Yes, I officially suck at updating my blog. But I am seriously going to try to be better. So here is my attempt at blogging again... I went home at the beginning of July to enjoy 35 amazing days in Wisconsin and Las Vegas. But before I left Cairo, I first had to say goodbye to some of my best friends here.
My best friend Mary and I decided to drive across the desert to go to Dahab one last time. Our friend graciously lent us his car for the road trip, and we packed a knife and Raid just in case we were attacked by a Bedouin tribe on the way. We also had her dog, which we figured would also aid us in case of an attack! Luckily, we made the 8-hour trip with no hijackings. The most frustrating thing was stopping for checkpoints along the way. They seemed to be everywhere! We stopped, showed them our passport, and they always looked pleased to see us. Even if they were checking other people's trunks in front of us, they always let us go through with no problems. Egypt needs tourism and I guess they didn't want to piss us off. Some military men even told us how beautiful we were. Umm... thanks? We enjoyed blissful days in Dahab, drove back, and I left early the next morning for America! But it was extremely difficult to say goodbye to Mary. She had quickly become my best friend throughout the year. We spent most of our time together, and she now lives in Eastern Europe. Friends become your family when living abroad, so it's difficult being back now and not having her around. But a Christmas trip to Eastern Europe is planned!
Anyway, I flew home and found my parents waiting to pick me up. The day I arrived was the 4th of July, and I enjoyed the fireworks and seeing my friends. I went to La Crosse later that week to see my friends there. I drank A LOT of Red Bull to quickly get over jet lag!! The days went by super fast, unfortunately. I felt like I was going everywhere with everyone all at once.
Luckily, my parents and 2 of my friends snuck a week in to go to Las Vegas! We did everything there is to do there, including seeing Cirque du Soleil, the Thunder From Down Under (hilarious! and hot), gambling, going to old Vegas, etc. My friends and I also enjoyed Vegas nightlife. One of the highlights was going to a "real" nightclub, LAX. I quickly found a cutie in VIP, flirted, and got us into VIP for free! We enjoyed the high roller life for a night.
Coming back to Egypt was harder the 2nd time for some reason. The adventure of going somewhere new and exciting was gone. I knew where I was going. I knew what my apartment looked like. I knew (most) of my students and where I was teaching. I knew a little bit of the language. I knew where to get groceries. I knew where to go hang out. This should have been comforting. But it seemed... almost like I didn't know why I was coming back. What was the point? Had I suddenly become an adrenaline-junkie and couldn't be excited unless I was going into the great unkown? But alas, I came back. The hardest part is leaving my parent's house for the last time, and the drive to the airport. Well, obviously the hardest part is sitting on an airplane for 2 days... I guess I should say the most emotional part. I knew I was saying goodbye to everyone for a full year with no plans of coming back for Christmas. But I still have faith that I'm doing the right thing.
So I have been back since Aug. 8... in time for Ramadan! We haven't had students yet, but they are supposed to come on Tuesday. I am still teaching drama and ELS like last year. But there are still 2 more exciting stories:
1. I applied for a job for next year. I heard last Friday that my application was reviewed and that I have advanced directly to the final interview stage!! Now I have to fly back to the US at the end of Oct. (hopefully to New York) to attend the full-day interview and hopefully get a job for the next 2 years. This position will also allow/support my Master's Degree. I'm hopeful that I'll get a job somewhere in the US and get my Master's! I haven't decided if I'm going to get it in reading or ESL yet, or stick with something in drama and have a specialty.
2. I went to Sharm for a few days for our Eid vacation after Ramadan. Sharm el Sheikh is on the tip of the Sinai Peninsula and is basically the Las Vegas of Egypt. We had a beautiful hotel on Naama Bay on the Red Sea and spent our days lounging around, and our nights eating in restaurants and exploring clubs. One club, called Pacha, was really like a Las Vegas nightclub. One hilarious moment was being surrounded by a man on our right (Italian) wearing a tank top and sunglasses... weirdo! and a man on our left dancing with his shirt off. Umm... strange. Seriously like Vegas. Another fun moment, at the same club, is when I decided I would flirt with the DJ. (Sorry mom and dad, but how will I turn my blog entries into a travel book without fun stories?) I had had some liquid courage, and decided he was super cute mixing good songs. I told my friend that I was going to flirt with the DJ. So when he was done, I went up to him and said "Hi, my name is Sara. Will you dance with me?" And he did! But, he's Egyptian. If you don't know, I have sworn off Egyptian men. Anyway, we talked and then I said I would give him a break since he just got done but that I would be on the dance floor if he wanted to come find me. And later, he did! So my friend and I went and hung out with his friend. The funny thing is that I already told my friend that I would get us into VIP because that's what I did in Vegas. So the cutie DJ lives in Sharm but sometimes comes to Cairo. And who doesn't want a friend with a house in Sharm and hookups to good parties? So I've decided to ignore the fact that he's Egyptian, for now.
So... now I'm back to the real world. As in working and living in Cairo. Is that the real world? For now I guess. Oh yeah, and I'm almost 25. I'm not sure how I feel about that. Are there certain things you're supposed to accomplish by this age? Like marriage? Or at least having a boyfriend? No, I didn't think so.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Travels in Tanzania
Wow, it has been a long time since I updated my blog. In my defense, everything just seems boring since I survived the Revolution!! However, I had an awesome adventure in Kenya and Tanzania at the end of April/beginning of May that seems blog-worthy. Some people from my school and I had planned a trip to Arusha, Tanzania where we were to go on safari for a few days, and then volunteer at a school where the students are 3-7 years old. The school was looking for volunteers to help them continue to develop a curriculum and help them keep updated, I guess you could say. Think small village school, dirt floors, no materials, etc. My friend Mary (who is a primary teacher) and I had worked for months putting together games for the children to help them with reading, and she has spent a lot of time creating a year-long syllabus for the school. We also had an adventure going to this huge outdoor market in Cairo called Attaba. It's a place where mostly poor people (for lack of a better expression) shop and everything is cheap, but also cheap quality. So we veiled up and went there one afternoon to purchase 55 backpacks so all the students from the school could have a bag to bring to school. Trying to explain to the shopkeepers that we needed 55 backpacks in Arabic and seeing their expressions was a great time. It's also fun to veil occasionally and go out and see how differently people on the street treat you. But that could be a whole different blog entry...
We had everything ready to go and flew to Nairobi, Kenya. We left Thursday night after school and arrived in Nairobi and 6:30 AM. I exchanged 10 US dollars into Kenyan shillings. It lasted Mary and I 2 coffees, 2 waters, a sandwich, and a bag of chips... at airport prices! We then boarded the bus for Arusha, Tanzania. Mary and I booked our own safari and were therefore on our own bus. They threw our backpacks on top of the bus and were tying things down when we realized that there weren't enough seats on the bus. Mary and I marched back outside and told them that there weren't enough seats. What should we do? They needed another bus. A nice Tanzanian man walked on the bus with us... and told me I needed to sit on a jump seat. (You know, one of the seats that folds out in the middle in the aisle). I was sleep deprived, and now pissed off. "How long do you expect me to sit in that seat?!" I asked, as nicely as I could. Very calmly, the man told me I would only have to sit there for 6 hours. "Are you fucking kidding me!" I'm pretty sure was my reaction. Luckily, some nice Tanzanian man on the bus traded his seat with me (probably because they thought I was some crazy white girl) so I wouldn't have to sit in that seat. We then took the 6 hour journey through Kenya into Tanzania that was very bumpy, crowded, hot, and smelly. I really felt like I was in Africa.
