in Dubai. The big occasion was the matriarch of the family's 95th birthday. I thought it was a pretty big deal and everyone else thought it was even bigger. Woke up my first morning to twelve 6th graders and their teachers in the living room. For their good behavior they get a one hour break to come and wish the owner of the school's mother-in-law a happy 95th. We had mass for her that evening. I've never seen that kind of respect. People lined up in the church for her to bless them; children and grown men were kneeling and kissing one hand while she had the other on their heads. My faith is quite shaky right now, but if there is a person in this world that has a heavenly aura it's this great aunt. She's been acquainted with not one, but two saints: Saint Alphonza and Mother Teresa. They used to stay with her in India on their visits. Her rosary is her extra appendage and if she's not speaking to someone in the room, she's speaking to Our Father, His Son, or His Mother.
Some of you have heard me talk about life here, it hasn't changed. there is talk about the economic downturn here, but i'm not seeing it. there is excess everywhere. it feels kind of good to know that there is a place in the world i can come to indulge. this time i need an agenda. Since my last trip I have other friends and cousins here i'm having to juggle family obligations with wanting to soak in shiny dubai with my peers. everyone I'm running with here lives at a level in life I'd never personally know. I've been carted around in luxury sport cars, Range Rovers, Escalades... all these belonging to people my age or younger.
My first day I was given 1200 American dollars for my spending money... if you know me you know I still have 1200 in my purse. So this free trip to Dubai paid for my room, board, and flight to Egypt. There isn't even a chance to spend the money because I'm not allowed to pick up a tab. Dinners out are even more uncomfortable. My young friends/cousins make demands to the waiters "not this way, that way" "i want this, not that" "don't forget this" "what's taking so long?" the overworked and underpaid staff reply with "sorry madam, yes sir, it's coming madam" and probably some spit in our food as well. The other night we were at this extremely decadent place called "The Palace" and I found myself making demands. Don't worry I checked my ass before it got out of hand.
I have time to post this because everyone is out of the house now on some business. About an hour ago I was getting hungry and tried to sneak downstairs for a bite. Sneaking because if any of the help sees me, my "bite" becomes an ordeal of table settings, more dishes than I need, and me sitting at a large set table alone.
I'm leaving for Cairo in a couple of days and I don't want to. My uncle and aunt know I hate it and asked me to just scrap Cairo, go get my shit, come back and head home from here next week. Do you know how tempting that is? But that effing video is not done, it's actually not doing very well, and I want to pull the plug. I have to save face though, so I'm going to go back and handle my business.
tomorrow i am having my first facial... pretty much people just get paid to wash other people's faces well.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Red Sea
Do you know when people talk about how they “needed a vacation”? As though not getting it would have some detrimental effect on their sanity. I always thought it was a dramatic thing to say, and what you should say is “I don’t feel like going to work or school because it sucks.” Cairo makes you NEED a vacation. I just got back this morning from a long weekend at the Red Sea.
FYI: the holy day of the week in Islam is Friday so the work-week goes from Sunday to Thursday.
Yeah it was beautiful, many places in the world are. But it was also perfect. We took an over night bus (not bad at all), got there in time for the sunrise and did nothing for two days. We stayed in these Bedouin huts right along the sea: slept, drank, smoked, swam, talked, and read.
Despite having spent over a month in Belize and Australia, two places known for their coral, I never took the time out to go underwater. I didn’t want to put that thing in my mouth. The Red Sea is apparently also known for its aquatic life. It was beautiful. I, a pair of goggles, and some courage swam out through countless schools of fish. The colors and patterns made me rethink never wanting to dive. The wildest part of my water adventure was the jellyfish. I remember my sister getting stung in Puerto Rico and it being a pain in the ass. So when I heard I was surrounded by them, I freaked. But the jellyfish here never evolved the ability to sting. There were so many; I’d never seen any before… they look so delicate. There were portions of the sea where you felt like you were swimming in tapioca. The entire experience turned 4 grown ass people into giggling school girls.
I’ve been here two weeks and this city manages to wear you down; especially if you can’t see the beauty it has to offer. You have to really want to see this beauty… it’s hidden under dust, trash, noise, blueless skies, and aggression. Honestly, I really needed to get out of Cairo because of an ever-so-slight personal crisis that rounded out last week. I’m good, it’s good, we’re all good and forgotten.
