Stages of Assimilation

I'm two and a bit more weeks in and I can say with certainty I'm out of the honeymoon phase. My days of exploration are left without the immense amount of enthusiasm initially smothered in. Right now, a transitional stage of attempting to refute the tendency to become stagnate in my understanding of the culture surrounding my flat and daily commute to Arabic study.

I'm two and a bit more weeks in and I feel a case of homesickness settling in the back of my throat causing my eyes to water and my nose to run. Voices without static and Hugs unable to cross the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. My continued confusion with the society's acceptable forms of interaction and behavior, not meaning they are negative...I only mean I am confused how my body positioning and eye contact can be in rhythm with the Egyptian culture. Yes, I do realize it's only been two and a bit more weeks here. My rapid change theory has proved false and requires additional research: especially regarding the formation of new friends and finding a new place of worship.

I'm two and a bit more weeks in and beyond the homesickness and possibly because of it, I've found my paints and words that I lost in the craziness of graduate school. As well as visitors to my flat, both of the human and feline kind. Two kittens invaded my flat: kittens that chucked up my immense size to a monster attempting to squash their heads, when in reality all I wanted was to say hello. They are tiny and the mama cat, well she does not appreciate my invasion of her living quarters (even if it is technically my balcony).

I'm two and a bit more weeks in and I've yet to see they pyramids. However, I was able to attend a Coptic Orthodox Mass (in English) on Saturday. It was a very different experience, one that fully has not soaked into my core but has rattled my beliefs of mysticism and arrangements within the service. Another event, we had our MCC English training workshop, it was enlightening to listen since I won't be teaching, inshallah! I don't think my southern drawl would be helpful to the learner, nor to their attempts of pronouciation of words. Finally, we had the MCC Welcome Party and ate Kosheree (which is like carb-delight)! It fills you up, puts you to sleep, and you wake up wanting more.

Over all, in the past two and a bit more weeks, I've come to love, observe, confuse, and see through my cloudy lens into the world before me. There is no need to worry, the homesickness will pass and I have great people around me that deal with my grouchy attitude at times.

Now off to Bob's Yoga DVD...