Trip to the Romanian Embassy in Cairo

I finally managed to go to the Romanian Embassy in Cairo; it is located somwhere in Zamalek on El Kamil Mohammed street - quite a narrow street, with no parking places (except for the diplomats).
Anyway, it was good to speak Romanian again and meet some new people.
I've been having problems with my visa (as always), so i tought i will go there and they might have some advice for me. Well, it turned out that they cannot. I was told that even them, as diplomats, should get a 4 year visa, and they dont - they get only 1 year.
Then, they told me stories about students who have come here through programmes and agreements between the Romanian and Egyptian government and they were all given different visas, although they were all on the same programme, the same course, for the same period of time.
I have learnt that Egypt has no system at all - there are no rules that conduct this country; everything works as the wind blows, as we say in Romanian.
Now, i am loosing my hopes of being able to stay in this country... but i guess i should let myself carried by the wind... this is another Romanian saying (i am feeling wise today!... NOT!)

"Fighting with the windmills"

Life in Egypt is never boring... although according to Nichole we had a boring week; we did not do anything apart from going to school and back home (actually Kathy's home, as we've been house sitting). I was exhausted this week and didnt do much; just work and home. So, just to compensate, we went to McDonalds onThursday evening for dinner, just because we didnt know where else to go. :(
So, as i was saying... Egypt is not boring; i was suppose to go to a race today ... one that i've been looking forward to go since the beginning of March. Don't get me wrong, i was not planning on running for the big prize, but just being there with all the people only to be able to say i was in a race. In was a fundraising event for CCS. Anyway, i had to cancel that and go to my "favourite" place in Cairo - Mogamma ... again!!!!!!
I had arranged with Ehab to have an Egyptian man coming with me this time. So, Hany came- he does not speak any English, but this time i had a less traumatic experience that the previous ones. I just handed the papers and i'll have to go back in 10 days.
When i left the building (which btw, depresses me) i was at peace and i had a picture of Don Quijote/Quixote fighting with the windmills. Don't know if you've ever read the book or know the story; we have a saying in Romanian when you're fighting against something that is not worth fighting for because there is no way of winning and that is "fighting with the windmills" - just like Don Quijote.
That is how i felt like this morning - there was no point in fighting with them anymore or getting frustrated, because they still have their system, which is "no system" (quoting an Egyptian).
I chose to do it their way and left without any comments. I went to Road 9 for a bagel, met Luke then headed to Cilantro for coffee. Now i am at school, although it is the weekend ... i have loads of work to do! Nearly done...

The most amazing adventure i have had so far in my life

Most of my friends see my life as being very interesting and exciting ... i have never considered it to be too special or out of the ordinary; i guess i am just doing what i love doing and following the paths that God is taking me to. Amazingly (or maybe not) it always seems to be a surprise ... God has a way of surprising me that sometimes scares me. I know it might sound like a cliche, but just as somewhere on my blog is written, God's ways are always unpredictable.Getting there
I had to travel back to Israel this past weekend for a renewal of my visa. I've done it before, so i had everything mapped out - i knew exactly where to go, how to get there etc. It seemed like a very simple procedure, although quite exhausting, having to travel by bus from Cairo to Taba during the night for 8 hours. After a busy day at school on Thursday and dinner with a family (the same family had me over for dinner before my previous departure to Israel - we thought we should make a tradition out of it) i managed to get on the 11 pm bus to Taba. John kindly drove me there. There were feelings of confidence and fright mixed up together ... but i somehow thought everything should work out. The main reason of my concern was the bus ride - as the Egyptian drivers have different rules than any other nation, or should i say no rules at all?

The bus ride turned out to be pleasant, mostly thanks to the pillow Nichole's mom has given me. They didnt play any Arabic music, as they often do, nor the Coran. However, i was ready to plug in my ipod, just in case... I was the only foreigner on the bus and one of the three women, which can be quite scary at times here, especially if you are culturally super sensitive. I didnt have a problem with that at all. I lowered my chair and slept the whole way through. I did wake up arund 2 am because the nature called ... Of course there was no place to go ... so i had to wait; my bladder is quite strong anyway.

"Mushkela" = Problem

Around 7 am the bus stops; what i thought to be one of the regular stops, turned out to be a flat tyre. That is when i said: "Now is the time to find a toilet!" We were in the middle of the desert! But not too far, there was a small security office and i stopped there and asked to use their bathroom. I entered this huge bathroom, with only a sink and a toilet that was not flushing; it smelt really bad, but i didnt really care. The need was increasingly forcing me to use that toilet. I thanked the men for letting me use it and headed back to the bus. At that point the bus driver had taken out his trousers and shoes and he was wearing some sort of pyjamas. He was trying hard to unscrew the "buttons" (or whatever they're called) in order to take out the wheel. Other 6 men made a semi-circle around him and were watching; this is the way things are getting done in Egypt: one man works, 5 are watching or worse, trying to give advice on how it's better to do the job. After half an hour, the driver seems to have abandoned ... he gets angry, calls people and doesnt quite seem to know what to do.

