Wedding Crashers

After an afternoon of exploring Coptic Cairo, Ben and I wandered outside of the Christian cemetery into the back alleyways of an adjacent Muslim neighborhood. As we strolled past trash piles, donkeys and stray dogs, we were suddenly surrounded by a group of kids. “Take our picture!” they begged as they posed around us. “There’s a wedding tonight!” they exclaimed and they grabbed us by the hands and took us to an alley where their entire extended families were dancing in the streets. After dancing with the family members for an hour and snapping about a hundred pictures of all the children, we were invited to come back to the wedding party at 7:00.

We headed back to Dokki to seek refuge from the heat (it was about 105 degrees and 73% humidity on Friday) and stopped by Tahrir Square on the way. In addition to the usual group of protesters and political organizers shouting slogans from megaphones, we also witnessed a man scaling a lamppost while waving an Egyptian flag. While it was a pretty dangerous stunt, it was very powerful to see a giant flag being waved above the square as the man stood precariously balanced atop a street light.

Soon it was time to head back to Masr ‘Adim or Coptic Cairo for the wedding. Not knowing what to expect, as we walked up towards the alleyway the kids we had met earlier that day grabbed our arms and escorted us to the wedding party. We were seated right in the center and Mohamed, a relative of the groom, kept taking pictures of us on his cell phone which he then broadcasted on a TV screen in the center of the celebration. He told us about his work selling aluminum in Libya, gave us each one of his necklaces, and invited us back for lunch on Sunday.

As the night wore on, I soon learned that my role at the wedding celebration would be to dance with every single woman and child in the neighborhood (including the bride!). Women who I had never met before would pull my arms in opposite directions each telling me that it was there turn to dance with me. While it was kind of overwhelming, and I felt pretty out of place being in the center of a wedding party when I didn’t know anyone (and of course being about a foot taller than most of the elderly woman who wanted to dance with me) all in all it was a lot of fun.

Although we stayed at the wedding celebration for about four hours, Ben and I were still pretty unclear about what was going on. The bride spent most of the time just sitting (looking pretty upset) on the edge of the circle of dancing women. We never saw the groom and although we each asked multiple guests where he might be, we received conflicting answers from “he’s right back there” (pointing down the alleyway) to “he has other plans tonight” and “he’s coming later.”

Also, there was a strange combination of women in niqabs on the one hand,  and men drinking beer, and other women dancing very sexually in front of all the men on the other. Concepts of what’s “haram” or “hilal”--- what’s acceptable or forbidden under Islam--- don’t always seem logical from our outsider perspectives. When we left the wedding at 11:00 the food still hadn’t been served, and although we were exhausted from all the dancing, I think the party was really just beginning. We’re planning to go back for lunch on Sunday and to bring the family some of the pictures we took, so maybe we’ll find out more when we return! 

Authoritarian Propaganda by Day, Democratic Revolution by Night

Attending classes alongside Tahrir Square, signs of the continued struggle towards Egyptian democracy are everywhere. Especially in the aftermath of the July 8^th protests, the square has transformed into a tent city and civilian volunteers have set up “tefteesh” or checkpoints to search bags and verify the identification of anyone who passes through. New graffiti and banners proclaiming slogans of the revolution and demands for change crop up daily. Egyptian flags are everywhere and at night impromptu concerts and poetry readings create a festive atmosphere and cut the tension (however temporarily) between various factions.

On the night of July 8^th I ventured down to the square to take in the scene. It’s truly remarkable to see so many individuals holding signs with their political demands and calling out messages through their megaphones. It may be disorganized and chaotic, but that’s the form civil society seems to be taking as Egyptians struggle to take charge of their futures. After years of authoritarian rule, without any democratic infrastructure the road ahead is sure to be rocky. As the parliamentary elections are postponed and the plan for a new constitution remains murky, building a new government will be no easy task. That being said, seeing Egyptians of all ages, political ideologies, and religious beliefs gathering in Tahrir and vying to play a role in the political future of their country is inspiring.

In sharp contrast to the revolution in my backyard, last weekend I visited the October War museum­ that was built with help from the North Korean government and boasts a life size panoramic diorama of the Egyptian “victory” in the 1973 war with Israel, a cartoon like production of toy Egyptian military vehicles routing Israeli forces, and impressive murals of Egyptian military prowess from the time of the pharos forward. Interestingly, even aftermath of the January 25^th revolution, the museum still includes posters of Mubarak and attributes Egyptian military strength to his effective leadership.