The next day, Mary and I left for our 3-day, 2-night safari. I had no idea how amazing it would be! Our guide's name was Arap and we went to the Terengeri and Lake Manyara. We drove around in a Jeep and saw a ton of elephants, giraffes, zebras, babboons, monkeys, gazelle, a ton of cool birds... but no cats. The grass was super high because it is the rainy season, so it was difficult to see any lions or anything like that. But it was incredible to see the animals up close and in their natural habitat. Mary and I also made voices for each of the animals and would provide commentary as we stopped to observe them... our guide probably thought we were crazy! My favorite voice is the babboon voice because I made it with a mid-western accent. It's pretty great.
We stayed overnight in luxurious posh lodges... which we were not expecting! They were like really huge tents complete with bathrooms. And beautiful views and porches. Unbelievable. Everything was green and gorgeous and you could see the stars at night and the blue of the sky (not like in Cairo where you can see pollution 24/7 and dust). It was surreal sleeping in the woods and waking up to the sound of birds instead of to the sounds of car horns and the call to prayer. It was awesome.
We stopped along the way to little shops and bought jewelry and paintings. The Maasai are an ethnic group of Kenya and Tanzania that are kind of like the native people I guess you could say. You see them everywhere walking and they are so tall and skinny and beautiful. The men carry spears to hunt/kill lions (or so they say... I think they're kind of lazy! You see the women doing all the work and carrying everything and the men just walk behind them. Come on, guys!) and they were bright beautiful colors. We stopped at a shop where Maasai women were selling jewelry and they were so happy when we bought things from them that they hugged and kissed us on the cheek. We also learned that numbers in Swahili and Arabic are the same! So that was nice.
We headed back to Arusha where we were staying at a hostel. To make a long story short(er) the rest of the trip was semi-disappointing. The girl currently volunteering at the school doesn't even have a college degree, and she wasn't very open to the materials and ideas that we brought. We seemed to be a burden to her instead of her and we weren't really doing anything at the school except for watching the kids color pictures and playing with them on the playground. They were adorable though!
Also, the hostel we stayed in was nasty. The worst place (well, 2nd worst) I've ever stayed in. They had a serious mice infestation problem. I didn't notice at first, but one day I opened a drawer and a mouse was looking at me. Then I saw mice running around in the hallway, then one ran between my feet (in the middle of the day). I found mouse poop in my shoes, it chewed on some of my belongings, etc. GROSS.
On to cultural things of Tanzania... we would be walking on the street, and Tanzanian men would come up to us offering a safari, etc. and we would tell them we already went on safari. They would then ask us to come to their shop which we would usually do. Or they would walk us to restaurants if we were looking for somewhere good to eat, then wait for us to be done so they could show us their shop. It was a weird cultural thing because they would just walk us around the town and talk to us. "Pole pole" (pronouced poley poley) is heard a lot there... meaning slowly slowly. No one is in a rush to do anything. One day a man came up to us asking if we were looking for a safari, and we told him we were looking for a place where we could have some beer. He then walked us to his bar which ended up being one of the coolest places we went to. It was outside, and you could see a stream and beautiful greenery. When we wanted to buy shoes, he called his brother who owns a shop, and his brother brought us all these shoes to look at. He also asked me to marry him... after knowing me for a few hours. I asked him if he even loved me, and he said yes. I asked him why and told him to give me 5 reasons. He said, because you're white. hahaha. He offered my parents a free safari if I would marry him. Oh yeah, he was also married and had kids. But he said his wife wouldn't care because she likes white people. He was hilarious. Then we hung out the rest of the night with him and his brother and taught them card games.
Anyway, after a failed marriage proposal, mice, and not accomplishing anything at the school, we decided to go back to Nairobi a day early. So we took the 6-hour bus trip back, and stayed at the Crowne Plaza Hotel!! Seriously, go to Nairobi just to stay there. It was SO nice. SO NICE. We ordered room service, I had the best shower ever, and we watched the royal wedding on comfortable beds. The next day, we got massages and hung out by the pool. It was a great ending to have a relaxing day.
So, now that I've been living here for almost a year, I feel like I have been to Africa... even though I live in Africa. But Egypt feels like the Middle East... and I think it's technically referred to as the Middle East. Even though some aspects of the trip were a let-down, it was still a great experience and they are both beautiful countries. The people are also very nice and welcoming. It is a trip I would definitely do again... just in a different way.
We had everything ready to go and flew to Nairobi, Kenya. We left Thursday night after school and arrived in Nairobi and 6:30 AM. I exchanged 10 US dollars into Kenyan shillings. It lasted Mary and I 2 coffees, 2 waters, a sandwich, and a bag of chips... at airport prices! We then boarded the bus for Arusha, Tanzania. Mary and I booked our own safari and were therefore on our own bus. They threw our backpacks on top of the bus and were tying things down when we realized that there weren't enough seats on the bus. Mary and I marched back outside and told them that there weren't enough seats. What should we do? They needed another bus. A nice Tanzanian man walked on the bus with us... and told me I needed to sit on a jump seat. (You know, one of the seats that folds out in the middle in the aisle). I was sleep deprived, and now pissed off. "How long do you expect me to sit in that seat?!" I asked, as nicely as I could. Very calmly, the man told me I would only have to sit there for 6 hours. "Are you fucking kidding me!" I'm pretty sure was my reaction. Luckily, some nice Tanzanian man on the bus traded his seat with me (probably because they thought I was some crazy white girl) so I wouldn't have to sit in that seat. We then took the 6 hour journey through Kenya into Tanzania that was very bumpy, crowded, hot, and smelly. I really felt like I was in Africa.
The next day, Mary and I left for our 3-day, 2-night safari. I had no idea how amazing it would be! Our guide's name was Arap and we went to the Terengeri and Lake Manyara. We drove around in a Jeep and saw a ton of elephants, giraffes, zebras, babboons, monkeys, gazelle, a ton of cool birds... but no cats. The grass was super high because it is the rainy season, so it was difficult to see any lions or anything like that. But it was incredible to see the animals up close and in their natural habitat. Mary and I also made voices for each of the animals and would provide commentary as we stopped to observe them... our guide probably thought we were crazy! My favorite voice is the babboon voice because I made it with a mid-western accent. It's pretty great.
We stayed overnight in luxurious posh lodges... which we were not expecting! They were like really huge tents complete with bathrooms. And beautiful views and porches. Unbelievable. Everything was green and gorgeous and you could see the stars at night and the blue of the sky (not like in Cairo where you can see pollution 24/7 and dust). It was surreal sleeping in the woods and waking up to the sound of birds instead of to the sounds of car horns and the call to prayer. It was awesome.
