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This weekend was supposed to be something very specific. I was to go to Kofr El Sheikh to a small countryside town and go to my friend, Gehad's, henna party and wedding. It turned into something very very different.
Let's start with Thursday:
1. Egyptian revenge: The Egyptians at school challenged the Americans to a 4th of July soccer game/ "bbq". We were all talking a lot of smack, but as it turns out, Americans are not good at soccer. Chales (at all). We got whooped. The score was probably something around 8-3, but we all stopped keeping track after a little bit. There was also not really bbq, just juice, but it was still quite fun.
2. Tamer Hosny: Tamer Hosny, a self-proclaimed Egyptian superstar, came to town for a concert. So we obviously had to go. Keep in mind, this is the same Tamer Hosny of Omar wa Salma. Turns out, Tamer, because of his superstar status, doesn't start concerts until 3 hours late. So we stood around for a while, then the concert started and there was a lot of fire and explosions and smoke coming off of the stage, but in the end, Tamer Hosny is pretty mediocre, and the concert was kind of lame. Maalesh.
Friday:
1. Super Awesome Bike Ride along the Cornische. My friend Madeline loves bikes and she found a really cool biking group in Alexandria. So Madeline, Siree, Emliy and I got up way way too early for a Friday and went down to Montaza which is at the far Eastern end of Alex where we met our friends Ahmed and Ahmed. We braved the 25 kilometer stretch of crazy Cornische drivers and pedestrians and biked all the way up to Qaitbay, the citadel at the far Western end of the city. The ride was amazing. It was pretty early in the morning so the weather was still mild, and the company, the views, and the general helpfulness of getting to know the city much better and more intimately was all in all, pretty fantastic. I always recommend bike rides anywhere, in any city. (By the way, the pics are before and after shots)
2. Henna Party: My friend Gehad used to live on the 6th floor with me, pretty much across from my room. A few weeks ago, she invited me to her wedding, and then a little bit later, invited all of the Americans here to her Henna Party. So Friday evening, the whole group packed up on a bus and made the trek out to Kofr El Sheikh, the province right next to the province of Alexandria. This area is right in the Nile Delta and is known for farming, fish, and is a good example of Egyptian countryside living. The ride there was awesome. The drive from Alex to Cairo is pretty deserty but to Kofr El Shiekh, it's all bright bright greens. You see people walking their cows up and down the streets, farmers working in their fields, but the best part is to see the reactions on the face of the people when they see a bus full of westerners pull in. We got to Gehad's town and we were VIP. People from their house windows, on the street, carrying barrels of things on their heads, turned and smiled and waved and were just so excited to greet us. So we finally got to her town and were put in long rows of chairs that they had set up for us in front of Gehad's house. While we were sitting, Gehad's mother came out and thanked and kissed every one of the girls there individually. Then she lead us into the deck of their house where we saw the biggest table of food I think any of us had ever seen. It was comparable to the long tables of food in Hook or Harry Potter. Just never ending feasting. And the food was amazing. I was told the meat was among the best people in our group had ever had. There was all sorts of honey desserts, fruit salad, rice, macaroni, fresh cheese, salads, pitas, om ali, any food you can imagine. We didn't even make a dent and none of us could breathe afterwards. So after the meal, they shoveled us all upstairs to Gehad's house (Gehad and her close friends were still at the hair dresser getting hair and make up done) and we met their whole family, started dancing, singing, and beginning the celebrations. Then, we were told that Gehad was coming so the ENTIRE village, perhaps hundreds of people, all moved to a tent set up in the middle of the town, decorated with christmas lights. The tent was filled with chairs and also had a stage up front where there were several different things:
1. a huge chair for Gehad to sit on
2. a tv to follow her every move
3. a band
4. a table of (what looked like) a bunch of men gambling.
Finally, Gehad made her entrance. She looked like a princess (and a cupcake) but just absolutely beautiful. She had a bright pink sparkly and puffy dress and was decked in makeup. She was stunning. Then, the band started to play and a guy took the microphone and for the next several hours, people gave him money, he gave it to the table of men who were counting all of it, and he announced where all the money was going to and who it was from. It was a very interesting experience. Now, Laura and I were planning on staying the night with Gehad but we had a run in of sorts with the po-po. (aka- the police in charge of our bus and group didn't want to separate the group so we had to leave with everyone else). And since we are in Egypt, it was around midnight and the henna hadn't started yet, and we had to drive all the way back to Alex, so we had to leave before we got to see the henna part of the henna party.
