The Road Nine Club

Look, here's the front of our building. We live on the top, the apt with the satelite (classy).

Leah, Mondro and I walked the few blocks to Lucille's for breakfast this morning. I took the opportunity to take some pictures along our street, Road 9. People are very friendly. The shopkeepers wave and smile now that they recognize us (not that it took very long). The pharmacy downstairs repeated over and over again that if there was anything we needed just let them know and they could get it for us. The electrician two blocks down the street let us take several items on I.O.U. until our payday because we are "neighbors". Living on Rd 9 often feels like you belong to a little club. The Pharmacy said "we are like family."







This morning was our first visit to Lucille's. We enjoyed fresh squeezed orange juice, coffee, and a big ol' plate of eggs, chicken fried chicken, hashbrowns and toast. It's now after 2pm and I'm nowhere near hungry.







Poor Leah has a cold. It's going around the school like an epidemic. I've had allergy problems for over a month, so maybe I'll be spared? Does it work that way?









Last night, Arthur and I went later than usual for his nightly walk. The sounds and smells of Ramadan were out in full force. Ma'adi is a quiet neighborhood, so this really just means that we see the Ramadan lanterns along the street, that we hear the occasional fire cracker, and that the shop keepers and "security guards" are breaking their fast together (iftar). Security guards is in quotes because I don't really know what these guys do. Unemployment in Egypt is quite high so there are usually 2 or 3 0r 4 people doing what 1 person could do. There is no concept of multitasking. For example, on one of our first outings Leah and I went to Radio Shack. It is a perfect example of what happens all the time here. One of the guys spoke English and was helping us pick out our phones. I guess he was in charge though, because when other customers came into the shop he would stop helping us and turn his attention to them. BUT THERE were TWO other guys working there... just smiling and standing there. I dunno. But it shines new light on the pre-Egypt advice I was given by veterans:, "you will need patience to live here." The country runs on an entirely different sense of time. Every appointment we've had with our landlord, he's been almost exactly one and a half hours late. everytime.

Alright, I'm closing now. I'll leave you with this smoggy photo of the pyramids taken from my balcony........ bye.

Before and After

Cousin Robin made me want to find photos of the apartment to show you the "before" and "after". It still has a long way to go, but look at that fabric on the living room couch things...!!! I am sitting here in the living room with our landlord. The after can be found in my next blog, where I am sitting on the recovered couch with Arthur. whew, what a difference. And Leah got us a great deal on the fabric at the market in Cairo. The guy who recovered the cushions did it in two or three days! All twelve cost about 75 dollars, fabric and labor! Some things are so cheap here. Don't try to buy U.S. brand cookies or chips though. Cheetos or Oreos could set you back 8 bucks per package!

Ain Souhkna and Ramadan

Life here is finally starting to develop a routine and I've been able to explore a little, esp since Mondro is here.

One of our first stops was to see the ball park here in Ma'adi. It is quite the experience since you can wear shorts, eat hotdogs and drink beer. Once you enter the park you might forget you are in Egypt... until the call to prayer sounds out, echoing around the sound of the cracking bat.

I have a grocery store, a pet store, and a fruit/veg stand I like that are all a short walk from the apartment. We also found a dry cleaner (they pickup and deliver and are super cheap, 9 items for six dollars). However, I still feel very new to the area and like I need some down time to really get settled into the apartment, to start some routines and daily rituals, like the studio.


We went to the Red Sea last weekend and before that, into Cairo a couple times on the train, once for an art opening.















Ramadan began Saturday while we were in Ain Soukhna, a beach resort off the coast of the Red Sea. It was a very relaxing trip. I did absolutely nothing other than sun by the pool and on the beach. The breeze coming off the water was great.



Mondro took lots of photos and was nice enough to share 'em. He took this one of the billboard from the bus window.







During Ramadan everyone fasts during the day, even small children. There is no eating or drinking, not even water or bread, from sun up (around 4:30 a.m. people will get up to break the fast) to sun down (most eat again around 7:00 p.m.). .

..But then come the nightly parties when the fast is broken and tons of food is consumed. I'm pretty much ready for bed by the time the partying begins, so it hasn't effected me too much. During the month of Ramadan the work day is an hour shorter (yeehaw) and most businesses close early. The one liquor store in town will be closed for the entire month. Good thing I had Mondro make that trip with me to Duty Free. Although I haven't been drinking much at all, even at the beach.