We stopped along the way to little shops and bought jewelry and paintings. The Maasai are an ethnic group of Kenya and Tanzania that are kind of like the native people I guess you could say. You see them everywhere walking and they are so tall and skinny and beautiful. The men carry spears to hunt/kill lions (or so they say... I think they're kind of lazy! You see the women doing all the work and carrying everything and the men just walk behind them. Come on, guys!) and they were bright beautiful colors. We stopped at a shop where Maasai women were selling jewelry and they were so happy when we bought things from them that they hugged and kissed us on the cheek. We also learned that numbers in Swahili and Arabic are the same! So that was nice.
We headed back to Arusha where we were staying at a hostel. To make a long story short(er) the rest of the trip was semi-disappointing. The girl currently volunteering at the school doesn't even have a college degree, and she wasn't very open to the materials and ideas that we brought. We seemed to be a burden to her instead of her and we weren't really doing anything at the school except for watching the kids color pictures and playing with them on the playground. They were adorable though!
Also, the hostel we stayed in was nasty. The worst place (well, 2nd worst) I've ever stayed in. They had a serious mice infestation problem. I didn't notice at first, but one day I opened a drawer and a mouse was looking at me. Then I saw mice running around in the hallway, then one ran between my feet (in the middle of the day). I found mouse poop in my shoes, it chewed on some of my belongings, etc. GROSS.
On to cultural things of Tanzania... we would be walking on the street, and Tanzanian men would come up to us offering a safari, etc. and we would tell them we already went on safari. They would then ask us to come to their shop which we would usually do. Or they would walk us to restaurants if we were looking for somewhere good to eat, then wait for us to be done so they could show us their shop. It was a weird cultural thing because they would just walk us around the town and talk to us. "Pole pole" (pronouced poley poley) is heard a lot there... meaning slowly slowly. No one is in a rush to do anything. One day a man came up to us asking if we were looking for a safari, and we told him we were looking for a place where we could have some beer. He then walked us to his bar which ended up being one of the coolest places we went to. It was outside, and you could see a stream and beautiful greenery. When we wanted to buy shoes, he called his brother who owns a shop, and his brother brought us all these shoes to look at. He also asked me to marry him... after knowing me for a few hours. I asked him if he even loved me, and he said yes. I asked him why and told him to give me 5 reasons. He said, because you're white. hahaha. He offered my parents a free safari if I would marry him. Oh yeah, he was also married and had kids. But he said his wife wouldn't care because she likes white people. He was hilarious. Then we hung out the rest of the night with him and his brother and taught them card games.
Anyway, after a failed marriage proposal, mice, and not accomplishing anything at the school, we decided to go back to Nairobi a day early. So we took the 6-hour bus trip back, and stayed at the Crowne Plaza Hotel!! Seriously, go to Nairobi just to stay there. It was SO nice. SO NICE. We ordered room service, I had the best shower ever, and we watched the royal wedding on comfortable beds. The next day, we got massages and hung out by the pool. It was a great ending to have a relaxing day.
So, now that I've been living here for almost a year, I feel like I have been to Africa... even though I live in Africa. But Egypt feels like the Middle East... and I think it's technically referred to as the Middle East. Even though some aspects of the trip were a let-down, it was still a great experience and they are both beautiful countries. The people are also very nice and welcoming. It is a trip I would definitely do again... just in a different way.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
life after the revolution
It has been a couple of week's since Mubarak has stepped down, and things in Egypt have gotten much better! Mostly because I don't hear gunshots when I'm trying to sleep at night and I have been staying alone since I returned from Italy.
Just to give a brief update... school started last Monday with students, but we were starting an hour later than usual. There is still a curfew in place from midnight - 6 AM. Which means I have no social life! More on that later... The first week back was okay. I am feeling better and not so isolated as I was at the beginning. My students were worried about me and were very curious as to what I did during the month we were off. They seemed proud that I didn't go back to Wisconsin and asked me if men were protecting my building, if I was scared, etc. My favorite question to ask my male students is what their weapon was when they were out at night with the vigilante groups. They all have a new pride to be Egyptian and are hopeful for the future of their country.
This week will be a new challenge with the change of the quarter. I will now have all the middle school boys instead of the girls. I feel like I have made a relationship with the girls and it's hard to say goodbye. But the girls told me they would miss me and gave me hugs at the end of class, they also told me how much they enjoyed drama this year which made me feel like I may be accomplishing something. I need to enjoy the little things.
As I said, everything's pretty much back to normal here. However, on Thursday a bus driver was shot twice (once in the neck and once in the head) by a police officer about 10 minutes away from where I live in Maadi. The people then attacked the police officer and brutally beat him. Apparently the officer only shot him because it was over some argument. On Thursday night, some friends and I were planning on going downtown and getting our social lives back!! I had showered, was doing my hair and getting ready when the school texted us and advised us not to leave our homes because people were gathering near the area where the man was shot and were threatening to burn the police building down. I will admit I slightly panicked. Was it all happening again? And this is much closer to where I live than Tahrir Square. Also, selfishly, I wan my social life back! But, 2 friends came to my apartment to get me and I went and stayed with a friend who lives a little further from the action. Nothing ever happened, and life is back to normal again... just with more tanks around police stations.
What's strange is that I'm getting used to seeing the military and tanks. I still hear some loud shots and get nervous... but it's nothing compared to what it was. Cairo used to be extremely safe. I would walk around at night alone carrying my purse and no one would bother me. Now there have been more muggings, robbings, etc. It's more like living in a big city, which Cairo obviously is. I'm just being extra cautious these days until everything calms down... which probably won't be until elections in September. But I still love Cairo and it is my home. I plan on fulfilling my 2 year contract and then seeing what other crazy adventures life has in store for me!
Just to give a brief update... school started last Monday with students, but we were starting an hour later than usual. There is still a curfew in place from midnight - 6 AM. Which means I have no social life! More on that later... The first week back was okay. I am feeling better and not so isolated as I was at the beginning. My students were worried about me and were very curious as to what I did during the month we were off. They seemed proud that I didn't go back to Wisconsin and asked me if men were protecting my building, if I was scared, etc. My favorite question to ask my male students is what their weapon was when they were out at night with the vigilante groups. They all have a new pride to be Egyptian and are hopeful for the future of their country.
This week will be a new challenge with the change of the quarter. I will now have all the middle school boys instead of the girls. I feel like I have made a relationship with the girls and it's hard to say goodbye. But the girls told me they would miss me and gave me hugs at the end of class, they also told me how much they enjoyed drama this year which made me feel like I may be accomplishing something. I need to enjoy the little things.
As I said, everything's pretty much back to normal here. However, on Thursday a bus driver was shot twice (once in the neck and once in the head) by a police officer about 10 minutes away from where I live in Maadi. The people then attacked the police officer and brutally beat him. Apparently the officer only shot him because it was over some argument. On Thursday night, some friends and I were planning on going downtown and getting our social lives back!! I had showered, was doing my hair and getting ready when the school texted us and advised us not to leave our homes because people were gathering near the area where the man was shot and were threatening to burn the police building down. I will admit I slightly panicked. Was it all happening again? And this is much closer to where I live than Tahrir Square. Also, selfishly, I wan my social life back! But, 2 friends came to my apartment to get me and I went and stayed with a friend who lives a little further from the action. Nothing ever happened, and life is back to normal again... just with more tanks around police stations.
