Random facts I have learned

Below is a list of things that I have learned over the past 4 weeks of learning, researching and studying....

• There is so much more to Egypt than just pyramids and heiroglyphics
• The Great Rift Valley in Africa extends up into the Red Sea
• All of that silt in the Niles that I teach about, comes from the volcanic activity in the Ethiopian Highlands.
• There is the Sahara, the Sahel and the Sudan (not the country but the high grassland region)
• There are about 82 million people in Egypt. It is the third most populated country in Africa.
• The word "Geometry" means "Earth (geo) Measurements (metry)....what does this have to do with Egypt? The people of anceitn Egypt would survey the land to divide it among families and to settle disputes. The literally took measurements of the Earth...hence....creating Geometry.
• If I want to buy something...divide that number buy 5 and that will be the approx. cost in US $
• I am from Canada, not the USA is asked. Unfortunately, the USA is associated with people that have a lot of money. So the price will be hiked WAY up if someone looks or sounds American or even British. (Cost for Egyptian to get into Museum in Cairo is about 4 Egyptian pounds, which equals about eighty cents in the US. If you sound "American" the price is 100 Egyptian pounds....About $25 US.
• If a family is going to have company, they rent a large tent so the family can stay with them.
• Kids are required to go to school between the ages of 6 and 12, where they can then drop out. There are public and private schools. Many Muslim students go to the private, Catholic schools.
• It seems as though many Americans are very interested in learning about the middle eastern culture. This is exciting for people in Egypt, especially when they move here. Many feel that they are treated very kind and are surprised at how welcoming and NICE Americans are! Amira, a lady that we spoke to, was astounded when she was in the grocery store and a gentleman said hello to her and asked how she was doing. 
• Egypt is the heart of the old world....the crossroads. Before the west was settled, Egypt is the major intersection of trade routes and many other centralized events.
• Egypt is not a very conservative country....they are very open and accepting of the outside world.
• Egypt has been colonized by so many different countries (Greece, Rome, Turkey, British) that the cultural diffusion has become obvious. There are Arab people with red hair and blue eyes; many mixed races.
• The colors of the flag are red, white, and black. Red = the struggle for independence White = peace and black = centuries of oppression. Under the crest it says, "Arabic Republic of Egypt" 
• They gained their independence in 1952.
• Egypt has become the home of many Sudanese refuges...see www.savedarfur.org for more information about this terrible crisis.
• The dog in the movie "I Love you, Man" really DOES look like Anwar Sadat; former president of Egypt

• Religion is central to EVERYTHING.
•  Nasser, Sadat, and Mubarak are the three presidents that Egypt has had. Mubarak is in his 80s and has been president since 1981. They are all of military background. Nasser was the one that is said to have wanted to have Egypt become a socialist nation. He dies in office of a heart attack. (Also "created" the Aswan High Dam. Hence the reason why the lake behind it is called "Lake Nasser"). When he died, his VP took office, Anwar...who tried to pull things back to the right which made some people mad. He was assassinated. Mubarak became president after him. Not a whole lot has changed apparently since he took office.
• Egyptian joke: Nasser was in a car with his driver and the driver came to a fork in the road. The driver asked, "Would you like to go left or go right?" Nasser replied, "Blink left, turn left." Anwar Sudat was in the car some time later with the same driver and they came to the same fork in the road. The driver asked, "Would you like to go left or go right?" Anwar replied, "Blink right and go right." Few years later, Mubarak is in the same car with the same driver and they come to a fork in the road. The driver asks, "Would you like to go left or go right?" Mubarak replies, "Blink left, blink right. Don't move."
• Children in Egypt stay at home until they are married. Both the men and the women do this. It is not uncommon for adults to still live with their parents. 
• Divorce is uncommon. You got married, either fix the issues or be miserable. 
• Most children speak at least three languages...the most common being Arabic, English and French. Foreign language starts when school starts in the primary schools
• Most students (at least in private schools) are told that their options are to become a doctor, lawyer, Engineer, or pharmacist.