Meet Sim Sim! Sim Sim is my street cat. Well, mine and Ahmed's. This cat was an ity, bity kitten on the street when Ahmed and I started feeding her. She is supposed to be white, but she is VERY dirty, and looks like a mess, but we love her. I am sure my neighbors are not happy with me. Egyptians are not interested in animals, and they are known to treat them badly. The only reason my neighbors haven't said anything is they know I have been feeding her. She had kittens and they are on the third floor of the building next door to the travel agency. The office manager is not to happy as she is frightened of cats. I am hoping that Sim Sim will move her brood out soon. We have lots of cats and stray dogs in Cairo and they either get shot, poisoned or beaten. It is a shame and very sad, but if one sees the way the human population is treated, you can fully understand the way animals are treated. A few years back, I found a stray dog in the neighborhood that was very friendly. He was well-liked by some of the other neighbors, and even one lady named him Bebo! Bebo would walk with me to school and then go and meet and greet someone else. I thought Bebo stood a chance since there was a large interest in him, but one day, after missing Bebo for a school walk, I inquired with another neighbor on an adjacent street. She said that some of the neighborhood street kids were irritating and aggravating him and he started growling at them, so he was shot on the street. I was heartbroken, and my husband told me something I never forgot. "You see the way we treat our people, do you think an animal is going to fare better?" and he was right. I never forgot that. I will continue to try to care for Sim Sim until she meets here fate. Her kittens will probably move on to another neighborhood. I hope they find a nice person to care for them as I have their mom!!
Until next time,
A Woman of Egypt

This, my dear friends, is a dust storm. We have been suffering from these for the past month on a weekly basis. If you will look back in my blog you will see the same square in which I live, minus the dust. On a clear day, without smog and/or a dust/sand storm I can see the Citadel. We have been plagued with this type of weather for a while and I keep telling my husband this summer in Cairo will be terrible. I am sure we will have deadly heat waves with the temperature soaring around 50C. When a dust storm rolls into the city you can usually see it and smell it coming. It gets stifling hot, with hot, blowing winds which bring the dust in like a rolling tumbleweed. A sandstorm is the same...you can see nothing but yellow in the air, and the smell of sand and dust is extreme. It is not pleasant to be out in and the problem remains that they can come in so quickly. One sunny, pleasant afternoon, I was walking in the track at the club and all of a sudden a hot blast of wind bore down upon me and I looked around, and sure enough the sand and dust was rolling in from 6Th of October. In a matter of seconds, large umbrellas had blown away from tables and into the track, chairs were blown over, and people were scrambling for cover. I was a bit miffed with myself, as I had left the kitchen windows slightly open that morning, and I had a mess to clean up when I got home. I had a dustbin full of sand to clean up on my balcony that day as well. In my 39 years, I have experienced many of Allah's natural disasters ...hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, fish kills, and sand/dust storms. Insha Allah, I am finished with the later for this year's Khamaseen. Twice a week for the past month is more than enough for my respiratory system and housecleaning needs.

Until next time,

A Woman of Egypt

Last week we celebrated Sham El Nessime. Basically, Sham El Nessime welcomes spring. Translated, it means "smelling the breeze." Egyptians spend the day out with family and friends, enjoying a salted fish, Ringa (seen on the right) and another type of fish called Faseekh, which has a heavy smell, like rotten fish. I myself, eat Ringa, which is what we in America call sardines or kippers. I pass on the faseekh. The day can be spent with family at our clubs here in Cairo, on a felluca cruising the nile, or at a cafe. It really doesn't matter as long as your enjoying the day outside. Emad and I went to Hurghada during this Eid, and I enjoyed my time there very much. I love upper Egypt more than the north coast. I wouldn't mind retiring in this area. Hurghada is a small city located on the Red Sea. One can live, work and enjoy the sea at the same time. I still have Ringa in my fridge, which I am sure we will be snacking on for the next 3 weeks.The thing about Sham El Nessime is that we never really have a spring here. We go from winter to summer here in Egypt, with some sand and dust storms thrown in the middle. One can always be assured to enjoy all the tastes and textures of Sham El Nessime in Egypt, rotten fish and all.

