tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37967533285038961202024-03-05T03:19:47.313-08:00this must be the placewanderlust + insomniaAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09437546726735828682noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796753328503896120.post-19338329725663233962012-05-14T05:29:00.000-07:002012-05-14T06:52:40.147-07:00The Trial, Part 2: Office of Circumlocution<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> EXHIBIT B</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Though you would never know it to dodge the
drivers in Cairo, apparently you must actually be licensed to operate a vehicle
in Egypt. Ever abiding the law, or more accurately, ever abiding <i>with</i>
<i>The Law</i>, I dutifully made an
appointment to get my Egyptian driver’s license Tuesday last.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">That morning, T and I walked The Lads to
school, hopped in our armored SUV and headed for the <i>corniche</i>, the harrowing highway that runs
parallel to the Nile. Fortified with
his Starbuck’s Breakfast Blend courtesy of Poppy and Nonni’s recent K-Cup care
package, The Husband navigated morning rush hour impressively. The distance from our flat in Maadi to
the American Embassy is a scant 9 miles; it took us 90 minutes to get there.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As The Husband alternately
idled bumper to bumper with most of Cairo’s other 9 million cars or weaved in
and out of <i><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/7194326050/in/photostream">this</a></i>, <i><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/7194328954/in/photostream/">that</a></i>, <i><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/7194329288/in/photostream/">these</a></i>, and a <i><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/7194326296/in/photostream/">little of this</a></i>, <i><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/7194326518/in/photostream/">some of that</a></i> and <i><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/7194326630/in/photostream/">one of these</a></i>
like a gamer at the arcade playing <i><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/7194329208/in/photostream/">this</a></i>,
I offered silent prayers of encouragement from where I sat calmly in the passenger seat, with
the help of my own breakfast blend of Coke Zero and Xanax. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Finally, we neared the right
turn (typically executed from the far left lane-ish in Cairo) for the
street leading to the Embassy; the last street before traffic is forced to head
from the East bank of the Nile to the West. Granted our grasp of written Arabic is virtually
non-existent, but T and I are both still quite sure that there were no signs warning
of our road’s closure that morning.
In fact, since the Revolution, Cairo has been let’s say, experimenting,
with different traffic patterns, resulting in a daily morning surprise for
commuters as to which roads will be open and going in which direction. Flashing yellow arrows or traffic cops
could help but … <i>maa’lesh </i>(oh well, what are you going to do)<i>.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In ancient times the city to
the East of the Nile was reserved for The Living, while the West – where the sun set – was for The
Dead. After we returned from The Dead, we found an alternate route
to the Embassy and hurried to our rendezvous point with the expeditor who was to facilitate the procurement of our licenses. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In the
expeditor’s office, The Husband and I joined three other Expat/Egyptian driver’s license
hopefuls. We handed over copies of
our medical forms certifying our blood types and excellent (with corrective
lenses) vision, along with two pre-trimmed passport photos, as instructed. We also gave the expeditor our
Diplomatic Passports and our Diplomatic IDs and US driver’s licenses – <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/7194484908/in/photostream"><i>two of the five ID cards</i> </a>I am meant to
carry on my person at all times – along with a processing fee of 40 LE.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then our group was off. Somewhere in the bowels of the Embassy,
I passed the nurse from the health unit who had earlier administered my eye
exam. “Bring a book and
toilet paper,” she whispered conspiratorially. What I did bring was an <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">extra Xanax.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After three
hours at the Cairo version of the DMV, I still can’t say that I was able to discern a process
or even a subtle pattern guiding the employees and patrons there. There was no LED sign showing the
number of the person being served, not even a paper deli counter ticket to indicate
who might be helped next. There
was no rope and stanchion for people to queue beside in an orderly manner. There were no queues at all, only a few small blue and white signs with
cryptic English translations – “Corporations”, “Expire”, “Struggle with
Violations”. Some carrels had
computers, some did not. Smoking
was unfettered. The constant
delivery of tea to the workers was the most efficiently flowing service
offered. The one standard
operating procedure I did witness was the giving away of small red fire
extinguishers to all customers like free toasters with a new checking account
at the bank. I’m really not sure
which frightens me more – that I have to carry around my own fire extinguisher
or my own toilet paper.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then, without
reason or warning, our group was summoned by the expeditor to a small room in
the back corner. Inside were
half a dozen dead plants in clay pots (I suspect Second-hand Smoke ), five
chairs and two desks configured in an L shape and topped with a circa 1998 PC
and printer. Connected to the
computer was a digital camera nearly as old as the pyramids. The first of our group took a seat in
front of the camera while we all waited for the PC to be rebooted several
times. When that finally worked,
the camera did not. Much jiggling
of the power cords and shaking of the camera ensued until something finally clicked and
we could be photographed in turn.
We signed a paper which - don’t tell all the lawyers in my family - I could
not read, and returned to the
waiting area until further instruction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A quarter of
an hour later, our group was called back into the small room with the Cairo
DMV’s one and only digital camera.
