Kids, Camels & Cairo

At sunrise each morning, I peeled my eyes open the second I heard the call to prayer resound through the air. At 7:00 A.M., I walked out to a rare quiet Cairo street and waited for the van to pick me up. Climbing onto the van, I found a seat alongside other Muslim and foreign teachers, where I was one of only a few not wearing hijab. It was Sunday morning and another Islamic week of disciplining rich, apathetic students, was about to begin. Traveling across the globe to work in an international school in Cairo, Egypt, was not exactly the glamorous lifestyle I thought it would be. I cherished my travels to the Red Sea, delighted in visiting the Pyramids, and appreciated the natural wonders of the Nile River. However, I also spent days without electricity or internet, was leered at by rude Egyptian men, breathed in Cairo's cancerous black smog, and coaxed school work from students. KIDS, CAMELS, & CAIRO is a lighthearted read about Jill Dobbe's personal experiences as an educator abroad. Whether you're an educator, a traveler, or just a curious reader, you will be astounded at this honest and riveting account of learning to live in an Islamic society, while confronting the frustrating challenges of being an educator in a Muslim school. (less)