A Heartfelt Visit to Kom Ombo

Egypt Blog for July 30, 2008
This morning started off with a test as our amazing Egyptologists, Aki Allam and Ahmed Dabess, quizzed us on our knowledge of Egypt. Questions derived from our tours and pre-trip research, and according to the Egyptologists, we passed! We then had a GYFHC session on religion, Christianity, Islam and others. We found the group discussion meaningful because we got to share our thoughts and feelings on all the different types of religions. It also broke some of the miscommunication and misunderstanding between them all.
We then visited Kom Ombo Temple, which was dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek. One of the most unique aspects about this temple, compared to the others, was that there was one section for medicine. During these times, crowds of ill citizens were flowing into the streets outside the temple.
Soon after, we loaded the buses to head to the Kom Ombo orphanage. When we arrived, the children had enormous smiles on their faces and they started to take pictures of us. During this time of one-on-one communication, cultural barriers were broken as we introduced ourselves to the children and started conversations with them. A feeling of mutual understanding spread among the entire group. Shortly after our introductions and brief conversations, we presented the orphanage with gifts of new uniforms for each student. These uniforms were handed out by a lucky handful of GYFHC delegates who had the privilege of seeing the glowing face of each child as he or she took the gift. Perhaps the most touching moment, however, came towards the end of our meeting when both Egyptian and American students spoke, expressing their appreciation for the other.
With hearts filled with both joy and sorrow, we departed the orphanage and returned to the ship for an evening of traditional Egyptian celebration, which included: food, music, and dancing. Dressed in traditional Egyptian attire of galabeyyas, everyone enjoyed themselves dancing the night away.
-Elliott Wall (Mexico, Missouri Delegate) & Erin Lee (Pawcatuck, CT Delegate)

Sailing to Edfu

July 29th, 2008

Salaam Alykom…today is July 29th, the halfway landmark of our trip. We began sailing to Edfu at 4:00 am during our trip to the world of snoozes, snores, and sleepy satisfaction. When we awoke, the buffet breakfast on board simply expanded from corner to corner with breads, fruits, and cheeses. Afterwards, we split into groups that either went for cooking lessons or Arabic lessons. Those of us who started with the Arabic lessons learned a variety of words ranging from “ana khywaisa” (I am good (f)) to “gameel awi” (very beautiful). As we finished laughing at our multiple mispronunciations, it was time for the one-on-one session with Mary Jean Eisenhower. We sat in a circle and individually answered a set of questions Ms. Eisenhower posed including “who are your friends…what can’t you live without…what is your passion…what advice would you give to Ms. Eisenhower?”. From this discussion, we learned more about ourselves and everyone than we knew before. Ms. Eisenhower enlightened the same vital fact about each of us: we are our own best friends, and we depend on others to bring out unique qualities in each one of us. Some of the pieces of advice that we shared with Ms. Eisenhower reiterated in similar statements of how it is better to drink tea versus coffee, how it is important to share what you learn with others, and how it is important to live your life to the fullest. We all came together through sharing knowledge, stories, and passions. Then, we marched directly towards our human instinct which was calling us through different aromas and flavors. Later, we switched groups and went to do cooking lessons. The Egyptian cooking lessons included the delightful and delectable dishes of Baba Ghanoush, Okra, and Om Ali Pastry. We finished savoring our last bites of the impeccable dishes, and left our eating workout for a mental workout.

Split into teams and armed with a single sheet of listed items, we competed to win not only glory but also our lives as we struggled to safely reach our mother spaceship from a foreign planet. (In case you are confused, this was from an problem-solving game called “Moon Expedition!”) After the winners were announced, we parted our ways to spend our free time in ways such as sunbathing or sleeping or drinking tea. The next stop was the Edfu Temple: the largest, most completely preserved Pharaonic-albeit Greek-built- temple in Egypt and the amazing Temple of Horus at Edfu. We all were simply blown away by the multiple columns, statues of Horus, and remains of colors found in various niches around the temple. Horus, omniscient throughout the temple, was the hawk-headed god, and the earliest state god of Egypt, who was closely connected with the king. Coming back from the wind and the warmth of the Temple, we gladly slumped into our chairs to enjoy yet another extraordinary buffet. Secretly, we tiptoed to the lounge to practice for the next day’s history test; we simultaneously whispered the secret passwords and entered a battlefield equipped only with the past history lessons that we previously learned which had actually made it through the intricate canals neatly situated in our brain. Through the game, we all relearned important facts of Egyptian history and revisited the ancient times. Sleepily, we trudged back to our rooms, and we peacefully slept knowing we would ace the History test.