What's strange is that I'm getting used to seeing the military and tanks. I still hear some loud shots and get nervous... but it's nothing compared to what it was. Cairo used to be extremely safe. I would walk around at night alone carrying my purse and no one would bother me. Now there have been more muggings, robbings, etc. It's more like living in a big city, which Cairo obviously is. I'm just being extra cautious these days until everything calms down... which probably won't be until elections in September. But I still love Cairo and it is my home. I plan on fulfilling my 2 year contract and then seeing what other crazy adventures life has in store for me!
Friday, February 18, 2011
align my heart, my body, my mind - The Egyptian Revolution
The Egyptian Revolution changed the opinions of many people around the world of what it means to be Arab, whether Muslim or Christian, and how hard we have to fight for freedom, democracy, and our basic human rights. Maybe some people realized they shouldn’t take the rights they have for granted. If anything, people recognized that the Egyptian people are strong and will fight for what they believe in.
January 25 was Police Day, and it was no secret that protests were being planned against former President Mubarak. However, no one knew it would actually amount anything. Even the people planning the protest over facebook, twitter, etc. had no idea how massive this would become. We had school the rest of the week, but there was going to be another huge protest on Friday, January 28. My students told me to stay inside and not leave on that day. I thought, “Whatever… this will blow over and everything will be fine.” I told them I’d see them on Sunday, InshaAllah. I want to tell an honest story of what happened during the whole revolution. It might be long, and my parents might freak out because I haven’t told them or anyone from back home what really happened. But… I feel like I need to for many reasons. I’ll start my story with Thursday night, the night before the big protest.
Everything was completely normal. I even went out with my Egyptian friend to a restaurant in Maadi. We hadn’t seen each other in a while, and we ended up hanging out at my house until 3 AM. I knew that he was going to be protesting the next day in Tahrir Square, so I told him to be safe and he left and I went to bed. I should mention that my best friend here was out of town in London at a job fair at this time, as was 90% of the administration from my school.
I woke up the next day, Friday, and realized that my phone had no service. I couldn’t call or text. I thought it was strange. The other weird thing was that I had no internet. Keep in mind that in Egypt, internet comes and goes all the time so this wasn’t that weird. But I was a little freaked out that I was completely cut off from the world. I hung out in my house all day, completely oblivious to what was happening outside in Tahrir Square. I should also mention that I don’t live anywhere NEAR the square. It is all the way downtown, about 45 minutes from my neighborhood. Unbeknownst to me, there was a 7:00 PM curfew. Sitting around all day not knowing what was happening made me anxious. I thought maybe it was just me who didn’t have internet. I decided to leave my apartment at around 7:30 (after curfew) to walk to the near internet café and see if I could use the internet there to check what was happening. I walked outside and to the Road 233, near where I live and a lot of shops are. There was no one on the street. I mean no one. And all the shops were closed except for one small grocery store. So I went in the store, bought some water, and went home. I was freaked out then. I went through all my channels until I found CNN and then I realized what was happening…
The next day, Saturday, was probably one of the scariest days/nights in my life. We finally got cell phone service back, but still no internet (we didn’t have internet for over a week). I called my friend who was in London because I knew her dog was still here. She had a dogsitter, but I didn’t know if she could get to the dog, Gizmo. My friend wanted me to go to her house, get the dog (even if I had to have her bowaab break down the door) and bring Gizmo back to my house. I told her I didn’t know how bad things were going to get here… so I went to rescue Gizmo. Her bowaab crawled through her balcony door to get him for me, and I brought him back here. The streets were a little crazy and everyone seemed slightly frantic, but I still thought things would be fine.
But then it got dark outside. I was glued to CNN and heard that thousands of prisoners were released from prison. My apartment is directly across the highway from a prison. There was also constant (every 30-40 seconds) gunshots. I’m from a small town, so I’m obviously not used to this and I had no idea what was happening. People from the school kept calling me and checking on me, and school was cancelled Sunday and Monday. Then, groups of men started forming outside my building with different weapons: knives, big sticks, etc. I didn’t know what they were doing. Were they going to break into my apartment? There was also a lot of yelling in Arabic along with gunfire. Then, over the loudspeakers where the calls to prayer are, a man said something in Arabic. My friend called me and told me that they were calling for all the men from the buildings to come outside and help them protect the cars and buildings. I didn’t know what from. All the police were told to leave the area, so we had no protection. And prisoners were just released, and there were looters going around and breaking into buildings. So the men from all the buildings in my neighborhood formed vigilante/militia groups and protecting the buildings all night. They also formed road blocks and checked everyone’s vehicles and ID’s who came through them.
I was alone with Gizmo. I locked my door, put my chair against it along with my coffee table in case someone tried to break in. I also kept a large kitchen knife by me all night. I watched CNN, cried, and started packing my bags. I wasn’t ready to leave Cairo. I love Cairo and I didn’t want to have to move home and be unemployed. I guess I wasn’t thinking straight. But I was terrified at what was happening outside and all the gunshots and yelling. I kept peeking outside to make sure the men were still there and that everything was okay. I stayed up all night.
The next day was Sunday. We heard that all Americans were advised to leave the country. Shit. I can’t leave. Plus, I had my friend’s dog and I couldn’t leave him. I called my parents and cried on the phone. There were helicopters overhead when I told my dad that I didn’t know what to do and that I was scared. People might be wondering why I never evacuated… my plan was to always stay in a group. If a group decided to leave, I would leave with them. If a group decided to stay, I would stay. My plan changed every hour. I kept thinking that if tomorrow was better, I would stay. If it was worse, I would leave. Then tomorrow would come and everything would be the same. So I would think that I would magically know what to do the next day. But the answer never came. I never knew what to do, what the right thing was. If I leave, where do I go? Come all the way back to Wisconsin, spend all that money, then maybe have to come back in 2 days? It didn’t seem logical to me. Plus, the US evacuation plan was shit. I already wrote a blog entry about it though. I think one of the most depressing things about this situation was that I lost faith in my country when I had complete faith in them at the beginning. My feelings have shifted.
Anyway, I stayed with 2 of my friends on Sunday night because I couldn’t have a night like Saturday night. We made a beautiful dinner, had some wine, and tried to eat. However, there was still constant gunfire. At one point, we all started laughing at the absurdity of it. Here we were, trying to have a nice dinner, and all we can hear is gunfire. It was actually really hilarious. Sunday night was better than Saturday, I probably got about 3 hours of sleep.
Monday came and school was cancelled until further notice. Protests were continuing and Mubarak showed no signs of stepping down. I went to the grocery store and waited in line for over an hour for food. Another concern I had was what would happen when we ran out of food, out of water. That night I stayed with 2 other friends because the friends I stayed with on Sunday night evacuated to Frankfurt. People kept leaving in small numbers to different countries. The next morning, I left right after curfew, at 8 AM because my friend was coming back from London. I walked past all the vigilante groups on the streets and everyone stopped me and told me it wasn’t safe to be out. I told them I was just walking trying to get a cab to Rd. 233 because I needed to get home. They told me I was like their sister and they would protect me and they walked me to find a cab.