At the same time, people get off the bus and hitch-hike. I totally look like the stupid foreigner who doesnt know what to do and worse, doesnt understand a word of what they're talking about. Different ideas start running through my mind: should i hitch-hike? I've done it before in Holland, Norway ... it should be ok... but what if something happens? So, in the end i decide to stay on the bus. 45 minutes later a bus comes and this guy with really black hair peaks in ... and waves his arm, calling the remaining people. A bit confused i follow and then i understand that the company has sent another bus to take us to Taba. My little heart is all excited thinking i will soon be in Taba.

Panicking

Afer a couple of hours of driving, the bus slows down ... i look around saying to myself: "i do not recognise this place, it doesnt look like Taba to me!" Then, i spot a huge sign saying: "Nuweiba Port!" That is when everything in me started moving ... my stomach, my hair, my heart beating fast, my knees shaking and arms trembling ... I go to the bus driver and tell him i dont need to be in Nuweiba, i need to be in Taba! He looks at me with worying eyes... an tells me to get on the bus. he takes me to the main bus station and shouts from the bus to the man behind a counter that seemed like an official desk; he probably told him i need to get to Taba; so he sent me to talk to the man (it was the same guy with dark hair from earlier). Almost with tears in my eyes, i tell him i need to go to Taba, he goes: 11 pounds!! That thing just didnt help me at all! So typically me, i show him how indignated i am by saying: "I HAVE a ticket to Taba and i have already payed for it!! I do not see the need of paying again, as it was not my fault that the second bus driver took me to the wrong place!" At this point tears start coming out and i leave and go and sit on a bench. I burst out in tears, thinking of how lost i am and having no clue what to do next. I started calling people: Nichole, Heather, Wendy, John ... nobody answers, as it was quite early in the morning. In the end, Heather calls me back and i start crying on the phone. I was panicked, scared and feeling lonely. Heather tries to calm me down, which she managed in the end. I find out the next bus is in an hour, which is not that bad, but i kind of wanted something to leave right on that moment and take me to my destination. Then, Wendy calls and i start crying again, then Nichole calls and i start crying again.... You might think it sounds stupid, but i am a woman, and women cry a lot (especially me!!) ... Everything was kind of under control, but i just freaked out and felt really lonely and abandoned in the middle of the desert in a country whose language i do not speak (and refuse to learn it, according to Kelli). I have travelled to many places on my own, to countries and cities i do not speak the language of, but it always seemed to have worked out just fine.

At the border - Surprise!!

In the end i get on the bus and it takes about 1 hour and a half to Taba. I am all excited i am there. Now the next step is to just walk over the border into Israel ... it shouldn,t be too difficult i thought! Well, the Egyptian authorities kept looking at my passport; i went through 4 check points and they each looked at my passport for at least 5-10 min. I was too tired to talk to them or try to show them my previous visa ... I just stand in front of them without saying a word. They let me go in the end. Phew!!! i was out of Egypt! 2 more steps to Israel. I get to the border, i enter, they ask me about the purpose of my visit and have me waiting behind a group of Canadian explorers. It takes a while for them to check all their bags. One of them turns to me and apologizes for delaying me; i said: "i've already been delayed, so it makes no difference to me anymore!"

Surprisingly i was very calm and waited patiently for my turn. At last, the last Canadian hands in his bags to be checked! I am next!! During this whole time, part of the security personnel had taken aside one guy and were checking his stuff inch by inch. I had a short conversation wt hte Canadian man; he asked me where i'm from, being indignated by my accent; he thought i was from Wales. Suddenly, the security guards and all the personnel starts rushing towards us and shouts: "RUN, OUTSIDE, FAST!" The Canadian man tries to take his suitcase with him, somebody says: "No, leave it behind!" and they hurry us out through the emergency exit. We are taken outside. Everybody was worried and had no idea about what might have just happened. I assume they found something suspicious in somebody's bag. I call Heather to let her know about the situation. Kelvin aswers ... i try to explain things to him, when this Israeli security guard approaches me ... i get a bit scared, thinking that maybe i am not allowed to make any phone calls as that might be suspicius and i kind of imagine being taken away and interrogated. The man asks me if everything is alright.... I seem to be speechless for a second... i probably ended my coversation with kelvin without saying goodbye. I look at the guy and tell him i am worried because i do not know what is going on. He says: "It is only emergency procedures, so you should not worry!". Police came and other vans. They had us waiting outside for a couple of hours, but they kindly offered us water.

I try to read a few more pages from the book i have started that night: "The Shack". I am too overwhelmed and cannot follow the line of the story so i close the book. After a while we hear a voice through the speakers announcing us: "In a short while you will hear an explosion. Stay where you are and do not panick!" 3 explosions followed. 15 minutes later, the same announcement - 2 explosions followed.

In the end, they got us back to the gate and having to go through the procedure again, only this time asking if we have any guns.

I walked out relieved and taking the first taxi to the hostel. I get there, take a shower, run to the closest shwerma place, grab one, as shops were closing at 2 because of the Sabbath, and head to the Egyptian consulate. There i found out they are closed Fridays and Saturdays and open only on Sunday. Ruined my plans... but i did not have a choice - i had to stay in Eilat for another night and miss school on Sunday.