Watching school children clap enthusiastically as a plastic Egyptian military destroyed Israeli paper airplanes, I wondered how the chaperones were going to explain Mubarak’s presence in the museum. Educational reform in general is going to be an important part of democracy building in Egypt and it will be interesting to see how the new government chooses to teach the youngest generation about the Revolution and Egyptian history and politics in general in the coming years.

The October War museum is just one symbolic example of the so called “felool al-nizam” or  remnants of the Mubarak regime that persist in the aftermath of the revolution. Figuring out how to eliminate the elements of the regime that are truly obstacles to democratic change while preserving some semblance of political, social, and economic infrastructure will certainly be challenging in the coming weeks, months, and probably even years.

Aside from my night and day experiences of propaganda and revolution, some other happenings include:

1)      Atending a concert in Al- Azhar park featuring an Egyptian soft rock band “Cairoke” and an American “country star” who sang everything from Lady Gaga to Alanis Morrisette. Watching the American signer dance up against a backdrop of beautiful mosques was a little strange culturally, especially when you factor in the Egyptian teenage boys jumping up and down like teenybopper girls at a Miley Cyrus concert. The show ended with a really powerful rendition of “Sout al-Horia,” the anthem of the Egyptian revolution, which seemed particularly poignant on the eve of the July 8^th protests   

2)      Bowling at the ministry of defense’s “International Bowling Center” with a group of Egyptians and Casa Students. I’m not fully sure what the center has to do with the military, although an armed soldier did tell me that I was not allowed to wear my bowling shoes into the bathroom!

3)      Hearing a lecture from the famous Egyptian author and political writer Alaa al-Aswany on literature and democratic change in Egypt

      

The Authority of the Sardines and an Unusual "Snow Day"

While Google Translate can be a very helpful homework tool, some restaurants in Cairo use it a little too liberally. A few days ago during our rather unusual "snow day" caused by violent clashes between the police and protesters in Tahrir Square, I went out to a restaurant right near my apartment with some friends. We quickly noticed some translation problems on the menu, and some of our favorites included "Authority of the Sardines," "Snakes," and "Magic Authority of Papaganog." Among other issues, the fact that the word in Arabic for authority or power "sulta" and salad "salata" are both spelled as سلطة just with different short vowels had clearly created some issues for the restaurant owner.

I think the Uighur (Chinese-ish) restaurant we visited recently had the right idea when they made a picture menu with no words in any language. When we inquired as to the name of a particularly delicious dish, the Uighur waiter replied in broken Arabic that it was called "Chow Mein." Ah, the wonders of food globalization!

In addition to the "Authority of the Sardines," I've witnessed some more serious "authority" problems recently with the outbreak of a new round of clashes between protesters and the police on Tuesday and Wednesday. Although the worst of the violence occurred literally right outside our university, when our classes resumed (surprisingly) the next morning, most traces of the ishtibakat (clashes) had been cleared away. With the exception of some new graffiti and a couple of tents set up in Tahrir Square, there were few remnants of the chaos that had erupted the day before. While  the street cleaners in my neighborhood don't seem to particularly motivated to remove the piles of trash or tree branches littering the sidewalks, downtown street cleaners had been hard at work. By morning all of the tear gas canisters (a lovely little gift from our own government with Made in the USA printed on the sides), bricks,  and Molotov cocktail remains had been swept away. Though the KFC, Pizza Hut, and local Kiosks were mostly closed, life seemed to continue as usual for the most part.

It seems strange that conditions can return to "normal" so quickly, but  I guess that's life in the midst of post revolutionary uncertainty. Egypt's (democratic?) future will likely remain unstable and unknown for a long time, but people must continue to try and support themselves and live their lives. On a personal note, it was bizarre to find myself comparing our "revolution day" to a snow day, but that's really what it was like. As I followed local news sources and Twitter feeds for news of the protests, it was not a far cry from watching the weather channel while tracking a storm, wondering if classes would be canceled. When I found myself disappointed to have classes resume on Thursday (as I hadn't fully prepared for my 2 presentations or quiz) I had to stop and remind myself that having classes meant that calm had been restored in Tahrir. I'm not used to having my homework schedule be determined by changing world events, but that's the reality when your campus is adjacent to the site of one of the largest revolutions in recent history!

