Cairo- First Couple Days

Cairo, It’s Loud and Busy

First off, I have to say that a Boeing 777 is a comfy plane. We flew from Amsterdam to Cairo fairly easily (despite about 11 children who cried the entire time) and landed at 2:20am Cairo time (GMT +2). When we got into the terminal I looked around for a sign from the guy who was picking me up- no dice. Eventually I ran into three other people who looked equally lost and all turned out to be from my program. Our merry band made its way through the passport line and picked up our luggage after calling our program director and being assured our ride was waiting for us somewhere out there. Finally, we linked up with our driver and a few other program mates and headed off toward the hotel.

Cairo defies your first stereotypes. It isn’t all sand and desert. It isn’t all poor. It is pretty typical as far as the highway system, the stores and foliage. It is quite dirty and a little rundown in most places- it’s a poor city in a poor country. We finally got to our hotel and checked in by about 4am- the Victoria hotel is an old style British hotel with high ceilings, large armoires made of dark wood and old “lifts.” As we made our way inside we heard the first call to prayer. It’s early and loud- starting with a low rumbling voice and eventually calling out to the whole city in treble tones. I made a quick call home and crashed on my semi-OK bed.

I woke the next morning to the sounds of a loud city. I looked out my window and saw Cairo for the first time. There’s not one person in Cairo who drives without his hand on the horn- there are no lanes on most of the streets, they just kind of drift where they may- and they don’t stop or slow down for people to cross the street (think a real life Frogger). I found another program mate and we decided to just wander about for while. We walked outside and wandered the streets, people staring at her a bit with her long hair uncovered and some saying “hello” and “welcome to Egypt.” We quickly dubbed our area “Mechanictown” since every shop sells some sort of hardware, appliance or machine part. We walked through an open fruit market as the midday call to prayer sounded and men knelt down on mats in the street to stop and pray for a bit- their dedication to their faith is incredible.

Khan-al-Khalili- Social Anxiety Disorder Sufferers Beware

We met up with some other folks from our program who were headed out to Khan-al-Khalili, the famous open market/bazaar. I experienced my first Cairene taxi ride which is easy and deathly frightening at the same time (we haggled our price before we got in). Brian, our director’s assistant, was a student in the program two years ago and was able to give us some good tips as we walked through the market. As soon as we got there, we were bombarded. Anything you could possibly want to buy, and many things you wouldn’t, you can find at the Khan; from spices, to jewelry, to silk scarves, perfumed, tobacco, toys or knock-off watches. You’re constantly goaded by the shop owners “please sir, I show you the second Egyptian museum,” “little shop, big price, how can I take your money?,” “Amerikah, where from?” It certainly is a noisy, crowded, hot, amazing barrage on the senses. But it’s Cairo, you tell yourself, and this is what I’m here for, and you press on. Step after step is an adventure and is exhausting as you politely, then forcefully tell them you’re not interested. We left the Khan after a walk through (about 45 minutes) and found (another) pizza place near our future home on Zamalek Island (in Cairo, middle of the Nile).

We ended the day as a group (about 30 or so of us were in the city by that point) at a nice restaurant on Zamalek. We sat on a deck alongside the Nile as the sun went down and the breeze came in. While dirty, poor and loud, this place can also be absolutely gorgeous, when the sun hits the water and the temperature goes from the mid-90s to the mid-70s and the breeze sways the palm leaves. We drank Egyptian beer (Budweiser-esque) and paid a little under $20 for a big, great meal at Sequoia, the place to be seen in Cairo.

School? Really?

Saturday was spent, for the most part at American University Cairo campus, in orientation. The campus is pretty, the main building is a large white open building with large columns and a plush courtyard where students sit and study. We went over, mainly, the way the program would work and what we should expect from our time in Cairo. I also signed up to teach English to Iraqi and Sudanese refugees twice a week which I’m excited and nervous about. Tonight a small group made our way into the neighborhood and, after telling an impromptu tour guide we wouldn’t pay for his services, found a coffee shop where we sat and sipped Egyptian coffee- small espresso cups full of unfiltered coffee which tastes like thick strong chocolately sludge. It’s actually some of the best coffee I’ve ever had. Finally, a large group (too large) wound up at a local restaurant where I had hummus and pita and lentil soup and (bottled) water for a little under the equivalent of $2. Cairo should be good on the wallet. I’m in my room now as I prepare for another day of orientation, studying and lamenting the fact that my computer’s wireless card is broken.