Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Renting flats and security deposits in Egypt

Communication is a very important tool that can save us from our own misery, I would say ... It is a very useful tool to have and especially know how to use it in this country, where things are so different. What might work for me in my country, will definitely not work here!
So, I had another encounter with the Egyptian culture yesterday ... Very optimistic and full of energy Nichole and I went to see our landlady yesterday asking for our 2500 LE security deposit back, since we are leaving the flat/country. Some people told me today I had quite the nerve to go and ask for it back, since it is a known fact you do NOT get your security deposit back.
Well, in my understanding, I pay a deposit that will guarantee that if anything gets broken in the flat during my stay there, those money will cover that expense.
In the Egyptian understanding - you pay a security deposit to ensure your stay in the flat and there is no way you will get it back!
Our landlady was shocked that we asked for it and said that if we had left at the end of our 1 year contract, then we would've gotten our money back, but since we stayed for a 2nd year, there is no way she will give it to us! We tried explaining that this was not communicated to us and when we have told her that we want to stay for another year, they didn't suggest that we should sign another contract (which means nothing here anyway) etc.
They said they did us a favour by letting us stay for another year at the same price, because usually in Egypt the rent goes up every year. She made it sound like she would've raised it to 3500, which is ridiculous because the rent goes up 10% every year, from what I've understood.
Anyway, we had some sort of agreement in the end and we will get it back, but this is not an usual situation. I advised her to make things clear in the future with other people, to explain the situation as we come with different mentalities and we assume things according to what we are used to.
Hooray!!!!!!!

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Stop and smell the roses

That's exactly what I did today on my way home; after stopping at Radio Shack to look for a flashlight, I went on to Rd 9 and entered my favourite Cairo flower shop - Pharaoh's Flowers or smth like that! Their flowers are more expensive than others, but they are always fresh and you can find flowers that are not in season. I love it when they have tulips or my favourites, calla lilies.
I go into that shop every time I need to "breathe", so today I went in and actually smelled the roses and the lilies... The man greeted me and didn't say anything else ... he probably knows me by now!
This reminds me that this saying "Stop and smell the roses" is actually a misquote of advice from the golfer Walter Hagen that appeared in the 1956 book "The Walter Hagen Story":

"You're only here for a short visit. Don't hurry. Don't worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way."

I am here for a short visit ... I am not in a hurry, I will not be worried ... and I WILL smell the flowers along the way!

Friday, May 7, 2010

The day I slapped an Egyptian

Right after the incident with the security guard making kissing noises at me, the best thing ever happened!! I got back to them.. to all Egyptian men!!!!! Or at least in my mind, I did!
I was leaving school with Nichole to go and have coffee on Rd 9; we want to take the shortcut, but we see the boys outside the boys' school. It's ok, I said... Nichole asks: "Do you feel brave?" "YES!!" That was exactly what I needed; so we start walking, we pass the boys and nothing happens!!! Unbelievable! But... right when we reached the main road here comes a rock; "Hold my bag", I told Nichole! I turn around and see this 16 yrs old boy running, so I run after him. I chased him and surprisingly enough, I caught him!! I grabbed him by the collar and started shouting at him.
By this time, two men arrive to help me; one of them was carrying a large rock. By this time the boy is scared; he tries to run, I still have him and this other man grabs him by the arm. He tries to tell us it wasn't him! I tell him to look at me, take him by the chin and slap him on the face!
By the side of the road, Nichole is shouting at the security guards to come and help me, instead they were standing there with their jaws dropped.
This one man who grabbed the guy by his arm slapped him on the head too, and then I asked him in Arabic "Le???" (Why?) and I slapped him again. This other man was trying to get me off of him, telling me "it's ok madame, we have him..let him go!" I was furious!!!!!!!!!! I let go of him, then saw the security guards standing and watching .... so I left him to them!
Nichole asked me: "Did you slap him hard?" Well, not as hard as I should've... but that taught him a lesson I hope. Just because he is a man he thinks he can do whatever to women... well it ain't working with me!!!
It seems like a radical thing to do after one rock, but the feelings that I had inside of me have been building up for weeks and months and I have thought about this a lot. These boys do not speak any other language than violence and in order for them to get the message, I had to speak their language.
After posting it on my facebook status, I got a record of 21 comments and my favourite was: "On behalf of all foreign and Egyptian women, thank you Gaby!!"