Until next time,

A Woman of Egypt

These ladies are part of the nursing staff at one of Cairo's hospitals. Medical staff here in Egypt do not make that much money. It is not unusual for them to ask you to buy foul, tamea and some salad for breakfast. The problem is not buying this group breakfast, as the cost was probably no more than $1.50. The problem is that as soon as you leave your home, you have someone on the street asking you to give them money, the garage attendant has a sad story, you sit in traffic and people come to your window to ask for money, you drive up to your destination and the person at the gate, door, parking attendant..needs some money. You go inside the building and it is the same thing. I read a newspaper article last week on inflation in Egypt. In 2006, the average cost of goods increased 160%. That includes, bread, milk, fruits, vegetables, etc. The article also mentioned that in the past 14 years, cost had only risen 50%. I knew my household expenses had increased, and that my one frivolous expense of getting a manicure and pedicure twice a month had increased 25 LE per visit. I have since decided to whittle that down to once per month. I cannot pay 160 LE a month for a manicure and pedicure, when most Egyptians make this as a salary for the month. I am not one that spends a lot of time pampering herself, or spending money in a foolish, silly manner, but if I can feel the impact on my personal expenses, I can only imagine how the average Egyptian must suffer. The same newspaper article had statistics for malnutrition, children suffering from anemia, and the stats on those living in squalor. The numbers are overwhelming and sad. I love Egypt, but I do feel sad when I think about her future. I sat down with my husband the other day and we averaged out how much we "could" spend on daily handouts for all the poor on the street, at work, in transit, etc that approached us on the street. Together we could spend 1, 500 LE a month on daily handouts. That is more than my husbands salary at the hospital, and more than I allocate for my personal and household expenses for a month. I don't know what the answer is for the vast socioeconomic problems that we have here in Egypt. My solution is to take care of those in my neighborhood, my workplace, my building, and my home. I never throw food away, I pass out clothing when possible, and I try to do what I can for those around me. I think if every home in Egypt did the same thing, it may make our lives a bit better. I keep reminding myself that things could be worse, that some people live in more difficult circumstances. Many times I get tired of the begging, and I give them some tough, harsh words. I then feel guilty..it is a vicious cycle. I think this is one of the reasons why I love living here so much, everything in this country is tangible. You "feel" your life everyday here in Egypt. Maybe not always in beauty and harmony, excitement and adventure, but in the end it is all tangible.

Until next time,

A Woman of Egypt

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Everyone, meet Ahmed. Ahmed is the most important man in our building. He is our bowab. Ahmed is married and has 5 kids. He lives in the basement of our building. I can't imagine my life without Ahmed. He runs all the errands that you do not want to. He goes to the vegetable market, the grocery store, the meat market, he pays our phone bills, he gets our newspapers, he takes care of my street cat, he deals with the trash people. Basically....Ahmed keeps my life running smoothly. Not every building has a bowab like Ahmed. Ahmed has been with my husbands family for the past 21 years. You can trust Ahmed with your house keys, money (large amounts), family members and pets. He always takes care of my birds, guinea pig and fish when we go on holiday. When my mother-in-law had heart surgery 3 years ago, she introduced Ahmed as the owner of our building. We are lucky to have him. Most bowabs don't stay that long at buildings, and they do nothing but sit at the door all day. I think one of the major reasons why Ahmed is so awesome is that he is from Upper Egypt. He is decent and loyal compared to some educated Caireenes. Ahmed doesn't read very well, he is like the majority of the poor here, illiterate. Once my sister-in-law caught him outside of the door of our building with my English newspaper in hand. She said he had it open right down the middle and was acting as though he could read it. She said "Mmmmm, next time check the pictures to make sure it is right side up, ya Ahmed." We all got a laugh from that, but illiterate or not, we love Ahmed very much and are happy to consider him a part of our family. Ahmed is also well known in our neighborhood. He knows all the information, tid bits of gossip, breaking news, comings and goings, businesses opening and closing and everything in between. He is primary source of information, the news has nothing on our Ahmed. We always laugh when we talk about moving back to the US.."Ok, but there is no Ahmed in the states!!!" So true.