Apparently, our photos were not been saved the first time around. Could they use the photos we all were
asked to bring? No, they could
not. Snap, snap, snap, snap – four
of the five of us had our mugshots retaken. Our poor fifth waited and waited to
finally say cheese. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A few more tense moments followed as we wondered whether or
not the printer would work today, and then again as we saw four little laminated cards being carried toward us instead of five. Who would get the
short straw and have to come back next week? </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then, at long last, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">our
expeditor bestowed upon all of us our new <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/7196043666/in/photostream">Egyptian driver’s licenses</a>, valid – </span><i style="color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Alhamdulillah </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(thank God) </span><i style="color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">for 10 years</span><i style="color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> /lkm in Cairo</span></div>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09437546726735828682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796753328503896120.post-50893419408272357962012-05-13T10:34:00.000-07:002012-05-14T00:39:49.605-07:00The Trial of K<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Some days living in Cairo feels like </span><i style="color: #666666;">The Trial</i><span style="color: #666666;">, with the simplest of tasks maddeningly complicated by bureaucracy, technology and geography.</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Exhibit A: Game of TVs, or Mad Woman</span></b></h4>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As much as I would like you to think that we Sobos are using every moment of our time in Cairo to become fluent in Arabic, strengthen diplomatic relationships with neighboring countries, learn to play the violin, land a 360 on our skateboard and engage in other lofty pursuits, sometimes we just want to kick back with a handfull of Commissary Pringles and watch TV.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When we moved here, we fulfilled one of O's greatest desires: trading in the tube television T and I got as a wedding gift almost 19 years ago for a sweet 3D, 60-inch flat screen HDTV. High-def visions of college hoops, Monday Night Football and Orioles games kept O moderately motivated for our move. Kind brother-in-law, Matt, facilitated O's dream by offering to host a DVR and Slingbox for us in MD (not knowing he was also signing up to provide two years of 24/7 tech support) so that, through the magic of the Internet and Verizon Fios, we could have access to unlimited American programming on demand. Surely, we could all survive two years abroad as long as we had our Top Chef, iCarly and Downtown Abbey.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But, in Egypt, it's not as easy as turning on the TV and instantly flipping through 100's of cable channels for hours on end like a happy zombie. Never in a million years did I think I would ever miss Comcast but, God help me, I do. Our new TV and the connection to all that glorious content was not exactly plug and play. I had go through a few steps first:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1. </b>Need special transformer to adapt our 110 Volt US equipment to EGP's 220V standard. Requisition from the Embassy, wait a week.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>2.</b> Need a surge protector/power strip for said American gadgets. Order with Amazon Prime, wait two weeks to arrive through APO. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>3.</b> Need hub to connect Wii, DVD player, satellite box to TV. Spend one week locating Radio Shack, surviving drive to Radio Shack, playing charades with man at Radio Shack until he guesses what I want. Then surviving drive back to Radio Shack with our Fixer, Fifi, to exchange incorrectly purchased items for correct items.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>4.</b> Discover that Wii can't read GLEE Karaoke and Just Dance Three discs, send Wii out to be repaired - <i>inshallah</i>. Wait another two weeks. Repair did not work - <i>maa'lesh</i> (oh well, what can you do). Screw the Wii - play GLEE songs on iPod in Bose dock and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/7189662412/in/photostream">make pretend</a> with the USB mics instead.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>5.</b> Order Apple dock and HDMI cables to connect iPad with Slingbox app to TV. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>6.</b> Of course, these items can't ship to an APO, so sign up for an account with a third party vendor to receive our shipment then forward it to us at the APO. Total elapsed time: one month. Football and basketball seasons have now ended.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>7.</b> Meanwhile, establish VPN to access Netflix account blocked in Egypt. Gratefully watch past seasons of Wizards of Waverley Place on Mac when bandwidth allows. Use ample “loading” and “buffering” time to build 1,000,000-piece Star Wars Death Star out of Legos.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>8.</b> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/7189686738/in/photostream">Daisy chain</a> of hardware and software in place just in time for baseball season and summer re-runs of Parks and Rec. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Victory is mine! We are now able to watch our glorious content ....maybe 10% of the time.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Whenever the planets align and the Internet works and we have enough bandwidth to handle mass quantities of streaming video and the power in our flat is not out and the IR blasters on the Slingbox in MD have not been knocked out of alignment by cousins, dogs or other acts of nature - 3 AM MLB games and inadvertent Polish porn are on like Donkey Kong!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Next time- Exhibit B: The Office of Circumlocution, or Getting My Egyptian Driver's License</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">/lkm in Cairo</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09437546726735828682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796753328503896120.post-55409292403564739392012-04-27T08:11:00.000-07:002012-04-27T08:11:08.271-07:00Bad, Bad Blogger<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It is true that nature abhors a vacuum; despite not working, I'm kept surprisingly busy on my sabbatical in Cairo. Anyway, that's my lame excuse for falling short on my (best) intentions of being a regular emailer, blogger, etc. and I'm sticking to it. </div>
