Settling in Finding myself

Its been a while since I last wrote. . .

It was quite tough for a while, I found myself in combat with the students. . .  battling for control of the classroom.

Teaching is quite draining but are some groups that really have warmed to me and I must say I really am enjoying some of the kids. Heres a couple who visit me every break to work on a painting for Dad which I try to help out with.

This is Anna who I have introduced to Megan on the internet and due to today's amazing technology they have chatted already on Instagram, so now can check each other out Megan can see what these guys do and get up to, maybe they will meet up soon, this time in reality I mean . . . hope so.

Some more of the girls in grade 9 (I think. . . Megan's age 14)
That's my drawing on the table I made to give the other (younger group) something to try out. I am still trying to figure out the various capabilities of each age. . .

Well the days are hot and so in the afternoon I head off to 'the club' and relax along the banks of the lagoon. The tepid waters are not deep you can walk across the lagoon, the bottom is a bit slimy but its still fine to swim in.

Here I am chilling at the Beach. This was during 'Eid' which is a Muslim holiday and was for a whole week. I had only been here for 2 weeks so it felt funny not having to go to work.

The Canal

This Canal - one of many smaller canals all around El Gouna, I walk alongside to get back to my flat.











For a while now I began scribbling in my sketchbook just to get going again, I found some articles on South American artist Botero and wrote some stuff on him in my FB acc. My Private Universe. I copied his sculptures, they are such fun and very inspiring to draw, this was all during the Eid break.











So then I had heard about the bus that goes into Hurghada and decided to try it out and just see what happens if I hop on board and head off to the city. I wanted to go to Senzo Mall but had no idea how to get there, so anyway here I am on the bus ready to Roll.

 We are still in El Gouna here and you can get an idea of the enormous wasteland that lies just beyond all our borders.









So we drive along the main road with nothing to see. . . but sand













Then suddenly construction . . .









The Caves Hotel
Interesting looking design for a hotel. . .

 New developments advertised. . . this is all along the edge of the red sea

 You can sea the water of the red sea beyond the sand, so there are gaps in between the developments, but their is so much building on the go everywhere. . .

 So Many Hotels and resorts I have no idea how they all survive.

And drawing near to Hurghada

My Bus Stop

So here I am staring across the street wondering what must I do next? I eventually asked the driver and he explained I must 'stand in front and wait for bus'. After an interminable wait the driver returned and told me I was at the wrong place and must go further ahead. So I went to a place where it looked kinda like a bus stop and there I asked a Muslim Lady is this the right place to get the bus to Senzo? She said I must go across the road and get a minibus rather. So I walked across the circle and stood for another while until a taxi pulled up called me over and asked me if I wanted a lift.

Now I had no idea where Senzo was, so I just said "Senzo" he said sure 5 LE, which is not too bad so I thought Ok here goes. He took me down the road not even 500 m and stopped, I saw a shopping place but it didn't say Senzo, he then started say "Senzo 10 pound" I said 'hey buddy you said 5 pound'. In the end I thought that's it I don't trust this guy, gave him his 5 pounds and jumped out.

The Shop is called "Spinneys" and is quite an upmarket shop so I got all the stuff I needed anyway.

 Outside 'Spinney's' here I am finished shopping and now I'm thinking how the heck am I gonna get back?

So I decided to walk.

This is where I started snapping pics and ended up having a lot of fun snapping the everyday life of Egyptian people in the backstreets of Hurghada

Hurghada Egypt

I put all the pics onto my Personal Universe

Back to El Gouna 

Debbie and William got hold of me and took me out for a Jol

This was our transport the Tuc Tuc Taxi found exclusive to El Gouna

This is the Marina (I think) and you can begin to see the many beautiful yachts and craft of the Egyptian Elite who come here to play.


I'm A bit disappointed that I couldn't show the swim we had out to the coral reef. Debbie and William introduced me to Peter Dickens, he works on one of the largest yachts in El Gouna as the Captain. They take wealthy Egyptians and anyone else who has plenty of cash, out on cruises in the Red Sea.

