Before (abl) Ramadan: Last chance for a road trip

So what is better than a road trip?

A road trip involving staying in a crack house where our travel companions were being threatened with swords if they slept, being squished in the back seat of approximately 8 minibuses between your roommate and two of your favorite Egyptian men, staying at a military base resort, wearing a swimsuit in Egypt, swimming in the sea, hitchhiking in exchange for hot-boxing this man named Michael's car, driving backwards down the highway in a minibus chasing a broken hookah, multiple near death experiences, and arriving back in Cairo as the sun came up, all for about 200 Egyptian pounds (approximately $40)

OK so we had decided Alissa, I, and a few other friends from work would be heading up to Alexandra / the North Coast for the weekend. So we pack up our stuff, leave straight from work. I got my Kosheri and my Halawa (Egyptian sweets) and we set off on the metro, somehow found this random bus depot, took the bus to Alex, took a taxi to the middle of nowhere, got picked up by my coworker's stoned cousin at about 3 AM and driven at approximately 120 mph through alleyways to his house, waiting for death the entire time. Stoned cousin went to the store down the street, came back with a giant chain saw, escorted us past his guard dogs in the entry way and took us upstairs. Alissa and I were given our own apartment in the crackhouse, smelling of urine, the walls covered in graffiti and rotting off, and given a key, told, "this is for your safety." Haha, we locked ourselves inside, attempted to secure the windows and slept.

Evidently for the boys upstairs it was a different story. They shared an apartment with stoned cousin who threatened and prodded them with swords and knives every time they attempted to sleep. He also robbed his own cousin at knife point for drug money. In the morning, they insisted on getting us breakfast, then making us tea, than it was time for Friday prayers. We got out of there approximately 1:30 PM after we became slightly desperate. Strangely enough I wasn't particularly freaked out at this point in the journey. So after assuring stoned cousin we DID NOT need a ride, we caught a minibus to Seedy Krair (this is a military resort, reserved for the families and friends of important people in the military). So we got there and the contrast was ridiculous. A friend of my coworker picked us up at the gate, and all of a sudden I was home. It was like the La Jolla Beach and Tennis club (tennis, private beach, swimming pool, expensive cafes, lifestyles of the rick and famous in these cabana apartment things). It even smelled like San Diego, same plants, next to the sea, and the wealthy and military vibe. So strange. Even though I've been kinda trying to avoid this kinda thing my whole life, it felt really nice all of a sudden.

And then we went to the swimming pool! We wore swimsuits! So strange, we were forced to wear swimcaps and we swam and swam, the only exercise besides walking we'd gotten in a long time. And then I saw the Mediterranean sea at night, under the stars, and I put my feet in the almost too warm water, and I breathed in the sea breeze and then we sat in a gazebo and watched it, as the Egyptian half of our group sang all the common Egyptian songs they knew and danced the crazy awesome Egyptian man dance.

Back in the resort cabana apartment, with Arabic music videos alternating with John McCain's running mate's introduction speech on the TV, I watched the clouds and stars and people go by from the balcony.

Next day, we woke up made our way to the beach, deconstructing the tent from Dubai and taking it with us. I swam in the Mediterranean sea probably a couple hours, it was ridiculously warm, perfect clear green and blue, this was pure joy. We had our water, coke, mars bars, paddle ball, a couple chairs, my trashy romance novel, our own stretch of empty beach, taught my coworker about drizzle castles and buried him in sand which we sculpted to make him look like a woman. This is the end of summer, I thought to myself, this is exactly how its always been. Weird.

So we go to Marina and walk kinda through the middle of nowhere where there are random yachts for sale until we ask this guy named Michael for directions, evidently we went to the wrong gate. He says he'll take us, so four of us pile in his car and he drives us, later the guys out of good will decide they should ride around in his car smoking for awhile, sharing the love.

