mish fehema

which is the colloquial phrase for I don't understand! I don't understand! and which is a term I wish I would have known when leaping into an overpriced airport cab sweaty, bedraggled, delirious, and lugging three wheelless bags. Rewind about an hour and there I am with bags in tow, frantically searching for my name in english, my name in arabic, my name in anything plastered across someone's airport pick-up sign. No such luck. And so, after scoping out the pay phone situation in the baggage terminal (when I approached the one phone to be found, I received a series of hand signals by a formidable guard which I took to mean: 'the only phone here does not work'), I decided that braving the taxi hassle was my only bet. The taxi incident transpires as follows:

[note: I did not know my address]

Maya: "American University dorm in Zamalek"

Cab Pimp: "ahhh American University"

[Cab Pimp shuffles Maya to Second Tier Cab Pimp]

Cab Pimp: "American University"

Second Tier Cab Pimp: "ahhh American University"

[Second Tier Cab Pimp then shuffles Maya to a young driver sitting on a car that is apparently a taxi]

Second Tier Cab Pimp: "American University"

Young Driver: "ahh American University"

[Maya deposits bags in truck of apparent cab; Maya and Young Driver enter car]

Maya: [to Young Driver in rusty Arabic] the American University houses in Zamalek, yes?

Young Driver: (veryfastwordsinArabicthatIcouldntunderstand!)

And this is when 'mish fehema' could have potentially alleviated the trouble that was to come. Young Driver proceeded to take me NOT to the Zamalek dorms (sidenote: Zamalek, the region where I am living, is an island in the middle of the Nile!), NOT even to the American University campus, but apparently understood that I wanted to be stranded at the old campus that is no longer in use. al-hamdullilah.

Another taxi ride eventually sent me to my Nile-side home.

...

The next bit is inspired by Erica! and will go by the title 'Cairo is a Place of Pure Sensory Overload,' or C.P.P.S.O. for short.

sight: the panorama of the city as seen from the hill at al-Azhar park. Al-Azhar in and of itself is stunning!: the largest park/green strip in Cairo complete with landscaping and fountains. Roommate Amy, friends Emily and Ryan and I had a lovely time relaxing in the park, looking out over our new home and pinpointing various colored windows amidst the sandy mass of chaotic buildings. There's a picture above.

sound: the clot-clot-clot-troping of the horses hooves as we rounded the torch on the rocky hill overlooking the pyramids. I temporarily named my horse Sicilia. She had a penchant for veering right which allowed me some much appreciated time away from the group to soak up the pyramids and the moon.

smell: sweet sweet sheesha smoke emanating from every cafe and from Abu as-Said where Amin, a local and fellow AUC student, took a group of us for a Cairene lunch. Pigeon was a considered option on the menu. My roommate Amy and I instead settled on splitting a meat+tomato sauce+rice dish called Fet-ha, an oriental salad, and apple sheesha.

taste: Foel pictured below bought in a hidden alley from a street vendor at Khan al-Khalili, a GIANT and sinuous Egyptian bazaar. As far as I can tell, Foel consists of fava beans mixed to the consistency of refried beans and served with heavenly, pillowy bread and juicy tomato salads. I paid for this delicious meal at 4 in the morning, but it was well worth it.

touch: surprisingly, Cairo is much cooler than I expected. Alright, alright, it IS winter here, but I was told to only bring a light sweater. Days are 75, but I'm shivering nights.

...

Further highlights include!:

-arriving at my dorm (FINALLY!, see taxi incident above) walking into an open room, unpacking my bags, saying hello to 'roommate', passing into a deep and blissful sleep....and waking to realize that I had moved into and slept in the wrong room. al-hamdullillah.

-being able to find a cab after the hysteria of a successful soccer match and bargain for a good price

-visiting campus (an hour away). It is LITERALLY an oasis in the middle of the desert

well, enough for now

ma'a salama!