Melodrama, Taxis, and Politics

As I emerged from my room yesterday, I was surprised to find the wife or our simsar (the apartment broker)’s wife asleep on our living room couch. Zaynab is like a character out of a muselsel or Egyptian soap opera... I’d cast her as the crazy aunt from the reef (countryside). She’s constantly screaming, hugging someone, or pausing to pray. Zaynab has been very involved in solving our apartment problems and always arrives with a miscellaneous entourage of helpers in toe. Whether they be plumbers, carpenters, or landline installers, they always seem to answer to her. This weekend our water is mysteriously cut off once again though no one else in our apartment building seems to have any plumbing trouble. While plumbers are able to turn the water back on temporarily, we’re still hoping for a more permanent fix (though permanent fixes don’t seem to be all that common around here…).

A few days ago I went to an Egyptian movie called “Sarakh al-nimla” or The Scream of the Ant, a story of a man who helps encourage his neighbors to protest against rising prices and corruption in the local and national government. Though it was an interesting language experience, the melodrama was pretty unbearable. Picture an entire cast of characters just like Zaynab. Plus movie going in the Middle East tends to have much higher levels of “audience participation” than I’m used to including chatting on cell phones, crying babies, and lots of movement around the theater. The popcorn was good though!

Each week CASA brings a lecturer to talk to us on Thursday afternoons. The first lecturer was a taxi driver who was full of interesting stories including a tale of a woman who gave birth inside his cab! While he didn’t have the best advice on how to avoid getting ripped off, it was interesting to hear his thoughts on the Revolution, Egyptian traffic laws (or lack there of) etc.

This week we heard from a female activist from the Kefaya movement who had been heavily involved in the Revolution. Although she discussed her goals for the new government and constitution and the need to combat corruption, she didn’t really specify how these goals could be achieved or what the appropriate path for Egyptian democracy and political reform might be. As new political offshoots seem to be formed almost daily and each Friday different groups continue to gather in Tahrir Square, it seems that electing leaders who will adequately represent all the competing interest groups in Egypt will be a formidable task.

Other Happenings:

-          Trying Sudanese food for the first time which was delicious! (a little bit like Ethiopian)

-           Consuming a “Boreo” (Egyptian Oreo) milkshake (YUM)

-          Actually grocery shopping/ market hopping for the first time following the arrival of our new fridge (it’s actually 9 feet tall!)

-          Bought my plane ticket to Spain for my summer break!

-          Still working on getting internet in our apartment…..we’ve finally bought a plan and actually have a landline now though so hopefully I can Skype with you all soon!

Lonely Pyramids and Plumbing Problems

Even though I can see the pyramids from my balcony, this past weekend I decided to get a closer look and took advantage of a free tour offered by AUC's Arab Language Institute. I knew the Egyptian tourism industry had been hit hard by the revolution, but seeing the pyramids completely empty was really bizarre. When I visited in 2009, we had to wait in line for an hour to see the Sphynx and were constantly maneuvering around Russian, British, Spanish, and Japanese tourists as we tried to capture the perfect pyramid picture. This time, there were a total of two tour buses and a smattering of mini vans. Lines were non-existent and the men offering camel rides and plastic pyramid paraphernalia were practically begging for business, promising that they really would offer the "Egyptian price."

This weekend also brought a new series of apartment difficulties--- most notably that our water was cut off for about 8 hours. Though I had to wait a while to wash off the pyramid dust, the landlord was very responsive and the plumber (after scuttling around the roof for a while with pliers) seems to have resolved the issue. I also discovered that if all else fails, I could have a great career as a washerwoman.... it only took me 45 minutes to wash 2.5 weeks of laundry by hand in the tub!

On Sunday we had a pot luck "hefla" with some Egyptian students which was a big success and included macaroni and cheese, koshri, brownies, and kunafa. We also had a cross-cultural sing along and while oldies like "Build me up Buttercup" weren't really a hit, everyone really seemed to get into "Umbrella" and "Party in the USA" which devolved into "hefla fi al walayat al-mutahida."