So we are now in Marina (actually quite reminiscent of Myrtle Beach, SC), where the guys had insisted we go, the big event is eating at McDonalds (which here is quite the gourmet treat), and then we head back home. We get our stuff from the apartment, say goodbye and thanks to our host, catch another minibus (always the back seat). Then get out, catch another, get out, catch a minibus to Cairo from the crowded depot around 3 AM. All the luggage is secured on top, but unfortunately about half way through, something falls. All the men in the minibus jump out and start running back down the road while the minibus follows them driving backwards. Someone finds it! A now broken hookah and a backgammon box. They resecure the luggage and drive on. The American guy we're with, who only speaks classical arabic, is striking up a friendship with all the other guys in the minibus. People find it really amusing to hear him talking, as my coworker says, no one speaks Fusha, maybe Salah al Din only (who's been dead hundred of years). So I can feel and see and smell the smog coming on as we enter Cairo, the stars are gone, its hotter, I can't breath so well, but we arrive in a bustling Midan Ramses to a beautiful sunrise, this city, this country, really really never sleeps.

And now I'm home, Ramadan starts tomorrow, the decorations are all out, and today is like Fat Tuesday, get it all out of your system before you are fasting from food, water, lust, gossip, anger, and all forms of sin for the next month.

So what I have learned from this weekend:

1. Its all about who you know here, even more so than the U.S. Everything runs on connections and friends, and everyone loves to help and be helped. Its a great system, at least if you have good connections. Good for me, I have a new Egyptian BFF with excellent connections.

2. People here just accept things. You pay five pounds for your mini bus ride, this might include a flat tire, chasing luggage down the highway, having three men semi-sitting on your lap, blaring music, intense heat, or a perfect quite ride with tons of space. You might die, but then its God's will right?

3. I do not want to live the lifestyle of the rich and famous. Somehow I always get stuck sort of in it, which is strange because most people want it and can never attain it.

4. I love the sea and the stars and breathable air and being outside more than almost anything

5. I'm more of an independent person than I even like to admit. My new BFF asked multiple times, "why do you like being alone all the time?" (referring to the fact that I swam and sat on the balcony by myself). This is very strange to Egyptian culture, but I was like, hey I'm not gonna not do something just cause other people aren't. And its weird because I really haven't been that independent for quite a while, its like I'm going back to my roots that I'd lost.

6. sometimes you just need a break from this city, as much as Cairo is my habibi (beloved). Your jaw starts to clench from the yells and the horns and the stares and the heat and the daily grind.

life and birth / jokes

So it seems I am an Aunt like I have always wanted (Patrick the pressure's a off a little bit).

My Egyptian sister gave birth to a tiny baby girl by c-section two days ago. After all the crap she has gone through with an abusive husband attempting to make her miscarry and refusing any financial assistance, all the swollen feet and hands, the high blood pressure and hot pulsing pain in her chest for months. After two days in the hospital and a very scary surgery above their financial means, there is this baby! Its amazing!

I have never seen this quite so close. I mean I heard about "the miracle of life" / watched the video in science class, but I have been watching this woman get bigger and bigger, bearing immense suffering and worry over this fetus inside her. I saw the ultrasound pictures, I bought baby clothes, I debated baby names. Now this thing that has been a part of Gigi is now its own person, out in the world. And the amazing thing is, that this family can grieve over Gigi's pain and sickness and worry over this tiny baby, and yet still laugh over the fact that the baby's clothes are too big, welcome us in to look at this tiny little alien-like thing, and life goes on as usual. It seems that in my life so far I've been isolated from these nitty-gritty details of life.

My sister is so tired and in so much pain, the suffering of course is immense, but then the joy and relief of this new life is even more immense. I mean I have always thought that fathers with their daughters are adorable, but seeing this baby with her grandfather is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. His gigantic smile and ability to hold this baby loosely but carefully, seemingly the happiest man in the world. All of the money and the pain and the suffering and the worry and the time was worth it. Now the connection between new life and suffering seems so clear.

-------------------------------------------------

ON another note:

I heard some excellent jokes yesterday. They were half in English, half in Arabic and with excellent facial expressions and gestures that are irreplaceable, but nevertheless I think I need to share them as much as I can.

Ok so President Mubarek (of Egypt), Sheik Tantawi (of Al-Azhar University, the foremost Muslim leader in Egypt) and Baba Shenouda (the foremost Christian leader in Egypt) are all in a plane together. Mubarek finds one Egyptian pound under his foot. He picks it up and thinks, hmm, what can I do with this? So he asks Sheik Tantawi, "Oh Tantawi, I found this pound, what should I do with it?" Tantawi says, "you should get two half pounds change and throw them out of the airplane window so you can make two people happy." Mubarek thinks to himself, oh this is an excellent idea. Then he goes to Baba Shanouda and asks, "O Baba, what should I do with this pound?" Baba Shanouda says, "get four quarter pounds and then throw them out of the plain, you will make four people happy." The President thinks to himself, O this is an even better idea. Then he turns to the flight attendant and asks, "I have this one pound, how can I make the most people happy?" and the flight attendant says, "O President, you should jump out of the plane and make 70 million people happy." hahahahaa!

