This may actually happen.

I’ve been in Egypt about a week or so and finally remembered to blog.  When I look back on what’s happened the last week or so, I can barely believe it.

If you had told me last June, or even August after I had left Cairo the first time, I would come back not once, not only twice, but later come back for good, I would have looked at you as if you were mad. It was hot, I was sweaty. I loved Morocco. And the “g” instead of “j” really drove me crazy. But the city—and its people—suck you in. I can’t explain it.

Maybe I just needed something to give me a push—rather shove—to get my butt in gear and out to Cairo. As my close friends know, I found a sort of motivation to drive a move from DC.  In fact, for the past few months I’ve had a one-track mind: find a job in Cairo. All I did was look at job listings and obsessively network with people here. School work? Psssshhh. What school work?

Fingers crossed it’s paid off.

Life never turns out as you plan. I’m hoping, instead, it turns out better. I spent the first few days I was here reconnecting with old friends and connecting with new ones. I had a meeting at an Egyptian organization called the Andalus Institute, which focuses on human rights. They gave me a position as the editor-in-chief of their English-language website and Facebook and Twitter pages.  Absolute madness.

It’s all happening very fast. I told my girl Cordie it’s this overwhelming feeling but I couldn’t describe it. She aptly described it as excitement and fear.

On the state of Egypt and its politics, I’ve noticed the tone of the graffiti here has changed. Now, all of the graffiti is anti-military, a huge change from this summer and to a lesser extent January.  People are waiting for the elections, but no one seems to believe they will be legit. Because they won’t be.

Right now I’m sailing the Nile between Aswan and Luxor. Our first stop was some temple and I turned to Merideth and asked her if there would be a lot of old sh*t on this trip—she told me it’ll all be old sh*t. It’s interesting though, I guess. Last night Merideth and I went out around Aswan and I really liked it—a mix of Cairo and Fes.

Alright, y’all. I get back to Cairo on Saturday and should be there a few days. Perhaps I’ll have more news upon my return.