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Let me elaborate...</div>
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Much of my time (as I hoped, planned) is spent doing mom stuff - volunteering at school, chaperoning field trips, helping with homework. Most days I'm happy with the choice, but I'll admit it comes much less naturally to me than working professionally. Last week, I screamed at O and A to stop acting like children. Rightly, they pointed out that they are children and laughed in my face. This week, after one of Cairo's famously filthy <i><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/7116937713/in/set-72157629036964979" target="_blank">khamsins</a></i> (sandstorms) blew through town and took my voice with it, I couldn't scream at all. The boys vastly prefer me mute, especially at their baseball games.</div>
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The rest of my time is filled with trying to build my social circle and just exist in a very different environment and culture. Constantly working to meet new people and make friends is fun but exhausting. Not unpleasant, but a little like always being on a first date, a job interview or rushing a sorority. <span style="text-align: left;">The expats here are all nice, very welcoming. I think everyone who chooses to live overseas must have some gene in common. Everyone has been in our shoes at some point, so they are generally a helpful, outgoing lot. In addition to the Americans, I've gotten to meet some great people from all over - Egypt, Brazil, Italy, Scotland, Lebanon, Sudan - amazing.</span></div>
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When I'm not cracking my kids up or out making friends, trying to accomplish the most basic tasks like driving to the gym, finding hipster ingredients for my recipes, getting the service people to fix my Internet connection is challenging, time-consuming and downright death-defying (in the case of driving). </div>
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For example, in Cairo, transactions are entirely cash-based. The water guy comes and delivers the water bottles for 20 Egyptian Pounds (LE) cash on Tuesdays. The gardener, picture framer, the boabs - everyone gets cash. When I wrote a check to our tour guide for our recent Nile Cruise, he looked at it for a few minutes then asked in all seriousness, "And what do I do with this?" All this cash is a huge paradigm shift for someone used to paying for a Venti black iced tea (unsweet) at Starbucks with her check card. I know of two ATMs in Maadi. Today, both of them were out of order. Instead of shlepping all the way out to USAID - the one place I can cash a check - I stooped to stealing money from the kids to pay the dry cleaner. I'm not proud.</div>
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Oh, how I miss Whole Foods (I knew I would) and Comcast (I never thought I would). And I still haven't found anyone to unlock my damn iPhone here. I have this <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/6970938982/in/set-72157629036964979" target="_blank">stupid little phone</a> with circa 1990 technology that takes me 20 minutes to send a text on using the number pad. I now shorten "OK" to just "K" because it saves several minutes, and I'm pretty sure I am the only person over 40 actually texting other grown ups keepers like "C U L8R." </div>
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So far, though, I am holding firm to my commitment not to commit to anything. It goes against every fiber of my being, but I have so far resisted urges to run for the school board and apply to be the event planner for the American club - and it is kind of awesome for a change. Since I can't totally help myself, I did just help successfully pitch a partnership with the school, a youth leadership development group here and some pro-skateboarders from Canada to bring a 6- week <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/6972627652/in/photostream" target="_blank">skateboarding camp</a> to Maadi, so all the 10 year old boys here love me here.</div>
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In some ways, living here is like living in a college town (albeit one with lots of rubble, roving packs of wild dogs and the occasional tanks and armored vehicles) because there are so many activities and resources for Americans. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/6972594284/in/photostream" target="_blank">The boys love that it is April and they can swim outside </a>at the American club near our flat. Last month we went to the lovely Cairo Opera House for an Egyptian hip-hop performance. For St. Patrick's Day we went to hear "one of Cairo's premier Irish bands" (there's more than one apparently) play outside while giant bats flew overhead. Lots of kind of surreal experiences like this... </div>
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So you see, my glamorous diplomat lifestyle leaves little time for feeding my social networks. Even though, in Epic Fail #125, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/7117054757/in/photostream" target="_blank">my camera</a> recently died and then I promptly dropped its replacement, smashing my best lens, I am going to try to be a more faithful poster of pictures and a better blogger. Stick with me.</div>
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In the meantime, check out my Flickr photostream for pictures from the first few stops (more coming) of our Spring Break <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/sets/72157629829287503/" target="_blank">cruise down the Nile</a>, including <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/sets/72157629851514355/" target="_blank">Abu Simbel,</a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/sets/72157629533045470/" target="_blank">Philae Temple</a> and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/sets/72157629876605533/" target="_blank">Aswan</a>.</div>