After that, I stayed with my friend who came back from London. I brought all my food to her house, and we stayed there with another one of our friends and Gizmo of course. Gizmo also helped me get through the bad night. It sounds stupid, but it would have been so much worse if he weren’t there. He stayed by me all night (and all the rest of the nights) like he was protecting me. He’s a small dog, but he has a big bark. A lot of Egyptians don’t like dogs, so I also figured if someone tried to break in, they would run screaming when they heard Gizmo!
My friend and I decided to book a flight to Istanbul. The curfews were starting at 1 PM. You could go out for a few hours in the morning, that was it. I was sitting around all day, eating food, watching the news, and drinking. It’s all I could do. And I drank a lot. Drinking also helped me get through! The school paid for us to go to Ain Sukhna (about an hour and a half outside of Cairo) on the Red Sea for the weekend. We were going to do that, then to go Istanbul. Then we cancelled our trip because school was supposed to start. Then school was delayed another week. Then we booked a flight to Rome leaving the next day. I needed to get out for a while.
That’s where I’ll stop the story for now. The revolution was… difficult. I’m still having a hard time I guess because I lived through it, I was here, but I’m not Egyptian. So in many ways, I’m not a part of it. It’s not my victory. But at the same time, I was here too. So I’m strangely stuck in the middle. I’m happy for them and what they’ve accomplished, but I’m not Egyptian. This isn’t my country, but it is my home. So where does that leave me? Not that this is about me at all, but I’m just feeling a little isolated. I went to Tahrir Square today for the celebrations and memorial which helped. Everyone was smiling, singing, playing music, and chanting. It was joyous and I was so glad to be there. People kept saying “Welcome to Egypt!” and asking to take our picture with their children, or just of us with our Egyptian flags. We were like the foreign celebrities in Tahrir Square for the day. It was a lot of fun and I feel like I am kind of a part of this. People would also give us the thumbs up sign, or just yell “Masr!” because of our flags. It was great.
There were many difficult times, but I’m also grateful that I was a witness to history in Egypt. Of course now my future here is in jeopardy. I know that Egypt will never be what I knew it to be, but I hope it will be better. I love it here; my heart is here. But the future is also uncertain. I hope that Masr (Egypt in Arabic) will be better and that the people will ultimately get what they want. Viva ya Masr.
January 25 was Police Day, and it was no secret that protests were being planned against former President Mubarak. However, no one knew it would actually amount anything. Even the people planning the protest over facebook, twitter, etc. had no idea how massive this would become. We had school the rest of the week, but there was going to be another huge protest on Friday, January 28. My students told me to stay inside and not leave on that day. I thought, “Whatever… this will blow over and everything will be fine.” I told them I’d see them on Sunday, InshaAllah. I want to tell an honest story of what happened during the whole revolution. It might be long, and my parents might freak out because I haven’t told them or anyone from back home what really happened. But… I feel like I need to for many reasons. I’ll start my story with Thursday night, the night before the big protest.
Everything was completely normal. I even went out with my Egyptian friend to a restaurant in Maadi. We hadn’t seen each other in a while, and we ended up hanging out at my house until 3 AM. I knew that he was going to be protesting the next day in Tahrir Square, so I told him to be safe and he left and I went to bed. I should mention that my best friend here was out of town in London at a job fair at this time, as was 90% of the administration from my school.
I woke up the next day, Friday, and realized that my phone had no service. I couldn’t call or text. I thought it was strange. The other weird thing was that I had no internet. Keep in mind that in Egypt, internet comes and goes all the time so this wasn’t that weird. But I was a little freaked out that I was completely cut off from the world. I hung out in my house all day, completely oblivious to what was happening outside in Tahrir Square. I should also mention that I don’t live anywhere NEAR the square. It is all the way downtown, about 45 minutes from my neighborhood. Unbeknownst to me, there was a 7:00 PM curfew. Sitting around all day not knowing what was happening made me anxious. I thought maybe it was just me who didn’t have internet. I decided to leave my apartment at around 7:30 (after curfew) to walk to the near internet café and see if I could use the internet there to check what was happening. I walked outside and to the Road 233, near where I live and a lot of shops are. There was no one on the street. I mean no one. And all the shops were closed except for one small grocery store. So I went in the store, bought some water, and went home. I was freaked out then. I went through all my channels until I found CNN and then I realized what was happening…
The next day, Saturday, was probably one of the scariest days/nights in my life. We finally got cell phone service back, but still no internet (we didn’t have internet for over a week). I called my friend who was in London because I knew her dog was still here. She had a dogsitter, but I didn’t know if she could get to the dog, Gizmo. My friend wanted me to go to her house, get the dog (even if I had to have her bowaab break down the door) and bring Gizmo back to my house. I told her I didn’t know how bad things were going to get here… so I went to rescue Gizmo. Her bowaab crawled through her balcony door to get him for me, and I brought him back here. The streets were a little crazy and everyone seemed slightly frantic, but I still thought things would be fine.
But then it got dark outside. I was glued to CNN and heard that thousands of prisoners were released from prison. My apartment is directly across the highway from a prison. There was also constant (every 30-40 seconds) gunshots. I’m from a small town, so I’m obviously not used to this and I had no idea what was happening. People from the school kept calling me and checking on me, and school was cancelled Sunday and Monday. Then, groups of men started forming outside my building with different weapons: knives, big sticks, etc. I didn’t know what they were doing. Were they going to break into my apartment? There was also a lot of yelling in Arabic along with gunfire. Then, over the loudspeakers where the calls to prayer are, a man said something in Arabic. My friend called me and told me that they were calling for all the men from the buildings to come outside and help them protect the cars and buildings. I didn’t know what from. All the police were told to leave the area, so we had no protection. And prisoners were just released, and there were looters going around and breaking into buildings. So the men from all the buildings in my neighborhood formed vigilante/militia groups and protecting the buildings all night. They also formed road blocks and checked everyone’s vehicles and ID’s who came through them.
I was alone with Gizmo. I locked my door, put my chair against it along with my coffee table in case someone tried to break in. I also kept a large kitchen knife by me all night. I watched CNN, cried, and started packing my bags. I wasn’t ready to leave Cairo. I love Cairo and I didn’t want to have to move home and be unemployed. I guess I wasn’t thinking straight. But I was terrified at what was happening outside and all the gunshots and yelling. I kept peeking outside to make sure the men were still there and that everything was okay. I stayed up all night.
The next day was Sunday. We heard that all Americans were advised to leave the country. Shit. I can’t leave. Plus, I had my friend’s dog and I couldn’t leave him. I called my parents and cried on the phone. There were helicopters overhead when I told my dad that I didn’t know what to do and that I was scared. People might be wondering why I never evacuated… my plan was to always stay in a group. If a group decided to leave, I would leave with them. If a group decided to stay, I would stay. My plan changed every hour. I kept thinking that if tomorrow was better, I would stay. If it was worse, I would leave. Then tomorrow would come and everything would be the same. So I would think that I would magically know what to do the next day. But the answer never came. I never knew what to do, what the right thing was. If I leave, where do I go? Come all the way back to Wisconsin, spend all that money, then maybe have to come back in 2 days? It didn’t seem logical to me. Plus, the US evacuation plan was shit. I already wrote a blog entry about it though. I think one of the most depressing things about this situation was that I lost faith in my country when I had complete faith in them at the beginning. My feelings have shifted.