And another:

All of the Egyptian people are gathered on Muqattum mountain (overlooking Cairo). Somehow President Nasser (who is dead), President Sadat (who is dead) and President Mubarek (the current president) are all there. President Nasser asks everyone who loves him to jump off the cliff. About half of the Egyptian people gathered there jump. Then President Sadat asks all the people who love him to jump, about half of the remaining people jump. Then President Mubarek asks all the people who love him to jump, and one person jumps (weeeeeeeeeeee splat). President Mubarek walks down the mountain and finds this man. He says, "what is your name, I want to give you everything because you are the one person who loves me." The man answers, "All I want is to know who pushed me" hahahahaahahahahaaaa!!!!

OK anyway, I think those are great, and I will spare you from the more vulgar one involving President Bush and the King of Saudi Arabia... haha

"Cover your mouth or the devil will make a toilet in your mouth"

This saying was told to me when I open-mouth yawned on the metro. Later, Alissa asked our buddy if he believed in the evil eye, the answer is "of course not!" But when asked,"do you believe that if you don't cover your mouth the devil will make a toilet in it?" "Yes of course! I must! Its true! My mother told me." Greatest saying ever.

So Eunice left, my new roommate Rebecca came, and my friend Erin from back home in Cali is in Egypt for two weeks with her brother. This is exciting. I miss Eunice. I want to make Becca and Erin and Sean feel comfortable and welcomed and not overwhelmed too much.

Its strange how being here with tourists my whole perception of this city shifts again to see it through their eyes. I was walking along the Nile this afternoon with my IPOD, right around 5 PM, the sun is sinking but not setting, the leaves are rustling, not so many people out because its Friday in the afternoon, time for families and praying, walking downtown to meet my driver friend to go to the airport. All of a sudden I just felt so perfect here. Its the weekend, this is my home, this is how life is. And then I had these tourists here. I was so excited to see them. My driver friend was making fun of me for being so excited. And then we took them to their hotel and walked around and walked downtown for dinner. I was all of a sudden so conscious of what was around me, like I had to make it perfect and like it was strange and new again and I was just passing through.

Also, prayers for my old host family from two years ago would be appreciated. Their cousin died and death and grief seem to plague this family excessively, despite them being some of the most amazing, hilarious, generous, genuine people I have ever met.

This brings me back to my current train of thought. Do people get what they deserve in life? We read a story about this in a lot of my classes and I've been talking with students and friends and anyone I can about if this kind of Karma exists. Do people get paid back for their rights and wrongs during this life or the next or somewhere else? Does anyone really have rights and wrongs? Does anyone truly get what they deserve for that reason or is it just consequences and coincidences? I certainly feel like I've gotten way more than I deserve in this life, as I said in my last post. And that brings up the question, how do we know what is the best for us or what we deserve? How do other people know? Ahh! kifeya! (enough)

So last night, my buddy Mohamed and I walked around and sat around Cairo for a good 5 hours where I got some much needed wisdom and encouragement. We discussed how life is unfair, how you always want what you can't have (especially who you can't have), how Egyptians respect foreigners more than themselves, how certain people you just understand, and people who are openly less than perfect are always more pleasant than those who pretend to be perfect, about mistakes in life and guilt and honesty and karma and love and friendship and protectiveness (how it is a beautiful but crippling thing, particularly for Egyptian girls) and telling secrets. I almost cried to hear him say that I should be proud of myself for being different from other foreigners and he was proud to know me, because I cared about what was right and I fight for it and how I am living is a "certificate" of this (his English is best in the banking field where he works, haha).

Since I have been feeling so frustrated about being asked/ demanded to "bend the truth" constantly in work, and to stop being honest with my students because that's not what Egyptians want, since I have been tired because I am just another idealistic college grad, trying to find the intersection between my ideals and reality, since I have been thinking that maybe I never had really good enough reasons to uproot my entire life, leave the people I love and come to the middle east in the first place, these words meant the world to me.