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/lkm in Cairo</div>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09437546726735828682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796753328503896120.post-30455759598489933232012-04-26T17:53:00.001-07:002012-04-26T17:53:25.994-07:00Epic Fail #233 - Accidental Porn<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We've all adjusted quickly and rather well to living in Cairo, despite the occasional tears and frustration over things that "aren't like home." </div>
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For O, the sports fan, especially, it has been a constant struggle to watch college basketball and now Major League Baseball games on our satellite "Dream Box" that plays mostly soccer matches and Disney shows in Italian, Greek and Polish.</div>
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When the satellite is down - which is more often than not - a critical connection to the familiar and comforting is severed. And Mommy's got to fix that fast.</div>
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Consequently, I had developed a nice little relationship with the two young Egyptian satellite technicians who came to my flat, weekly it seemed, to get the bird back online. Owing to my meager command of Arabic, our Fixer, Fifi, generally facilitated our interactions, but one day I was feeling bold and confident and attempted unaided communication. That was my first mistake.</div>
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All was going well. I greeted the satellite guys with a friendly <i>sabah al khair </i>(good morning). I pointed at the TV, stabbed at buttons on the remote to no avail, and made a frowny face to convey my deep sadness over the lack of satellite signal. They got it and went right to work to fix the problem.</div>
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A while later, they called out "Madame" (I am a madame here) and I rejoined them in the living room to inspect their work. As they punched in channels on the remote, crystal clear images of Phineas and Ferb and The Simpsons came on 60 inch screen. Things were looking good. Until they handed the remote back to me to test it out.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I took the remote and started pressing buttons. We were all smiling and nodding, so of course I got cocky and started messing with the volume. Homer Simpson said something in Italian really loud. I went wild and started scrolling through this channel and that channel, my hubris driving me to accidentally switch from the "Kids" bouquet to the "Adult" bouquet.</div>
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Suddenly, my Muslim friends and I are staring at naked pieces and parts, glistening and thrusting vigorously in all their HD glory. With the volume cranked way past 11. I panicked and tried to change the channel. Push push - Polish MILFs! Oh no, Greek lesbians! Push, push, push - very naughty pirates of ambiguous ethnicity ... on a speed boat? </div>
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Whether it was the subtitled moaning of the office vixens or the blonds with big boobies that attracted her attention, I'll never know, but just as I threw the remote at the repairmen and ran screaming <i>"la, la, la" </i>(no, no, no) out of the room, poor sweet Fifi entered.</div>
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With silent agreement, Fifi and I have vowed never to speak of my satellite shame. I am no longer allowed to greet vendors unsupervised and Fifi has had the repairmen put a lock on "the channel that no one should ever watch."</div>
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/lkm in Cairo</div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09437546726735828682noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796753328503896120.post-32050542022829778752012-03-17T04:47:00.003-07:002012-03-17T04:55:12.468-07:00Wishing you a Happy St. Patrick’s Day with Virtual Soda Bread & a Limerick<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2tsM3XTh_7tEDq2UW7KfCiqMgnFqCMC8F-UZtWBLso7rGHoUp0jcx5k1TQ-oUmB68QH7kuLqB1NlaD0c1htOLzhIPDuvn2TG613uRzBBg8bR1BDy-Bg_qu7nktfP6_6L8kPBhQO-wU8Y/s1600/DSC_0812.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2tsM3XTh_7tEDq2UW7KfCiqMgnFqCMC8F-UZtWBLso7rGHoUp0jcx5k1TQ-oUmB68QH7kuLqB1NlaD0c1htOLzhIPDuvn2TG613uRzBBg8bR1BDy-Bg_qu7nktfP6_6L8kPBhQO-wU8Y/s320/DSC_0812.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5720833305703867442" /></a><br /><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 100%; ">There was a colleen from Chevy Chase</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span>Exiled to a dry, dusty space</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span>About the desert she was a good sport</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span>But on one count her new home came up short</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span>How the shite can Herself get a pint in this place?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09437546726735828682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796753328503896120.post-80191692363061559172012-02-05T14:43:00.000-08:002012-02-08T01:26:35.769-08:00What's a Wadi?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>334</o:Words> <o:characters>1904</o:Characters> <o:company>GMMB</o:Company> <o:lines>15</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>3</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>2338</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">"What's a wadi?" And, on finding out, "Why are you in one?"</p><p class="MsoNormal">The Husband, Lads and I wandered in the wadi this past weekend, prompting these questions from my mother. Fair enough, since everyone knows I am more of a drink-a-hot-toddy than walk-in-the-wadi kind of girl. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">First, some geography: <i>wadi</i> is Arabic for “valley.” Wadis are cut by water through the desert but are largely dry year round. Wadi Degla is in Egypt's Eastern Desert and drains into the Nile Valley at Maadi, Cairo. In the late 90s it was protected as a nature preserve. Today, its network of trails attracts hikers and cyclists.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The wadi floor is mostly coarse sand and gravel, with scattered piles of rocks - not to be confused with the pervasive, man-made <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/6826469699/in/set-72157629172888269">rubble</a> throughout Cairo. There are also several very high plateaus.