Three things:

1) Swell is no longer swollen. The treatment seems to have worked. Her first dose didn't seem to do anything but the second dose made some rapid improvements. She is still in some pain - different pain from swollen pain though. We think its just from being swollen for a number of hours. She is no longer nauseous which is great. She should be good to go by tomorrow.

2) Swell wanted me to post our Egypt itinerary so that people know where we are and when we are there. She also wants to rub it in that we will be in Egypt and all y'all will be at work - working.

Jan. 12^th (Friday) – Arrive Cairo: 01:15 a.m. Arrive Cairo Transfer to Pyramisa Hotel .
Tel # (02) 3367000 Fax # (02) 3605347

Jan. 13^th (Saturday) – Cairo:
Pick up from hotel & meet your guide .
Full day tour to visit the Pyramids of Giza , Sphinx , Memphis & Sakkara .

Jan. 14^th (Sunday) – Cairo / Luxor:
Full day tour to visit the Egyptian Museum , Citadel & Khan El Khalili Bazaar
Dinner & overnight on board the sleeper train (1 Twin compartment) .
Jan. 15^th (Monday) – Luxor:
Transfer to M/S Sherry Boat . Tel # (012 2165947) .P.M.
Visit Karnak Temple & Luxor Temple .

Jan. 16^th (Tuesday) – Luxor / Esna:
A.M. Visit the West Bank (valley of the Kings , Hatshepsut Temple & Colossi of Memnon) .

Jan. 17^th (Wednesday) – Esna / Edfu / Kom Ombo / Aswan:
A.M. Visit Horus Temple in Edfu . Sail to Kom Ombo .
P.M. Visit Kom Ombo Temple . Sail to Aswan.

Jan. 18^th (Thursday) – Aswan:
A.M. Visit the High Dam , Unfinished Obelisk & Temple of Philae .
P.M. Free at leisure .

Jan. 19^th (Friday) – Aswan / Cairo:
A.M. Felucca sailing trip to view Elephantine Island & Agha Khan Mausoleu
Dinner & overnight on board the sleeper train

Jan. 20^th (Saturday) – Cairo:
06:45 a.m. Arrive Cairo Train Station .
Transfer to Pyramisa Hotel . Tel # (02) 3367000 Fax # (02) 3605347
Free day at leisure

Jan. 21^st (Sunday) – Cairo:
Free day at leisure. Overnight at Pyramisa Hotel .

Jan. 22^nd (Monday) – Depart Cairo:
03:20 a.m. Board your flight to Tel Aviv.

3) We are still hearing a lot of concern about our decision to do what we are doing. Most of that concern is for one of two reasons: i) Location ii) That we are working with Muslim/Arab people.

I can't guarantee our safety in Palestine. I wouldn't be able to guarantee our safety in Africa, Asia or anywhere in the US either. I trust that we will be safe. I don't see this move as being us taking an obscene risk with our lives. If we're hurt it will be an accident, just like it was an "accident" that my idiot brother-in-law drove Jill and I into a moose. Just like it was an accident that some stupid old lady ran me over with her car. Just like it was an accident that one of my Optometry school roommates tried to have us killed by driving in front of a speeding truck. I should be dead/permanently injured a great number of times over.

It's time for me to put actions to the words I've spoken for so long. I've long ranted against the poverty that exists in the world, the injustice that plagues developing countries, and the unfair burden of illness in the impoverished world. Do I truly think that teaching optometry to 13 students in the occupied territories of Palestine will solve world poverty, injustice, or bring health equality in the world? No. It will however help a government reach its VISION 2020 goals which should help them decrease the incidence/prevalence of preventable blindness in their communities. That, for me, is a start down what I hope is a long road for me.

It's time for me to stop delaying my work in the world and put actions to my long, boring, and tiresome rants. I want to work with the poor, the distraught - the orphan and the widow. My skills are limited. I am an optometrist. I think I can teach. So I will.

"But why are you going to Palestine? Why are you going to work with Muslims?"

We're not going so that we can work with Muslims. We're going so that we can work with our brothers and sisters who may or may not be Muslim. We're going to work with people - to share, to the best of our ability - our knowledge of optometry with 13 students. We are going in order to help a lone Israeli citizen who is the dean of the optometry school. We hope to decrease the amount of work this one woman has to do by taking away some of her teaching duties. We are going because we were asked. We didn't look through classifieds to find this opportunity. We didn't choose this over other opportunities. We were presented with one choice. Palestine or stay in the USA.

We chose Palestine because we are tired of the materialism that grips our lives here. We chose Palestine because we see a country that needs help in building healthcare infrastructure. We chose Palestine because both Swell and I have a heart for the suffering and there is a lot of suffering in Palestine. We don't know what our time there will bring. We just know that we want to have some time there.

You will gain more insight into our thoughts and beliefs if you choose to continue to read about our adventures in Nablus. Feel free to comment and challenge our beliefs. I hope that you consider your own when you read our ramblings.

Always pursuing peace, love, and justice - and now hoping that our actions lead to more of the three,
Sheepie and Swell