Reconnaissance

The Simons signed their contracts and began shedding their worldly possessions in preparation for their move overseas. Friends benefited from hand-me-down IKEA furniture. An impressive CD and library of books was sold, donated, given away. Jay began practicing to be a pretentious, insufferable expat. It wasn't a huge jump from university instructor anyway. Jen was counting the days until she could leave her small cubicle of corporate insanity.

Then, something unexpected happened: AIS in Egypt, their future employer, contacted Jen and asked her to come to Cairo early to teach in the last quarter of the current school year. Although living apart for the next few months would be difficult, they decided that it will be worth it for her to go to Egypt early and get a feel for the school, the city, the culture, etc. Jay will be staying in Metro Detroit to finish the current semester at his university and then moving to Ohio to spend the first part of his paid summer off staying with family and friends and slacking.

(photo: Jen's going-away part at the Claddagh in Livonia, MI)