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The Lads’ pre-wadi hiking experiences were generally tame and more on the green, or urban side – being carried in baby back packs through the Blue Ridge Mountains or walking through Rock Creek Park- with the scarring (figuratively and literally) exception of one very traumatic trek through the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/misc-locations/billy-goat-trail,1025763/critic-review.html#reviewNum1">Billy Goat Trail</a> with Grandpa the last time (and the last time) he babysat for the weekend. Said A, with a shiver as we tried to convince him the wadi trails were kinder and gentler, “I still haven’t forgiven Grandpa for that one.” Neither have, I, A, neither have I.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">In the end, O and A were excited that they climbed a mountain of sand. I, remaining securely on the wadi floor, was slightly less excited about the mountain of sand in my shoes. </p><p class="MsoNormal">In leaving behind my telephoto lens, I inadvertently pleased O with pictures that made him, his brother and father look like ants "1 or 2 miles” above me (in reality, more like a few hundred feet). </p><p class="MsoNormal">Then, just as I was thinking how standing in this very alien landscape was like being on the moon – the actual moon peaked out above the plateau behind which the boys had disappeared .</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Still wondering, what’s a wadi? See for yourself at my Flickr set <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/sets/72157629172888269/">Wadi Degla</a>.</p><p class="MsoNormal">/lkm in Cairo</p> <!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09437546726735828682noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796753328503896120.post-9480193013540545662012-01-17T04:21:00.000-08:002012-01-22T23:32:21.786-08:00Fish Lights<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>420</o:Words> <o:characters>2397</o:Characters> <o:company>GMMB</o:Company> <o:lines>19</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>4</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>2943</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span >I</span><span><span><span >f</span> it is true that the </span><span style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">first step in understanding a country is to smell it, then I am making some progress here.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">Cairo is filled with many wonderful and exotic (to my nose) scents. Musky incense burning in the tiny, almost cave-like shops that dot the streets. Rich spices like </span><span style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span><span>cardamom, bay leaves, cinnamon, cumin and nutmeg simmering in a pots of </span><a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/koshari-39446">koshari</a> </span><span>or baked into an infinite variety of plentiful phillo-based pastries. Fresh mint in mugs of sweet hot tea. Juicy oranges, ripe bananas and tiny local lemons at the corner market or peddled from a basket on a bicycle.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="background-color: white; ">But mostly Cairo smells like dust.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">And, for our first week here, inexplicably of fish.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">O, who must get his keen sense of smell from me, said it first while we made our inaugural tour through our new apartment. “Why does our hotel smell like fish?” (without our stuff and with Fifi making our beds, it does feel a bit like a hotel ...) Fair question, given that there was none now or recently in our apartment. Perhaps it wafted in from another flat or on the evening breeze that makes Cairo so pleasant during its brief winter? We turned off the lights and went to sleep and the fish smell blew away.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="background-color: white; ">The next day, as I was reconfiguring furniture in our living room, the fish smell was suddenly there again.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">It hovered above the sofa so heavy that I actually removed the pillows and cushions expecting to find a fillet amongst the stray crumbs and loose change.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">Not finding a forgotten fish, I shut off the lights and moved on to something else.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="background-color: white; ">And again, reading in the evening.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">Watching Disney shows with Greek subtitles from the satellite.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">The real and really stinky stench of fish making us ever queasier and more curious.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="background-color: white; ">Several days later we met an American woman, the friend of a friend who had actually lived in our exact apartment two years earlier.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">We queried each other with the standard expat questions – where are you from, are you with an oil company or the embassy, how long have you been here, how long will you stay here, when did you get here, where do you live here? She immediately recognized our address as our mutual friend’s former apartment.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="background-color: white; ">“Have you found the Fish Lights,” she asked?</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">I apologized for not having much Arabic yet and asked her to explain these "fishlights" of which she spoke.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">“The sconces, in your living room, that smell like fish when you turn them on.”</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">Apparently, she became acquainted with our ill-smelling illumination during a belly dancing class that my friend hosted weekly in our apartment’s large living room (or dance floor, as A now calls it).</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">Mystery solved.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="background-color: white; "><span>The</span> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/6742574089/in/set-72157628765858877">Fish Lights </a><span>are now permanently in the off position which, along with the enormous </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/6747479625/in/set-72157628773268729">APO shipment of candles and reed diffusers </a><span>I ordered before the case of the foul fish funk was closed, helps keep our place smelling fresh and clean.