I’m now on a dash to do all the tourist things. I’ll be back in Houston in less than two weeks; plus my time in Cairo has been cut short a week because I’m making an impromptu cameo at a family gathering in Dubai. I forgot that I am still a tourist and will have to make time for appointments, work, making dinners, visiting new friends, poker nights, creating drama, and the pyramids (which are just a metro ride away and I still haven’t done.)
by the way... the Egyptian Museum is amazing!
FYI: the holy day of the week in Islam is Friday so the work-week goes from Sunday to Thursday.
Yeah it was beautiful, many places in the world are. But it was also perfect. We took an over night bus (not bad at all), got there in time for the sunrise and did nothing for two days. We stayed in these Bedouin huts right along the sea: slept, drank, smoked, swam, talked, and read.
Despite having spent over a month in Belize and Australia, two places known for their coral, I never took the time out to go underwater. I didn’t want to put that thing in my mouth. The Red Sea is apparently also known for its aquatic life. It was beautiful. I, a pair of goggles, and some courage swam out through countless schools of fish. The colors and patterns made me rethink never wanting to dive. The wildest part of my water adventure was the jellyfish. I remember my sister getting stung in Puerto Rico and it being a pain in the ass. So when I heard I was surrounded by them, I freaked. But the jellyfish here never evolved the ability to sting. There were so many; I’d never seen any before… they look so delicate. There were portions of the sea where you felt like you were swimming in tapioca. The entire experience turned 4 grown ass people into giggling school girls.
I’ve been here two weeks and this city manages to wear you down; especially if you can’t see the beauty it has to offer. You have to really want to see this beauty… it’s hidden under dust, trash, noise, blueless skies, and aggression. Honestly, I really needed to get out of Cairo because of an ever-so-slight personal crisis that rounded out last week. I’m good, it’s good, we’re all good and forgotten.
I’m now on a dash to do all the tourist things. I’ll be back in Houston in less than two weeks; plus my time in Cairo has been cut short a week because I’m making an impromptu cameo at a family gathering in Dubai. I forgot that I am still a tourist and will have to make time for appointments, work, making dinners, visiting new friends, poker nights, creating drama, and the pyramids (which are just a metro ride away and I still haven’t done.)
by the way... the Egyptian Museum is amazing!
Thursday, February 18, 2010
fitting in
I’m going on 10 days here and I haven’t slept at night. My routine is work/whatever, I come back to the apt around 4-5pm, get dressed and head somewhere, come home around 11pm (on a work night) then I don’t sleep till 8 or 9am the next morning. Finally fall asleep and then wake up around noon. In my 10 days here I’m working on my 5th book now. Bit the bullet last night and bought some sleeping pills (like our neighbors to the South at home, we can get anything we please at a pharmacy). It’s helped.
The people I roll with…
I spend most of my time with people who make me feel like algae on the intellectual food chain. You know that saying to always surround yourself with people better or more intelligent than you? That’s effing exhausting. If they’re not from some Ivy-League American/British/Canadian institution, they are either heading to one, or have differed enrollment for a year. I have the urge to impress, but definitely not the mental capacity to keep up. Every word that comes out of my mouth has to be significant or at least have some humor, smart humor… my what’s Tiger Wood’s new name joke isn’t cutting it here (it’s Cheetah Woods). When I lived at the yellow house in Galveston I mentioned that I felt like Rush Limbaugh there, well here I would be the love child between Limbaugh and Ann Coulter. They are liberal, smart liberals, yoga, Birkenstocks, protesting, and already filled two passports with stamps liberals. This is an example of a conversation…
Someone was talking about an Italian protest for I don’t remember and the Italian riot police are especially brutal. So brutal they opened fire, gas, or water on protesters and were even beating pregnant women. At the moment I thought my response was reasonable…
Me: that’s stupid, why are pregnant women protesting?
Comrade 1: Melita, what you should be asking are why would you beat a pregnant woman?
