Cairo Commute

Morning Carpool
Ring Road, Cairo 

It has been 47 days since I have driven my Toyota Camry. And while I am not complaining about mass transportation, (although I don't feel like this is reducing Cairo's carbon footprint) I certainly miss my morning routine-the freedom of waiting in line for my double tall pumpkin spice latte and seeing my former students totally killing it as baristas.  Not only can they perfectly craft an espresso beverage, but they also spell my name correctly and put a happy face next to it.  

Here are some photos taken by my ex-pat colleagues and myself on Cairo's main highway on our way to and from school.  

    

      

Unfortunately the following Ring Road photos could not be captured quickly enough to include in this post. 

*Egyptian woman
wearing a niqab, veil & galabiyah

• A family of three riding a crotch rocket with no helmets. The father driving, the small child in the middle and the mother wearing a niqab* and galabiyah hovered over her daughter.     
• An elderly man taking a nap on top of a truck load of mattresses while the truck is cruising on the highway. 
• A truck tipped over in the middle of the highway that was literally carrying a ton of bricks.  
• Men selling ziploc bags of juice on the shoulder of the highway 

Fun Fact: Cairo holds the world record for the most number of traffic related accidents and deaths. Wishing Cairo cars made seat belts for their back seats...

ma'a salama
hillstead

Should school really start this early? 

The burning trash gives the sunrise extra brilliance, and the kid next to me an asthma attack. 

Do you see the different lanes? Neither do I. 

BMs from the Middle East

My new best friend in Egypt
Available in any pharmacy without a prescription

A friendly note: If you have never read my blog before, I tend to speak freely about body excretions. If this will gross you out, please refrain from reading the following. 

Cheers and may your movements always be painless and liberating, 

hillstead 

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Before I moved to Cairo, people who had visited and/or lived here had warned me about major stomach issues that would ensue. I was naive and thought that since I had eaten semi-raw fish in the beautiful, yet developing country of Costa Rica, my intestines were immune to any parasite. 

I was wrong. 

If you have traveled outside of the States, you fit into one of two categories-you cannot poop or you cannot stop pooping. I thought I was in the clear when I first arrived- surprisingly, my bowel movements were nothing to report about.

Then I ate beef. 

I have never experienced this type of pain and discomfort before. Ladies, it is like having period cramps throughout your intestinal tract. I could literally feel the bacteria attacking me and it was defnititely on the offense. I had to be in close proximity to a toilet for the majority of the weekend, for fear of shatting myself. Luckily, I had not started school yet. (more on that incident in a bit) It was a reprieve hearing that my fellow ex-pat newbies were experiencing the squirtiness as well. I was afraid to eat or drink anything. Call it the Egyptian diet as I think I have dropped a pant size since living here amidst the pastries I have been consuming.

The worst night was a meet and greet on the Cornish, the promenade that lines the Nile River. All of the administration from Hayah treated us to a Benihana-inspired Asian Fusion dinner.  Everything was overly spiced, but not wanting to be rude or cause a scene, I ate everything in front of me including the head of a prawn. Like clockwork, 17 minutes after the meal I clenched and spedwalked to the ladies room. As I flushed for the third time, I ran in to fellow ex-pat and Peace Corps graduate Amanda. Amanda gave me some advice for surviving uncontrollable diarrhea. Mashed potatoes and plain white rice as the meal of choice. She advised me to stay away from vegetables and sugar. I thanked her as I exited the bathroom with a newfound empowerment and can-do attitude.  

Needing an IKEA trip the next day, with my spunky friend Mary, I enjoyed my mashed potatoes sans gravy, rice and deep fried chicken nuggets. #treatyo'self.  

I am not happy here in Cairo-deeply missing Alex, my family, my friends in California. But I will say that I am truly learning to appreciate simple life pleasures. For example, I high fived my ex-pat community when I pooped a solid for the first time in weeks. #winning I felt like I could accomplish anything. 

Then I ate a chicken. 

Cairo Kitchen came highly recommended. I ordered a half chicken, thinking that I was doing my body a service by ordering protein. After placing an order on Otlob and the delivery man making abnormally good time, I ate my chicken as the maintenance man worked on my internet and electrical issues. The rotisserie looked a bit pink, but I was starving and figured that BBQ chicken sometimes looks this way in the States. I ate the whole damn animal. 

