apartment!

I got a new apartment! It's very exciting -- A1 and I will be residing in a 3-bedroom apartment in Zamalek (of course), with a 3rd roommate we have not found yet. It is in the building we wanted, which is a pretty perfect location. Some of our other friends also live in this building and across the street from it, so that was a big point in its favor. Also, there are lots of shops on the ground floor of the building, including a 24-hour dry cleaner and a 24-hour market called Metro, which I suppose is the closest thing Cairo has to ShopRite/Jewel/Publix, etc. Lots of great stuff is across the street or just down the block (Cilantro and Coffee Bean, which are two great cafes, and also some good restaurants and a place to get more cell phone minutes, etc.). We are high up, so we have a Nile view (awesome); it's rather spacious, so while the furniture is not amazing, overall we think the apartment has a lot of potential.

The apartment hunt last week was kind of miserable and soul-crushing, so I am just really relieved that the whole ordeal is over. We signed a lease through the end of June, which is when my position here ends, so that actually works out really nicely. We have planned some trips to Khan el-Khaleli to get stuff to decorate, so when it looks all nice and pretty I will post some photos. The landlord said he would get us internet in like two weeks-ish, so hopefully I will soon be able to Skype with everyone. Start reserving time slots now!

We're going to be making an extra effort to get internet this time around because this apartment is more long term, so it's worth investing in. Also, we're a bit more motivated since we can't rely on internet cafes anymore. It used to be that I could just bring my computer to a cafe, order a tea and then use the internet for free. But now all these chains have started charging for internet, and I am cheap. This is like how you now have to pay for internet in Starbucks and Barnes and Noble. Why go there when it's free elsewhere? There is one really good place in Zamalek called Cafe Arabica that still has free internet (and also really delicious fiteer and smoothies), but it's not as convenient. We'd much rather have it in our house, for obvious reasons, so hopefully we will be making that happen in the very near future.

Over the weekend it was my friend H's birthday, so he threw a big party at the British Club. Photos will be up on Facebook soon-ish, hopefully. I had also planned to start packing for the move, but that never really happened since my procrastination skills are truly spectacular. Instead, I will probably pack today and move my stuff in tonight and tomorrow.

The reason there is a rush to move in the next few days is that this weekend is Eid, a holiday that comes at the end of Ramadan, and I would like to be moved in before then. I am going away with a big group of friends (like 15 people I think) to Wadi Natrun, a small desert town between Cairo and Alex. We will be staying at a Bedouin-style eco-lodge, which also has horseback riding and a pool, and food is included as it's a sort of all-inclusive thing. And we are staying in huts. Apparently some of my friends have stayed there before and said it was really cool. I'm really looking forward to the days off, and just to having a relaxing vacation with my friends.

In other news: the first issue that I was mostly in charge of will be out next week, so I look forward to seeing copies of it around Cairo. Plus working on another freelance article, and have potentially found another magazine to write for. A friend of mine who writes a column for our site recently got a promotion at the magazine she works for, so I think she is going to let me do some writing for her magazine -- a little exchange, if you will. So job stuff looks like it's going well.

Otherwise, this week is Rosh Hashannah, the Jewish new year (5769, but who's counting?). I will hopefully be going to services at the Israeli embassy in Cairo. It's a little sad not to be at home or at Hillel, but I guess it's all part of the adventure of living in Egypt.