Until next time,

A Woman of Egypt

Eid Mubarak! We made it through another year of Ramadan. Insha allah, God will accept all the good deeds, fasting and prayers of the Muslims during this period of time. I was relieved to come to the end. I was growing tired and weary of the slow pace and being stuck to the house. The traffic was a nightmare, if you can only imagine it worse than a regular day. Everyone's moving like a mummy, and I start getting irritable prior to Iftar. By the time you break fast, one just wants to sleep. Thirty days is surely long enough for me, I don't know how Jesus and many others did it for longer periods. I finally got a chance to go out and search for my new laptop. I have decided to purchase a new laptop since mine is unable to support new software and other technological gadgets. I hate to spend the money, but sometimes we have to do so. Yesterday was the first day of our feast. We went to Carrfoure out on the desert road (Carrefoure is a French version of Walmart) and it was completely packed. I hate to shop in a crowd, and Egyptian families move in herds. If you wish to get a can of Tuna, you have to push into a family of at least 8 to get to what you need. They are not buying, just spending time and enjoying. We went to check out the computers and printers...and ended up buying everything else but that. I even came home with new pillows for our bed.....this was not in my plan. We got home around 2:00 am and I still do not have my new PC or printer. The frustrating part is that when I buy this PC with all the whizbang features, in a couple of months it will be outdated! This will be my third laptop since 1999. The first was a Toshiba, the current one is a Sony, and I guess after my survey last night, the next will be a Hewlett Packard. I will keep you posted to my shopping adventures for regarding electronics. Should be interesting!
Until next time,
A Woman of Egypt

This is the entrance to my building. Everyday when I walk out this door I take a taxi. I am sure I have a photo of a taxi somewhere in my photo collection, I just need to locate it. You can flag a taxi even before you step out of the entrance. As I am a Kwagga (foreigner) they are always ready to stop as they think they will get an increased fare. As soon as I speak to them in Arabic, they are all quite disappointed. They see their increased fare going out the window. I keep telling everyone my days will end in a taxi here in Cairo. No need for a terrorist attack. General transport is all that is necessary. Most of our taxis are over 20 years old and still have the manual steering. Along with the manual steering, most of the gears are located on the steering column. They are held together by some string, glue and lots of welding. The springs stick through the seats and they pick and tear your clothes. The vehicle is cooled by open windows, which during the summer allows nothing but hot, dusty, polluted air into your already congested lungs. During the trip, one can enjoy the smell of exhaust and gas fumes which are circulated through the return fan on the engine, not to mention sweat dripping down the back of your legs. My husband uses a taxi perhaps twice a year. He spends the rest of the year complaining about them and wonders how I can stand using them two or three times a day. It is strange what one person can adjust himself too, honestly. I find them to be quite handy. You walk out the door, tada..a taxi...you get picked up and dropped right in front of the building you wish to visit. No circling the block for a parking space for 40 minutes, no arguing when someone hits, scratches, dents, wrecks your car. I have been in several taxi accidents and I have witnessed some terrible things on these streets. I am sure to see my end in one of these vehicles, but until then....I will keep sweating it out, cursing under my breath, and arguing with them about fare. I will just keep praying that nothing will happen as we careen around the city, with loose bearings, no breaks, over heated engines, and a jerry rigged transmission.
until next time,
A Woman of Egypt

My husband had a very enlightening conversation with my mother-in-law the other day. It seems she was complaining about the fact that I am not very "entertaining" in the evenings when she comes over. My husbands explanation was so clear and concise, I feel I need to share it with you all. Emad told my MIL exactly this..."Stephanie is a foreigner, she does not bother herself with people. She takes care of her responsibilities and that is it. If she wants to sleep, she will sleep, if she wants to eat, she will eat, if she wants to taker her shower she will take her shower. She will not drop what she has to do, just to sit and entertain you, or me, or anyone else for that matter."
I wasn't surprised she had complained. I do go to bed very early as I love to read for about one hour prior to sleeping. I am normally asleep during school nights by 10:00. Most of the time, I fall asleep with the light on and Emad has to come in and shut it off. I was aware my husband knew me quite well, but I thought about what he said. Egyptians by nature, love people. They will make large efforts to entertain their guests in a grand fashion. If you go to their home, they will serve you to their maximum ability. I used to be somehow like this when I lived in South Carolina. I was a Martha Steward wannabe. Since living in Cairo, I have changed this position. I find that I am busy from 6:00 am until 9:00 pm and I am not sure exactly how I spent my time. I don't have the time for the small details and I just focus on what I deem to be most important. My MIL just shrugged her shoulders, and I am sure she cannot recall the conversation. I have tried to be a bit more attentive regarding her visits. I try not to jump up and start putting clothes away, or unloading the dishwasher, etc. I try to remind myself that the most important things in our life are the relationships we have with the people around us. Leaving a load of clothes, or the dishwasher loaded for an extra 30 minutes will not make any difference if the world stopped rotating. The "could have" and "should have " though, is more than I want to consider. I have to remind myself, I am living in a community that is very communal and led by emotional charges and they do take it personally. I need to respect their societal norms on all occasions and not just a few.
A Woman of Egypt

I found a wonderful Chinese proverb that I just love. It goes...."If there is light in the soul, there will be beauty in the person. If there is beauty in the person, there will be harmony in the house. If there is harmony in the house, there will be order in the nation. If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world."