</span></span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; ">With an ever-present back note of dust.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; "><span>For more pictures, check out my </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/sets/72157628765858877/">Our Apartment</a> set on Flickr.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; ">/lkm in Cairo</span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09437546726735828682noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796753328503896120.post-57924484004657992832012-01-17T01:53:00.000-08:002012-01-17T04:20:48.247-08:00Cecilia, You’re Breaking My Back<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>404</o:Words> <o:characters>2308</o:Characters> <o:company>GMMB</o:Company> <o:lines>19</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>4</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>2834</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="background-color: white; ">It’s no secret that one of the reasons I was so keen for The Husband to get an overseas assignment is so that I could take some time off of work to be with The Lads while they still want to be with me (most of the time), travel and pursue creative and other interests in service of my own mind, body and soul.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">Or, as my friend Joanne would say, it’s all about me!</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="background-color: white; ">Imagine my delight, then, at receiving the Christmas gift from The Husband of an in-home massage.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">I could tell you that because of the tragically depressed economy here, labor is absurdly inexpensive in Egypt. This is true, but this gift still feels outrageously decadent.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">Cairo has a large population of </span><em><span style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; font-style: normal; ">Filipino</span></em><span style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "> immigrants, especially women, many of whom come to Egypt to find work in domestic jobs like nannies and housekeepers. Cecilia, my masseuse, is one of these women. Recommended by colleagues of The Husband, Cecilia arrived for my first massage mere days after my arrival in Cairo. The body does not lie; about 30 seconds into my massage, Cecilia fairly screamed – “Madame, you are full of stress.” Oh, Cecilia, you have no idea.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="background-color: white; ">The poverty in Cairo is abject, and so, too, is the gap between the super wealthy and the poor.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">Here, it’s the 99.999999999%.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">Civil servants earn the equivalent of a few hundred U.S. dollars a month.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">Some professionals (doctors, lawyers, engineers…) accept domestic work for expats because the salaries are often higher. </span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">Many people work multiple jobs to support themselves and their families.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="background-color: white; ">Painfully, I discovered Cecilia works her multiple jobs concurrently. Just as she had finally exposed a deep-rooted</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">“node” in my lower back, her phone rang loudly.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">Without explanation or excuse, Cecilia took the call.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">While my throbbing node and I waited for Cecilia the masseuse, Cecilia the real estate agent made several appointments to show an apartment she was listing.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span><span style="background-color: white; ">My limited previous experience with massage involves serene spa settings.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">Dim lights. Warm sheets.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">Aromatherapy.</span></span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25FEIAyklyo&feature=related"><span style="background-color: white; "><span> </span>Pan</span><span style="background-color: white; "> flutes playing softly in the background.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span></a><span style="background-color: white; ">Not hearing about the features of a 3 bedroom, two bathroom flat for sale on a quiet part of Road 23 while waves of stabbing spasms pierced my back.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span><span style="background-color: white; ">“Your node is very lucky for me!</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">It is a lucky node,” she told me, alternating between making appointments to show the apartment (with an elevator!) and beating the stress out of me. This node felt anything but lucky to me. </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="background-color: white; ">Then it was over.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">“All done, Madame.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">You are very stressed.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">I should come twice a week,” Cecilia told me entrepreneurially.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">“ I also have maids.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">You need any maids?" </span></span><span style="background-color: white; ">No maids, </span><i style="background-color: white; ">shokran </i><span style="background-color: white; ">(thank you). </span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">Just a heating pad and some Advil.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span><span style="background-color: white; ">And maybe a break from the relaxing massages.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; "><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; ">/lkm in Cairo</span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09437546726735828682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796753328503896120.post-71249511376193718802012-01-16T04:47:00.001-08:002012-01-16T16:01:21.389-08:00Arriving and Driving<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>314</o:Words> <o:characters>1791</o:Characters> <o:company>GMMB</o:Company> <o:lines>14</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>3</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>2199</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>O, A and I arrived in Cairo on January 30.