Anyway, I stayed with 2 of my friends on Sunday night because I couldn’t have a night like Saturday night. We made a beautiful dinner, had some wine, and tried to eat. However, there was still constant gunfire. At one point, we all started laughing at the absurdity of it. Here we were, trying to have a nice dinner, and all we can hear is gunfire. It was actually really hilarious. Sunday night was better than Saturday, I probably got about 3 hours of sleep.
Monday came and school was cancelled until further notice. Protests were continuing and Mubarak showed no signs of stepping down. I went to the grocery store and waited in line for over an hour for food. Another concern I had was what would happen when we ran out of food, out of water. That night I stayed with 2 other friends because the friends I stayed with on Sunday night evacuated to Frankfurt. People kept leaving in small numbers to different countries. The next morning, I left right after curfew, at 8 AM because my friend was coming back from London. I walked past all the vigilante groups on the streets and everyone stopped me and told me it wasn’t safe to be out. I told them I was just walking trying to get a cab to Rd. 233 because I needed to get home. They told me I was like their sister and they would protect me and they walked me to find a cab.
After that, I stayed with my friend who came back from London. I brought all my food to her house, and we stayed there with another one of our friends and Gizmo of course. Gizmo also helped me get through the bad night. It sounds stupid, but it would have been so much worse if he weren’t there. He stayed by me all night (and all the rest of the nights) like he was protecting me. He’s a small dog, but he has a big bark. A lot of Egyptians don’t like dogs, so I also figured if someone tried to break in, they would run screaming when they heard Gizmo!
My friend and I decided to book a flight to Istanbul. The curfews were starting at 1 PM. You could go out for a few hours in the morning, that was it. I was sitting around all day, eating food, watching the news, and drinking. It’s all I could do. And I drank a lot. Drinking also helped me get through! The school paid for us to go to Ain Sukhna (about an hour and a half outside of Cairo) on the Red Sea for the weekend. We were going to do that, then to go Istanbul. Then we cancelled our trip because school was supposed to start. Then school was delayed another week. Then we booked a flight to Rome leaving the next day. I needed to get out for a while.
That’s where I’ll stop the story for now. The revolution was… difficult. I’m still having a hard time I guess because I lived through it, I was here, but I’m not Egyptian. So in many ways, I’m not a part of it. It’s not my victory. But at the same time, I was here too. So I’m strangely stuck in the middle. I’m happy for them and what they’ve accomplished, but I’m not Egyptian. This isn’t my country, but it is my home. So where does that leave me? Not that this is about me at all, but I’m just feeling a little isolated. I went to Tahrir Square today for the celebrations and memorial which helped. Everyone was smiling, singing, playing music, and chanting. It was joyous and I was so glad to be there. People kept saying “Welcome to Egypt!” and asking to take our picture with their children, or just of us with our Egyptian flags. We were like the foreign celebrities in Tahrir Square for the day. It was a lot of fun and I feel like I am kind of a part of this. People would also give us the thumbs up sign, or just yell “Masr!” because of our flags. It was great.
There were many difficult times, but I’m also grateful that I was a witness to history in Egypt. Of course now my future here is in jeopardy. I know that Egypt will never be what I knew it to be, but I hope it will be better. I love it here; my heart is here. But the future is also uncertain. I hope that Masr (Egypt in Arabic) will be better and that the people will ultimately get what they want. Viva ya Masr.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Write To Your Senator!!
Thank you to everyone who has been thinking of me, writing to me, and calling my parents. Here is a quick update and a way that you can help me!
I am currently in Ain Sukhna, about 1 1/2 hours outside of Cairo by the Suez Canal. The school is paying for everything and they took care of transportation, hotel accomodations, etc. We are staying at the Radisson, and it's very nice. There is no curfew and my body isn't used to being able to be outside and wander freely! It's nice to be outside and to not hear gunshots.
On Monday or Tuesday, I am traveling to Istanbul Insha Allah. I have a friend that lives there (who is also a teacher in Cairo), and we are going to be staying with her for a while. If things don't settle down here.... then I don't know.
What can you do to help me? E-mail your senator!! The US evacuation plan is shitty, to say the least. They are charging over $600 to go to close places in Europe. You don't know where they are taking you, and once they drop you... you're on your own! Also, you are not allowed to bring a pet with you. A lot of people I know here refuse to leave without their pet. What are they supposed to do? Leave them here to die? And I just learned that there is only one child allowed per parent. Ummm.... so they have to choose the best children and leave the rest behind? A couple I know here has 3 children. What are they supposed to do?
My friend who lives in Turkey called her embassy. There were flights to Turkey at 1 and 2 AM, but she said that she had 2 friends with her. One American (me) and one that is Italian. Without hesitating, they said to bring us with her and we would get a FREE flight to Turkey. Tell me why Turkey is willing to give me a free flight, but my country would charge me over $600 for the same flight? Unfortunately, we had no way of getting to the airport in time because it was after curfew. But I was furious with my country. I have been backing the US this whole time... but I am losing faith.
I will update my blog on everything I've experienced during this revolution. It has been very scary, but I am living through history. Please write to your senator about the evacuation plan if you have time!! Thanks for your help! More updates on the revolution to come.
I am currently in Ain Sukhna, about 1 1/2 hours outside of Cairo by the Suez Canal. The school is paying for everything and they took care of transportation, hotel accomodations, etc. We are staying at the Radisson, and it's very nice. There is no curfew and my body isn't used to being able to be outside and wander freely! It's nice to be outside and to not hear gunshots.
On Monday or Tuesday, I am traveling to Istanbul Insha Allah. I have a friend that lives there (who is also a teacher in Cairo), and we are going to be staying with her for a while. If things don't settle down here.... then I don't know.
What can you do to help me? E-mail your senator!! The US evacuation plan is shitty, to say the least. They are charging over $600 to go to close places in Europe. You don't know where they are taking you, and once they drop you... you're on your own! Also, you are not allowed to bring a pet with you. A lot of people I know here refuse to leave without their pet. What are they supposed to do? Leave them here to die? And I just learned that there is only one child allowed per parent. Ummm.... so they have to choose the best children and leave the rest behind? A couple I know here has 3 children. What are they supposed to do?
My friend who lives in Turkey called her embassy. There were flights to Turkey at 1 and 2 AM, but she said that she had 2 friends with her. One American (me) and one that is Italian. Without hesitating, they said to bring us with her and we would get a FREE flight to Turkey. Tell me why Turkey is willing to give me a free flight, but my country would charge me over $600 for the same flight? Unfortunately, we had no way of getting to the airport in time because it was after curfew. But I was furious with my country. I have been backing the US this whole time... but I am losing faith.
I will update my blog on everything I've experienced during this revolution. It has been very scary, but I am living through history. Please write to your senator about the evacuation plan if you have time!! Thanks for your help! More updates on the revolution to come.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Riots in the streets!
