Reading the newspapers...

I've never been into politics ... or maybe I was in my teenage years, when i used to get into political debates with my friends; we just thought it was cool and it made us look smart! lol

I was reading a newspaper the other day, just to put myself up to date with what is going on at home in Romania. Apparently, Iranians seem to be bothered that Romania is hosting American military... We've been hosting them for years now!!! Obviously they do not like it and started saying childish things and making accusations such as my country had Russia (former URSS) as a master before 1989 (during the communist era) and now we have another, referring to the USA just because we are allies. They went on saying the US is just using my country to place its military forces and equipment and that they will ditch us the minute Romania won't be useful anymore. I won't get into that....

An Iranian blogger goes on to say that during Ceausescu's times we were friends of the Muslims and now the US has made us their colony. He is saying that after we killed Ceausescu, we got ourselves a society like the Americans with crime, drugs, corruption, nasty movies ...

People started posting comments on this article ... I couldn't be bothered!!!

Here's the link, for those of you who can read Romanian http://www.evz.ro/articole/detalii-articol/887273/Pana-in-1989-ati-avut-un-stapan---Rusia-acum-aveti-altul/

People around... the Mogamma

Saturday morning ... 7 am; looks like a wonderful day... smells like spring to me; that smell brings me back to my childhood, when I stopped and looked at the first blossom in the cherry tree in our garden. Well, the spring smell did not last long... as I left the house and got hit in the face by the pollution in Cairo!

I made my way downtown to Tahrir Square to collect my visa. I left the house thinking I am going to enjoy the day and observe the people around me. The metro ride was pretty busy - a lot of people heading to work, school or somewhere else. I turned my ipod on and listened to music. As I entered the Mogamma building I turned it off and full of confidence went straight to desk 38 and asked for my visa. It was not 9 o'clock yet, so they made me wait; finally, I managed to squeeze through the crowd of people already gathered there and handed in my passport. This time, there was a different lady - not the one with nice make-up on and lovely colours on, but another one - this particular lady was chewing gum and it made me think of my sheep on FarmVille, she had no make-up on and her clothes were dark green... a green that makes me think of the army.

Anyway, after the usual answer: "Come back in 2 hours", I left for breakfast. I usually go and have breakfast at mcDonalds, but decided to go to Cilantro this time, just for a change. Cilantro was very busy for that time of the day - a lot of loud people, loud music ... I put my headphones on, listened to my own music, ordered a Mocha (the only kind of coffee that I get at Cilantro's) and a croissant. I pulled a book out and started reading... I got immersed in my book and did not realise when everybody has left and the music was turned down. After the 2 hrs had passed, I went back to get my passport. To my surprise they didn't have it yet. I sat down and continued reading my book. I kept watching the people passing by, collecting their passports and wondered why mine was not ready. I started building scenarios in my mind that something might be wrong ... Then I looked around and noticed so many different people, so many different passports - usually you see 2 colours of passports: blue or dark red. I saw different shades of green passports, light blue, red passports and tried to figure out the countries ... It was a difficult exercise. This one lady who sat next to me pulled her passport out, as soon as I sat down ... it was an American passport; she looked Egyptian to me ... her features, the colour of her hair and soon I discovered she spoke Arabic and could read Arabic. Hmm... I should write a different entry about this particular gesture!

I saw the policeman that usually asks for my passport, the old lady with VERY thick glasses who sells stamps (last time i went, she was not there - I like her!!! she looks sweet), the lady who wears a lot of make-up that does not quite suit the colour of her clothes, especially that bright red lipstick, and of course, my favourite - the big fat blonde lady!!! That woman is bitter!!! I tried everything but I cant win her .. she just wouldnt smile!

By this time I'd been waiting for over 3 hrs .... an old lady comes and sits next to me ... I guess she is from Norway or a Scandinavian country ... She smells like an old person... I've noticed that most old people have a particular smell... I am feeling rather sick, needing a bathroom and wanting to be home in my bed. She talks to this Egyptian young woman who is helping her with the paperwork. I hear she had divorced her husband (an Egyptian) a long time ago. Then, a young man, asks for permission to sit next to the young woman; she compliments him on his Arabic and she asks where he's from. He says his mom is American and his dad is Lebanese (btw, he looked very blonde and very white!) and that he goes back and forth from here to the States. This conversation is in Arabic, so I am impressed with myself - I understood!!! :D Then they switch to English and talk about Lebanon ... The old lady joins their conversation; it is revealed that she is actually from Denmark and moved back to Cairo where she's bought a flat to be closer to her grandchildren. They end up talking about the States - very bluntly (like most Scandinavians), the old lady says she has lived in the US and hates it! she says she did not like it at all ... she did not like the people and how ignorant they are. The young man tries telling her that "America is beautiful" and "there are many lovely people there!"... She goes: "NO!! I dont like America, I dont like the people!" He goes: "Well, I am American!" The old lady interrupts him: "I dont care!". That is where that conversation stopped; no one said anything ...