Comrade 2: Perhaps to bring that unborn child into a better world
Comrade 3: To stand for something
Me: (sheepishly)… oh yeah, you know I’m different. (sounded more like I was saying “you know I’m retarded)
Before I fully appreciated my company I was speaking the way I usually do. In one conversation I used the worlds “chastise” and “castigate” interchangeably and whenever the hell I felt like it. They couldn’t take it anymore, and I got schooled. Since then my conversations have dwindled to simple words, about things I know about, and I ask a lot more questions. Interested doesn’t look stupid. One thing I have is Medicine. I have the monopoly on that here. These are a bunch of current and future lawyers. But God forbid one of their Ivy med school buddies show up… forget Ivy, God forbid a nursing student from UTMB shows up, I’m screwed.
All in all, I’m having a great time with everyone here. My medical education, travel experience, and (weird enough) racial make-up provide enough ammo to hang. But I definitely miss those of you that were kind enough to let my BS slip by unmentioned… I wouldn’t be here nor have the ego I do without you.
I'm heading to the Red Sea for the weekend in case my parents decide to call any of you in a panic.
The people I roll with…
I spend most of my time with people who make me feel like algae on the intellectual food chain. You know that saying to always surround yourself with people better or more intelligent than you? That’s effing exhausting. If they’re not from some Ivy-League American/British/Canadian institution, they are either heading to one, or have differed enrollment for a year. I have the urge to impress, but definitely not the mental capacity to keep up. Every word that comes out of my mouth has to be significant or at least have some humor, smart humor… my what’s Tiger Wood’s new name joke isn’t cutting it here (it’s Cheetah Woods). When I lived at the yellow house in Galveston I mentioned that I felt like Rush Limbaugh there, well here I would be the love child between Limbaugh and Ann Coulter. They are liberal, smart liberals, yoga, Birkenstocks, protesting, and already filled two passports with stamps liberals. This is an example of a conversation…
Someone was talking about an Italian protest for I don’t remember and the Italian riot police are especially brutal. So brutal they opened fire, gas, or water on protesters and were even beating pregnant women. At the moment I thought my response was reasonable…
Me: that’s stupid, why are pregnant women protesting?
Comrade 1: Melita, what you should be asking are why would you beat a pregnant woman?
Comrade 2: Perhaps to bring that unborn child into a better world
Comrade 3: To stand for something
Me: (sheepishly)… oh yeah, you know I’m different. (sounded more like I was saying “you know I’m retarded)
Before I fully appreciated my company I was speaking the way I usually do. In one conversation I used the worlds “chastise” and “castigate” interchangeably and whenever the hell I felt like it. They couldn’t take it anymore, and I got schooled. Since then my conversations have dwindled to simple words, about things I know about, and I ask a lot more questions. Interested doesn’t look stupid. One thing I have is Medicine. I have the monopoly on that here. These are a bunch of current and future lawyers. But God forbid one of their Ivy med school buddies show up… forget Ivy, God forbid a nursing student from UTMB shows up, I’m screwed.
All in all, I’m having a great time with everyone here. My medical education, travel experience, and (weird enough) racial make-up provide enough ammo to hang. But I definitely miss those of you that were kind enough to let my BS slip by unmentioned… I wouldn’t be here nor have the ego I do without you.
I'm heading to the Red Sea for the weekend in case my parents decide to call any of you in a panic.
Monday, February 15, 2010
work and play
So turns out I’m even worse at putting up blogs here than South Africa. About a week ago the wireless part of my internet decided to stop working and since then I haven’t been able to stay connected. This is probably a good thing, because those 36 hours of uninterrupted internet kept me on facebook, gmail, and skype. What’s happened so far…
Our video thing really hasn’t happened, but it should soon. My partner for the video has officially put me off and I’m finding it awkward to be around him. I spend quite a bit of time with the refugee children and they’ve proved to be just as rotten as almost any other group of children I’ve dealt with. I look at the silver lining with the kids though. Their behavior is a testament to the resilience of a child’s spirit. Despite their unimaginable pasts, and presents for that matter, they are just as troublesome as their mates worldwide. The basic Egyptian attitude toward the Sudanese refugees sucks. I “chaperoned” a bunch of them on a trip and we had to take the city trains. I’ve never seen more disgusted looks in my life. The Egyptians don’t know how to hide the racism on their faces; they actually probably don’t care to. But the kids didn’t seem to mind, they were so used to it and went on laughing, joking, and playing. I found myself speaking more just to let the people on the train know that the kids were with an American (this sounds gross, but I really feel it made a difference). I did the same thing in South Africa when I’d walk into a store. I would start speaking immediately so they’d know I’m not just some random black girl. I’m too tired to analyze why I do this, I actually probably do it because I’m not the fighter I thought I was. I am totally fine with that.