I said, "but I worry that I will either keep fighting and it will be difficult my whole life, or I will give up and it will be easy." This Muslim man says (almost straight out of the Bible), with a little giggle, "don't give up fighting until you have the Championship!" (ok maybe not straight out of the Bible, but pretty darn close). And the clincher.... "you have a very good mind... for a girl." Haha, I laughed quite a lot about this one, and he really didn't understand what was so funny...

my first Egyptian bar

So tonight it was Eunice's last night in town. Her Egyptian buddy Dena, who she calls "my chain-smoking photographer friend" told her about this concert at the Marriott hotel. This hotel is swanky, their slogan is "authentically palatial" (it used to be a french palace or something). We go in, get directed to Harry's Pub. A pub! In Cairo! Now keep in mind, I solemnly swore off alcohol for my year in Cairo, and last time I was here I was told alcohol was illegal, not to mention Haram (forbidden in Islam). But we ended up in Harry's Pub. This Sudanese-American dude was busting out everything from Bob Marley to 50s soft rock, and then some Arabic music in the interludes.

So I knew I missed bars (I haven't been in one since May), but all of a sudden I almost cried at the familiarity. The dim lighting, the Guinness, the live music, scantily clad (meaning not covering everything but their hands and face, as is encouraged by the prophet Mohammed) people awkwardly dancing, people making out, it was amazing! Granted a Guinness cost approximately $11 (55 pounds), which is pretty freakin steep for Cairo, and excluded me from drinking, even if I hadn't solemnly sworn off it. I felt immediately at home and relaxed, and missed home terribly, where I took bars shamelessly for granted.

However, after some much needed girl chat with my roommates (after spending way too much time with Egyptian men and men in general) I was supremely happy to be in Cairo. Then, Alissa and Eunice's boss at the Arab League showed up with these two extremely gorgeous Russian sisters. I was scared, especially when Alissa made a joke about the cold war... However, they were all the friendliest people ever. These women who appeared to be grouchy, potentially anorexic models ordered two carrot cakes and talked with us for a good while about dancing and the Middle East and studying arabic and how you can make a contribution to the world, and posed for pictures with us. Although I think one of them actually was a model in Milan, the other working in Cairo. This is so weird!!! I'm like this random American just graduated from college and I'm hanging out with these Arab League officials, random Russian models, and in this extremely fancy hotel (Mr. S paid for everything though).

This makes me realize that somehow I will always have privilege. I keep trying to run away from it but even here, I can go almost anywhere I want by virtue of being a foreigner. I can speak to almost anyone in a high position because my native language happens to be English and everyone wants to talk to an American (I guess we're in short supply here). I can get a really decent job by Egyptian standards for the same reason. I can get into almost any country with an American passport, including America. I have a college education. I go across the world where I think my connections and background couldn't possibly give me an advantage, I'm an outsider right? But even as a broke, lazy 21 year old I'm treated like I'm wealthy and powerful. I had the thought suddenly in the lobby of the palatial Marriott, that maybe I'm supposed to stop running from this and use it somehow. What can I use this for? And how will I make sure I don't get caught up in it and actually think I'm better than other people just because I'm treated like I am? Ahh too much responsibility!

My friends inform me that I'm finally growing up, which is part of why I'm here and partly just inevitable but at the same time I just want to be able to enjoy life and stop worrying about who I am and how I can use that and making sure I don't needlessly offend or hurt people in the process of my living and enjoying. And how can I really enjoy myself when there are so many suffering? God wants me to be free and rejoice right but can he want me to rejoice in that freedom if others are still in bondage? Am I really that old yet? Argh. I want to be challenged to live life the right way, and as I told Alissa today, its great being here because you are almost free of temptations. But you are only free of those obvious temptations. The more sinister ones, the ones I am more prone to, they are obviously still here. And I refuse to use my co-worker's constant excuse, "It was the devil! Playing in my head!" (complete with simulated devil horns), as amusing and adorable as it is.

How I want to live

So I've had this hazy idea of how I want to live in my head right:

-I want to live simply with just enough money to survive and not be stingy with people
-I want to be involved in a church
-I want to tithe
-I want to be able to take care of myself
-but I also want to rely on God to take care of me
-I want to live as far from selfish motivations as possible
-I want to surround myself with people that are different than me in several ways but who I respect and trust and respect and trust me
-I want to live as close to how Jesus lived and taught as possible
-I want to be able to control my tongue and my actions

Here's how its going:
-So the living simply thing is somewhat forced upon me by my current salary, which is excellent, although my expenditures are still maybe not the most wise all the time, and its limiting my ability to take Arabic class, which is a little sad.

