"Sick as a dog but havin' the time of my life"

Hassan and I took Mira to Six Flags last week. While I was praying for the daily afternoon thunderstorms to start at 10 am that morning, I knew early in the morning I would have to take one for the team.

I stepped inside an amusement park and actually went on a rollercoaster for the first time in 17 years. It's amazing what was running through my head as I rode the easy rollercoaster last week at Six Flags - maybe something like "I'm doing this for Mira" repeatedly going over my head. Nope, no time for prayers or my life flashing before my eyes - only Mira.

I would like to say that "we" went on a lot of rides, but in reality "we" only went on the big water rides and one rollercoaster together. Hassan and Mira went on the thrilling rollercoaster rides while I sat and watched from below queasy and dizzy from just watching them.



Don't get me wrong, I love rollercoasters, but unfortunately due to my migraines and the vertigo that comes along with it, my days of rollercoasters and rides are greatly diminished. I have to say though the rollercoaster was nothing compared to the one raft ride that went down a huge slide as we sat in a big innertube and spun around like ice cream in a blender.

I knew it was going to be a great day when Mira looked at me after the first couple rides and said "Mom, this is the best day of my life."




The day ended with Mira riding a rollercoaster several times by herself. She was very hesitant at first, but after Hassan went on it two times with her and had enough, she rode it an additional three times by herself.

I told Mira now that she's been on all these rollercoasters she can ride anything. I knew she was adventurous but I didn't realize how adventurous.

I always thought God was going to get me back. I better get ready.

Ma'salaam,

~Marian

The Reality

I cannot believe the reverse culture shock I am experiencing right now. It is overwhelming to think how we used to live our lives -- how isolated we were from the rest of the world; thinking a certain way; acting a certain way. I want to run right back to Cairo where I feel more at home and at ease even though I am the foreigner. Right now I feel as though I am a foreigner in my own country - I never thought I would feel this way.

We are staying in Hassan's apartment which is a 1 bedroom flat in a decent urban area of Maryland less than 1 mile outside Washington, DC. It is rather small, and while I thought I had a difficult time adjusting to life in Egypt moving from a house to an apartment, staying in Hassan's apartment has given me a new appreciation for my apartment in Cairo.

The weather here has not been cooperating with my wishes - in fact the weather is behaving exactly the opposite of weather in Cairo. It has been cloudy everyday with rain off and on. While I haven't seen many thunderstorms, I wish it would storm to break the humidity. All of this is wishful thinking of course because if we do get a thunderstorm the heat and humidity will just build up again to produce another storm. Ah the great weather cycle of the mid-Atlantic States of July.

Ma'salaam,

~Marian