I’ve already created a decent social circle here of ex-pats, upper class Egyptians, and other travelers. I have spent more nights out past 4am than at home, for several reasons: there is so much to do here, the city never sleeps, it’s incredibly safe, the public transport and taxi system puts this city of 20million at your doorstep, I’m running with a bunch of vagabonds, and things are hella cheap.
Got an email from UTMB about Match stuff and that brought me back to reality for a while. I haven’t had any nightmares about that day since I’ve been here, but our dear sweet dean could change all that.
Our video thing really hasn’t happened, but it should soon. My partner for the video has officially put me off and I’m finding it awkward to be around him. I spend quite a bit of time with the refugee children and they’ve proved to be just as rotten as almost any other group of children I’ve dealt with. I look at the silver lining with the kids though. Their behavior is a testament to the resilience of a child’s spirit. Despite their unimaginable pasts, and presents for that matter, they are just as troublesome as their mates worldwide. The basic Egyptian attitude toward the Sudanese refugees sucks. I “chaperoned” a bunch of them on a trip and we had to take the city trains. I’ve never seen more disgusted looks in my life. The Egyptians don’t know how to hide the racism on their faces; they actually probably don’t care to. But the kids didn’t seem to mind, they were so used to it and went on laughing, joking, and playing. I found myself speaking more just to let the people on the train know that the kids were with an American (this sounds gross, but I really feel it made a difference). I did the same thing in South Africa when I’d walk into a store. I would start speaking immediately so they’d know I’m not just some random black girl. I’m too tired to analyze why I do this, I actually probably do it because I’m not the fighter I thought I was. I am totally fine with that.
I’ve already created a decent social circle here of ex-pats, upper class Egyptians, and other travelers. I have spent more nights out past 4am than at home, for several reasons: there is so much to do here, the city never sleeps, it’s incredibly safe, the public transport and taxi system puts this city of 20million at your doorstep, I’m running with a bunch of vagabonds, and things are hella cheap.
Got an email from UTMB about Match stuff and that brought me back to reality for a while. I haven’t had any nightmares about that day since I’ve been here, but our dear sweet dean could change all that.
Monday, February 8, 2010
cairo is old
i've been avoiding writing in this blog because thus far i hate cairo. the place is over populated, old, polluted, and worst of all the men are lecherous and beyond gross. i really don't see the love affair people seem to have with this place. there are no women around (all behind closed doors) and the men are everywhere and they think with the wrong heads. in my 4 days i have absolutely no urge to fit in or appreciate the culture. this is one country where your ex-pat comrades will be your only friends.
okay this is how i felt until today...
today i fell in love. i went to my first day of work and met some of the most heart warming people in my life. i woke up and went through cairo's busy streets, got into the metro...
oh by the way, there is a separate car for women. i thought this was because of modesty, but no. it's because the men are pigs that will try to touch you on the train.
anyway, i got to st. andrew's church and i was in another world. the noise stopped, there was an open area with children playing, people smiling, and the peace was almost tangible. cairo is full of refugees from eastern africa and now iraq. st. andrew's gives these refugees free schooling, legal aid, and resettlement if their lives are in danger in cairo. there are 6 main sections of this organization and my job is to make a short film (really short... like no more than 1 min) about the organization for the donors to watch and hopefully give more money.
another beautiful thing about st. andrews is the large majority of the staff on payroll are refugees themselves. my partner in crime is the sweetest and gentlest human being. before i even got to meet him I heard a poem he wrote about valentine's day. he titled it "let's talk about love." he laughs at anything and is excited about everything. for those of you that know my brother... imagine lloyd from sudan. but instead of talking about his invention and money making schemes he's talking about love, philosophy, and the circle of life. he was really obsessed with the circle of life. i zoned out a lot in conversations (a lot like i do with lloyd) but it was still refreshing.
tomorrow is my second day
okay this is how i felt until today...
today i fell in love. i went to my first day of work and met some of the most heart warming people in my life. i woke up and went through cairo's busy streets, got into the metro...
oh by the way, there is a separate car for women. i thought this was because of modesty, but no. it's because the men are pigs that will try to touch you on the train.