The other obvious result of Ramadan is that our students are sleepy from staying up even later than the culture is already accustomed to, that they are grouchy from no food, and that I eat on the sly. Obviously, nonmuslims are the minority and out of respect should refrain from eating or drinking in public during the day. Leah has decided to try this Muslim version of fasting for at least a week. So, that's my experience of Ramadan, so far, all two days it... I'll leave you with some more photos of Ain Soukhna.


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:( I'm homesick. Please email me or leave me comments. k?










Photo credit goes to Mondro for the photo of Arthur and I, the subway photos, the ballpark photo, the raft photo and these last photos of yours truly. Thanks man! :)

apt pics and recent stuff

My Newest News:

Mondro made it into Egypt after 3 wks of partying in Thailand. He'll be here through oct 2nd. He's wondering where the night life is.

We've had a few adventures... We rode the subway from Maadi into Cairo. Less than a dollar there and back. It was mine and Leah's first time as well. The disparity between poverty and wealth, between east and west, is indescribable. in the span of one hour i saw huge, hind quarters of raw meat being unloaded from the bed of a small pickup truck and hung in front of a store, to sitting at the bar at TGIFriday's with all it's american memorabilia flopping off the walls. This particular TGIF is next to a place called Merryland. Strangest carnival type amusement park I may ever see. photos from that day to follow.

This coming weekend, Mondro, Leah and I are going with a group of 70 teachers from school to Ain Soukna on the coast. we had to get an advance on our pay, but I've heard it is well worth it. Only 200 dollars for transportation to and from, and two nights in a swanky resort hotel, The Stella Di Mare Beach Hotel. guess i could wear my bikini if I hadn't left it in Germany. :) oh well!

the apartment is shaping up. here are pictures.







living room (to the right) with dining room table














living room to the left with tv area (you can see a bit of the balcony too)








my bedroom furniture.
I can't believe how nice it looks in this photo.
Quite deceptive!









and here are some of AISE kiddos in Ms. Maxwell's art room.

Bedouin Markets Sell More Than You'd Think

Nancy had been on a tour that Leah and I missed due to excessive apt. hunting. So, she offered to take us there since she needed to go back anyway to pick up some dishes she was crazy for. The shop is great, and the owner is very warm and friendly. Unfortunately, he took quite a liking to Leah (and myself) and so "friendliness" soon turned into flirting. I don't really know how to explain what happened... It sounds worse than it is, but basically Leah and I were offered marriage by a very wealthy friend of the owner's. Whatever.

The bad part is that we didn't want to burn bridges at this store because we knew we wanted his hanging lamps for our apartement, as well as various other cool items he sells. AND of course it put us in a slightly uncomfortable situation when he gives us all items at wholesale prices, insists . He says we are like family to him, that he doesn't know why he feels so comfortable with us and that he is rich enough and doesn't need to make a profit, that we just pay his cost. So, you can see the dilemma??

Anyway, we gracefully declined the wedding invitation, explained that such offers made us uncomfortable, and things have calmed down a bit since then. It's all a learning experience, right?











And here is the "Grand Mall". Elements of a flea market and Houston's "Galleria" all rolled into one.

Felluca, Just Like Heaven

So you can go to the pier by the Nile, you know, the one just past the TGIFriday's, and rent a Felluca. Leah and I were invited for a quiet evening with some friends who had planned on going. So everybody brings a beverage or some food and then you just sit back, relax and watch the world slowly float by. The sunset was amazing, as you can see.

We were invited by the nicest couple, Bob and Martha, who were so generous and helpful while all the newbies got settled. They had also invited Nancy, the woman who put Leah and I up for nearly two weeks, and another friend of theirs who Leah and I had never met. "The Family" was also invited. They were the second-to-last folks to find an apt. The third to last group, three guys who decided to team up, were known as "they guys". Leah and I were, you guessed it, "the girls"... so Leah and I really bonded with "the family" (Marian, Steve, Babbet and Raul) during the last couple of days of apartment hunting, and it's always a treat to hand out with them. Their kids are so great. They've lived all over, Amsterdam, central Africa, etc. and seem to just "go with the flow".
This is the very sweet Babbet (left) and (right) a photo of Raul and Martha.


















I was in a picture taking mood since I've not been toting the camera around as much lately, so here are several from the Felluca Evening. :) Babbet looks just like her father, Steve, and Raul looks just like his mother, Marian.












