Arrived Safe and Sound

(I wrote this the night I arrived but have just now found internet access so I will post it)

Well I have arrived in Egypt safe and sound. I will not soon forget the experience of waiting in line to check in for my EgyptAir flight. The line was full of Egyptian men (plus one Egyptian family) and everyone stared at me – the stares seemed to say more than “I am staring at you because you are so white and so blonde” but also seemed to me to reflect a confusion as to why I was getting on this plane – was I lost? Crazy? I looked around at all the other lines, going to every other place in the world you can imagine and all contained friends, couples, families heading out on vacation. I wondered why it is that I have this desire to do things the hard way - why couldn’t I have gone to work in the UK after all?? I embraced it as I will likely do every day over the next year or so: walked up with all the confidence I could muster and stood in line as though I belonged there: in spite of every indication that I did not.

Hours later, after waiting for my plane with a glass of red wine in the airport bar I met this young man named Hussein who lives in El Shrouk City and is studying at the American University in Cairo. He offered to help me once I arrive – show me around and help me get settled. I also sat beside this lovely man on the plane who tried to help me with everything – putting my bags overhead, putting my tray back up, finding my headphones... The small sample of people that I have encountered seem to be kind and selfless in a way unlike many from our own culture. Not to worry, I remain cautious and maintain an appropriate level of distance and skepticism.

The director of my school and another young man, Baha' arrived to pick me up (my new friend Hussein nearly insisted on waiting to be sure that they were there before he left) and we drove to see my apartment. I am living in Al Rehab city, which even after practicing its pronunciation with my director, I apparently still can’t say. I will need to sign myself up for some Arabic classes soon. This city is 20 minutes from El Shrouk City which is where my school is and there is a school bus that will pick me up ( I am very excited to ride the school bus every morning!). I only saw Cairo briefly because we drove straight to my apartment but Al Rehab seems to be its opposite. It is clean and quiet and extremely safe (that’s for you Mom - we had to pass through several guarded check points to get to the space I will soon call “home”). So the concerns that I gave all of you from stories that I had heard about men waiting outside of the door and not being able to leave the house some days can now all be put to rest. This is very obviously an area for wealthy families. There are five private international schools (I have seen French, German, British so far) Their presence means that there will be other teachers living and working I this area and so I will indeed have friends before too long.

Look at my apartment!

The living room is so ornate and intricate - I do not spend much time there. In fact that was the first time I had ever sat in those chairs and it was my second time on the couch. I am always in my bedroom or on the balcony. I could not be more pleasantly surprised with the place and know that I will be happy here. Ra'faat (the director) kept talking about how I could stay forever and he would buy the apartment for me. I have been politely laughing this off and saying such things as “yes, I could live here forever. It is beautiful” a response which I have altered since his telling me that he considers his word to be like a contract – and after reminding myself that not all cultures understand the way we would say something like this to be polite. Anywaywe dropped off my things and they took me to the market so that I could get a few things to get me started. I felt very silly having my bags carried by Bahaa' but even more silly when they insisted that he bring them right up to the apartment. Anyway they were very kind to me and Ra'faat has been very helpful. He is so proud of this school. He seems to light up when I mention it. I can't wait to see it on Saturday. I was exhausted from straining to understand and make sense of what they was saying so I came home, unpacked my things (it feels much more like my own space now that I have a few of my things around - it is amazing how far a book on a bedside table, a pile of teacher resources, a framed

picture and a few balls of wool can go to making somewhere feel like home) and had a nap.

When I woke up I decided to walk around a little. What a lovely place. The city is only ten years old and it definitely feels a little like the Pleasantville of Egypt (which of course looks nothing like Pleasantville elsewhere - but still, you get the idea....maybe?! - I will post pictures once I take some) There is this beautiful courtyard out in front of my place where children were playing surrounded by more security (for Mom!). The streets were incredibly quiet – eerily so. I think this may be because it is Ramadan right now so since most Muslims (which make up 90% of Egyptians) don’t eat or drink from dawn to sunset means that everyone was likely getting ready to “breakfast” as they call it here. I wandered around and came to this area in the street where at least 80 men were sitting at a long table eating. Honestly. I counted one side of the table and there were 39 and I did not count the other side or the part that wrapped around the side - so honestly...80 men! It seems that there are many small dishes on the table and everyone gets their own “aish” or naan type pita thing ( I am sure there is a name for this that I am not familiar with but I did see a bakery that makes them right out on the street) and then they share the dips. When we read these things they sound normal but really, picture it. The sun is setting and I walk through this covered walkway (but it isn't really a walkway - I would call it a building but all you do is walk through it and up the stairs and out on the other side) that was modeled the Ancient city of Heliopolis. And you come out onto crowded street with the crazy traffic and honking and right in the middle of this chaos 15 tables are pulled together and filled with all men. A strange and beautiful sight! Odd though, observing a culture where women are mostly missing. I love seeing people out in the street all eating at the same time. In fact even just the thought that at dawn and sunset - every day at this same time almost everyone in this country is eating. It seems to connect everyone in a way that I find really lovely. And I feel that even just my knowledge of this connects me to them in a way that I can't quite put into words.

Of course I get a lot of glances and stares but I have found people to be extremely respectful here. They rarely say a word to me and if they do it is usually nothing but “hello”. It is so strange not to be able to make eye contact or smile at people. I wore my sunglasses and this helps but it just feels so unnatural not to smile! Right now it takes all my attention and energy to avert my gaze and walk on past - I suppose I will get used to this but I wish that I did not have to.

As for the women, I think I saw maybe two women the whole nearly two hours that I was out walking. I worry that just by being out I am offending people but I sincerely hope that this is not the case. I also have not been covering my head (although I do wear my hair pulled back) and I think this is fine but I have no way of knowing how this is truly perceived both by local men and women. I did not walk far today because I still do not know my way around very well. With not being able to read signs and a lot of the residential parts of the city looking quite similar (at least at this point) I am still trying to take as few turns as possible. Straight lines are much easier to retrace. I came home before dark and settled in for the night.

(Please note that I did not place the pillows like this for the picture. The pair of piled pillows on the floor is all part of the decor)