Hi!
It seems like forever since i've written - i'm sorry! I just want to say that i am having such a phenomenal time here...i am starting to get sad that i have to leave in 8 weeks!! The 5 of us girls travelled down to upper egypt (yes, the southern part of egypt is called 'upper'....something to do with the way the Nile flows) to spend Christmas weekend at an orphanage. They celebrate Christmas here (the few christians there are) on Jan 7th. It was *such* a wonderful 3 days. We spent time with all the kids/widows and gave out gifts to each one. There were over 500 presents that went out, each individualized! We visited each age group and did a whole "program" for them - we told the christmas story, played games, sang songs, gave them snacks, and prayed with them. It was so wonderful, they were all so special. We even got to spend time with the widows and elderly women which was a new type of experience for me. Leslie dressed up as santa! We got to watch their Christmas eve play, and attended church with them on Christmas morning. Sleeping at the orphanage was also a fun experience (it was a little 'Nacho Libre'..!). Moody and David's parents live on site (they run the primary boys program) and so on Saturday night they had a hugeeee dinner for the 5 of us, duane and shirley, and 2 other girls who used to work here that were visiting from the states. It was really fun and yummy! The drive was also pretty incredible...5 hours of just desert. It was actually pretty beautiful. The police here are really funny. Upper Egypt has more fundamentalists and is a little more unstable, so after a certain point we needed police escorts in order to be on the road (so we're driving with police cars in front, behind, and on the side of us). It's just funny because i wouldn't trust egyptian police with a bebe gun, but they are soooo serious about what they do. It's just all very entertaining. They have police checks on the road every so often as well. When they see the car with 5 american women, it's a huge ordeal. They all flag us down like the earth is about to end, then they alllll come flooding out to see. At one stop they even brought out chairs! Then one by one, they stick their head in the car and go "Amrika???" in a very serious tone. we say yes. that one turns to others and says "Amrika!" and they all seriously nod their heads. then someone else sticks their head in and looks for a while and goes "fiiiivee???" and it's like "yes, there are five of us." then they all stick their heads in and debate and have a big fancy pow-wow to definately decide there are five of us, then they come back in and say a very serious "five!" (incase we were unsure, i suppose). And then they made sure you know to go "this way" as the all point straight ahead. Mind you, there's one road that goes through the desert. there was no other option but up (and we weren't planning on launching into space) but they made it seem like they had just given us the golden nugget of wisdom. Really funny...and to make it worse this happens about ever half hour :-) Just part of the excitement here in egypt! This week we are working at a medical clinic for Sudanese refugee children - it is awesome and i love it! And we've started our arabic tutoring 2 hours each day 5 days a week. Me and my roomate Jenny joined Leslie and Kayla's gym...so hopefully between all our walking and the gym ("gym") i wont gain any weight from all the yummy egyptian food (eh, who i am kidding...all the peanut butter and jelly). I have an album from the orphanage posted - please check it out! I will write more after the medical screenings are all over. the days here are exhausting but they are spent with the most amazing people in this most special place. Due to the sensitive nature of the country, i can't really talk much publically about the details of some things, but if you would like to hear some more "meaningful" stories, please email me @ LdyNicole9@yahoo.com and i'd love to talk with you!
Till next time,
Nicole <3 href="(http://community.webshots/ldynicole9">http://community.webshots/ldynicole9 )

ps- Right now three of us are watching the season finale of 24 (season one). Why hadn't i seen this show sooner!??! i am so hooked.
pps- i found an old copy of Food & Wine Magazine at the gym and decided that some day I want to attend the Food & Wine Festival in Aspen, CO. Any takers? And i also met a girl who backpacked through Europe last summer and after hearing her stories I am determind to do the same, somehow.
ppps- I think it would be fun to be an ambassador...or atleast the wife of one. they have it good here :)