We only stayed out an hour and a half, but it was perfect! A little wine, some hummus, pita, cheese, etc, the sunset, a festive wedding celebration after dark on the bank nearby.... ahhhhhh. If I didn't feel lucky before...









I think this family lives on this boat. I was just snapping away, and didn't realize the little girl was putting her nickers back on until looking at the photo on the computer.









Thanks for the invitation Bob and Martha! You made my weekend!

new apt and turning 32

I celebrated my birthday with new friends, all of which are teachers at the American International School in Egypt (AISE). Because of the intensity of the situation, many of us have become amazingly close in a short amount of time. It feels like I've been here for months.

Look at that freakin' cake. I can't believe the fire power I created with my age. Jen, a very sweet coworker of mine, baked the cake of all chocolate cakes. It is even more poinant because quality baking supplies are difficult to find here, and candles are non existant. Another teacher donated the candles that she brought from home. They're all so thoughtful and amazingly generous. Friends and family that intend to visit me should pack bday candles. (More requested items to follow. ) ;)



Leah, my housemate, and I invited everyone over to our brand spankin' new apartment last night, our 4th night in the place. We were the last teachers to find housing. Nearly half found something on the first day... but that is another unbelievable story for another blog.

We are so happy in the space and finally feel like it was worth all the stress, waiting and hard work. Here's my pink on pink on PIIINK bathroom. I'll take a 6th story , street front, nile river and pyramid view from a balcony over a tasteful restroom any day. The entry way looks a 150% better. We put the largest chandelier there, instead of the living room. We decided to just "go with" the over the top, yellow-gold mirror and table. I painted "welcome" in the long, waste of space hall that leads to the bedrooms. The ceilings are all office tiles in this half of the apt, so we got creative with fabric. Going to the fabric souk (sp?) was an experience. It was my first trip to Cairo proper, which is very different than Maadi, where I live. The section we went to is famous for their miles and miles of fabric. Leah, who speaks no Arabic, was a pro at haggling for better prices (maybe from the year she spent in Guatemala?). She and the fabric guy (who spoke no English) passed the calculator back and forth until the price came down from 48 LE (egyptian pound) a meter to 17 LE per meter!! We got the 12 meters of hall fabric and enough to recover the 12 couch cusions (26 meters) for around 550 LE, about 100 dollars.

In the studio and my bedroom I'm going to try wall papering the ceiling for something different.

The party was great. It was nice to meet outside of school and talk about something other than work. Also, it was fan-tas-tic having other people acknowledge all the hard work we've put into the apt the last week. Several of them saw the dump that it was before the realtor took it on: a maid for 3 days, a plumber, three men painting, a carpenter and an electrician were constantly in and out from the day we signed (the first) until yesterday. It feels good to lay around with Arthur, drink coffee and use the computer in my own place. :)

Our kitchen is the envy of many teachers. One as large as ours is very difficult to come by in Egypt. And even though our fridge leaks, the wood under the sink is rotted through, and the cabinets are still sticky with filth, and the florescent lights make me wanna hurl, it has come a long, long way in just a few days. At least the cabinet doors don't fall on our heads now when we open them.



The subway is far enough down that we don't really hear it. I've been told that riding it is quite the experience. It's only 5 dollars for the hour trip to Cairo. Nancy, the woman who let us stay w/ her while we waited for our apt, went with several people to the opera house to see a jazz performance. She said that tickets to the best seats in the house cost about 5 or 6 dollars, and that the building is gorgeous.




Most people had been at the ball park all day. There was a mens' softball tournament, and our guys made it to the finals, so most people didn't come by until 10ish. I haven't been to the ball field yet, but I am looking forward to it. Rumor has it that you can wear shorts and tank tops and that they have beer and hotdogs. wow!

(notice Mr. Arthur making his rounds? He snapped at all the right people.)




We have a great view of the sunset from our balcony. And on clear days we can see the pyramids off in the sandy distance. This photo of the moon was taken from the other side of the apartment, from my studio window. Notice the satelite dishes? They are ontop of most buildings. Some rooftops have a dozen or so crammed together, all facing the same way, like a captive audience searching for something in the distance.


Ok, that's all for now. Love to all! I'm missing everyone more than ever now that things are quieting down. Please update me when you get a chance. :) angela