</span><span> </span><span>Living on the East Coast of the United States, I’ve flown over bodies of water many many times.</span><span> </span><span>It was a wholly different experience flying over the desert, with only sand as far as the eye could see.</span><span> </span><span>While our approach didn’t give us our first glimpse of pyramids, we were treated to the amazing and strangely beautiful sight of the sun setting over the desert – a otherworldly view.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>The Husband was able to meet us at the gate and we all were glad to see him again after a month apart, and not least of all for his help with our massive amounts of luggage.</span><span> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>The nearly one hour drive from the airport to Maadi during rush hour proved that The Husband's colorful stories about the Egyptian traffic and driving were not hyperbole.</span><span> </span><span>The road to Cairo was densely packed with all manner of conveyance, from the small, decrepit white vans (“microbuses”) that serve as a cheap, informal (and ride-at-your-own-risk) form of public transport for locals to enormous dust-covered SUVs to makeshift wooden carts pulled by malnourished donkeys.</span><span> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>I’m a veteran city driver, but nothing compares to the free-for-all that is Cairo traffic. Driving here is one big game of chicken whereby you arrive at your destination </span><span style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">by sheer will and the grace of God. No lines in the road to mark lanes, no traffic lights to slow or halt the unending flow of vehicles, only roundabouts, occasional speed bumps and frequent road hazards (trees, rubble, trash, cats, dogs, people) to regulate the traffic. Stop signs, yield signs? </span><span>Not a one, just hold your hand out the window in the universal gesture for stop and yell<i> i</i></span><span style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><i>stanna</i> (wait) with as much conviction as possible and, <i>inshalla</i> (hopefully), your opponent will abide. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span><span style="background-color: white; ">White-knuckled and wiped out, we arrived safely at last to our new apartment.</span><span style="background-color: white; "> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; "><span><span>After meeting and handing over our luggage to our kind </span><i>Boab</i><span> (part building security and caretaker), Hamdi, we walked the four flights to our flat where we were welcomed warmly by Fifi, our already indispensable housekeeper, cook, translator, fixer, cultural ambassador, etc., and Tom’s own version of a </span></span><span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/6623082417/in/set-72157628687651803/">Christmas tree.</a></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="background-color: white; ">/lkm in Cairo</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09437546726735828682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796753328503896120.post-25801124426225800392012-01-02T08:30:00.000-08:002012-01-22T23:37:34.067-08:00Excess Baggage<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkLkUEhm545U_suupLB9bBXa48sTzr0dZ6Y-aLigvqMYbmoRaxzXG52OmF1EdZ6AL8IKzYCV4TDE8vcW0TG4flIWS0nIC82iG_aS09jm4u_rTmGjUw_qSkuyAJ49Z85X-yluO1AIX3DVs/s1600/IMG_0056.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkLkUEhm545U_suupLB9bBXa48sTzr0dZ6Y-aLigvqMYbmoRaxzXG52OmF1EdZ6AL8IKzYCV4TDE8vcW0TG4flIWS0nIC82iG_aS09jm4u_rTmGjUw_qSkuyAJ49Z85X-yluO1AIX3DVs/s320/IMG_0056.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693116124192482258" /></a><br /><span>Packing is one of my least favorite things in the world. What to bring for the trip, what to leave home. Who knows? So, I usually end up throwing everything in the bag to give myself maximum options when I arrive at my destination. That strategy has generally served me well for weekend getaways and summer vacations. Moving overseas for two years? Not so much.</span><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>Packing for our move was divided into four categories. </span>In late November, we did an AIR SHIPMENT of about 1,000 pounds - which is not as much as it seems - of household goods that we would need immediately. This arrived right before New Year's, just a day ahead of me and The Lads. Top of the list of things I would need right away were my Mac, Bose, some clothes and shoes. Same for The Lads and The Husband, plus the DVD player and our Wii. All the best Egyptian cotton is exported, so we also had to repatriate our sheets and towels. The embassy hooked us up with some <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/6636885167/in/set-72157628687651803">basic pots, pans, flatware, dishes, etc.</a> until the rest of our household goods - everything from trashcans to soccer balls to wine glasses and shower curtains - will arrive by SEA SHIPMENT on the very slow boat to Cairo in late February or early March. Please cross your fingers for me for late February. I really miss those wine glasses.</div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>Our apartment in Cairo is fully furnished in the finest <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/6636874583/in/set-72157628687651803/">government-issued furniture</a>, so, with the exception of our king-sized marital bed and mattress (standard issue is queen, and The Husband and I long ago discovered that a big bed was one of the secrets of a long marriage), all of our furniture went into STORAGE. </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>The rest, The Lads and I CARRIED to Cairo ourselves in 7 pieces of luggage that just barely met the maximum size and weight (my father carefully weighed each bag and helped us strategically reallocate kilos) allowed by the airlines and a backpack each with enough DVDs, ipods, ipads, travel-sized games, neck pillows, eyemasks, earplugs and Christmas candy to keep ourselves entertained, cozy and hopped up on sugar for a trip to the moon and back. </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>Families fly Coach to their overseas postings. However - because in the frenzy of leaving my job, packing up and renting my house, preparing for Christmas, flying to Alabama to meet my new niece and nephew, and saying goodbye to family and friends I either put their plane tickets on the slow boat to Cairo or into long-term storage - our cats <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/6636867145/in/set-72157628687651803/">Kitty O'Shea and Banshee </a>flew First Class. On my dime. Merry Christmas, kitties.