I found out this week that my company is moving to a new building soon, like in 1-2 months, which I have mixed feelings about. First off, the timing is going to be weird because that means that just as I am getting adjusted, it will be time to move again (sorry I'm grouchy about that). Besides, everything around here runs on what I (affectionately) refer to as Egyptian time; they might tell me two months, but I would not be at all surprised to find out that it will actually be closer to four. When asked how long something will take, most people respond with how long they want it to take, which is not realistic at all. Basically, I have some reservations because I don't know where the new one will be and I like this location (it's close to where I live and near a well-known mosque, which makes it difficult to get lost), but will welcome newer office supplies and furniture, as well as the possibility of some office space to call my own.
But on a more exciting note, the August issue will be going to print at the end of next week, which I'm excited about. I wrote several pieces for this issue, including restaurant and bar reviews, my attempts at drink mixing, and then I will be doing lots of editing next week. I have a gotten a good sense of the magazine by now I think, and it will be cool to see the first issue I worked on all over Cairo. In other news: come visit! I will know all the good places to go!
Anyway, I know I have praised the order-out nature of Cairo dining, but I thought I would show just how easy (and fun!) it is. There's this Web site called Otlob that lists all the restaurants (with menus!) that deliver to any given neighborhood. You can have the site remember your address and phone number, order your food online (bonus because then I don't have to worry about ordering the wrong thing in Arabic), and then just sit back and wait for delivery. Perfect. It's like a much cooler version of the ASG Restaurant Guide, on a bigger scale.
This weekend I will be attending an AIESEC conference, which I am excited about. Some of the people there will Egyptian AIESECers to ensure we're getting something out of our traineeships and teach us a bit about Egyptian culture; the rest will be the international trainees like me (I have met some from Canada, the U.S., China, Poland, etc.), so that will be a good opportunity to make friends and enjoy a weekend out of the city. We will be staying at Arabian Nights, a classy resort about an hour outside Cairo with a pool and horseback riding. I am supposed to bring some examples of American culture -- suggestions welcome. I want to represent NJ and Chicago, so I think I'm going to go with Bruce Springsteen and a Cubs t-shirt. Thoughts?
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2 comments:
Umm, that delivery site is pretty aamazing. No wonder you love it there...
that site is pretty sweet. in chicago we have grubhub.com and foodler.com that serves the same purpose. i can get cheesecake factory delivered! totes sweet. so i'm right there with you regarding loving takeout sites.
as to american culture? dunno. we're fat and lazy, but we have sweet technology. we have a fascination with exercise. maybe bring some mcdonalds with an ipod and a gym membership card?
enjoy your stay! it sounds like you're having an incredible time.
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