A Woman of Egypt

I finally had a chance to read my September 2006 Oprah Magazine I bought at the JFK airport. Very nice magazine and quite inexpensive. I found a wonderful poem inside and I feel the need to share it with someone. It is found on the cover of the September calendar located on the inside of the magazine.

Live Your Best Life

I will not die an unlived life.

I will not live in fear

of falling or catching fire.

I chose to inhabit my days,

to allow my living to open me,

to make me less afraid,

more accessible,

to loosen my heart

until it becomes a wing,

a torch, a promise.

I choose to risk my significance,

to live so that which came to me as seed

goes to the next as blossom,

and that which came to me as blossom,

goes on as fruit.

Dawna Markova

Until next time,

A Woman of Egypt

I heard a very good suggestion on how to end the problems between Palestine and Israel. The United States should buy Palestine. It probably wouldn't take much money to buy the country. America would then fly the American flag alongside the Palestinian flag. We would provide the same services to Palestinians as are provided to Americans. The education system would improve, we could install American teachers. The problems with Israel will stop immediately as their closest ally has just bought the house next door. I am sure they would never argue with us about border problems. This in turn would eliminate Hezbollah's and Hamas influence in Palestine, since their would be no need for them any longer as Palestinians would receive the same services provided to Americans. No need for suicide bombers, as the quality of Palestinian life would improve. No need for Israel to meddle around the borders, as we are his best friend and ally that bought the house next door. No need for Americans to worry, as we can implement freedom and democracy as we deem to be proper and true. No middle man, no UN, no hidden agendas. We just buy the country, and start running it like a business. I say why not? I have to admit when I first heard the idea I thought...You have to be kidding, buy Palestine, that cesspool, that lost place with with its lost people. BUT, then I saw a picture of some campers lined up in rows in New Orleans where people have been living in them for a year now. I thought...really, what is the difference between those poor lost people in New Orleans compared to the ones living in Palestine. The ones in New Orleans are living better with better services and have access to an education and are never far from a free meal. I say why not buy Palestine?? I think it would be a better investment of money than Iraq. That is a no brainer...just look at the benefits if we bought the country. If Hamas or Hezbollah's social services network could reach it's long, loaded tentacles down to New Orleans and provide what it does to the ones living in campers in New Orleans...who do you think all those campers, squatters, and homeless individuals would be crying for??? I don't think they would be crying out for the US government. Would you??

A Woman of Egypt

I noticed that the new fall TV programs are being advertised on television. It seems in a couple of weeks we will have lots of new "reality" TV shows. It seems that we will have a survival show with people divided into ethnic groups, some families will be allowing the world to see their lack of parenting skills, and a nice show called "Bridzillas" has joined our new fall lineup. I can only imagine what this one is about. Sarcasm aside, I am glad that Dubai is airing these programs as it is much better than watching local television stations and 10 year old movies. It also helps me to retain my humor, as in all honesty I see reality on a daily basis here. One of the things that I noticed while in the states was the fact that I felt completely cut of from the rest of the world. It wasn't merely the fact that the news is lacking in some areas, but primarily I feel it is because Americans are so insulated from the rest of the world. I really have no idea how we created this cocoon around ourselves there, but we managed to do so. I wish we could create that atmosphere here, honestly. Most assuredly it has a lot to do with the fact that the US is a huge continent bordered mainly by water. You do not leave one state and enter into another culture or language. Consider that Italy is about the size of North Carolina. To go from North Carolina to South Carolina, is not a big deal. To leave Italy and go to France is a major change. In the states, you are never far from a free meal. There is a church, or a soup kitchen, or mission open to make sure people eat. We even have Meals on Wheels to feed and serve the elderly. In Egypt, you can step outside of your door and find at least 6 people around you that haven't the money to eat. This is my reality TV show and I see it consistently every day. I NEVER throw food away. If I have a spoon of food left, I put it in a styrofoam container and give it to my bowab to give to someone on the street. Egyptians are not known to doggie bag, but I do. I have asked for doggie bags in restaurants, which is HIGHLY unusual here, and as soon as I exit the restaurant I always find someone to give it to and they are eating it before I can go three steps down the street. I think reality TV should come and do "A day on the life of..." here in Egypt. That would be an eye opener. They do not have to search for a contestant. The first person they meet would be a good contender. Alas, I will soon see what the new fall programs have to offer for entertainment. Checking into someone else's reality for an hour will be a nice change.
Until next time,
A Woman of Egypt