It was funny for me to watch this old lady, not willing to listen to anything the young man was trying to tell her... she was really decided she does not like America and nothing he could say or do could make her change her mind.

I turn around, keep watching the people ... when I decide to ask for my passport again (4th time). I guess the lady with the chewing gum felt sorry for me and directs me to her colleague on her right; yep!!! she had my passport this whole time!!!! I decide it is not worth getting upset over it, I say thank you and leave.

One last interesting thing was on the metro - this one lady with her black burka, big glitzy shades and ..... a PINK pair of trainers with a chain that went across it with charms. The trainers were brand new .... I liked them (I think I should get a pair), but for some reason they did just not fit the black burka and the shades!

Picking nose ...

My children, like any children like to pick their nose... the worst part is that they eat whatever they find inside!! :D One little boy, even said with a mischievious smile on his face that boogers are his second favourite food.

I don't blame them, as I used to do the same when I was little; but I am still trying to do my job and tell them it is not appropriate, that dust gets collected in the nose and "monsters" (our word for germs); so, I keep telling them that the monsters are going to go into our body and make us sick. At that point one boy stands up and looking very serious, says: "Well then I will drink a lot of water and the monsters will drown!"

I started laughing and thought that was very smart coming from a 5 year old.

On cultures and standard of living

"The world in which you were born is just one model of reality. OTHER CULTURES ARE NOT FAILED ATTEMPTS AT BEING YOU, they are unique manifestations of the human spirit." Wade Davis

I found this poster at a friend's house.... I liked it the first time I saw it and thought: "It really speaks to my soul!".
I've always thought of myself as a very open person ... open to culture, to diversity ... thinking I accept the South-American tribes and their nakedness, I accept the Asian culture with the weird cuisine, I accept the Muslim world with their burkas....
however, I seem to get annoyed when I hear people living in a different culture than theirs complain over one thing or another. I guess that is one sign that I do not accept those people because they do not have the same understanding that I have, the same perspectives that I have... therefore, it somehow puts me in the same boat as them: complaining over other cultures and the way they perceive life. I am not sure if it makes sense ... but it does to me!
I learned a lesson this week: "other people are not failed attempts at being me!" and I am not better because I do not wear a burka, or on the contrary go naked thinking the proper way to go dressed in public is to wear the clothes that I am wearing;
I am not better because I live in a nice flat with running water and a toilet that flushes instead of a hut with no insulation.
I am not better because I have a toaster, washing machine, a dish-washer instead of an open fire or the river to wash my clothes.
I am not better because I eat what I call proper food like chilli, bbq chicken, apple pie instead of tarantulas, rice and beans, cats!
I am not better because I drive a car compared to a horse and cart.
I am not better because I am educated ...
I am not better because I can use a computer and have access to information...
I am not better because I have a bank account and I organise my savings...
I am not better because I can speak 4 languages .... one should be enough!

I remember growing up during the communism and not having satellite, Internet, toaster or dish-washer ... but my world was ok and I was happy because I DID NOT KNOW THE DIFFERENCE! I can look back and say: "How on earth did we manage without cell phones or even landline?" I guess the sense of community was stronger, people were more attentive to their neighbour's needs, concerns, joys ....
While the world felt sorry for my country, the common man/woman was ok, because they did not know any better... Now, was that better BETTER? From some points of view, yes .... from others, no. Not that I regret the communism... God forbid! But the simplicity of that life was so much better!!
Now we think we can do it on our own and we become individualistic, self-centred ... I hear people say that in their country, they do not even know their neighbours ... because we don't need them! We can do things OURSELVES! We have a TV to keep us company, a cell phone if we need to order food, a car to go places ...

Is the one or the other life-style better? My answer: NO! I am not to judge any person for their way of living ... A very wise man told me last week that I have been fortunate to experience both ... I have witnessed history!
Indeed ... I guess I have been blessed and I hope I can pass this to my children and grandchildren.

Just a day

I burnt the porridge this morning (that is because I was reading some exciting emails) ... But I ate it anyway - or what was left of it! I don't like throwing away food - it was not too bad.. what was left of it... I added maple syrup to it!
Anyway I decided to leave the house and go to Rd 9 and get some things done... nothing exciting about that... What I like to do when I have time, is to go into the Pharaonic Flowers Shop and look at the flowers. They had my favourites: calla lillies - even in different colours - white, yellow and dark red!!! I was tempted to buy some, then I heard the price and it put me off! That shop tends to be very expensive...
Anyway, I made friends with the guy from the carpentry shop next to El Greco Coffee and he gave me a piece of wood that I need to stretch paper. :)
My little getaway had to end up the same way it started - I got a taxi back home and apart from the fact the guy took me all over Maadi he had "problems" with his meter. I've been watching it the whole ride (due to previous experiences); it was stil 2.50 LE, then 30 seconds later it was 4.90 LE. I pointed it out to him and immediately he pressed the start button again, that brought us back to 2.50 LE.
I was reading an article in the CSA magazine some time ago and they were talking about the white taxis that have meters etc and what a brilliant idea that is!!! Well, some drivers still try to rip you off and they have found methods to do that...