It hit me during episode 10 of Orange is the New Black. My tummy felt a bit gurgly, but I ignored this feeling, not wanting to pause my lap top and wait another 20 minutes for the episode to re-load. I was not going to wait another day to see what happens to Vi's vicious ways, Red's revenge and Sister's sustained hunger strike.  

I woke up in the morning and felt like crap. (pun intended) But as my fellow educators know, calling in and writing lesson plans is such a bitch. It is easier to suck up the sickness and teach. Luckily, I had my favorite sixth grade class that morning. As I was explaining the procedures and routines of Ms. Erika's classroom, a heat wave came over me. I started sweating in front of the class, wondering if the double dragon would reappear. I was panicking and walked out of the class. I had 19 girls in the classroom staring at me as I reached for the trash can and dry heaved in the corridor. Thank goodness the force did not let anything out the other end this time. #breakfastburrito 

After visiting the on-campus clinic, Dr. Rehma introduced me to my other Cairo best friend, Streptoquin. This antibiotic paired with Antinal was the dream team. In two days, I was back to drinking coffee and beer and dealing with a yeast infection. 

I hope this does not deter you from visiting the Middle East-the food tastes lovely going down. Take a chance and come to Egypt. I will treat you to a Shisha, foul and kosheri. And my bathroom plumbing is fantastic.           

ma'a salama, 

hillstead 

Foul (beans, peppers, onions, spices) and Eyptian bread 

#cairoliving

#fabricsoftener
Maadi, Egypt

I am not loving Cairo as a place to live. My ex-pat family, my Hayah middle school colleagues, the abundance of food (now that I am pooping solids) and access to incredible sites are making me sane in this crazy third world.

Life is not glamourous here. And I don't know why I romanticized what my experience would be like in Cairo. Perhaps the exoticism of such a historically significant foreign country appealed to me. I thought that moving away would be an incredibly healthy challenge and give me an opportunity to become my best self. I was unhappy with aspects of my life at Kimball. I felt my family unit pulling apart now that my brothers were starting their own families. I felt lost, so ironically I move to a place where I do not know a soul, I do not speak the language and I do not completely understand the culture.

With 23 million people living, working and driving in Cairo, it is difficult to breathe with the polluted air. (which becomes worse on trash burning days, but the sunrise looks beautiful amidst the smoke) Poverty is rampant. Children are unbathed, unshoed and uneducated. Piles of garbage line the streets of Cairo. Oncoming traffic never stops for pedestrians to cross the road.

Even though I feel completely out of my element, (men and women relentlessly staring at foreigners certainly heightens the isolation) I realize that I have been damned spoiled in the States. I am grateful that I am experiencing life in the developing world, a lifestyle that the majority of the earth's population has no choice but to live. To have the opportunity to view life from a completely different perspective is rare. I feel like I have already begun to appreciate simpler aspects of life after living here for only a month-a helping hand, a cool breeze, a paved road, consistent electricity, a flushing toilet.
 

But I will say that Egyptians certainly know how to problem solve...

The following epic photographs are courtesy of the Ex-pat WhatsApp group-Crazy World Pics

No air conditioning? Crawl inside a refridgerator and rest your head on a bag of diapers.


Too many cars in the way to cross the street? Stick your hand out and walk in front of them-cars usually stop.





Can't find a bungee cord to tie down your furniture? Place several youths on top of the load.


Need a lift to work? Hop on a motorcycle with several other men.






And remember, even if you are in a developing country, you can always travel first class.

ma'a salama,
hillstead





    

If You Ever Wanted to Get It Back...

Alfa Market merchandise
Cairo  

I do not consider myself an intensely materialistic person, but retail therapy has become such a comfort to me. When I first moved here nearly a month ago, the ex-pats went shopping to pick up some necessary amenities to cozy up our flats. Siri (who has been such a lifesaver in my transition here) had found this intriguing product. Seeing this on the shelf made me smile-one of the first times I had smiled in this country. I could not believe that Virginity Soap existed. Apparently ladies, you can feel like new every time you bathe with this miracle worker. Although, I don't know how many people would like to experience "the first time" ever again. If you are someone who wants to "tighten up," give me a shout and I will bring some back to the States with me. No need to be embarrassed, I would just be concerned about the aftermath of this scrub a dub dub. However, according to the advertising, you will be satisfied with the results. Skin doctor approved. 

ma'a salama, 

hillstead