almost famous

Well, many things to write about since I last posted. The end of last week was pretty busy -- I was finishing up my first freelance article for a business and technology magazine called ICT Business. I am working on some follow-up stuff now, but when it's done I will post a link to the blog for all who are curious.

So, last week... well, on Tuesday night there was supposed to be a meet-and-greet for ex-pats at the British Club. My friends and I showed up (a bit late, of course), ready to meet and mingle. But there weren't too many other people there, so we just made the best of it. Best moment of the evening was when the DJ played "Walk Like an Egyptian" -- we were all very excited to dance to it, but then simultaneously felt bad for being excited. Also last week, my friend J left to go back to the states so we had a big good-bye party. Because the group I hang out with is from all over, people are leaving and arriving all the time; in this case, J went back because he still has not graduated and school starts again in a few weeks.

On the plus side: free taxi! Coming home one night I gave the driver a 5 LE bill (about $1) and asked for 2 LE in change (which is what I always pay for that ride...cabs are pretty cheap). But the driver didn't have any change, so he told me I could just keep my money and go home since it was late. That's right, after approximately 5,000 (rough estimate) taxi rides where I had to argue with the driver over the equivalent of 40 cents, I got one driver to waive the fee altogether. Good karma? I like to think so.

Anyway, Friday was quiet -- I did my laundry and other much-needed errands, plus slept until 3 p.m. Glorious. Wish I could sleep til 3 every day. (Kidding... or am I?) Friday night we went to a party of a friend of a friend on a houseboat. There are loads of houseboats along the Nile, and while I had heard they were considered somewhat desirable housing (amazing views, breeze from the river, etc.), I have to reconsider now that I have spent time on one. It was a bit cramped and humid, and while the view is indeed spectacular, I think I prefer my living quarters firmly on dry land. On Saturday we went to go do some shopping (and window shopping) at City Stars. I did not end up buying anything - everything seems so expensive in Egyptian pounds - but my friend A wanted a nose ring, which we found. Plus, I just really like going to the mall. I think this is where being from New Jersey kicks in -- I just can't go too long without going to a mall. Seriously.

After the mall, I went to a casting call to act in a glamorous commercial. Just kidding! About the glamorous part. My friend H sometime earns extra money by appearing as an extra in movies or commercials -- they often need people who like foreigners, and the pay is ridiculously amazing for one day of mostly sitting around with minimal actual work. So two of my friends, A1 and A2 (sorry, I can't help it if everyone has the same initials! To help you tell the difference, A1 is a girl and A2 is a guy) were interested in seeing if they could do that as well. When H made the call, they said they needed many foreigners and to send along as many people as he wanted.

Thus I found myself on Saturday afternoon standing in a studio with 15 other foreign-looking people (including me, A1, A2 and our friend W), preparing to audition for a commercial that will supposedly show Egyptians how NOT to treat tourists. Each of us got in front of the camera, gave our names and ages, and then had to act out one of the following scenes about upsetting things that happen to tourists:

1. Tourist gets in a taxi, only to have the driver make ridiculous circles and then try to overcharge the unsuspecting tourist; tourist gets angry and yells
2. Tourist is riding a camel at the pyramids, the Egyptian refuses to let the foreigner down from the camel unless they pay more money; tourist gets angry and yells
3. Tourists are on a felluca (kind of riverboat) on the Nile, the felluca driver makes disturbing comments, throws trash in the Nile, and is otherwise inappropriate; tourists get angry and yell
4. Tourists are shopping in Khan el-Khalili (big bazaar/market in Cairo), shopkeepers follow them, harass them, assault them with various merchandise; tourists get angry and yell

See where I'm going with this? Anyway, I "auditioned" for scenario 4. At this point, you're probably wondering, But Aliza, didn't you retire graciously from acting after the "1776" debacle of 7th grade? Yes, yes I did.

When I needed to think "anger," I simply channeled Sergio from Ghetto 101 in Investigative Journalism. He had us pretend to yell at bums/winos/"knuckleheads" to leave us alone in case we were in an unsafe neighborhood and being approached by suspicious people. This including yelling things like "stand back" and "walk away now" in a commanding voice. So I mimicked this, subbing in appropriate phrases like "leave me alone" and "I told you I was not interested in buying that plaster replica of a pyramid," etc.

Will I get cast and enjoy my inevitable 15 minutes of fame? It seems incredibly unlikely. But if my natural talent shines through and I become a famous commercial actress in the Middle East, I will be glad to say that I knew you all back when.

Because of all that sleep on Friday I missed the opening ceremonies of the Olympics (not really sure of time difference between China and Egypt anyway), but I am making up for lost time now. Olympic fever has certainly caught on in Egypt. We watch the coverage in the office all day (though commentary is Arabic so I really don't understand like 80% of what's being said). Right now it's a men's volleyball game between Brazil and another country I have not figured out yet, but I don't think it matters since Brazil is obviously winning. Oh, volleyball -- remember when I used to play that sport? Update: it is now 45 minutes later (what, I was working!) and it's now soccer (football?). I have no idea who is playing or winning. Wake me for men's swimming.