Spring Break has finally arrived and none too soon for many of the staff here. It has been difficult this past week keeping the kids focused on school and it has been difficult for Pat and I as well with family visiting as we are anxious to be with them as much as we can.
On Monday, the Camel-lots toured Alexandria, visiting many of the important historical sites. They have become a big hit wherever they go – people flock to them (maybe it is the generous tipping but more than likely it is their friendly Iowa personalities). They seem to be able to strike up a conversation with nearly anyone. Many of the locals are anxious to practice their English while others seem to be fascinated to hear them speak. Monday evening we all boarded the tram to travel to the Sporting Club to meet with Madame Lobna to purchase jewelry. On the tram ride a young man struck up a conversation with the ladies. The man was a chemist who had spent 5 years in the States around the time of 9/11. His wife is currently in Algeria; he is living with his parents. As they were talking, another man came over and listened very intently. I’m sure it is very unusual for those who ride the tram to speak at length to any Westerners – tourists typically do not ride the tram – so it benefits both our guests to learn of everyday life here and the locals to learn that the typical American is really no different than they are.
Jewelry buying with Lobna is always a unique experience. There is a shop in the Sporting Club that sells excellent quality items, primarily gold, silver and diamonds. We have purchased several items there with her help. When we enter the little shop the owner is very pleased to see us but also knows that he is in for battle when it comes time to negotiate the price. Cost for silver or gold items is based on their quality and their weight and he will have a figure in mind that he feels he needs to get. It is interesting to watch the exchange back and forth before a price is finally arrived at. Above all, as a shopkeeper he wants us to be happy with the price we settle on and he wants to be sure that Lobna (one of his best customers) is also happy as well. After nearly 90 minutes, the Camel-lots walked out with several nice items reflecting Egyptian culture.
Tuesday the ladies spent time with one of my students, Alaa, a young lady who is a very devout Muslim who comes from a wealthy family. For over an hour, they asked questions to find out about life here. Conversations such as this not only benefit our travelers but also benefit the locals as they learn that the typical American is not always like they see in the media. In the evening, we visited our local family that we have become friends with. They invited us over to meet our family and give our family a glimpse of everyday life. Their home would probably be very typical for a middle class family in Egypt. In addition to their family, the wife’s sister and her children came over as well to join in the evening. There were four boys who attend an English speaking public school in the two families. They understand and read English very well but sometimes have difficulty speaking it so this gives them a good opportunity to practice. Class size in school for 3 boys is quite large, with 55 in the class while the youngest boy has only 25 in his class. When we asked why the difference, the parents told us that they have to pay more for the smaller class – 1500 LE for the large class vs. 500 LE for the smaller class. Another interesting topic of conversation was the discussion of marriage. A man can have up to three wives. He has to provide equally for all three. His reasons for having more than one usually center on children. If one is unable to provide him with a child, he may marry a second. There is often quite a bit of jealously that occurs within a family between the wife and the sisters of the husband. The sisters can be angry because the wife is taking their brother away from the family. All in all, it was a most interesting day for the Camel-lots as they learned much about life and the people in Egypt.
On Wednesday, we visited Zypherion, our favorite fish restaurant located in Abo Kir, a short drive from Alexandria. There isn’t a more pleasant dining experience to be found than on the shores of the Mediterranean than Zypherion at sunset. We ordered two large sea bass and over 3 kilo of prawn (shrimp – although shrimp would not be an accurate description as these were probably 6 inches long). Diane and Pat engaged in a prawn eating contest and they probably consumed a kilo themselves. We were joined by Debbie (a local foreign hire teacher) and her husband, Mahmoud (who teaches at the university)’ Tamer (another teacher) and his mother-in-law from New York who has traveled over to visit and his son. One of the highlights of the Zypherion is picking out the fish. They will have the day’s catch in the kitchen and you can go and pick out what you want to have. This evening was an important evening for the restaurant as later on (around 9:00) the governor of Alexandria and Ahmed Nazif, the Prime Minister of Egypt was scheduled to dine at Zypherion.
Thursday, we visited our friend Lobna for tea and two delicious desserts at her apartment. Perhaps the best description of Lobna’s apartment would be like a museum of classical furniture and silver. Lobna is a most gracious host who has been our “buddy” ever since we arrived in Alexandria three years ago. She enjoys meeting our family when they come over and sharing with us. She provides a unique perspective into the culture and lifestyle of cosmopolitan Alexandria, when it was often referred to as the “Pearl of the Mediterranean.” We used the tram again for our transportation. Thursday evenings it is very crowded and often there aren’t any seats. Young men who have seats will rise and offer their seats to the ladies. As we walked back to the school from the tram line, several children come up and ask the Camel-lots what their names are and how old they are. They aren’t being disrespectful when they ask the age; it may be one of a few sentences that they know how to say in English. Anytime the Camel-lots leave campus during the day while we are in school, children will come up to them to talk. Several times the ladies have left campus on their own and explored the neighborhood and shopped for bargains. The locals are quick to assist them with anything to make their stay in Egypt as hospitable as possible.
Today we are headed out to Cairo on the train. This should be a memorable experience. On the ride down we will step back in time and see farming as it once was in the states in the 20’s and 30’s when much f the work was done by hand. Once in Cairo they will experience all of the history of the antiquities such as the Pyramids, Coptic Cairo, the Citadel, Memphis, the Kahn, etc. The sights and sounds of this busy metropolis (the largest city in the Arab world) with over 25,000,000 can be overwhelming at first look but we are sure the Camel-lots will be up to the challenge!