Tuesday was a big day in Cairo!! As I'm sure most of you have heard on the news, there were huge protests/riots from people here that want to overthrow Mubarak and reinstate a new government inspired by Tunisia. To be honest, I didn't know anything was happening! Except that everyone knew this was going to happen, so I had heard about it. This was planned to be on Police Day. The riots were downtown in Tahrir Square mostly, about 30 minutes from where I live.
Tomorrow, there are supposedly going to be more riots. The police are already shutting down major streets and preparing. I plan on staying home! I just wanted to update my blog and let everyone know that I'm fine. I know my mom is freaking out! I'm pretty isolated in my little neighborhood... the only time you should wonder "hmm... I wonder if Sara's okay" is if you hear anything about Maadi. That's where I live.
I'm also watching what I post on my blog. I'm actually surprised I'm still able to access it because the government has disabled facebook. But I say... Go Egyptians!! It's about time you stand up for yourselves!! I'm sure the media in the US is twisting the story, but the Egyptians started a peaceful protest (just as Hilary Clinton requested!) before it turned ugly. But isn't that how it always happens? We'll see what comes of this, but if anything it's a good chance for the rest of the world to know what is really happening to the Egyptian people and how Mubarak's government is really run.
There, now if I end up in secret prison, we know why. I'm carrying my American passport with me. So there's no need to worry (mom) everything is still fine and normal as far as I can see. Except that there are many more police officers on the streets. But I smile and wave, say "Misa alkeir!" and they smile and wave back. So life is pretty much normal.
Tomorrow, there are supposedly going to be more riots. The police are already shutting down major streets and preparing. I plan on staying home! I just wanted to update my blog and let everyone know that I'm fine. I know my mom is freaking out! I'm pretty isolated in my little neighborhood... the only time you should wonder "hmm... I wonder if Sara's okay" is if you hear anything about Maadi. That's where I live.
I'm also watching what I post on my blog. I'm actually surprised I'm still able to access it because the government has disabled facebook. But I say... Go Egyptians!! It's about time you stand up for yourselves!! I'm sure the media in the US is twisting the story, but the Egyptians started a peaceful protest (just as Hilary Clinton requested!) before it turned ugly. But isn't that how it always happens? We'll see what comes of this, but if anything it's a good chance for the rest of the world to know what is really happening to the Egyptian people and how Mubarak's government is really run.
There, now if I end up in secret prison, we know why. I'm carrying my American passport with me. So there's no need to worry (mom) everything is still fine and normal as far as I can see. Except that there are many more police officers on the streets. But I smile and wave, say "Misa alkeir!" and they smile and wave back. So life is pretty much normal.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Top 10... Cairo
Is anyone surprised that I have neglected to update my blog since my return? My dad even told me (as one of the last things he said to me at the airport) that I HAVE to update it more. And so far, I fail. But here it is!!
The Top 10 Best Things About Living In Cairo...
10. Cost of living. Let's just say, I'm rich here. And I'm very far from rich. In fact, I get paid a lot less than I would in the US. But everything is a lot cheaper here. I get a pedicure every other week. A cab anywhere in Maadi doesn't cost me more than 5-7 LE (about $1). Please don't hate me.
9. Scarves. I love scarves and they are everywhere here and really cheap! Just ask any of my friends who got one for Christmas. I have about a million so far, and I still buy them all the time! And alabaster. It's beautiful.
8. www.otlob.com. The US is behind on this amazing invention. You login, order food from virtually any restaurant (I'm talking McDonald's, Chinese, Pizza Hut) and it's delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less. I might be waiting for some Pizza Hut as I'm writing this. The delivery of everything here is awesome. You can get your groceries delivered, any food, your alcohol... you name it, it delivers.
7. Having a bowab. The bowab is kind of like the doorman. If you have a car, he washes it every morning, you set your trash outside of your door and he gets rid of it for you, he will buy your groceries for you if you give him a list, he'll go pay your bills for you. He can also fix simple things around your apartment. It's pretty amazing. I don't use mine much, but I say good morning to him every morning, and I give him a tip at the end of every month.
6. Having a cleaning lady. This goes along with everything in Egypt being much cheaper. A lot of people hate me for having a cleaning lady. But in Egypt, it's weird if you DON'T have a cleaning lady. Seriously. Everyone has one. I didn't have one for a few months, but I finally gave in and it's the best thing to ever happen to me. She comes once a week, and cleans everything. For 100 LE. And I'm overpaying her.
5. Overall friendliness of people. Generally speaking, people are very friendly to foreigners (sometimes TOO friendly). They remember you, and want to help you out. I love talking to the shopkeepers because (once again, generally speaking) they are very happy people and have an uplifting spirit.
4. I learn something new everyday. This is true living anywhere new, but I love that I am challenged, surprised, and learning everyday. I learn a little Arabic everyday, more about the Egyptian and Muslim culture, more about how people in other places live, etc. And it's one of the best things about living somewhere completely different.
3. History. Egypt has a ton of history and there's so much to learn about civilization here. I have seen the pyramids so many times already that it's almost getting old (isn't that awful?!), the Nile is the foundation of life here, and there are many other historic sites that I haven't even visited yet.
2. Amazing knockoffs. I bought a Burberry purse for 150 LE that had original lining and I'm positive fell off the truck. The other day, I saw a Burberry and Louis Vuitton bags that were original (I'm positive) for 50 LE. That's like $10. I just don't question how they ended up being so cheap. So if anyone wants knockoff designer scarves or bags... let me know. I can totally hook you up.
1. Beaches/Red Sea. Technically the Red Sea isn't in Cairo, but it's only a 7 hour bus trip or a 1 1/2 hour plane trip away. And it's one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. Granted, I'm from Wisconsin and we don't see a lot of beaches. But it also has some of the world's most famous dive sites (which I've snorkeled!) and I have swam with clown fish. That's a lot of excitement for a mid-westerner.
I hope my list has made Cairo sound exciting. I need some visitors soon! So if the cheap scarves, knockoff purses, and history didn't persuade you, I don't know what else to say. My pizza has just arrived... but I swear I have more exciting stories. Let's just say I might have said "Go f--k yourself" 3 times this weekend to ogling men. They were being inappropriate, not me!! Stay tuned for the whole story.
The Top 10 Best Things About Living In Cairo...
10. Cost of living. Let's just say, I'm rich here. And I'm very far from rich. In fact, I get paid a lot less than I would in the US. But everything is a lot cheaper here. I get a pedicure every other week. A cab anywhere in Maadi doesn't cost me more than 5-7 LE (about $1). Please don't hate me.
9. Scarves. I love scarves and they are everywhere here and really cheap! Just ask any of my friends who got one for Christmas. I have about a million so far, and I still buy them all the time! And alabaster. It's beautiful.
8. www.otlob.com. The US is behind on this amazing invention. You login, order food from virtually any restaurant (I'm talking McDonald's, Chinese, Pizza Hut) and it's delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less. I might be waiting for some Pizza Hut as I'm writing this. The delivery of everything here is awesome. You can get your groceries delivered, any food, your alcohol... you name it, it delivers.
7. Having a bowab. The bowab is kind of like the doorman. If you have a car, he washes it every morning, you set your trash outside of your door and he gets rid of it for you, he will buy your groceries for you if you give him a list, he'll go pay your bills for you. He can also fix simple things around your apartment. It's pretty amazing. I don't use mine much, but I say good morning to him every morning, and I give him a tip at the end of every month.