-Getting involved in a church: I've been going every week AND socializing after the service with almost everyone, fighting my long-engrained American/suburban urge to run away right after the last song, separating church into a little peice of my time. Today I sucked up my fear of churches (I've never really been involved in one and when I was younger they were an awkward place of being made fun of and ostracized) and headed over to my church) and headed over there to start volunteering. They gave me an application (which is kinda intense) and told me to come back with it filled in and talk to them about what I wanted to do and when. So I had my application, ok I guess my business is done, I should go home right? But I was like, hey I'm at church, maybe this whole getting involved thing actually involves being at church. SO I kinda sat around on the patio and in the sanctuary for awhile and then was like, hey, Rev Drew said I should go visit him anytime. Usually at home I would take that as a polite invitation to never really visit, but these people seem pretty genuine and hey, its not like the Anglican Reverend will get angry I visited. So I go to say hi, he had a meeting, so it was brief, but I was proud of myself, haha. Then I went to find the Ethiopian Reverend who I had known two years ago and saw again yesterday. I found his office in the corner of the sanctuary and sat and talked to him for probably an hour and a half. He is awesome, and has the best analogies ever, even though his English is definitely a second or third language.

Example:
"If you have a friend, or a boyfriend, someone you love, you call them all the time, "hello, how are you? what are you doing now? I miss you? What do you want?" This is the same with God, he wants to hear your voice. If you don't call God's mobile, he will wonder where you went, why you don't want to talk to him, and if you love him, you will want to talk to him. Praying is very important, personal prayer, not just in church."

Example 2:
"God is like a flower opening inside you're heart, he changes your mind."
This example came with a story:
This one German guy was praying for a beautiful wife every day, every day! He wanted beautiful hair and eyes and a wonderful wife from God, but for a long time, there was no answer. One day this man heard a voice say that his wife would be in this one church at this one time, and to go there. The man went, the church was empty so he waited. Then a woman came and sat on the other side of the church. She was very black. This man prayed to God, "it can't be that woman, she's very black!" but God told him, :"this is your wife." The man was upset and cried but then he went to talk to this woman and found out that their lives were almost the same. They had the same heart and God had told them both to come to this church at this time to meet each other. Now the man says he loves this woman because their hearts are the same.

And relationship advice:
"sometimes it is very bad because the woman is not strong and the man is strong and then Satan comes to the woman and then gets into the man, or the man is not strong and the woman is strong. This is a big problem, very dangerous. If the man and woman are both strong and God is strong with them, then Satan cannot come and they will be happy forever. There are many stories about this. I was going to marry one woman and I prayed to God about it and he showed me a vision that she had a boyfriend in another country. I asked her if she did and she said no. I asked her if she was a Christian, she said yes. I told her God told me about her boyfriend and she said I'm sorry I do have a boyfriend and went away. This is very bad."

so after this I met one of the staff who does work with refugees and he told me I can help with clothes on Thursday and interviews on Monday with him, its very easy and they really need my help, they have been praying for someone to come.

-Tithing: so far ok

-Taking care of myself: I'm still alive and relatively healthy, all of my needs met at the moment

-relying on God to take care of me: One of the reasons I'm here is that's necessary here. The chances for death and dismemberment have got to be in the hundreds every day, and even higher for me as a clueless foreigner, so far as I said, I'm a live and relatively healthy, all my limbs intact. Money is scarce but so far I'm fine.

-as far from selfish motivations as possible: This is difficult. I am probably doing the worst in this regard. I love having my own time and my own space and my own stuff, although I don't love it at the same time. Egypt constantly challenges me to give that up but it also constantly shows me how selfish and cowardly I really am. I do what I want to do, which is great, but also pretty selfish.

-surrounding myself with people different from me but that I respect and trust and vice versa:
This is also difficult because trust and respect take time to build. There a lot of ppl different from me, but really what I'm realizing this time around much more is that people really are all very similar. Egyptians are selfish and loving and in pain and ambitious and apathetic just like anyone else. We all have good and bad and competing characteristics in us. So they're different but so similar too. And I have been spending a lot of time with ppl who speak english between work, church, and my roommates.