</span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><div><span>To break up the trip, O, A and I stopped over in Frankfurt. There, we got some much-needed, if off-hour sleep, then hit the town for some German culture (pretzels, <em style="line-height: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span>Käsekrainers <span style="font-style: normal;">and the purchasing and wearing of faux-alpine caps for the boys; </span></span></em>a nice <i>Pilsner </i>for me), followed by more sleep, waking up at 3AM in the morning, hanging out in our </span><span><span style="line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><i>Gemütlichkeit </i>robes and watching the highly inappropriate (or as O says, inappro-pro) for children <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYG8PYwjBqo">Little Fockers</a> until early morning breakfast at the hotel and back to the airport for our flight to Cairo.</span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span><span style="line-height: 19px;">Travel with us through my Flickr photostream - <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/sets/72157628685242775/">Cairo-A-Go-Go </a>and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelliemurfski/sets/72157628685742411/">Frankfurt</a> photos sets.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span><span style="line-height: 19px;">/lkm in Cairo</span></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09437546726735828682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3796753328503896120.post-39097298157195148022012-01-02T07:14:00.000-08:002012-01-17T04:39:48.718-08:00Cairo-A-Go-Go<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0B3M9NrclLT2dBtz9s8NCktWuhnqOx8etrYvWBCx3t-BJxJpxsBX45Tzih0hFb76wEfG4IE0ax8fwu5XcJ4r6CZt3eWsFfFER8dsCE3MB_sNaQhRqoYmoh7aVdzIJtzgJesPCJiaxWI/s1600/photo.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 237px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0B3M9NrclLT2dBtz9s8NCktWuhnqOx8etrYvWBCx3t-BJxJpxsBX45Tzih0hFb76wEfG4IE0ax8fwu5XcJ4r6CZt3eWsFfFER8dsCE3MB_sNaQhRqoYmoh7aVdzIJtzgJesPCJiaxWI/s320/photo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698385325254683746" /></a><br />I have always dreamed of living, for a while, the fabulous life of a diplomat’s wife overseas. In my fantasy, I <a href="http://www.partner.viator.com/en/6852/tours/London/London-Duck-Tour/d737-3268FROG/photos">jet set </a>across Europe from my home base in romantic Rome, Vienna or Prague, conversing fluently with my <a href="http://www.art.com/products/p14030051-sa-i2844152/zacharias-thurn-und-taxis-princes-louis-philippe-and-max-emmanuel-wearing-suits-from-la-grande-maison.htm">impeccably groomed </a>and well-mannered children<http: com="" products="" i2844152="" html=""> in new languages as we take an extended field trip through foreign art, history and <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&sa=X&biw=1920&bih=995&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=oZY2VH9erGFF_M:&imgrefurl=http://www.enricotravel.com/tours_brochures/euro-disney-holidays-2009.htm&docid=uJFIggE8gVJxfM&imgurl=http://www.enricotravel.com/tours_brochures/euro-disney-holidays-2009.jpg&w=350&h=488&ei=69ABT_jADOnZ4QSorMiNCA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=807&vpy=600&dur=1619&hovh=265&hovw=190&tx=128&ty=193&sig=111853474818048830504&page=1&tbnh=115&tbnw=82&start=0&ndsp=69&ved=1t:429,r:16,s:0">culture</a><http: com="" photos="" eurosouvenirland="" 4138340179="">. </http:></http:><div><http: com="" products="" i2844152="" html=""><http: com="" photos="" eurosouvenirland="" 4138340179=""><br /></http:></http:></div><div><http: com="" products="" i2844152="" html=""><http: com="" photos="" eurosouvenirland="" 4138340179="">In reality, I find myself moving to Cairo where, for the next two years, The Husband will be working and I will be blissfully on an extended sabbatical. While hotter, dustier and ever so <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&sa=X&biw=1920&bih=959&tbm=isch&prmd=imvnsul&tbnid=Z4p-Cc36egGveM:&imgrefurl=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12985619&docid=hhaT5Okgub9EbM&imgurl=http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/52031000/jpg/_52031875_011368741-1.jpg&w=466&h=260&ei=a9EBT5ObKu7Q4QT7992NCA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=168&vpy=621&dur=7778&hovh=168&hovw=301&tx=138&ty=106&sig=111853474818048830504&page=4&tbnh=135&tbnw=196&start=137&ndsp=40&ved=1t:429,r:8,s:137">slightly less glamorous</a><http: com="" q="cairo+revolution&hl=en&sa=X&biw=1280&bih=909&tbm=isch&tbnid=jOJQ-orkzBGb7M:&imgrefurl=http://www.bravejeworld.com/2011/02/revolution-in-cairo.html&docid=1MJ-4ShW5PNnhM&w=460&h=276&ei=56NeTtbtMsaBgAeA-bCLAg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur="> than I pictured, Egypt offers O, A, T and me the chance to travel, learn and experience a truly once in a lifetime adventure together at an historic time.<br /><br />Though I fully expect to miss my family and friends terribly while I’m gone, various technologies promise to help me keep in touch and up-to-date (probably even better now that I am unemployed). And it will be just like I never left if you follow my riveting social stream now that I am back up and running from my undisclosed location on the Nile.<br /></http:></http:></http:></div><div><br /></div><div>@Kelliemurfski on Blogspot, Twitter, Flickr and Instagram </div><div><http: com="" products="" i2844152="" html=""><http: com="" photos="" eurosouvenirland="" 4138340179=""><http: com="" q="cairo+revolution&hl=en&sa=X&biw=1280&bih=909&tbm=isch&tbnid=jOJQ-orkzBGb7M:&imgrefurl=http://www.bravejeworld.com/2011/02/revolution-in-cairo.html&docid=1MJ-4ShW5PNnhM&w=460&h=276&ei=56NeTtbtMsaBgAeA-bCLAg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur="><br /></http:></http:></http:></div><div><http: com="" products="" i2844152="" html=""><http: com="" photos="" eurosouvenirland="" 4138340179=""><http: com="" q="cairo+revolution&hl=en&sa=X&biw=1280&bih=909&tbm=isch&tbnid=jOJQ-orkzBGb7M:&imgrefurl=http://www.bravejeworld.com/2011/02/revolution-in-cairo.html&docid=1MJ-4ShW5PNnhM&w=460&h=276&ei=56NeTtbtMsaBgAeA-bCLAg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=">/lkm in </http:></http:></http:>Cairo</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09437546726735828682noreply@blogger.com0