I am spending time with my MIL (mother-in-law) this evening. We are having popcorn and watching an old Egyptian film. My MIL is suffering from Cardiovascular disease, which is unfortunately exacerbated by Alzheimers. Egyptians do not put their elderly into nursing homes. They feel that to not take care of their elderly would be dishonorable. I do understand this concept, but I am not sure it is practical. For instance, many times my MIL leaves the gas on her stove and has burned many pots and pans. We have been fortunate, as we can always smell the gas or the acrid smell of a pot or the rubber handle of a pan. Sometimes my MIL sleeps until noon, which means her morning medicines are given to her late. Just two days ago, my bowab (porter of the building) came to me and said that the "Hajja" had called him and that she had fallen in her home. I was the only one in the building at the time, and I had no key to get in. I called my husband who came as quickly as he could. El homdulela, she was ok and hadn't broken anything. If she was in a nursing home, or a long term care facility the same incident could have happened, but the reaction time would have been better. I do understand that to not care for your elderly relatives is a shame, as well it should be. I am just not sure if families during this time period are able to do so to the advantage of the elderly. As I sit and enjoy my popcorn and film with my MIL, I can't help but wonder what will happen to my husband and my in-law's when they get older. Will their children dedicate their days to accommodate their aging and needy parents? Somehow, I do doubt that seriously. As for myself, if I live to be that old, which I seriously doubt, I am going to go back to the US and join one of those old age homes in Washington, N.C., so that I can play Canasta all day and gossip about the other oldie goldies in the place. If they don't let me in, I will just hang out in the reception until they get frustrated and give me a bed! I mean, what else will they do with an old, aggravating lady??
Until next time,
A Woman of Egypt

Asalemuaillekum! It has been a long time for me to post. I have decided this is truly the best way for me to stay in touch with everyone. It took me about 5 days to remember my sign in name and password. El Homdulela, I did manage. We are back into the swing of things in Cairo since returning from the states. We had a great time although due to time restrictions, we could not see everyone. I am sad for this, and insha allah, I will be able to contact those we were unable to see during our time in North Carolina. Emad's children really loved North Carolina, and wished we had spent the whole time there. I honestly did not think they would be cool and relaxed the whole time and thus the trip to Florida. Next time, we will stay in North Carolina the whole holiday. As for myself, I was happy to be back home in a normal and clean environment for a couple of weeks. I loaded up on clothes and other items so I am now set for another few years here. We came back home to our grey cloud of pollution with hot and humid days. I missed my central air conditioning in the resorts, but after a few days was back into my regular 3 showers a day and drinking plenty of water. It is amazing, but I am actually glad to be back home in Egypt. Many of my friends and colleagues come back from the UK or the States and remain depressed for a couple of weeks. El Homdulela, I have not suffered from this situation. I was glad to be there and I am am happy to be back here, as well.
I am starting at a new elementary school in Egypt this academic year. The high school is already established, but the elementary and middle school will begin this academic year. I am looking forward to the move, but am sad as I am leaving the school I have been with since I moved here in 2002. Change is always good and so I will see what the academic year holds.
I will close this post for now, and insha allah, I will be more regular with my entry's in the future.
Until the next time,
A Woman of Egypt

