This is Egypt.

The other day, my (Egyptian) friend and I were driving out to see The Life of Pi in IMAX, out in 6th of October city. It's about a half hour from Zamalek without traffic. We were joined by a Colombian expat friend of mine.

As they had the opportunity to familiarize themselves, he and I had to ask our favorite question, Why are you here? As an Egyptian born and raised here, he has his obvious curiosities. Why on earth would someone want to come and live here, when we (Egyptians) are all trying to get out? It's one thing for me to be here, obviously I have roots and family here, so Egypt is not at all foreign to me, it's my second home. But a real expat, one with no ties at all... what brings them here? It's our favorite question to ask our friends.

She answered in one of the nicest ways I've ever heard someone speak about Egypt. She's lived in many places, including Colombia, DC, Eastern Europe and England. But she's been in Egypt for 2 years now, and has no plans to leave anytime soon. She said that what she loves about living in Egypt, is that living here is like having a real, human experience all the time. Being in Egypt, although it has its Western influences and imports, is not like being in the West. There isn't that reliable routine that everyone has where they wake up, head to work, come home, and repeat. Where things have been streamlined and perfected, and problems in the grand scheme of things, aren't really problems at all. Every day in Egypt is completely random, almost so that nothing is reliable. And that's why the Egyptians' favorite term is "Inshallah", which means God Willing. When you make plans with someone, they will always say, 'OK, see you, Inshallah,' because God knows what circumstances you'll be faced with on your way to those plans!

Egypt has almost all of the luxuries of a first world nation, without the structure to really support it. So maybe you won't have hot water or power for a few hours. Traffic is pretty much always bad, but also always random, so you have to factor this into your schedule. You will not travel 10 miles in 20 minutes, it will likely take you 1 - 1-1/2 hours. There's one time a week when traffic is at a minimum: Friday mornings right before and after prayers. There isn't the luxury of reliable public transportation, in fact, there barely is any public transportation, and what exists is awful. You won't find all your favorite foods imported and stocked in the grocery stores. Grocery stores are not going to have all fruit available in all seasons. Your elevator just may not work today. Or for the next three days. It will work again when it gets fixed. You can't exactly walk around in a skirt, even if it's knee length. Hell, even if you're wearing pants and a veil, you will be harassed on the streets. Your bawab will Inshallah take your shirts to the dry cleaner when he has time. The salon may be open, but the girls who do hair and sweet will be here in an hour. You come back in an hour, another 30 minutes. You come back then, yeah she's not coming today.

So her point was that living in Egypt, while it's difficult, it connects you to the real world. The real world where everyone is not living an easy, robotic life like we do in the States or Europe. It's not boring here, there's always something going on, something going wrong, and you really need patience to deal with it. You really have to be able to take a deep breath and just accept that life here is random.

People here have real things to complain about. There is a significant population here that struggles to eat or work. The police don't really exist to enforce the law. Car insurance? But this is a service driven society, where labor is super cheap. You can have anything delivered at anytime, including groceries, drugs (medicinal and recreational), food, etc. Just call and it gets delivered. Most homes have a cleaning lady, some have drivers and cooks. The reality is, if you make money, you can have a great life here.

Our other American friend has coined the terms,

"TIE" - This is Egypt, and "TIA" - This is Africa.

We use them whenever we find ourselves super frustrated with any particular situation. Like when we travel across Cairo to see a movie, only to discover upon arrival that it only plays at 10:30am each day (NOT what their website shows!). Or when I booked the Life of Pi tickets at the IMAX theatre online, in advance, only to show up and be denied entrance because the voucher shows I paid, but it didn't attach the seats to the order. (So we ended up being credited and given complimentary tickets to see it the second time, when we had this wonderful conversation). Or when we sat in a Starbucks-like cafe to order one of their 5 fresh juices, only to learn that none of our juices are available. Actually, neither is half of their menu.

We take a breather and laugh,

"TIE Ladies. TIE."

In the classroom...

Class starts at 5:15pm. Students take their time gracing me with their presence. I begin at 5:40 when I have accumulated a whopping 4 out of 13 students. 2 more show up at 6:15. Students don't want to learn grammar or vocabulary. Actually, they tell me how and what to teach them. They want idioms. They want me to spell out the things they heard watching American TV shows and movies. They want to know when they are going to speak like I do. Except, they don't want to learn grammar or vocabulary. The ones who miss the excusable 3 (out of 9) classes just show up at the final and ask me when they will speak like I do. They don't do their homework. They come to 6 classes, late, and then they get upset with me when they fail their exams and I recommend they repeat the level.

I don't teach here to help students cheat their way to a certificate so that they can "officially" claim they speak English.