anyway, i got to st. andrew's church and i was in another world. the noise stopped, there was an open area with children playing, people smiling, and the peace was almost tangible. cairo is full of refugees from eastern africa and now iraq. st. andrew's gives these refugees free schooling, legal aid, and resettlement if their lives are in danger in cairo. there are 6 main sections of this organization and my job is to make a short film (really short... like no more than 1 min) about the organization for the donors to watch and hopefully give more money.
another beautiful thing about st. andrews is the large majority of the staff on payroll are refugees themselves. my partner in crime is the sweetest and gentlest human being. before i even got to meet him I heard a poem he wrote about valentine's day. he titled it "let's talk about love." he laughs at anything and is excited about everything. for those of you that know my brother... imagine lloyd from sudan. but instead of talking about his invention and money making schemes he's talking about love, philosophy, and the circle of life. he was really obsessed with the circle of life. i zoned out a lot in conversations (a lot like i do with lloyd) but it was still refreshing.
tomorrow is my second day
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
heading out again
hi my favorite people,
so i'm heading off again, this time to Egypt. I'm definitely more worried about this trip because I'll be doing work that actually matters this time.
first of all, never put anything on your resume unless you can really do it.
a friend of mine from high school started this group in Cairo that places Iraqi refugees in other places, and teaches them things (i really don't know much, i'm going to go check the website out pretty soon). i'm over the medicine thing, so i decided that i wanted to go there and help. what i really wanted was to go to egypt, hangout, and not get too bored. i send her a facebook message and then a resume and she calls me back pretty excited about something she saw. There is a section at the bottom of my resume titled "personal interests." In that section I have salsa dancing, traveling, eliptical workouts, and making small movies. SHE WANTS ME TO MAKE A MOVIE ABOUT THE PROGRAM. and here's the best part... i said i could. i contacted my old boss and she thought this was all hilarious, probably because she remembered the quality of my films back in college.
other than this stress, i'm having to deal with my pissed off dad. his mantra every morning is "if insurgents get you, no one is coming. we are struggling and i have no money to pay your ransom."
this was our latest conversation....
daddy: you cause this family too much trouble. after they kidnap you and tell you to call your people, do not call. tell them your people have no phone
me: i wont call. i'll have a suicide pill and die before they can torture me
daddy: (screaming) why must you go to a place that requires suicide pill. instead sit in your own house
me: i was probably the most scared in Johannesburg because of you, and it was totally fine
daddy: everyday belongs to a thief, and only one day belongs to the owner of the house. did you not go to haiti and come back? if you went 2 weeks ago the earthquake would have carried you and all your useless teachers. everyday belongs to a thief.
i cannot argue anymore. i'll just stay under the radar and head out.
so i'm heading off again, this time to Egypt. I'm definitely more worried about this trip because I'll be doing work that actually matters this time.
first of all, never put anything on your resume unless you can really do it.
a friend of mine from high school started this group in Cairo that places Iraqi refugees in other places, and teaches them things (i really don't know much, i'm going to go check the website out pretty soon). i'm over the medicine thing, so i decided that i wanted to go there and help. what i really wanted was to go to egypt, hangout, and not get too bored. i send her a facebook message and then a resume and she calls me back pretty excited about something she saw. There is a section at the bottom of my resume titled "personal interests." In that section I have salsa dancing, traveling, eliptical workouts, and making small movies. SHE WANTS ME TO MAKE A MOVIE ABOUT THE PROGRAM. and here's the best part... i said i could. i contacted my old boss and she thought this was all hilarious, probably because she remembered the quality of my films back in college.
other than this stress, i'm having to deal with my pissed off dad. his mantra every morning is "if insurgents get you, no one is coming. we are struggling and i have no money to pay your ransom."
this was our latest conversation....
daddy: you cause this family too much trouble. after they kidnap you and tell you to call your people, do not call. tell them your people have no phone
me: i wont call. i'll have a suicide pill and die before they can torture me
daddy: (screaming) why must you go to a place that requires suicide pill. instead sit in your own house
me: i was probably the most scared in Johannesburg because of you, and it was totally fine
daddy: everyday belongs to a thief, and only one day belongs to the owner of the house. did you not go to haiti and come back? if you went 2 weeks ago the earthquake would have carried you and all your useless teachers. everyday belongs to a thief.
i cannot argue anymore. i'll just stay under the radar and head out.
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