Chica Cheechakos Chillin' in Cairo

This summer, having a junior high teacher for a best friend has taught me that I chose the wrong profession. As a college student, I pine for those glorious summer months of freedom and fun in the sun. Good thing Rumpelstiltskin isn't offering me free summers for the rest of my career in exchange for my first born, because I might take the deal. Summer finals are next week and there is less than a month before fall starts. Riddle me this: if time is flying by so fast, then how is it I am still in school?

So here are just a few things that have happened this summer:

EGYPT was everything I hoped it would be. Except I was hoping to have stayed about a month longer. Me, Ashley and Lani (who went by 'Loony' the entire trip because our tour guide Mudi couldn't pronounce her name) started our trip with a short 12 hour flight to Amsterdam where we took advantage of a 13 hour layover. We managed to navigate our way from the airport to the city center and hop on a canal boat that took us everywhere. We stopped at the Anne Frank museum (an awesome experience!) and the Rijksmuseum where we saw some beautiful Rembrandts and Vermeers.

Once in Cairo, we navigated the most insane airport I have ever been to. We managed to get to our hotel, without being stolen, with enough time to shower and change our clothes before we met up with our tour group. On the first day we went to the Cairo museum. Having worked at a museum for several years now, I had many expectations. It was sad to see how poorly conserved the artifacts were, but my excitement in seeing them made me forget. It was pretty much great. The Narmer Palette=awesome. Replica of the Rosetta Stone=not awesome. Why the heck is the real thing at the British Museum? Guess I'll have to go there next summer...

Over the next few days, we got to see some of the most impressive and historically significant artifacts and sites in the world. We stayed in several cities including Luxor, Aswan and Cairo. We saw the pyramids at Giza, sailed down the Nile on feluccas, went to the Valley of the Kings, saw Luxor Temple, Abu Simbel, Kom Ombo Temple, Edfu Temple, Karnak Temple and so much more. I was in archaeologist heaven. I only wish I could have done some digging! If it looks like I'm sweating in every picture, it's because I am. It was 130 degrees in Aswan one day and I wore jeans. JEANS! If only I had known. Here is a picture summary of the trip:


KATELYN is going on a mission!! She has been called to serve in the Tempe, Arizona mission and leaves for the MTC on September 1st! Katelyn's anticipation while waiting for the call was at an all time high, so she was pretty excited when it finally came. Now she's staying very busy getting everything ready to go. Her farewell is on the 22nd in Grand Junction so it gives me a good excuse to spend the last week of summer at home. She is going to be a fantastic missionary and I'm going to miss her so much!

Last but not least, I'm truly MOVING. The 12 of August will mark the end of the 7th summer I have spent in Provo. 6 years is a long time for a college student to live in one place. I have been trying all summer to move into Ashley's ward. I had no idea that apartments in this neighborhood were in such high demand. After much diligent searching and frustration, I finally signed a contract for a room I'm pleased with and it's just down the street from Ashley. On August 19th I will be officially moved out. Moving will be hard, but it's time.

I plan to spend the last few and precious weeks of summer reading for fun, playing with Heather (who is making a much needing trip to Utah), spending time with Katelyn, and dreaming about all the fun I plan on having next summer!