6. Having a cleaning lady. This goes along with everything in Egypt being much cheaper. A lot of people hate me for having a cleaning lady. But in Egypt, it's weird if you DON'T have a cleaning lady. Seriously. Everyone has one. I didn't have one for a few months, but I finally gave in and it's the best thing to ever happen to me. She comes once a week, and cleans everything. For 100 LE. And I'm overpaying her.
5. Overall friendliness of people. Generally speaking, people are very friendly to foreigners (sometimes TOO friendly). They remember you, and want to help you out. I love talking to the shopkeepers because (once again, generally speaking) they are very happy people and have an uplifting spirit.
4. I learn something new everyday. This is true living anywhere new, but I love that I am challenged, surprised, and learning everyday. I learn a little Arabic everyday, more about the Egyptian and Muslim culture, more about how people in other places live, etc. And it's one of the best things about living somewhere completely different.
3. History. Egypt has a ton of history and there's so much to learn about civilization here. I have seen the pyramids so many times already that it's almost getting old (isn't that awful?!), the Nile is the foundation of life here, and there are many other historic sites that I haven't even visited yet.
2. Amazing knockoffs. I bought a Burberry purse for 150 LE that had original lining and I'm positive fell off the truck. The other day, I saw a Burberry and Louis Vuitton bags that were original (I'm positive) for 50 LE. That's like $10. I just don't question how they ended up being so cheap. So if anyone wants knockoff designer scarves or bags... let me know. I can totally hook you up.
1. Beaches/Red Sea. Technically the Red Sea isn't in Cairo, but it's only a 7 hour bus trip or a 1 1/2 hour plane trip away. And it's one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. Granted, I'm from Wisconsin and we don't see a lot of beaches. But it also has some of the world's most famous dive sites (which I've snorkeled!) and I have swam with clown fish. That's a lot of excitement for a mid-westerner.
I hope my list has made Cairo sound exciting. I need some visitors soon! So if the cheap scarves, knockoff purses, and history didn't persuade you, I don't know what else to say. My pizza has just arrived... but I swear I have more exciting stories. Let's just say I might have said "Go f--k yourself" 3 times this weekend to ogling men. They were being inappropriate, not me!! Stay tuned for the whole story.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Top 10... US
In lieu of my very recent trip back to Wisconsin for the holidays, I decided to make a top 10 list about the best things in the United States. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited to get back to Cairo. I can't wait to see my friends, get back to school, and start living a more "adventurous" lifestyle. But I realized that I had been taking some things for granted during my 24 years living in the United States. And you know what? I think a lot of people do. So sometimes it's nice to look around, breathe in the clean air (oops, that was going to be one of them), and appreciate what you have. I will also make a top 10 list about the best things in Egypt when I return.
So here it is...
The Top 10 Best Things About the United States (generally speaking)
10. Wal-Mart. Love it. Hate it. I don't care. You can go to one place and virtually get everything you need. I took many exciting trips to Wal-Mart during my time home.
9. No wild animals on the street. And when I say wild, I mean cats and dogs. Because it's depressing. I want to pet them and love them and give them a home, but... eeew. They probably have rabies and they're so sick looking. It's sad.
8. Men don't stare at you for showing hair or elbows. Even I've become a little more conservative in dress! i couldn't believe how much cleavage was bouncing around on New Years! Come on ladies!
7. Seasons. Again, depending on where you are. But it's not hot, then kind of cooler, then hot. Again, I'm speaking from a Wisconsin standpoint.
6. You understand everything. (Again, this depends on where you are). There's much less questioning of "Why the hell are they doing it this way?" and you understand everything people are saying around you (if they're speaking English). I went out to a restaurant when I first got back, and it was like my ears opened up. I could understand everything pefectly, not just pick out certain words.
5. You stay cleaner. You don't have to shake dust off yourself when you wake up in the morning, or shake the sand out of your pants. I like that.
4. Ease of transportation. Driving or riding in a car is much easier than trying to communicate with a cab driver in Arabic and you can also pretty much assure a complete stranger isn't going to offer to have sex with you. "Just one time?"
3. We have the best makeup and we have Burt's Bees. Enough said.
2. It's not hard to find a drink. There is practically a bar that is calling out to you on every street corner.
1. Freedom of Speech. We can say whatever we want whenever we want. No one is going to judge us if we're not the right religion. Ok, they might... but we don't have to put what religion we are on our i.d. Be thankful. Our freedom is the best gift that our ancestors worked hard to give us. Now I'm being preachy.
Wait!! I have more!! There's no trash on the sidewalk and there is a sidewalk to walk on. This is important. We also have rules when it comes to driving and cars don't honk at you for obscene reasons. So appreciate.
With all that said, I'm stoked to go back! I will be back there tomorrow afternoon. I really do love living there, with as much as I may seem like I'm complaining. I just say it like it is. I hope you enjoyed my Top 10... stay tuned for the top 10 best things about Cairo!
So here it is...
The Top 10 Best Things About the United States (generally speaking)
10. Wal-Mart. Love it. Hate it. I don't care. You can go to one place and virtually get everything you need. I took many exciting trips to Wal-Mart during my time home.
9. No wild animals on the street. And when I say wild, I mean cats and dogs. Because it's depressing. I want to pet them and love them and give them a home, but... eeew. They probably have rabies and they're so sick looking. It's sad.
8. Men don't stare at you for showing hair or elbows. Even I've become a little more conservative in dress! i couldn't believe how much cleavage was bouncing around on New Years! Come on ladies!
7. Seasons. Again, depending on where you are. But it's not hot, then kind of cooler, then hot. Again, I'm speaking from a Wisconsin standpoint.
6. You understand everything. (Again, this depends on where you are). There's much less questioning of "Why the hell are they doing it this way?" and you understand everything people are saying around you (if they're speaking English). I went out to a restaurant when I first got back, and it was like my ears opened up. I could understand everything pefectly, not just pick out certain words.
5. You stay cleaner. You don't have to shake dust off yourself when you wake up in the morning, or shake the sand out of your pants. I like that.
4. Ease of transportation. Driving or riding in a car is much easier than trying to communicate with a cab driver in Arabic and you can also pretty much assure a complete stranger isn't going to offer to have sex with you. "Just one time?"
3. We have the best makeup and we have Burt's Bees. Enough said.
2. It's not hard to find a drink. There is practically a bar that is calling out to you on every street corner.
1. Freedom of Speech. We can say whatever we want whenever we want. No one is going to judge us if we're not the right religion. Ok, they might... but we don't have to put what religion we are on our i.d. Be thankful. Our freedom is the best gift that our ancestors worked hard to give us. Now I'm being preachy.
Wait!! I have more!! There's no trash on the sidewalk and there is a sidewalk to walk on. This is important. We also have rules when it comes to driving and cars don't honk at you for obscene reasons. So appreciate.
With all that said, I'm stoked to go back! I will be back there tomorrow afternoon. I really do love living there, with as much as I may seem like I'm complaining. I just say it like it is. I hope you enjoyed my Top 10... stay tuned for the top 10 best things about Cairo!
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