Saturday:
1. Roman Ruin extravaganza: Since our plans were foiled, we had to come up with another quick scheme. So Jake, Laura, Katelyn, and I set out for the Roman ruins of Alex. First, Pompey's pillar (which wasn't actually built by Pompey). It's still one of the tallest monuments in Alex and was used way back when to help with tax collection. Underneath is also a really cool underground labyrinth of a library and sanctuary. Next, were the catacombs. Basically, an underground labyrinth of tombs and mummies and such. The coolest part about both of these is that they were all done in the Roman era and all the artwork points to the fact that the Romans were trying desperately to replicate the Ancient Egyptians.
2. MARKET! Best party about any city: the markets. We finally found a good food market! Filled with all sorts of fresh fruits, veggies, soaps, cut up meat carcass, grilling fishes, and children running around asking us for our names and pictures.
3. A much needed Asian feast of Thai and Chinese food on the roof of one of the hotels in downtown. A very beautiful view and (da da da daa!!!) Tofu!!!
4. Fourth of July American Egyptian party blowout. (Unofficially, obviously). Just a group of friends chilling on the beach until way too late at night to celebrate our independence from British tyranny (very easily relatable to our Egyptian friends)
Sunday: Class, then Football!
To keep you non soccer fans posted, we very much in World Cup season and are basically in playoff mode. But it works differently in soccer, because they (the soccer gods obviously) split the teams up into groups and the groups play each other for a chance to qualify in the world cup. The last group that Egypt was in was with America, Brazil, and Spain. This time, it's an all African group with Tanzania, Rwanda, Algeria, and Egypt. Egypt's in last place, so they have to win all of their games to make it into the World Cup and point differentials matter. Now, keep in mind, this is soccer according to Monica, not necessarily soccer according to someone who actually knows. But all I know is that yesterday, Egypt was playing Rwanda and our awesome friend Chulee who basically runs the country and has hook ups everywhere, hooked us up with tickets. So we hopped in cars and it was off to Cairo we go!
So we're at a must win game in Egypt. The Egyptians were going nuts. There were fights breaking out to get into the stadium, people's faces were painted, flags everywhere, people brought in drums to help with the cheering, it was awesome. We learned all of (or some of) the great Egyptian cheering songs, among them "ahom ahom ahom, al masryeen ahom" "opa e (clap clap clap) opa ah (clap clap clap) in shaallah hanekseb! (yes, that does mean, if God wills it, we will win)" and "clap clap clap clap clap "masr!" (masr means egypt btw).
The first half is scoreless. They were playing "zai zift!" (like trash/ dirt). Second half again, no good, until.. Masr woke up and scored three goals literally in the last ten minutes of the game, including one final last second goal! It was awesome! Unfortunately, my camera sucks and runs out of battery really fast so I don't have pics and I have to steal some from my friends.
Stay tuned, friends, for come Thursday, it's off to Sinai!
لاجازة بتاعتي اللى ملاية بمتعة، موسيقة، عجالات، افراح، ماتش، احتلفات، واثار الرومان!
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الاجازة دي، كنت مفروض اروح كفر الشيخ للبلد في الريف للفرح وحفلة حناء صاحبتي جيهاد. لكن كانت اجازة مختلفة خالص!
هابدا من يوم الخميس:
١. انتقام مصري: المصريين في الجامعة كانوا عايزين يلعبوا ماتش ضد الامريكان واحنا وافقنا. الماتش كان حفلتنا عيد الاستقلال وعملنا بر بي كيو. والكن احنا مش كويسين في كرة! خالص! هم موتنا! النتيجة الاخيرة كانت حولي ٨-٣، لكن واقفنا نتفرج بعد وقت قليل. لكن لسة كان ممتع.
٢. تامر حسني: هو بطل مصري وهو جاي للحفلة موسيقية وكانا لازم نروح! هو نفس التامر حسني اللى مثل في "عمر وسالمة." لكن، عسان هو بطل، بدا حفلته ٣ ساعات متاخر. واقفنا شوية، واخيرا الحفلة ابتدت وكان نار كثير وانفجارات، وفي الحقيقة، هو ما كانش كويس. معلش.
٣. يوم الجمعة: ١. ركبت عجلة على كورنيش. صاحبتي مادلين بتحب تركب العجلات وهي لقيت مجموعة للركب العجلات في اسكندرية. وانا، ومادلين، سري، واملي صحيت بدري قوي وروحنا منتازة- مكان في شرق اسكندرية، وقابلنا اصحابنا احمد واحمد. ركبنا ٢٥ كيلومتر على كورنيش جنب السواقون المجانين وعجلنا لغاية قلعة قيتبي، القلعة في غرب المدينة. كان مدهش، فعلا. كان بدري في الصبح والجو كان لسة متعدل، والناس والمناظر كانوا حلوين وكنت اتعرف المدينة احسن بكتير. انا اقترح الرحلة دي!.