-close to Jesus
I hope I'm getting closer. I'm realizing just being here is not gonna cut it, I have to work hard to submit myself to God and what he wants and what other people need and to love others.

-controlling my tongue and actions:
I do think I'm maturing in this regard. I am not blabbing everyone's secrets even when I want to, I am waiting for before I act or talk if I'm not sure its the best, instead of just doing it and apologizing later. But I think life has been teaching me this the hard way more than anything.

SO I hope to keep striving.

Amusing Conversations

today at church directly following the service:

Maher: My name is Maher, I am from Egypt, I am a Christian and a mechanical engineer. I hope you will marry me.
me: awkward laugh
Maher: I have a flat with five rooms by the metro
me: "that's nice, " slowly edging away
Maher: look at my ID card, it says christian, engineer
me: "oh" trying to escape through crowd weaving and talking to other men I kinda know
Maher: "when can I see you again, tonight?"
me: "probably not." ( Hey random old people how are you?)
Maher: "you don't like me?"
me: "I'm confused about what you want."
Maher: "I told you, what is your answer, I want you to marry me."
me: "no"
Maher: "why?"
me: "I'm not looking thanks."
Maher glares at me than turns and walks out of the church complex (seriously did he come to church to find a foreign wife? I thought it was bad in america, but literally 20 seconds after meeting someone)


At work:

A1: "you seem different today."
me: "I went to church?"
A1: "you prayed?"
me: "yes"
A2: "Christians don't pray, they just say, God give me this, God give me that."
me: "that's a strong statement and not true. Sometimes we say God is great, I love you God."
A1: "praying is good, you will go to paradise. O wait, its impossible! haha. In shah Allah I will bring you with me to paradise."
A2: Every Muslim can bring one person, if they can find them. "ya Kristeen, where are you?! haha"
A1: "I will find you. No clothes."
A2: "No clothes on the day of judgment"

A1: "in India the cow is a God. You know VIP? What about VIC? Very Important Cow."

In class:

Me: "what is bad manners in Egypt?"
R: "hitting the animals"
boy #1 in back of class: "this is a common practice. Or kicking cats, we love to kick cats."
boy #2 demonstrates the motion of a lassoo while
boy #3: "or holding them by the tail and throwing them"
R: "My brother was bit by a mouse and then he bit it on the tail."
me: "Do you know hamster? :
A: "like a cute mouse?"
me: "and microwave? In America, we put hamsters in the microwave, they get bigger and bigger and pop!"
(choruses of laughter)

MH: "Can we seperate?"
me: "into different classes?"
MH: no, "can we seperate!? Its my birthday!"
me: "Celebrate! Of course!"
MH: I want to buy u a can

firsts, parties, commonalities

Ok so its been awhile. I'm living in an apartment now, we left the family in El Masaara, and we're having our house warming party tonight. I've been here over a month now and its strange how quickly everything seems so normal and commonplace here now. Ya I go to the market and haggle over the price of a kilo of tomatoes on a donkey cart, measured with weights, while ten higabbed woman try to snatch the basket from me. Ya I am speaking arabic, ya I'm riding the metro squished between pregnant women and ambitious salesmen with "lump sugar," car covers or cell phone trinkets every day. Ya I'm walking home past THE NILE (where Moses floated!), ya I see horse carts full of garbage on the high way driven by 12 year old boys, ya the Muslim call to prayer is blasted over a loud speaker 5 times a day, ya there are weddings in the street at least once a day. And it seems so normal. Last time I was here I remember being in awe of how interesting and exciting and beautiful everything was. Now of course that's still true but also its just life. I commute to work, I work, I commute home, I hang out with friends, I cook and clean and shop, I look forward to the weekend (one day weekend), I talk with a variety of people.