Other highlights of the week:

- Attending a Spanish film festival with Arabic subtitles (quite the polyglot experience)

 - Learning that many apartment buildings in Egypt are intentionally unfinished/under construction in order to avoid paying property taxes

- Visiting an Egyptian equivalent of Staples to buy school supplies including a notebook with a very culturally insensitive picture of Aladin and the words "Fairy Tails" across the front

- Trying to find a PC way to represent the EU in a mock debate on Arab immigration to Europe in Egyptian dialect

- Eating Yemeni food for the first time








 

Lizards, Laundry Woes, and Luxury

After a great deal of chaotic searching and confusing negotiations we finally moved into our apartment in Dokki a few days ago. Our sitting room looks like something out of a Disney castle with (slightly dilapidated) throne-like chairs and a ceiling covered with intricate pink and gold designs and a large hole that was probably once home to a chandelier. We're on the tenth floor and from our balcony (if the smog lifts) you can see the pyramids in the distance!

We finally learned how to get hot water in our shower but our faucets are pretty temperamental and alternate between spurting violently and producing no water at all. White lizards seem to enjoy playing in our bathtub or scurrying across the ceiling from time to time, so I've become an expert in lizard removal which involves directing the lizard into a cup and bringing him out to the balcony. Operating the washing machine (if it can be called that) was a frustrating adventure that resulted in an inadvertently  tie-dyed sweater and ringing out an entire load of laundry since the "ghsaala" seems unable to drain. I think I may try washing things by hand next time!

Our apartment doesn't have a land line so we're waiting for one to be installed in order to have wireless internet but meanwhile I'm using small amounts of USB internet and the Tahrir campus has wireless and a computer lab. The landlord says it should be installed this week (in sha' allah) but we'll have to see!

 We visited the new AUC campus as part of our orientation yesterday and it was really bizarre--- it's like a resort in the middle of the desert complete with an Olympic sized pool, salad bars, and bagel shops. I can't believe that some Americans consider the new AUC campus to be a Middle East "study abroad experience." Talk about a bubble.  It took about an hour to get there and 2 hours to get back because of traffic and the bus is pretty expensive so we probably won't be going to the new campus too often, though it would be nice to use all of the beautiful gym facilities and pool every once and a while.

Other happenings over the past few days include:

- parallel parking in a cab next to a donkey pulling a watermelon cart  outside of our apartment

- watching a bed frame be built from scratch after our "simsar" (broker) promised a third bed in the apartment

- driving by a protest in Tahrir square while moving into our apartment

- witnessing a Metro workers' strike at the ticket counter 

- starting both Amiyya and Fusha classes at the AUC Tahrir campus (they seem great so far!)

I'm off to investigate the gym at the Tahrir campus

As soon as I get more consistent internet I'll start posting more often...

Flight Delays, Fender-benders and Falafel

After a whirlwind of graduation celebrations, packing, and goodbyes, on May 29th I headed off to Cairo, Egypt to begin my Center for the Study of Arabic Abroad (CASA) fellowship. From a mishap with my baggage stickers and crying babies to an unintentional seven hour layover in the Istanbul airport and a 3 hour minibus ride through an unfathomable amount of traffic and near car accidents, the journey was a little rough. I eventually arrived at the African House Hostel (about 10 hours later than expected) and met up with my Tufts friends (and their friend from Middlebury). The hostel has worked out really well so far and for $8 a night includes free breakfast (though the lack of toilet paper was a little unexpected!) 

On my first real day in Cairo we went apartment hunting in Dokki. While finding a place to live in Cairo seems a little complicated (dealing with Afghani, Yemeni, and Egyptian land lords etc) I'm sure we'll find a more permanent place to live soon (in sha' allah). I think the major challenge will be avoiding getting hit by cars as crossing the street here is always an adventure. Dokki seems like a really cool area to live in--- conveniently located by a metro stop about a 10 minute ride away from where CASA classes will be held, full of fruit and vegetable carts, bakeries, falafel, shwarma, and juice stands, and tree lined streets. We saw a couple of places today and hopefully will have more luck tomorrow!

We were also able to check out the America University in Cairo's Tahrir campus where our classes will be held. The campus is beautiful and the facilities seem much nicer than those at the University of Jordan, though I didn't get a chance to fully explore (we'll have a full tour in a few days)  

Tonight we met up with most of the rest of the CASA fellows and we'll continue our apartment search tomorrow. I can't wait to really be settled in somewhere so I can buy everything we'll need for an apartment, start learning my way around and getting my bearings classes start. I'm also hoping to pick up some of the revolution paraphernalia being sold at Tahrir square (t-shirts, bumper stickers, posters etc)

Time to try to sleep off the rest of my jetlag!