Students tell me that the reason they keep repeating the same mistakes is because they never get the chance to practice speaking English in their lives at home or with friends. They explain this to me in Arabic without even trying to incorporate a word of English. And then when I ban Arabic from the class and conduct the class completely in English, they gang around me at the end, telling me it wasn't fair, they didn't understand anything, and I need to re-explain it all in Arabic.

I've learned that Egyptian students are taught to memorize in school. They aren't given the freedom to think creatively or use their imaginations. They memorize, recite, and replicate on their exams. My student told me that her teacher used to hit her whenever she didn't memorize the vocabulary, or didn't say things correctly. But he let you learn to say 'wiZ,' instead of 'wiTH'?

Cheating is also completely normal and overlooked. My Egyptian friend explained it best. The mindset is, "Hey we're friends right? You're going to help me with this exam. What did you get for #5?" He told me that when they take their end of the year exams, the teachers get shuffled around to supervise other classes- not their own, to prevent bias or cheating. Except those supervisors don't have anything at stake with the students, so they often assist with the cheating anyway. One went as far as delivering the hand written answers to a student's friend in another class. It's all just... helping a friend.

They can get all the homework and sentences right, but when I close the books and try having a conversation, they look completely lost. They have all the vocabulary and grammar, but they can't think outside of "go to the cinema," when I ask them what they did last weekend, or what they will do this weekend. They also only seem to eat chicken, because that's the only thing they ever eat for lunch when I ask them.

I teach an English conversation class each semester. This is the kind of class that isn't focussed on learning grammar, but rather, practicing conversation skills. I am initially optimistic that I can use this as an opportunity to give them creative freedom, and an ability to think outside the box, since I now know that this isn't the way that they're taught in school. I find that they benefit most when the class is structured around a debate. Egyptians love to debate and talk about anything controversial. It's almost torturous to find a topic they all want to discuss. Then even moreso, when I choose the topic and they can't find any arguments because they are not particularly for or against the topic- depending on which side I assigned them to. We sit in awkward silence for a while, despite my many attempts to suggest a way to get things going. Finally, someone mentions politics or Morsi, and they are off in a heated debate. In Arabic.

I made a list of very controversial topics to debate- controversial enough for the US, and especially for Egypt. My fellow teachers had a lot of success with their students. I was really excited to hear how open and intellectual their students were about the topic of gay marriage and adoption. I couldn't wait to test it out on mine and see how they would respond. They denied that gays even exist in Egypt. They denied that gay men often go and get married to women and hide their secret lifestyle from their wives and families. They didn't care that it must be really difficult to live that kind of secret, double lifestyle. They absolutely refused to discuss it further, as it is "disgusting and against their religion." I stormed out of the class and into the Admin's office, really letting my New York out that day. I used every bit of colorful vocabulary to express how fed up I was, and to let them know that I was no longer going to be teaching those students anymore.

The class before the exam, instead of reviewing grammar or addressing questions the students have, they ask if I could tell them exactly which questions will be on the exam, and if they can go home early. By the end, I just want to go home early, too.

It's really rewarding when the rare, one or two students come into class and actually get it. I can see how much they are benefitting from me, and I clap whenever they get a challenging sentence correct. They move on to the next level, and I ask to be their teacher again in the next semester.

But I think the most important thing I've learned from teaching, is how hard it is to be a teacher. I really have developed a deep respect for teachers. It is a very hard job: demanding, draining, not always fulfilling or rewarding, and they (we) are so underpaid. A good teacher makes all the difference to a student's education, and I had some fantastic teachers in my life. I still remember how and what they taught me, both in and out of the classroom. They shaped my life and guided me to where I am. But teachers need more respect and more pay. Supporting a teacher means supporting the student. And as future (or current) parents to our future students, we really need to do something to support the teachers who will ultimately shape our children's futures.

Cairo food scene, pretty sad

I've never traveled to any place where the food has been so, ehh.

I'm a self-proclaimed foodie who not only kept a food blog in NYC, but takes cooking classes in every place I visit. I love food.

I ate my way through Thailand, with its delicious pads, curries and flavors. China was one great meal after another, introducing me to dim sum, hot pots, XO sauce, and Paris Baguette. In Vietnam I fell in love with pho and summer rolls. India, the land of curries, naan breads, and how can I forget my all time favorite, pani puri? Morocco had me salivating with its couscous and tajines, and that fabulous Mechoui Alley in Djemma al Fna. I tried camel in Morocco, kangaroo in Australia, beef hearts, roasted chicken, and ceviche in Peru, and I only need to mention "France and Italy," to summarize their selection of deliciousness. Whenever I travel, I love to explore cultures through their food.