Anyway he wanted to take a swim out to a coral reef and I was able to borrow some equipment from William and take a swim out with him. This was my first view of coral reefs and also my first snorkeling experience. Which i still have to learn a bit since I swallowed a significant amount of the Red Sea in what was otherwise a great experience.

This is me and Captain Peter and we are having a free shooter with our supper we enjoyed with Debbie and William and the rest of the gang that night.

More coming soon . . . .

My New Norm - Life in Egypt, so far. . .

Gotta make a living 

Well teaching Art is what I do! But I must admit I have never taught 5 year olds before! I now have to think carefully before the ankle grabbers come in and what am I gonna do to keep them busy for an hour.

I tried googling stuff and looking at Kids projects on Pinterest but I always feel very dissatisfied with what I see, it feels a bit second hand like yesterdays croissants, gone stodgy. So i think this is probably due to my very stubborn original thinking brain, if someone else has done it I'm just not interested. This is not a deliberate kind of rebellious thinking or anything it's rather just the way I'm wired.  So back to the 5 year olds, they are really young, initially they sit there looking bewildered and lost. I tell them to do something and they just stare back at me.

This is one of the groups - not sure exactly which one

I had two helpers who try to catch the little ones who frequently get off their chairs and wander off on some private mission.

One kid is particularly uncooperative and cant keep still, I guess they would pump him full of Ritalin in some places but what do I know of these things?

This one little boy had his mouth all covered in white and also on his shirt and the helpers were freaking out and wondering what the heck he had eaten!

They asked me if I had used white paint or something that morning and were quite frantic, I said well if he starts puking maybe you have him checked out otherwise he seems ok. The little kids are actually really cute and so small! I kinda forgot how tiny a 5 year old is. But they eventually got going on my project which I figured out by making a circle and then turning it into an owl or a fish etc etc. They eventually really got into it, at the end they all wave goodbye and gave me a high 5 as they trooped out and I actually quite enjoyed it.

Another Experiment.

Thought of writing a word and then illustrating it with colour. Worked quite well, might have been a little advanced, I'm just trying out stuff, there are quite a few conflicts over materials and hogging nice colours and all kinds of shenanigans that have to be adjudicated and worked out.

In this group I tried out a 'snakey' idea showing them how to draw a parallel line and attach a head, then colour it in with stripes and what not.













This little guy is the child of an Egyptian Dad and a German mother, apparently this is extremely common in Egypt

Cheers the place where everyone knows your name, well not quite. . .

Yes its a Muslim country but, this is a tourist town and . . . and there is money to be made with booze and so the tourists are catered for.

But its not cheap! I don't go there, this is me on my route walking from my flat to the local supermarket.

When I get back from School I go and get some provisions. Have to buy water, the water here is taken from the red sea. They desalinate it (might have mentioned this already) anyway you have to buy water to drink.

These little taxi bike things are unique to El Gouna, I haven't really tried them yet, but apparently you pay 10 LE and they take you anywhere you wanna go.









This is in late afternoon, the place is dead quiet, just a few individuals.


I went to get 'airtime' at about 4pm and no-body was there! But at 10 o'clock at night or even 12pm the place is buzzing. I remember when I went to Spain, it was very much the same. From Midday to evening nobody is outside, too hot.

I arrive at the local little Superette or what you callit.

I must get a pic of the 'Ballada (sp?) bread, like a flatbread which is as common as the flies around here. You eat it with Olives and Feta Cheese, kinda Mediterranean dish, add tomatoes or whatever, its become my staple diet with coffee and water.








I haven't been well but the other day Debbie asked me if I had seen "The Club" its a local pool just on one the canals. So after School she showed me how to get there, just a short walk from where we stay.

This is the approach to the entrance.









As you walk in it really is inviting and the pool is visible ahead

 This is the view of the pool, absolutely lovely and refreshing with reclining chairs all round and a bar with a menu, everything you need. . .

 Scuse my thumb in the pic but you can see the canal past the pool which is also great to swim in and you can hire paddle boats and take a tour if you wish.