As the history goes, Ramadan is the month that the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) was first contacted by the Angel Gabrielle to receive the verses of the Qu'ran. Through the passing of time fasting became a part of the lifestyle of the Muslim especially during the month of Ramadan. The breaking of the fast occurs at Magrib (sunset) with the Adan (call to prayer). Iftar (breakfast) often begins with dates and fruit juices, such as Manga, Omar El Din (apricot) or Kharoub. Kharoub is my favorite, but I do not know what the equivalent of it is in English. It is a rich meal to give an energy boost to those that are fasting. After eating the dates and drinking the juice, Muslims like to pray the Magribprayer and then return to a meal. Many Muslims like to pray most of the prayers in the mosque during Ramadan, but some do remain to pray at home. The meal can be any type of food nd most of those that are fasting find that they lack a large appetite for consumption. It could be just soup and some meat with rice, or just soup and some foul (fava) beans. It depends on the family and their personal palate. One thing is for sure during Ramadan, you will definitely find sweets in any household in the Muslim world. Basboussa, which is made from semolina mixed with eshta (cream) and a syrup, Konaffa is made from wheat, sugar, honey, raisins and nuts, Atief, made from the same ingredients but rolled to encase the nuts and raisins. Omm Ali is my favorite, it is made from phyllo dough, eshta, milk, sugar, nuts and raisins. Many Muslims like to watch shows that are specifically made for Ramadan and visit with family and friends in the evenings after Iftar. A lot of sweets are consumed between the Iftar and Sohour. Sohour is a meal taken before the Fajr (dawn). Again, this depends on the palate of the person who is eating. It could be dates, milk, water, foul, meat and rice. Most of us in the Muslim world loose a lot of sleep during Ramadan, but that is another post.
Until then,
A Woman of Egypt

Muslims are celebrating the Holy Month Of Ramadan.Siyam or Fasting during this month is the third Pillar of Islam. Islam has five Pillars and Fasting is one of them. From dawn until sunset, one must abstain from eating, drinking, telling lies, complaining, arguing, rudeness, and exhibiting bad behavior. Basically, it is an annual training program to remind us to behave like decent, kind hearted, disciplined and civilized people. It is to help us learn self control, help overcome greediness, lack of patience and intolerance, laziness, and other character faults. This is my first year to participate in the Siyam (fasting) and I can tell you it is not a simple thing to do. OK, I have no problem going without the food all day. Sometimes we get busy and cannot eat, so the rumbling inside of my tummy does pass. I miss my caffeine in the mornings, I am now sure I am addicted to caffeine. That is no longer a question for me. Folks, I am here to tell you that within the first 30 minutes of my fast I was already swearing. I woke up and stumped my toe on the edge of my sofa and out came an expletive. Expletives, during Siyam, are also considered a no-no. That should have been enough to disqualify my fast for the day, but since I am a trooper, I pressed on. Within 25 mininutes of arriving in my school, I was already complaining about a co-worker, the copy machine, and the janitorial staff. This is the 11th day of Ramadan, and I am sure that every single day of my fast thus far, has not been acceptable by God. I have always know my character defects and have never tried to hide them. I am selfish, self absorbed, and arrogant. I am now even more aware of how judgmental, stubborn, and egoistic I am. I am sure that God, all knowing, wants me to become more accepting, more tolerant, and to awaken my senses about what is right and wrong in my own behavior. The moral and spiritual climate of Ramadan has certainly been ripe for personal reflection. Now, I just hope, insha allah, I can move forward and improve all of the problem areas with a positive changes. I will keep you posted on my progress and the rest of my journey through Ramadan.
Until next time,
A Woman of Egypt

When I first moved to Egypt I was amazed at how the past and the present seem to meet in the city of Cairo. Caireennes consume the west. They like the clothes, the food, the music. The city is loaded with Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, McDonald's, Chili's, and these eateries. You can find stores that carry all the name brand western clothing and shoes. The problem lies not in the consumption, but for the ones that cannot afford to make the purchase. Egypt has more than its fair share of impoverished. I always say the poor in America are rich compared to the poor in a developing country. My husband told me the other day he was in the hospital cafeteria with other doctors having a coffee and reading the newspaper. There was a flier inside the newspaper which fell out and it was an advertisement for McDonald's, or Hardees...one of the janitorial staff inside the cafeteria picked up the flier and my husband could tell her mouth was just watering over the picture. He told her never mind, these types of food give you a very bad upset stomach. Unfortunately, probably 60% of the population here could not afford to buy a value meal from McDonalds. To afford buying one of those meals probably would cost him/her a healthy part of their monthly salary. The gulf between the ones that have and the ones that do not is very present here in Cairo. I am sad to say, I have become desensitized to it partially. I can remember when I would walk to school and see the way people lived right next to me and how shocked and sad I would feel. Now, after walking past these folks for over 3 years and others like them, I have grown accustomed to it. That realization about myself bothers me the most. I felt this way when we traveled in Malaysia and Indonesia. The poverty was all too familiar and my reaction was indifferent. It is amazing what one can become accustomed to in this world. Thankfully, I have not become completely apathetic towards the needs around me. What I choose to do is help those that I can. I do things for the ones that are close to me, such as my maid, the ones in my neighborhood, and my school. I hope in time that poverty of this scale will be eradicated.
Until then,
A Woman of Egypt

