Beginning of Wk 2-we have survived!

Ever wonder what happens to your old beater cars that you trade in for $500? They end up as Egyptian taxis!

Funny (and true Egyptian story): Our shipment of clothes, etc isn’t coming for at least another couple of months. My bathing suit suddenly lost elastic. There is nothing to do in 110 degree heat but swim. After shopping in no less than 3 malls, I can’t find a SINGLE women’s bathing suit anywhere. I learn the word in Arabic and get laughed out of the shops. Women don’t swim! Anyway, I finally wander into a shop with paper over the windows named “SKIN!” (you know I had to check it out, right?) and to my amazement find one among the other taboo objects (sandals, granny panties, nail polish, etc)! It is “Teaser” brand (made in China) and stretches from mid-bicep to just above the knee (like a unitard only no calf). I paid the equivalent of $70 for it so I would have something to wear when I’m in the American pool (women welcome) with my 3 year old. Joe endures jokes from the sales clerk about his seducing wife (in her unitard).

All joking aside, lots of you have asked, “what’s life like in Egypt?” Well, for us, it has been totally opposite from our life in Egypt. Since we are nerds at heart, here’s a summary in table form:

Cairo vs. Raleigh

• Really urban vs. suburban
• Dirty, diesel taxis, often with smoking drivers with an axe to grind against infamous Cairo traffic. Seatbelts and air-conditioning optional. Car seat? Laughable vs Nice cars that have likely been serviced in the last 5 years.
• Very hot vs. Hot
• Long clothes the norm-“what else can I cover up and get away with it” vs. Short clothes the norm-“how short can I go”
• Helpful people motivated by their love for Allah vs. Occasionally polite people motivated by sense of cosmic retribution…or nice people on a good day....depends :)
  
• “Friends” are made in a period of hours vs. Friends are lifetime luxuries
• Most people pray 5 times a day and all day on Friday vs. Most people pray every second of the day “please don’t let me yell at the these kids…please don’t let me be rude to my nosy neighbor…please don’t let me flip off the driver who cut me off”….
• You eat… what you get…don’t ask what it is…you brought antibiotics from the States, right? vs. Lots and lots of options at the grocery store and Target, etc
• Walk everywhere (see taxis above) vs. On a good day, walk several rows back to your parked car
• Whole city is a museum….we were driving and saw someone actually living atop a REAL Roman Aquaduct. vs. Museums can be visited in a weekend
• We miss our family and friends vs. We’re too busy to call our family and friends back 

So these are just a few things….
Since I last wrote, we went on a sailboat ride down the Nile and got some awesome pictures. As soon as we get something faster than dial-up (next week “en challah”), we’ll post them.

More then….
Lots of love…
The S-Rs