-Tanushree Mondkar (La Canada, California USA Delegate)

Valley of the Kings

Rising before even the sun god could blink his weary eyes and shine down upon the land of Egypt, we packed our bags and boarded our buses for our flight to Luxor. Taking in the last sights of Cairo we departed. After our arrival in Luxor, we visited the Valley of the Kings, the place where the famous archaeologist Carter discovered Egypt’s glittering ambassador, the Golden Boy, Pharaoh Tutankhamen and his many treasures. Once protected by the anonymity of the shifting sands, the painted carvings found inside the tombs of Ramses I and Ramses III are as vivid as they are enigmatic; their scenes depicting triumph and warning in blues, yellows, reds and more.
Transferring to the temple of Pharaoh Hatshepsut, this immense structure was erected to honor the woman strong enough to be Egypt’s first female Pharaoh and maternal enough to nurture it into bloom. From a distance we took pictures of its unique architecture towering above as if it was created by the gods of Egypt and not its people. The columns of the Temple were strong and powerful --just like the woman they were meant to honor. Stopping at the Colossi of Memnon we viewed the two seated statues considered ancient even by the ancients. The Greek soldiers stationed there often reported hearing the sounds of ethereal wailing as if the statues themselves where mourning.
We once again boarded our buses and traveled to a historical burial ground, the Valley of the Queens holding beauty and mystery in their expansive caverns. We visited the tomb of a small child of the Pharaoh who died before his time. His grieving father had a tomb built near his mother so that the boy would not be afraid. Again the vibrant painted carvings held knowledge that they shared only at their discretion, the Mona Lisa’s of the past held our imaginations without competition. Now tired and sand-blown we made our way to our beautiful cruise boat. The Nile Adventurer would now be our home until reaching Aswan. The beautiful curves making it look like a yacht and the friendly crew making it feel like home. Exploring the ship and anticipating tomorrow’s adventure is all that is left yet to do. In the land of the Pharaohs all is well and life is good.

Sarah Shaw (Collegeville, Pennsylvania, USA Delegate)

Making a Difference in Cairo

July 27, 2008

"Wow." That is basically the majority of the reactions received from delegates after today’s sequence of events. The humanitarian aspects of the GYFHC have truly been brought forward today with two extremely moving activities.
Starting with the Right to Live Association, we eagerly approached this school for mentally disabled students in Cairo where multiple powerful interactions immediately came into play. We spent the morning doing arts and crafts and playing basketball with the students, not only breaking the barriers of language or culture, but we also found multiple ways to communicate despite the different levels of thinking that occurred in the room.
It was incredible. The feelings and expressions shared between all individual in the building, the students, teachers, leaders, and delegates. Our time there was based around art and games, but it went much deeper than that, accepting the uniqueness of each individual and really achieving our goal of impacting their lives and leaving a lasting handprint on their--and our-- hearts. After our discussion later tonight, it’s easy to say that each and every one of us was affected by the people and experiences we encountered today.
Something as simple as a touch, eye contact, or making someone laugh, forms a smile that will undoubtedly spark another smile and that cycle will never end. It is the most amazing feeling to be able to share some part of what makes you glow from inside out and direct it towards others. That train of giving love never ends and always comes back in return. As a delegation, we all encountered a “wow” moment of the day, if not more than one. Having the priviledge to work with these students and make a difference in their lives was only the beginning through our journey of life changing events.
These powerful moments could have rooted from the Right to Live Association or from working at the Egyptian Food Bank, which we visited after lunch. We were determined, and that’s an understatement, to pack as many boxes as we could to send off to families throughout Egypt. In helping this NGO reach their goal of combating all hunger and starvation in Egypt by the year of 2025, we did what we could to help them in their mission of fighting “Together against Hunger.”
After some dedicated hard work, a lot of love, and devotion, we broke any previous records this food bank held by packing around 850 boxes in only an hour. This food is enough to feed over 4000 people in Egypt for an entire month. It’s pretty amazing to think that the power of one, all joined together in a delegation of under 40, can accomplish something this affective for thousands of individuals, sending the message of peace across the world.
Whether it was from working with the mentally disabled students, admiring their teachers and the way they dedicated sharing their lives with the students, or helping to provide food to thousands of people, it’s safe to say that we all were touched today, and that includes everyone on the receiving end as well. Today was a day filled with humanitarian activities, which is the base of our trip through Egypt. It doesn’t stop here, definitely not with this group!
- written by Alexa Varano, New Jersey Delegate

Arrived in Luxor

We have safely arrived in Luxor and are looking forward to a full day of exploring the Valley of the Kings!

Day Two

All delegates are in their rooms after an amazing second day in Cairo - we will post more details tomorrow from Luxor!

An Amazing Start to Our Adventure!

There’s no way you can prepare yourself for the experience of the Pyramids and the Sphinx until you have seen them firsthand! Pulling up to the Pyramids, all my preconceived notions disappeared. It was truly the most magnificent sight I’ve ever seen.”

