It's late but I'm up listening to my new Egyptian obsession: this song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YimggIlkpqY&feature=PlayList&p=24D1E4BE69FED7B1&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=57. Noelle and I have Googled the lyrics and keep watching the video while trying to sing the lyrics. The Arabic words are slippery little suckers; I think I've only nailed two full lines. The rest I fumble on a delay drastically behind the singer.
Ryan, Noelle, her friend Kelly visiting from New York, and I met some amazingly kind Egyptian family friends tonight. We were taken to Starbucks to hang out for a few hours before grabbing some local Egyptian cuisine - koshary - all the while practicing our favorite Arabic phrases, which for Noelle means insults. Now when Noelle tells me she hates me, is going to kill me, or that I have an ugly face, I can say, "You have a bad heart," "Get out of my head," and "Excuse me?! Look in the mirror!" It's very funny convincing proper, grown Egyptian men to laugh and shout insults with us. Noelle has a way of winning over the hearts of everyone she comes into contact with, while I sit back and can do nothing but laugh at the absurd exchanges.
Kristen (my cousin) visited last week, giving my life some much-needed family presence. We had a great time exploring grandiose religious buildings, touring the pyramids, and simply enjoying the day-to-day encounters with friendly shopkeepers and strolls around Garden City. I think Kristen's favorite things ranged from the fresh juice bars scattered all over Cairo to galloping across the desert next to the pyramids on horseback. It was a shocking experience to hear "Ala..HOP!!" screamed from our guide behind us and feel the horse beneath me tear off with seemingly reckless abandon. The English style saddle was unfamiliar and unforgiving against my tailbone, and it was all I could do maintain balance on the speeding horse. At the same time, the canter was remarkably smooth and I never actually thought I would fall off. Maybe it was because the horses were skinnier than those back home so I could wrap my legs around more easily. We were sure to pick a stable that one of our Egyptian friends frequented and trusted, because some other stables treat their horses so poorly that I wouldn't dare to share the details.
It was an incredible rush, racing across the sand into the seemingly infinite horizon. Glancing over my right shoulder, in fleeting moments of confidence, my dusty view of the pyramids enhanced their mystical aura. Glancing to my left and ahead of me, Ryan and Kristen racing on the sleek horses at full speed was like something out of an old movie, something I never dreamt I'd see with my own eyes. That is how the desert strikes my disbelieving eyes every time - as if I am inside of a cartoon like Aladdin rather than standing in a real place that is as real and natural to the Earth as the woods of Virginia.
A couple days ago Ryan and I had our three-year anniversary, which we celebrated by dressing up and going out to lunch at a Lebanese Restaurant down the road, then to a movie theater to see Slumdog Millionaire (powerful flick; I approved). You may think this is a normal night out, but we were pretty psyched to track down a movie theater and make a date out of it.
To my great angst, I'm still awaiting the beginning to my days as an employed (read: not worthless) member of society. I have a couple good part-time teaching jobs that will start in a month, and hopefully I can find some private tutoring opportunities within that time. I was considering going to the beach for my birthday on Wednesday, but it's too stressful to travel when I'm not earning an income. I know I'll be fantasizing about my former days full of free time once I am a slave to my job during the hot long workdays in Cairo, but I can't help be antsy until I start working.
Job hunting has been a frustratingly long process that demands my utmost patience and constant self-assurance. I won't bore or worry anyone with the ups and downs I experience at times, worn down by the constant flow of obstacles of living here. I'm proud of all the hurdles we've made but become disheartened at each new task that comes my way, even just going out to grab lunch and feeling all the stares that reiterate how out of place I am here. Sometimes I fantasize about being home in the arms of various family members or friends, as if I could regain my strength and comfort back home in just a couple days and return reinspired to face this life in Egypt with enthusiasm and ease. I feel ashamed for my frequent self pity...At the same time I realize that recognizing my true feelings is important for processing them and moving forward. I have been reading What Is The What, an incredible book by Dave Eggers about the Sudanese Lost Boys - I highly recommend it - and I'm trying to remember not to complain about the little things, or even the things that seem like such big problems in my life. All I can do is be responsible in my job pursuits and try harder to take joy in all that is around me and overcome my homesickness and anxieties when they strike. Any random messages or updates from home that can be spared are always uplifting and appreciated ;) I'll attach some more random photos from various outings around Cairo, some with my roommates Noelle (from NYC) and John (from England). There are tons more on Facebook if anyone's curious...
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