Monday, November 14, 2011

Al-Gow Shitty

I'm not swearing, I promise! The title is a common Arabic phrase that means the weather is rainy, which it is. And just after I'd put my sheets in the wash too. I had to sleep on a naked mattress last night. I'm just glad I had an extra clean pillow case stowed in my closet.

That's not what I wanted to talk about though.

Walking around in the filthy, drainless, pool sized puddle ridden streets made me realize one of the things I love so much about Egypt. Getting around here is like an obstacle course. You're always looking, planning, thinking - and while it's a little bit exhausting, it makes you feel alive. Getting through a day is an accomplishment in and of itself. Walking down the street without getting your pants dirty is something to write home about. I know it sounds bad, but it's exhilarating as long as you can teach yourself to go with the flow.

Also, it's not just me as a foreigner. Walking home from school today I saw a little old Egyptian lady staring across a puddle that used to be a parking lot as if it were the Atlantic Ocean. I wish I could have helped her, but my jacket hardly would have covered that expanse.

That was really all I wanted to share today. Now I'm going to go wash my slimy feet (you can only dodge so many obstacles) and start my homework. I have the feeling it's going to be a long night....

Update: One of my Egyptian friends just posted this picture (taken today) on facebook. I thought it was a good example of what I'm talking about.

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