But here in Cairo, I am living in the world capital of mediocrity. Everything here is just OK, and the cuisine holds no exception to that standard. Most restaurants will try to get the general idea of the dish they are reproducing, but without trying to make it a great dish. It's just OK. Although it is a lot like NYC where you have so much competition for all these restaurants and international cuisines, unlike NYC where everyone is trying to be the best, Egyptians are OK with just OK.. This is a city where every restaurant makes the most delicious sounding food, and usually in fabulously designed spaces, and then it is presented in front of you in the saddest way.

Paninis aren't pressed, and aren't oozing out cheesy goodness. Macaroons are stale. French fries are soggy. I haven't walked into a single bakery where anything was freshly baked. Every pastry has looked sad, tired, and old. Baguettes are either too hard and crumbly, or too soft and chewy. Pastas are always overcooked and swimming in pools of cheese sauce completely lacking in flavor. Pizzas are bland, bagels are no better than Lender's bagels. Cakes are all the same, spongy, blahness; and popcorn in the movie theaters is always stale and under seasoned. I once was super excited to find my favorite brunch, Eggs Benedict, only to receive a piece of salmon and hard boiled eggs on 2 stale pieces of baguette with mayonnaise on the side. I was heart broken. My girl friend and I were so excited to have some Mexican food, but when the food arrived, it was just OK. I spent so much money on the tiniest, blandest sushi rolls. And yet, all these restaurants have the audacity to charge a ridiculous amount, for little quality. I imagine that the only reason why these restaurants and shops are getting away with it is because of the snobbism associated with, look, I just bought a 30 LE pastry, and I don't even know what this is supposed to taste like, so it's all OK to me.

Although there are a handful of great restaurants that I frequent on a cycle, generally, dining out in Cairo is one continuous let down after another. It's my fault for getting my hopes up, but I just love to go out for dinner. It's unfortunate that I'm not finding things held to any kind of standard that is either acceptable, or appropriate for the prices they're charging. I'll pay a lot for a good meal, but it's not OK to pay a lot for crap.

Cairo is such an expensive city to go out in, more than NYC. When you consider what the average person makes here to what the average restaurant charges, it's insane. Some prices are comparable to what we pay in NYC, so just imagine how much this is for the average Egyptian! But at home, you could get a great meal at any price. And more often than not, the best meals are the cheap ones! In the East Village, I met up with my girl friend every couple of weeks at our favorite 50% off sushi restaurant. We'd spend $10 for 3 rolls, soup, and salad. Here, I spent $30 or 200 LE for blahness. Or there was Smac, or Artichoke Pizza, or Mamouns, or curry row on 6th street, all with their fantastic $8 meals. Or how about the salad bar at Whole Foods, or dim sum at my favorite, Jing Fong, down on Elizabeth St, that's never more than $15 pp. Or pho on 32nd, another $8 bowl of noodle soup. I mean, the options were endless, and I never had to spend a lot of money at all for a great meal. But in Cairo, the food generally sucks, and it isn't cheap.

These sentiments are equally shared with my fellow expat friends, and this is often a topic of conversation as we are eating a disappointing meal. Just imagine how it may feel to be away from home and so looking forward to that favorite dish, only to be served something that doesn't even resemble it, let alone taste like it. Going out is such a huge part of having a social life, and thank God the company is always good, because the food is just another depressing let down after another, especially when the bill comes.

A new outlook in this new year...

I received a concerned email from a former coworker about my lack of updates, so apologies to anyone who was alarmed. The current climate has been tense, violent, and stupid here in Cairo. But once again, it's not the whole city; it's concentrated in certain areas. I've been completely avoiding downtown and the nearby areas, but I have been reading from friends on facebook that the use of tear gas is out of control. Not to mention, there have been several fatalities and injuries, which is just sad.

For those who may not read or watch the news, things have been tense here for several reasons. 1) January 25th was the anniversary of the revolution in 2011 that toppled Mubarak. Not only was this day expecting protests, but add to that the fact that it landed on a Friday this year (like Saturday in the west), so plenty of people had heading to Tahrir on their list of things to do that day. People aren't exactly happy with the outcome of the revolution, Morsi, and the general political climate. 2) The courts were ruling on the cases for the Ahly Ultras (soccer fans) who were massacred at the Port Said stadium last year. Ultras have been protesting all week, and actually stopped the metro by descending and sitting on the tracks in metro stations. 3) Harassment is as high as it's ever been in Tahrir. 4) Finally, last week there was yet another train accident causing injuries and fatalities.

In spite of all this, don't worry about me because I have nothing to do with any of this. I'm sick of all the drama and I'm avoiding all protests and political activity. I appreciate that citizens go out and protest, but their efforts are disorganized and thereby ineffective. And since I'm not a journalist, there's no thrill for me to participate. The President couldn't care less about his people or the fact that there are fatalities happening as a result of him and his regime, all the damn time. So in my opinion, it's just a lot of disorganized stupidity. The President doesn't give a shit about Egypt, and Egyptians are unable to do anything about it.