At least i got to go to the beach on Saturday after vegetating most of Friday in bed (or what was left of it) as i was exhausted!!

I will not give any details about the trip back, because getting there was already too much.

So... i guess this is another "story to tell my grandchildren from my rocking chair". Somebody told me once that my travels are always full of surprises and turn out to be an adventure.

In the past year i've been thinking a lot about writing a book one day, maybe when i retire ... i guess it might be sooner than that! Life is full of surprises! And that is what is so exciting about it - they come when you least expect it!

A morning in Hell ... the Mogamma!!

After three days of continuous celebration and partying, it was now time to go downtown to apply for an extension of my visa. Nichole and Dave came wt me. We left early in the morning just to avoid the hassle at the Mogamma.
Well ... even though there were just a few people that early, i still had my share of hassle for the day (or should i say for the year). I filled in the application form and handed it to the person in charge. They sent me to office 42 (Lost Passports) - i looked at the sign, thinking: "i did not loose my passport, but hei, you never know here... maybe they changed the office and left the sign". the guy took my passport, looked at it 3 times ... He leaves, then he comes back. He speaks no English, and my Arabic is zero (still!! after 6 months here). Then he comes back for me; he says: "come!" He takes me to this other office; he opens my passport and points at the stamp i got in Taba "Problem!!!". I'm like: "Hmm... alright!" He tells me i need to buy a 15 $ sticker. I do not understand why, he takes me back to this other guy. He has me waiting there for 10 minutes, i am trying ot figure out what's going on ... the guy says: "wait.. the manager will come.". The man came back and sent me to office 18 to buy a 15 $ sticker. I go there... the door is locked - with a lock on it! I try the next door - i go inside and explain the situation to the guy there ... and how i was advised to buy a 15$ sticker/visa. The guy looks at my passport and finally tells me: "The stamp from Taba is available only for Sinai; you do not have a visa for Cairo!".
then i point the visa i got in Israel and his expression is one i cannot describe in words - he looked like a child who just discovered the secrets of the Earth. Then he takes me back to the same guy i have been dealing wt from the very first thing of the morning.
He takes my passport, goes away, makes a phonecall... comes back.... During this whole time a bunch of Egyptians kept going in front of me and trying to get stuff done.
In the end, the guy gives me a piece of paper to fill in - the paper was actually saying that i had lost my passport! I panicked... but filled it in anyway ... The guy takes the paper, my passport and leaves. I am frustrated and VERY panicked. Where is he going? What is he doing wt my passport? Why did i have to fill in that paper? I did NOT loose my passport! At this point i had tears in my eyes ...
He comes back, sees my face and tries to assure me that everything is ok and that i need a stamp on my passport. When all of that is done, he tells me i am ok now and i can go and fill in the visa extension application.
I go to NIchole and Dave, start crying .... just to calm down. In the end i go to the desk again and hand in the papers. The lady tells me i need to pay a fine of 150 LE. I do not understand why and she tells me that my visa is expired. I go: "No, my visa expired yesterday and you were closed yesterday!!". She goes: "No! you do not have a visa!!" I show her the visa from the Egyptian Consulate in Eilat - Israel. That is when the bomb comes: "that is not a visa! you were supposed to come here within a month after that for a re-entry visa and you didnt, that is why you are fined!" I try to tell her that nobody has informed me about that and the Egyptian Consulate in Eilat said i am ok and free to go to Cairo for 3 months.
Apparently, i was illegal for 2-3 months here. i just went and paid the fine, handed in the application and left the building. At that point i was fed up!!
I went wt Nichole and Dave to the bike shop and ended up in Zamalek .... we had a great time there!

Mogamma

Ok.. so i am in Egypt .... Every single person that comes to Egypt on a tourist visa, has to go to the Mogamma, which i think will be one of the places i will see very often... due to several reasons.

Anyway, Wendy took me and Nichole to get our visas. We took the metro from Maadi and got off just in front of this huge, impressive building.

There were many foreigners there, but luckily we went early in the morning, which is an advantage as it tends to get quite crowdy in the afternoon. We went to the first floor, filled in a form, then we bought stamps (we payed around 80 LE - Nichole actually, for a one year visa); after that, we gave our forms together with 2 copies of our passports and a photo to the lady and she told Nichole that her visa will be ready in 2 hours. My visa wasnt going to be ready untill 10 days later. We went to Mc'Donalds - pretty close to the mogamma, had breakfast there, and then we went to the American University to check out their library.

Of course, i was very disapointed i had to come back after 10 days ... it came as a shock, as i had no idea about the whole procedure. That was one of the worst days i had in Egypt so far.

Well, today i went back to the mogamma to pick my visa up; luckily an Egyptian friend came with me and helped me; it was good to have her with me, as they charged her only 25 piastres for a copy of my passport, instead of 1 pound that we payed last time we went there.

The funny thing is that you need to push in and not wait in a line, otherwise you will never be served. I thank God for Neglaa!!