As a southerner myself, I am saddened by the devastation and suffering of my neighbors in Louisiana and Alabama. What a shame that the United States was so ill prepared for the aftermath. Growing up on the east coast, one develops an innate awareness that we are always one summer away from a major hurricane. We become desensitized to the dangers and are prepared to ride most of the storms out. Hugo's and Andrew's have taught us valuable lessons, and we pick our fights now, evaluating the danger and decide whether to go or to stay. The ones that can afford it do leave and the ones that cannot stay behind. What a shame that the world's leading power, the inventor of the space shuttle has failed its own citizens during this natural disaster. I can only imagine what would happen if it was man made. I read an article a couple of weeks ago that really disturbed me. It seems that Americans are spending more than they make. Not just on a federal and state level, but on a personal financial level. For every 100 USD that is earned by an American, he/she is only saving 1 dollar out of that 100 dollars earned. I found this information incredible. If anyone else knows different, or if I am mislead, please e-mail me and let me know. If this is true, than it seems that we as Americans are just one paycheck away from financial disaster. Personally, I find this frightening. The United States, even though it is considered one of the richest most powerful nation of the world, has a very large under class of poor folks. The lines between the "haves and the have nots" seems to be a bit blurred after this article, and the systems in place to help these folks in times of need such as now, seem a bit suspect. I hope that we as Americans, at an appropriate time, start to self-evaluate from the top down to find out what went wrong during our nations time of need, and if we have our values and priorities in the right place. Perhaps we need to start cleaning up our own back yard before directing others to make changes.
Until next time,
A Woman of Egypt

I returned to work last week. I always enjoy my summer holiday, but I find that by the end of July, I am ready to get back to school. It seems that by the end of the academic school year, I just want to sit quietly on a beach with a book. Once I have completed that book, I am ready to get back to business. I guess I would never be very good at living idly. Perhaps I have a problem in relaxing. My husband says that I am always hoping and jumping around doing something, I never sit quietly. I might have ADD and have never realized it! hehehe The students have yet to return to school as we are having our first major multi-candidate election in Egypt on September 7, 2005.School has been postponed for one week as they feel that it will be dangerous to be on the streets during the day of the election. I am not sure what all one expects, but it seems that emotions are running high here in Egypt regarding this election. There are all sorts of rumors about corruption and rigged polling stations. I have no first hand knowledge of this and cannot say if it is true or not. I do know that I have never seen any campaign commercials, nor speeches, nor live debates. I know that each candidate was eligible for 500 thousand Egyptian pounds from the government to use towards their campaign, and that they could raise up to 10 million Egyptian pounds independently. I just found out today (the election is tomorrow) that there are 10 candidates. I am looking forward to finding out what the outcome is regarding the election results. It seems that many Egyptians are ot registered to vote and/or have no intentions of voting. It should be interesting to see how the whole event transpires.
Until then,
A Woman of Egypt

Summer time yields delicious fruit in Egypt. Mango, grapes, figs, watermelon and pears are in abundance. Mango by far is one of my favorite. I have two kinds that I really adore, Oas and Zebda (butter). Mango, even though grown here in Egypt, is not cheap. It seems that we had too much rain this past winter. Being from the southern part of the US, I don't consider sprinkles to much rain, but then again this is the desert. Mango are sweet, messy and addictive. I have learned from my husband how to cut them open, make cross-crosses over the pulp of the fruit to the skin, and then fold the skin back so that you can eat them easier. It probably would have been in my best interest not to show me how to do this. Mango are loaded with calories and I had three of them today. I also had the same amount in pears. I am sure my stomach will pay for all of this later. I have to say that when I traveled in Asia I was a bit disappointed with the fruit that I tried there. I thought with the rainforest they would be succulent, but in fact, it had very little taste to me. For me, Egypt wins out by far with Italy coming in second as they have the best figs I have ever tried.
I hope that one day you will be able to come to Egypt and try our summer time fruit. If you don't want to visit during the heat of the summer, do not worry as we have dates coming into season soon and for sure they deserve their own post.
Until then,
A Woman of Egypt