I have had a lot on my mind and agenda lately, hence the lack of posts. It turns out that what was once intended as a transitionary, temporary home is now looking to become something else. I am trying to figure out a semi-long term plan to stay in Cairo. It right now is fulfilling me in every way that I was needing fulfillment back at home. And with my impending return in April, I have already decided that I will be coming right back in May after my friend's wedding. My mindset has been changing from the, I'm on vacation, relaxing and enjoying myself mode, to the I'm really happy here and I'm going to test this out for a while mode.

So my #1 priority is finding a way to stay... sustainably. What that means is, I need a real job. I have been missing being a professional lately. That may have a lot to do with being surrounded with both Expat and Egyptian professional friends. They have their careers, their jobs, their income. Can we highlight income? I am missing my income; a real one.

But teaching was never a career path for me, and while it's been different and interesting, it's no longer fun- which I will get into in another post. So I've been sending out my resume and interviewing. Please send positive vibes in return!

Once I figure out the job situation, I'll book my return flight to Cairo. Looks like I'll be a while, NYC.

Hair to find out...

In a previous post, I talked about the wonderful world of hair removal here in Egypt. So much time and energy is spent on removing unwanted hair. Egyptian women are nothing short of high maintenance. But since then, I've encountered another hairy situation here: loss of wanted hair.

I've noticed that amongst all the shampoos and conditioners sold in pharmacies, there is always a type to treat or prevent hair fall. I didn't really understand why. Are that many women losing their hair? Isn't that a problem for men? Is it one for women here too?

I'm now in my 4th month of living here, and I'm now understanding what this is about. I've had some friends complain about their hair-thinning issues, blaming the water quality. One friend actually uses bottled water to wash her hair, that's how seriously she's (paranoid) reacted to it. I love my friend, but I do think it's ridiculous to wash with bottled hair. Talk about wasteful and not eco friendly.

Over time I started noticing that when I washed my hair, I was losing handfuls. More than usual. I naturally have very thick and curly hair, but lately, my hair started feeling thinner. I now need to wrap my hair tie around my ponytail 3 times, instead of the usual 2. So I started freaking out about this. Someone suggested it was stress. "Stress!?" I exclaimed, "I'm on a long term vacation!"

Trying hard not to be a hypochondriac, or over-react, I have to take a few things into consideration. My hair is the longest it has ever been, and maybe I'm not familiar with the kind of maintenance it requires. My curls get so tangled, sometimes the only way to undo the tangles is by breaking them. Not to mention that I live in the desert, (though my body was designed for this environment, and every day here is otherwise just one great hair and skin day after another-- no humidity = no frizz!!) and being in such a dry climate, I've been oiling my hair at least once a week to nourish it. I usually go as far as hunting down great hair oils and treatments all over Islamic Cairo. Between the spice shops and the oil & fragrance shops, I have a whole collection of treatments. I'm taking vitamins, and doing anything to try to help my mane, one of my most beautiful assets. I got a hair cut, hoping to revive the ends (much to my dismay, as I'm on a mission to grow my hair longer). And well, I'm close to running out of ideas short of washing with bottled water, too.

My cousin confirmed the water theory, citing that once her family got a special water filter, it helped. An article found by google search confirmed the same. A water study found that the water here is so hard, the high levels of calcium causes hair to dry out and break, and worse, the hard water leaves a layer of film on the scalp (much like on shower doors as we are shown in those CLR commercials), preventing new hair growth.

So armed with this information, I'm trying to formulate a plan that still doesn't go as far as shampooing with bottled water or installing a water filter... yet. My plan right now is just to have my hair straightened once a week at the coiffure. That should help reduce the tangles (straight hair doesn't tangle the way curls do), and the number of times I wash my hair (a blow out can last about 5 days). And yes, I go to get my hair done. It's perfectly normal, that's what we do here. We're high maintenance and lazy.

Problem is, I'm such a control freak and I'm so particular about how I like things done that it actually gives me anxiety to let someone do my hair. Complaining and telling someone how to do something better, only confirms how Egyptian I am. However, if I found a salon with filtered water, I probably would never wash my hair myself again!

strings and papers

Every weekend I go to visit my grandmother and keep her company while her housekeeper is off visiting his family in the country. In my time here, I've learned how to nail down her routine. Help her get settled in the living room, open the shutters to let some light in, get the paper off the balcony, refresh her water supply, decide what we're going to have for lunch, watch an Egyptian movie on TV.

It's a nice time that we get to share and I've really come to look forward to our weekly dates.

But every time I've gone to collect the paper, I haven't found one with the same string-tie, yet. Every single day/week, the newsies tie them up with anything they get their hands on. Every single day/week, it's something different. I'm impressed with the completely random variety, so I thought I'd share it.