- Abbe Stern, GYFHC Delegate

Our Egyptian adventure got off to an amazing start, as many of our dreams came true all in day one! After a 7 am wake-up call and breakfast at the hotel, we were off to the Mena House Hotel. A former palace, the hotel is located in the shadows of the Pyramids. Once settling into one of the ornate meeting rooms, we welcomed the famed Director General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Dr. Zahi Hawass. For over 30 years, Dr. Hawass has been involved in some of the most important archaeological digs in Egypt. He has been featured on a number of documentaries on the History Channel, National Geographic and the Discovery Channel. For nearly an hour, he spoke to us about his experiences in Egypt and some of his most prized discoveries. His passion and excitement for his work was evident demonstrating his points with beautiful pictures and video. In one photograph, it shows him looking into the face of the famed mummy of King Tutankhamen, who they now believe died after an accident, as opposed to the theory that he may have been murdered.

Dr. Hawass entertained questions at the conclusion and then asked us a question. He asked if we planned on “touching the Sphinx.” We all looked at each other, unsure what to say. When he was informed that we would be traveling to the Pyramids and Sphinx, he asked for some paper and wrote us a note to grant us special permission to enter the lower level to actually touch the Sphinx! Our guide told us that this is a very special experience, as most tourists can only view the Sphinx from a distance. Already, the trip was beginning to exceed expectations!

We left the Mena House Hotel and traveled to the Pyramids. Driving up to the Pyramid complex, we saw the three immense structures. The Great Pyramid, built in the name of the pharaoh Khufu, towered above us as we walked to the base. Covering nearly 13 acres, it took approximately 20 years to build and utilized the efforts of over 10,000 workers. The area where the pyramids are located is referred to as a necropolis, or city of the dead, in Greek. The blocks weighed anywhere between 2 ½ to 15 tons each! The Great Pyramid measures about 137 meters high. The group split up into two smaller groups. One group entered the second pyramid, ducking low to navigate through a dark, scary passageway on way to the burial room. The second group journeyed around to the back of the pyramids on camel-back. As we slowly lopped along in the Sahara, the magnificent pyramids served as the background to a hot afternoon of about 90 degrees.

From the pyramid complex, we headed to our VIP experience at the Sphinx! We entered a special side entrance down to the base of the Sphinx, under the watchful eye of the security guards. We walked down wooden planks and stairs to the bottom. Looking up to the half man/half-lion sculpture was truly impressive. The head of the pharaoh represents wisdom, while the lion body represents power. The Sphinx is said to guard the pyramids. We took numerous pictures and heard about the history of the structure and the efforts to maintain it. It came time to leave these wondrous sites and take in some local cuisine for lunch. We ate at a local family restaurant, where we watched them make handmade pita bread and were served chicken cooked over an open-pit fire. The air-conditioned restaurant was a nice respite from the desert heat and gave us a chance to recall our unbelievable morning.

The afternoon brought us to the Egyptian Museum. The Museum houses over 120,000 artifacts in over 107 halls. While it was somewhat crowded (and not air conditioned!), it was impressive to see such a wide variety of ancient artifacts in one place. The artifacts ranged from the highly decorated, burial coffins of pharaohs to more common items, such as small mirrors, pottery and games such as senet. The highlight of the tour, of course, were the artifacts collected from the tomb of King Tut. We heard about the findings of famed archaeologist Howard Carter. When first opening the tomb on King Tut, Carter was asked what he saw through a small opening in the tomb. His reply, “I see wonderful things,” was true, as we examined gold plated coffins, gold medallions and the famed gold burial mask. Unfortunately, pictures are not permitted in the museum. However, it is safe to say that the images of his gold sarcophagus and burial mask will be emblazed in our memories forever.

We took our coach back to the hotel, winding through busy Cairo traffic. One early observation we’ve made is that traffic and driving is very different in Egypt. You must not be faint of heart when weaving in and out of traffic. In fact, we’re not sure if they even have turn signals! Dinner was held at the hotel, with a small ice breaker activity to start. About a dozen Egyptians from the Pharaohs of Peace Adult Chapter, the Sadat Peace Keepers Student Chapter, and Act of Change Student Chapter all attended the dinner and shared stories with the delegates. A special dancing performance entertained the group, as the “whirling dervishes” sang, danced and whirled their way around the room! The night ended with students mingling with the Egyptian students and discussing a variety of topics, including pop culture, religion and customs.

Needless to say, our first full day in Egypt has already been one of the more memorable days of our humanitarian mission. Tomorrow, we will have first-hand opportunities to work at a food bank and a program that works with mentally challenged children. As we lay our heads on our pillows tonight, we will easily have a greater appreciation for Egyptian culture, history and our great fortune to be here experiencing it all.

At Hotel

We are all checked in and settled at our Cairo hotel. We will have a brief orientation from our Egyptologists, an early dinner and then off to bed for much needed rest. Tomorrow morning we will visit the Pyramids of Giza!

In Cairo!

Our plane has safely landed in Cairo. More to come!

On Time Departure

All GYFHC delegates are checked in and through security. We are preparing to board for an on time departure to Cairo!

PTPI's 2008 GYFHC is Coming Up!!

The delegates of the 2008 GYFHC will meet in New York City three short weeks from now to embark on the adventure of a lifetime! We invite you to share in their experience as they travel through Egypt on a remarkable cultural, historical and humanitarian mission.

Be a part of the Journey!

July 24 - August 3, 2008