These last couple weeks I've had a lot of firsts though, and a lot of parties. I went to my first actual wedding. Last time I was here I went to an engagement party, but this time it was an actual wedding of one of our friends from the hostel. It was way the heck out in the middle of nowhere almost, near the prison I visited when I was here for MESP. We were riding in the car of a friend of a friend for like two hours. We asked about his wife, which evidently he took as our request that she come to the wedding, along with his ten month old baby. Therefore, we had four American girls and a very chubby, grabby baby in the back seat, with Tamr and his wife bickering in the front. It was a sweet 2 hour roadtrip. The wedding itself was great, except for approximately 65 children surrounding our table, their eyes bigger than the lights strung up over this vacant lot. Dancing, amazing food (they slaughtered their ox, hehe), amazing people. I met the 13 and 9 year old girl cousins of the groom and got their phone numbers and to feed their fat fish (they didn't have names). On the way home with the windows down and the cool country breeze it smelled exactly like San Diego, desert and water and vegetation, and I could see the stars out the window, it made me a little homesick, but I also would never have wanted to miss that moment.

Also this week I had what I would call my first Egyptian slumber party. We went to another wedding with our Egyptian family in El Masaara. After being stuffed with food, hit on by random guys and watching some more dancing and the couple make their way up to their new bedroom amidst ululation, we walked back home and spent the night there. I ended up staying up till the wee hours of the morning talking to my sisters on the floor of their bedroom about everything from setting up an arabic/english study program with them every week to the tragic story of the bride from that night. This bride is the only girl in a family of five boys. Her family doesn't like girls and therefore sent her off to marry her cousin that she didn't really know in Cairo. The family wouldn't even come to the wedding, so our family substituted - they made all the food for the wedding and for the bride the week after. Mama and Baba from our family were very upset about this situation. Mama started crying again because we had moved out. It breaks my heart, that whole family just loves people and attaches to people with all they have. They can't help it. I thought I was bad with over attaching to people, seriously.

Other interesting event - one of my favorite students pulled me aside after class and very discreetly asked me to write her a list of all the parts of the human body, particularly the male and female anatomy, and all the slang words Americans use for going to the bathroom. She said she was embarrassed to ask in class but she wanted to know the non-scientific terms for everything. I agreed to help her, because this woman is not sketchy at all, but how exactly I will go about this I have no idea, and the more I think about it the more hilarious the concept is.

Also, I don't know what it is about me but people have always sought me out for relationship advice even though I have pretty much nothing of experience to draw from. This evidently holds true in Egypt as well (although this might be because everyone knows American girls get around, haha). I guess I'm the person to tell when you screw things up with a girl, but I am always told secretly and never allowed to tell anyone else. Haha. I actually kind of relish this role, being trusted with all these personal problems, even though keeping secrets might actually kill me, as you all probably know.

Wednesday night Eunice and I smoked shisha/drank tea with Egyptian men for the first time (sketchy), but really they're the guys we work with so it wasn't really sketchy, but we knew Dr. Dave our program director would be rolling over in his apartment if he knew what rebels we were. This experience involved giving money to random street children, watching fire swallowing woman, speculating on the identity of this scary rich woman who wore all pink and a miniskirt (this does not happen in cairo usually), and discussing Christianity and Islam, God and the day of judgment, hell and paradise, the Qur'an and the gospels. Oh I love those conversations.

Last night I finally got to really talk with my host brother from MESP. We walked around Zamalek for probably two hours, sat in a cafe for like two hours and then walked around for about another half hour. I finally got to hear his life's story about love and growing up and people changing and grief. He is a great storyteller, even in his second language. I almost cried a couple times. And then I got to have another conversation about God and religion and the Qur'an and the gospels and what religion I would have if I read the Qur'an every day instead of the Bible and why I'm a Christian and America and Egypt and who made the sky and what makes people good.

My friend Erin's coming to visit in about a week! We have our house party tonight! I'm going to start studying whatever Arabic I can for free (with my family and at the school I work at)! I'm going to start volunteering at my church! I'm pretty excited about my life, and its seriously such a good feeling to be able to communicate with someone here, in English or Arabic, when you can see that spark of recognition of humanity between each other. And its such a great feeling to be able to do things (buy nails to decorate our house, find our internet company and get technical support to set up our internet, buy an ethernet cord, teach English in an enjoyably way to Egyptian judges working for Children's rights as well as girls my age sick of their overbearing fathers and engineers and tour guides and university students, tell and understand an inside joke in another language, take care of myself). So life here is of course exciting and rewarding but at the same time I realize as I was telling Mohammed yesterday, no one here knows me that well. I miss people who know who I am and I know who they are and there are years of built up trust between us. Here that doesn't exist yet and even when I leave there won't have been enough time for that, although trust is slowly being built.

I should go make my tomato cucumber salad for this party...