Today was the third to last Tuesday of our trip. As Tuesday is the most stressful day of the week for us here - homework due and homework to be done, a busy day behind us with work at both NGOs, plus lesson planning for today and tomorrow - I've been counting down the weeks until I get a full night's sleep back in the U.S. by Tuesdays, and only two remain. That totals up to 16 full days in Egypt, three of which will be spent at a beach called Sharm Al-Sheikh, a completely different atmosphere from Cairo. Additionally, we learned the Arabic for "I miss (something)" in class today: "aftaqad." It's about time to let the nostalgia begin, and I've come up with a list of the things I will miss the most about Egypt.
1. My Students - they are honestly a wonderful class. They are always so excited to learn, even if my lesson plans aren't stellar, and they bring the best questions to class (example: what does "BFF" mean?). Yesterday, my co-teacher and I were talking about our plans for when we get home, and our most talented and outgoing student kept asking us, "So you're leaving on July 30? ... I'll miss you!" Luckily we're facebook friends now, and hopefully we'll be able to stay in touch, but it is sad to think that I may never see her (or any of the others) again. I have no idea when I'll be back in Egypt or if she'll ever come to America, but I know that if our paths cross again (inshaallah) I'll make every effort to reconnect with her.
2. Teen Shoqi - in English, cactus fruit. I never thought this was something I would enjoy, and the first time I tried it, I was repulsed by the number of seeds, but it is actually incredibly delicious. I think the taste and texture are similar to a watermelon, and though there are a LOT of seeds, but as long as you don't chomp down on it, they really don't bother you. They're sold by men with wheelbarrows in the streets for 1 guinea each, and you can't pick it up yourself because of the needles in the skin. Instead, the seller peels it for you, and you pick the skinless fruit out yourself. I pass the same guy every day after Arabic class, and it's now become our tradition to each get one on the way to pick up sandwiches.
3. Juice - It just isn't cool to drink juice in the U.S. after age 10 (not like that ever stopped me), plus the juice just isn't that good. In Egypt, any place you go, you can get freshly squeezed juice of any type, and everyone orders it. When I went to a cafe with my English students, even the teenage boys trying to look cool ordered mango juice... which would never happen at home. I still need to try a few more types, including sobea (coconut juice), but it won't be a problem, because instead of Starbucks every block, Cairo has juice stands.
4. Twenty Cent Sandwiches - As I've said before, ful and tamaya sandwiches are a staple in the Egyptian diet, and I can't imagine going back to the U.S. and paying more than 10 times as much for something that won't be nearly as filling. I've decided that until I leave, I'm going to try a new kind of sandwich everyday from my favorite shop (never mind that I don't really understand the menu on the wall) ... hopefully I don't get anything too strange.
5. Faluka Rides - sailing on the Nile in the middle of the night is an irreplaceable experience. First of all, you're on the Nile, a river I've been reading about since first grade, but also, it's an incredibly calming escape from the rush of Cairo. In the dark on a faluka ride, watching the reflections of the lighted buildings on the water, it seems like time stands still (although that might be because the boatman spends 10 minutes at a time standing still in the middle of the river).
6. "Maalesh" - "Maalesh" means "whatever," but in the nicest sense of the word, and this idea encapsulates the mentality of the Egyptian people. Although sometimes this comes off negatively (it definitely doesn't seem nice when someone bumps into you and says "whatever" instead of "I'm sorry"), there is a carefree, laughing attitude about life that is difficult to come by in the West. While I'll miss this Hakuna Matata type vibe, I won't miss the chaos that it's born from, which at times makes me want to bang my head against the wall.
As I think I've told every single person from home that I've communicated with this summer, Cairo is a crazy, crazy place. I'm looking forward to having some order restored when I return to America, land of the free and home of people who obey traffic laws, but from all the insanity of the Egyptian capital have come some true gems, which will always have a place in my heart.
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