freeman

Egypt: An Economic Geography by Fouad N. Ibrahim and Barbara Ibrahim (Well, I did read a couple chapters... does that count?)

I also wanted to read Orientalism by Edward Said. Plus today I met with a lovely colleague who suggested several academic articles and books by Irene Bierman.

With all of this reading, you think I would have a golden ticket to lay in the hammock and get some of this reading done. But sadly, this is the reading I really have to do:

Exams. Two classes worth. Oy-vey.

(Am I missing something in my bibliography? Let me know in the comments below.)

The Plan

It started about a year ago.


Darling husband (DH) and I were out for a walk with our dachshund. These walks have become moments where we talk about the mundane and the profound - work, groceries, schedules, friends, chores and the meaning of life. It was during one of these walks my DH announced that for our 20th anniversary, he wanted us to go to Europe for three weeks. Three weeks? While many Europeans would not think of this as being radical; Americans typically get two weeks of vacation a year. That's it. Three weeks was huge, 21 plus days of vacation. How on earth was he going to pull that off? Teaching at a local college, taking three weeks off in the summer wasn't difficult for me, but for DH's IT job, it certainly would not be as easy. However, he is a man who often makes the impossible a reality. Three weeks it would be.


Fast forward to the end of September.


One evening curled up on the sofa, I was cleaning out my inbox from work. With my father passing in the previous month; my emotions were raw. Deleting old e-mails felt calming, almost cleansing. As I went through the month's messages, an e-mail jumped out to me - "Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad Program." At first I thought this was for students, another announcement for me to pass on to my classes. But it wasn't for students, it was for teachers. The announcement was a call for applications to study in Egypt for five weeks over the summer, enhancing and developing curriculum. The program was specifically for faculty with little or no background in Ancient Egypt or Islamic studies, but covered those areas in their classes. Oh yes, that was me. The dates? June 29th to July 31st.

"Honey, when in June were you thinking about us going to Europe?"

"I dunno, hadn't thought about it yet. When were you thinking?"

"Um, early June?"

We then had to pull out the calender to see when Wonderful Son (WS) was graduating high school. (He, too, was coming to Europe with us.) June 3rd. Well, if we went on vacation right after he graduates... this could actually work. First go to Europe, the guys fly back to the States and I go on to Egypt. Holy Sinkin' Cow.


The proceeding months were exhibitions of my Virgo tendencies; of combing over my application and attempting to appear calm and intelligent during the interview. Then came the waiting. It was during this period that I was reduced down to the emotional level of an overeager teenager, waiting for the cute guy to call her after he asked for her number. I was obsessively checking my e-mail. Will they call me if I don't get accepted, or leave me in this hell of not knowing? If they just tell me, at least we could start shopping for tickets to Europe, as I weep in a corner. The week when they expected to let the applicants know passed at the end of November. Then came December, when out of sheer desperation I e-mailed the program director, asking if the lack of news meant that I was not selected. Oh no, they were still evaluating. I was then reading a line in the e-mail "I want to thank you for your interest and application." Thank me? How? Like a cryptic note passed in the back of biology class I started reading into every nuance of that sentence. My office mate begged me to delete the e-mail, I was obsessing way too much. But I just couldn't. The end of the semester came and my energy level just sank to the point that I couldn't obsess anymore. I almost didn't care, I was just worn out. It was then, of course, when I got the call. Yes, I was accepted to go to Egypt.


This reality has yet to truly sink into my head, and we're leaving in less than four weeks. When I go about telling other people about my upcoming summer, I often feel like I'm having an outer-body experience. Part of my mind is listening intently to what I was saying, with utter shock and disbelief. "You're going to Amsterdam, and then Belgium and then all around Italy and then EGYPT? Are you serious?"

Yes, I am. That's the plan.