This weekend was spent lazily doing nothing. Aside from my friday adventures, on Saturday I went shopping. Not very exciting to you, but for me it was great because everything seemed to go right. I needed one of those days; I was able to talk in Arabic to all the shopkeepers and get everything that I need. Kind of mundane but that mundane stuff makes my life good. As Mal from Firefly said, I ache for a little dullness, or some such phrase.
Yesterday was spent in contemplation of how much I can physically punish my body. I went boxing and aikido. In boxing I got whacked pretty good in the nose, though I did give him some good punches. And Aikido it was a jo class (the staff for those who don't know). We did various things from kumi-jo (jo exercises I think that is what it means) to working with a partner in a series of ever longer attacks and counters to take downs. Those were the most fun; there was one where you get to the side of your uke after evading his attack and use your jo and forearm to create a pincer motion on his neck. (Painful) and then you tenkan and throw him to the ground. That was my favorite. It was taught by Sensei Ono, a Japanese instructor who reminds me with some of his mannerisms of Shihan (our regional instructor). The bad news is that I can't practice at the dojo anymore. Don't worry I didn't do anything wrong. The dojo is at the police academy and for security reasons they can't have foreigners there. As an American, I was not allowed there. So I will be going to a dojo in Mohandissen called the Aikido Club Shooting Dojo, which is one of the famous Nadees or clubs. We will see how that will play out, but I will be going with Sensei Ono so it should be excellent. Needless to say, I woke up this morning with all my muscles tight, my back sore, and have somewhat of a grimace everytime I put my backpack on my shoulder. The one thing I will miss is the students that I was working out with; they were so open, friendly, and helpful that I didn't feel at all alone when joining the new dojo. I hope that people who come to ours experience the same thing and I know that when I return I hope to make that extra effort.
Today it is drizzling outside. If it rains it will be good because it will clear the air of the pollution. It has been noticeably geting hazier as each day passes, that when I look at buildings in the morning or evening they seem to be seen through a fuzzy lens. Not cool, but malesh.
The last bit of news is that I will be teaching an English class to Egyptians with an NGO called Better World at a local school. It is volunteer and will help Egyptians who can't get an education at university in English to improve it in order to increase their ability to get jobs. It should be fun, but I will keep you updated.
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