Gabriela Mocanu I have done it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Chased an Egyptian man, got him, grabbed him by the collar and slapped him twice!!!!!!! It felt so good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday at 20:53 · ·
Marty R.
Marty R.
you're amazing, gabi!
Tuesday at 21:00 ·
Debbie Nell
Debbie Nell
YAY!! What did he do to you?
Tuesday at 21:01 ·
Eddie Serdenciuc
Eddie Serdenciuc
wow!!! u should teach me that =)))))))
Tuesday at 21:01 ·
Gabriela Mocanu
Gabriela Mocanu
He threw one stone ... missed us (I was wt Nichole) but I was determined to chase him and beat the crap out of him; 2 men had to pull me away!
Tuesday at 21:02 ·
Mona Radu
Mona Radu
Bravo, Gabi!!! Te felicit!!!
Tuesday at 21:29 ·
Helen Reid
Helen Reid
Well done!
Tuesday at 21:37 ·
Leen De Mondt
Leen De Mondt
great!! were it the same boys that we 'met'?
I am so amazed that you really did that, good to let them know they can't do that to you!!!
Tuesday at 21:41 ·
Lavinia Zah
Lavinia Zah
Gabi, esti de nota 10... si eu am vrut sa fac asta de multe ori
Tuesday at 22:47 ·
Gina Ruth Smith
Gina Ruth Smith
You go girl! Don't take no rubbish from them!
Tuesday at 22:52 ·
Wally Nell
Wally Nell
Gabby!!!! Yeah!!!!!
Tuesday at 23:01 ·
Kristen Kelley
Kristen Kelley
SHUT UP! No you didnt! What did he do?????????
Tuesday at 23:29 ·
Kathy Mattingly
Kathy Mattingly
you go girl!
Wednesday at 01:58 ·
Tania Mulki
Tania Mulki
hahahaha great!!!
Wednesday at 02:23 ·
Quistelle Ragbir
Quistelle Ragbir
what?!?! why?!?!
Wednesday at 05:00 ·
Wendy Badeau
Wendy Badeau
On behalf of all foreign women (and probably many Egyptian ones too), thank you Gaby! :) Well done!
Wednesday at 05:57 ·
Quistelle Ragbir
Quistelle Ragbir
Ooo sorry just saw the reason..I must applaud u! Teach those men some respect (and fear of those crazy foreign women!)
Wednesday at 06:11 ·
Cristina Dumitru
Cristina Dumitru
u creizi ;)
Wednesday at 09:10 ·
Clio Lawrence
Clio Lawrence
Yesss!!! well done:)
Wednesday at 09:43 ·
Alice Tan
Alice Tan
YOU ARE GOOD!!!! Tell me all about it when we meet later!!!
Wednesday at 10:14 ·
Nadine Joubert
Wednesday at 10:54 ·
Danielle Van Der Linde
Wednesday at 12:48 ·
April Joy Tan Pleasants
Wednesday at 16:24 ·
YOU ARE WELCOME! I would do it again!

Monday, May 3, 2010

More on Egyptian men

I am a people's person ... I am not racist (most of the time - Toby knows!!! lol), I am not a feminist, but Egyptian men do tend to annoy me most of the time! They call after you, chase you, stare at you (or shall I say they stare at different parts of my body??) ....
Tonight I have had enough; on my way home I passed this security guard and he starts "sssss"-ing me! Man that was all I needed!! I turned around and started shouting: "I pass by here every day, you see me, you "ssss" me... What is your problem???????" He started pointing at his wrist trying to convince me he wanted to know what time it is! "Look at me!!!!!!!! Do I look Egyptian to you?????? Do I look like I speak Arabic??? Stop "sss"ing me and mind your own business!!" He kept going pointing at his wrist! Cut me some slack, man!!!
It seems that many of these incidents happen to me and less to other girls ... but there've been too many in the past couple of weeks and tonight was the WORST moment, but I am happy I got to release my anger in some way.... I do not feel sorry for him... I told him I could report him and I should do it... him and the other guy who flashed me last weekend!!! Lord have mercy!!!

Sunday, May 2, 2010

A murit Pastorul Iosif Stefanuti

Am ajuns azi pe la 6 de la scoala, dupa o zi lunga la scoala cu staff meeting, display-uri si alte detalii in clasa plus drumul spre casa pe strazile imprafuite din Cairo si cu soferi exasperanti..... E tarziu, ma simt obosita, insa am deschis yahoo messenger ca sa vad cine mai e online... asteptand de fapt un mesaj de la o prietena.
Iulia (fosta Stefanuti), fata fratelui Stefanuti a intrat sa ma salute.... nu mi s-a parut nimic neobisnuit, pt ca Iulia deseori ma saluta si imi lasa un mesaj de incurajare. Stiam ca fratele Stefanuti nu se simtea foarte bine... a fost prin spital in ultima perioada. Chiar ieri vorbisem cu nepoata lui, Estera si imi zicea sa ma rog pentru el.
De data asta Iulia nu a intrat sa ma incurajeze, ci a intrat sa imi dea vestea trista, si anume ca fratele Stefanuti a murit... Trist... si mai trist ca nu am stiut ce sa ii spun; de fapt nu era nimic de spus, pt ca atunci cand tatal meu a murit nu am avut nevoie de nimeni sa zica nimic, ci doar sa fie acolo. Nu l-am cunoscut foarte indeaproape pe fratele Stefanuti, cu toate ca mi-a fost pastor la Braila, insa am descoperit poate prea tarziu ca a fost un om deosebit. In ultimii ani, venind in vizita la Braila, de la Iasi in vacante, imi zambea mereu la intrare si ma intreba ce mai fac....
Un om simplu, insa complicat in acelasi timp, cu un dosar de 2500 de pagini la Securitate pe vremea comunismului ....
Sa se odihneasca in glorie!!!