٢. حفلة حناء: صاحبتي جيهاد كانت ساكنة في دور السادس معايا في الاوضة قدامي. من بعض اسابيع، هي عازمتني الى فرحها، وبعدين، عازمت كل الامريكان الى حفلة الحناء بتاعتها. وفي المساء يوم الجمعة، طلعنا الاوتوبيس وركبنا الى كفر الشيخ، المنطقة اللى جنب اسكندرية. المنطقة دي في دلتا النيل ومعروف لزراعة، صيد السمك، ومثال كويس للحياة في الريف. الرحلة كانت جميلة خالص. بنشوف الضحراء في الرحمة من اسكندرية الى القاهرة ولكن، الرحلة دي، شوفنا الزراعة واحضر والبقرات، والمزرعين في الغيط، واحسن حاجة كانت وش الناس اللى شافوا اوتوبيس مع طالبة غربية في بلدهم. وصلنا في البلد والناس كانوا مبسوطين وعالجوانا كملوك. كلهم كانوا مبطسمين وسلاموا علينا. وصلنا في بلدها واقعدنا في كاراسي في صف طويل قدام بيت جيهاد ومامة جيهاد جت وسلامت علينا وباست كل واحدة وجابتنا الى بيتها وشوفنا اكبر طارابيزة اكل في حياتنا- كان زاي طارابيزات الاكل في افلام هري بوتر وهوك. والاكل كان لذيذ! الناس قالوا ؛كانت احسن لحمة في مصر. وكان في حلويات اسل، سلطة فواكة، رز، مكارونة، جبنة، سلطات، عيش، ام علي، كل الاكل يمكن تخيل. ما خلصنا مع الاكل ولكن كونا شبعانين جدا وما قدرناش اتحرك! بعد الواجبة، طلعنا فوق (جيهاد واصحابها كانوا لسة بيلبسوا)، وقابلنا كل افراد عيلتها، رقصنا، غنينا، واتحفلنا! واحد قال لنا ان جيهاد بتيجي وكل القرية، حولي مية ناس، جري الى جيمة في وسط البلد، كان فيها لمبات كتيرة وكراسي، وكان في خشبة فوق، فيها
١. كرسي كبيرة لجيهاد
٢. تليفيزيون كبير وشوفنا عليها جيهاد
٣. فريق موسيقي
٤. طرابيزة وجنبه رجالة
اخيرا، جت جيهاد. شكلها كان زاي اميرة وجميلة جدا جدا! والفريق بدا يلعب وواحد حد الميكرافون والساعات اللى جاية، الناس يديوه فلوس، وهو ادى الفلوس للرجالة يقعدوا جنب الطرابيزة وعدوا الفلوس، وهو الرجل اعلن الفلوس منين ولايه خدمة او حاجة. كان تجربة غريبة شواية لكن مثيرة.
انا ولورة كونا مفروض نبيت الليلة مع جيهاد، ولكن الشرطة قالت لنا ممنوعة، والعشان احنا في مصر والساعة كانت ١٢ في الليل والحناء لسة ما بداش، كانا لازم نرجع اسكندرية وما شوفناش جز الحناء في حفلة الحناء.
يوم السبت:
١. اثار الروماني: جيك، كيتلين، انا ولورة روحنا لاثار الروماني في اسكندرية. اولا، عمود بومبي (لكن بومبي ما بناش العمود في الحقيقة). هو واحد من اطول اثار في اسكندرية وكان بيسدخدم للجمع الضرائب. تحته، في مكتبة ومبعد. بعدين، كوم الشوقافة. كان في مقابر وموميات. والحاجة الروشة كانت ان كل الاثار كانوا في وقت الرومان ولكن الفن بتاعهم كان زاي فن المصري.
٢. سوق: احسن جز في كل مدينة! السوق! لقينا سوق شعبي! كان في فواكة، خضارات، صابون، لحمة، سمك، واطفال بيسلاموا علينا.
٣. اكل تيلندي وصيني على سقف واحد الفناديق. منظر جميل وتوفو!
٤. حفلة عيد الاستقلال. انا ومجموعة اصحابي كانت اقعدوا على شاطيء.
يوم الحد: فصول وكرة القدم!
احنا في فصل كاس العالم والمصريين متحمسين. فريق مصر لازم يكسب بقية المبارات اذا كان عايز يحوش كاس العالم. وامبارح، مصر لعب ضد روندا وصاحبنا، خولي، اشترى لنا تذاكر. المصريين كانوا مجانين! الناس رسموا وشهم بالوان مصر وجيبوا طبلة وكان ممتاز! اتعلمنا بعض اغاني مصر. واحد كان "اهم، اهم، اهم، المصريين اهم" و"ابا ايه، ابا اة، انشاالة هنكسب!" اول جز، الماتش كان معادل وهم لعبوا زاي زفت! ولكن، الجز التاني، مصر صحي من النوم وفي اخر ١٠ دقائق، مصر جابوا ٣ جولون! كان مدهش!
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