Veiled Paparazzi

Later Sunday night, I had the privilege of dining with some friends from my alma mater who are here for the semester as study abroad students. Together with my flatmate's guest, we enjoyed typical Egyptian food and chatted about our feelings toward Egypt and toward the States. What made it interesting were our different relationships to the country-me here as a graduate student for a year and half, Tyler and Bridget as study abroad students here for a semester, and Rachel as a tourist here for a week. It was funny, Rachel and Bridget both had things they were looking forward to doing when they got back to the States. I haven't really thought much about those sorts of things being logistics-buying plane tickets, rescheduling appointments, etc.
Yesterday, the internet began working at my apartment again since the new landlord, Mohamed saw fit to renew the contract with the ISP. I took the opportunity to finish my paper for Migration and Development, a class I have in an hour and a half. Later on last evening, I joined Marise and some of her friends who study in Colorado. Originating from Algeria, Saudi Arabia, and Chile, they also had unique perspectives on Egypt to contribute. We had a nice dinner at al-Azhar Park (seems I'm finding myself there a lot these days).
Other than that, my life has been filled with paper-writing, researching, and group project-tweaking--oh, except for when I got stopped in the street by a triad of teenage Egyptian girls who asked to take photos of me with their camera phones. Flattering or disconcerting, I'm not sure which.

News:
Egypt tourism industry poised to weather the economic downturn?
Copts divided over criticism of Egyptian government
American women in Egyptian prison in adoption fiasco

Crossed legs and cross Egyptians

I am currently outside in the courtyard of AUC's Greek Campus. I've traded my drab olive couch, my tiny TV, and the plethora of nearly-tastefully upholstered dining room chairs in my living room for pigeons, cats, and palm trees and remarkably beautiful weather. The reason? My landlord (whoever that is at this point, since apparently the one who I haven't seen in months has handed the reins over to his brother and niece(s)) neglected to pay our internet bill (the second time he has violated the rental contract by not paying for a utility). Since I've been fuming lately, thinking about how much money I've lost in overpaying for this ersatz abode, my blood pressure had nowhere to go but up, so it's a good thing that the internet's working on campus and that the sun is shining.
Despite my recent frustrations, I had a great time yesterday. I joined my French friends for a jaunt to al-Azhar park where we had a leisurely lunch before watching the sunset. For once, the call to prayer was beautiful. You could hear it from so many different minarets that it all blend together into ambient background music for the scene of the sun sinking behind the Cairo skyline. After navigating the alleys and streets back to my building, we rested our weary feet for a while before heading to Ma'adi to get Thai food with Phil and Ross's guest who's been visiting. It was good as usual. On the way back, in the metro, a curious thing happened. I was sitting with my legs crossed in a way so as not to show the bottom of my shoes (because the bottoms of one's shoes and feet are considered offensive to display to others) and talking to my friends when all of the sudden I felt a tap on my shoe. A young but severe-looking man in a galabaya motioned to me that something about the way I was sitting was inappropriate. Shocked that he had the nerve to touch my shoes with the bottom of his and thoroughly annoyed at his intervening, I asked him in Arabic just what the problem was. I'm not sure why I did, because my Arabic's not good enough to understand any explanation he could've offered, but he gesticulated along with his words and I signaled my discontent and ignored his admonition. I can't imagine what his problem was as Egyptians sit the same way I was sitting in the metro all the time. I don't think I accidentally flashed the sole of my shoe at him either, but by the end of the metro-ride I wanted to take it off and throw it at him. As much as I tried to be inconspicuous and inoffensive, the very fact that I have the skin, eye, and hair color I do attracts vapid stares and obnoxious greetings or even snide remarks and rude gestures. I'm tired of being harassed and ripped off just for being a non-Egyptian. At least I'm not a woman, they have to deal with much, much worse here.
Ma3lesh, at least the weather's nice. Mid-70s and sunny!

News:
Egypt demanding return from US of ancient sarcophagus
Cairo the worst city in Africa for air pollution
Water scarcity an increasing threat to Egypt

Cheap Cuisine Continued (and Smoggy Sunsets)

I'll pick up where I left off, which was right before getting to the other reason for the title of the last post: Ross, Glenn, and I had an absolutely fantastic meal last night of tahina, aish, and taamia (Egyptian falafel), and ful with onions and parsley, at a place called Felfela. The restaurant was not too far from our dinner location the previous night (at Le Bistro). Stuffing ourselves with Egyptian cuisine (and not having eaten a single dinner in) is something one might find excessive, but I assure you, doing so is the epitome of frugality. Splitting the check three ways, each of us paid, with tax and tip, the equivalent of $2.99. Wow!
One might be little surprised that Ross and I were there yet again tonight, though we had ful with tahina mixed in, taamia in a sort of omelette, and "lemonade" this time. We splurged on dessert, getting an Egyptian favorite, om ali.
We definitely earned the dessert: after a morning of Kafkaesque office-hopping at AUC (sans breakfast because the inane registration procedures for orientation prevented us getting one) and only some lentil soup (albeit delicious lentil soup) and ice-blended drinks (mine was anise-flavored) to pass for lunch, we dragged ourselves home. I indulged in a piece of toasted aish with some Tanners Orchard apple butter slathered on for a taste of home, but had nothing else as we set out on a 5.5 mile journey east and north past Abdeen Palace and the Museum of Islamic Art up Port Said Street, over on Al-Azhar Street to the Khan al-Khalili (which wasn't as lively as usual, because most of its shops are closed on Sunday; Friday, however is the holy day in Egypt) and finally to Al-Azhar Park. Rather than ramble on about it, I'll include a photo I took there at sunset:Then again, as you can see, the sun's a bit high in the sky, so perhaps it was the hazy layer of smog hanging in the air in Cairo that softened the sun's rays. Whatever the effect on my lungs, the effect on my eyes was wonderful.