Black Honey

Wednesday night the Fulbright crew decided to put our newfound dialect skills to the test and see an Egyptian movie. We decided to see a comedy called Black Honey, featuring the famous movie star Ahmed Helmy. (I know everyone will know exactly who I'm referring to). We bought our tickets, and also got several warnings from the ushers that the movie was in Arabic only without subtitles. I don't see how a group of white kids seemed out of place in the theater....

The movie itself was about an Egyptian/American who returns to Egypt and eventually gets his passport stolen (thus having to stay in Egypt). It showed the challenges of someone readjusting to the Egyptian way of life (noise, traffic, smog, lack of technology, etc). Most of the scenes were pretty light-hearted and fun, although the over-acting got a bit obnoxious after a while. Worth the $6 I paid to get in though.

The theater was was nice, although the sound at points reminded me of a broken speaker at a McDonald's drive thru window. I think most, if not everyone, was able to follow along with each scene and get the general point of everything. I myself understood a considerable amount the first half of the movie. The second half was more touch-and-go, but I still got the main point. Pretty cool considering we've been here for only a week.

One thing that was different from American movies was the intermission. About halfway through, the movie stopped, and the lights came on. There was about a ten minute break for people to use the restroom and refill on snacks. Smart business decision if you ask me.

All in all, a good way to get a new experience. First Egyptian movie in the bag.

Cairo Hustle

As all can tell from the pictures, last Saturday we decided to go to the Pyramids. They're definitely awe-inspiring, and I was able to climb to the top of the largest one to see where the Pharaoh was entombed. No cameras were allowed, but the guy at the top did say we could take pictures with cell phones. There seems to be a disconnect when it comes to official Pyramid policy. No surprises there. Why?

Simple answer: backsheesh. The is what Eric (another Fulbright ETA) has termed the "Cairo hustle." Millions of Egyptians live on less than $2 a day--a difficult situation for anyone, let alone those trying to feed a family. As a result, many people depend on "backsheesh," or tipping. Usually it's only a couple pounds here and there, but it adds up after a while. There are pros: We were able to get get the student price for tickets to the Pyramids by paying  a guy to get our tickets for us. Still saved money, but it shows the underground economy. Then we had to "tip" the big-man at the security checkpoint who questioned our student tickets. After some haggling he let us in for a cool 15 pounds. To be honest, I'm not even sure he worked for the government or had any real affiliation with the Pyramids other than positioning himself by the door. 

The "hustle" continues. A man approached Eric and I with kufiyahs (male head covering) in hand. I waved him off, as I didn't want to buy one. He looked at me and then stated "No money. For Ramadan." So I thought he was being nice. He opened the package and wrapped it around my head. He did the same for Eric. He then offered to take our picture. Still no talk of money. When he got down off the Pyramids, he suddenly became less charitable and began the backsheesh process. I eventually gave him an American dollar, and Eric gave him a few pounds. He wanted more--in fact he requested "paper money." After getting no where in 100 degree heat, we pulled off the kufiyahs and walked away. There's no free lunch.

And to return to the policy [in]coordination amongst Pyramid workers: The man at the top of the Pyramid, who has the delightful job of being stuck in a less-than-ventilated, musty hole (did I mention the lack of light?) has to make a living too. Allowing pictures means a little extra backsheesh for him, which he certainly asked. We didn't take pictures, but we did tip. 

It's all a part of the game. Play on, playas.

P.S. The guys monitoring the entrance to the Pyramid also skirted the rules. The normal price (for non-Arabs) is 100 pounds (about 20 USD). They charged 200 pounds to people who happened to walk up and inquire as to how to get in. There needs to be a discussion with them about supply, demand, and pricing, but the point is that no matter where you turn, someone's looking for a little extra. But you gotta do what you gotta do to put food on the table. Welcome to "This Egyptian Life."  

Hotel and Pyramids Pictures

After a long day, I'm really too tired to talk. Here are some links to pictures so far though.

Shepheard Hotel in Cairo

Gaza Pyramids

I uploaded the original size photos, so if you wanna see anything in larger format, you can download the pictures to your computer. There's a download button when you click on a picture near the top of the screen.

Hopefully I'll be able to update everyone tomorrow on the trip.

Arrival

After a 10+ hour flight, I finally made it to Cairo. I was lucky enough to have exit row seating, but unlucky enough to have exit row seating next to the bathroom. The constant stream of people, aromas, and lights made sleeping difficult. Oh well--it's all part of the experience. And Delta didn't lose my luggage this time, so no complaints.

Walking out of the airport was like walking into another world. The heat, melody of car horns, and sheer amount of people in Cairo make Casablanca look like a walk in the park. (For those of you unawares, Cairo is the biggest city in Africa--and Europe for that matter). The ride to the hotel was like being on the world's best and worst roller coaster. I can't believe we didn't hit something/someone or get hit ourselves. Lanes and speed limits mean nothing. There might be 3 lanes and 6 cars all juggling for road superiority. I will definitely record a video of Cairo driving for all to see.

The hotel couldn't be better. I've managed to get a single, so I've got plenty of space to unwind. It's also facing the Nile River, so the view is out of this world. The hotel was the former headquarters of Napoleon Bonaparte, so there's some history here. Winston Churchill was also a distinguished guest. The Fulbright Commission is taking great care of us here during out first month in Cairo.

We did eat dinner at a swank Lebanese restaurant called Taboula (a little ironic on our first night in Egypt). Food was great, cheap, and filling. It was nice to get out and experience some night life. Hookahs (water pipes) were going full blast and Arab music filled the background.

I'm planning on going to see the Pyramids tomorrow. I'll also include pictures in tomorrow's post. Too tired to do anything camera-related tonight. Or any other typing/thinking for that matter.

Over and out.

For Artur: I can't describe how smelly it is in Cairo. Ribbit.

Packed and Ready

I just spent the better part of yesterday and this morning packing. I think I'm finally all ready to head out--but only after a couple trips to the post office to make sure my bags were under weight. Packing for such a long time away from home was quite an exercise in balancing having enough stuff and not getting dinged on excess baggage fees.

Next post will be from Cairo. Barring any delays, I will arrive at 3pm Friday after a lengthy flight from JFK. But I have exit row seating, so the flight will at least be comfortable.

Misr Masr Misr Masr Oy Oy Oy!

Update: Ten minutes after talking about delays, I find out my flight is pushed back. Go figure. Now I have a hefty layover at JFK. Should be touching down in Cairo around 6:15pm. No more talk of delays...

Nitty Gritty

Well, it's gettin' to be about that time when I have to skip on over to Egypt to begin my Fulbright. Since I'm going to be gone for so long, I figured starting a blog would be an easy way to keep people up-to-date with my exploits in the country. I will most likely start a Flickr account as well to upload pictures. Stay tuned for more details on that front.

As for the title of the blog, I figured an ode to Rob Schneider's old SNL skit was somehow in order-- albeit with an Arab flair. The Richmeister's take on makin' copies remains a classic bit. Qahawa is the Arabic word for coffee, a word somehow more fitting than office talk. At the very least, it'll be a reminder to keep my sense of humor.

Finally, in keeping with the legal requirements from the State Department: This blog is not an official website of the United States government / Fulbright Commission nor does it represent the views of the U.S. Department of State.

That about wraps things up for now. Over and out.