moving day again

The contract on my apartment was up yesterday (July 1), so that means the last few days have been a blur of packing and moving. I am now relocated to a few floors below me, staying with some friends (actually, many friends: several other guests in addition to me mean that there are currently six people staying in three bedrooms and on a couch).

Leaving the apartment was a little bittersweet. I know my landlord (well, I suppose he is more like the manager, but he is the one who collects the rent and who I deal with), Mr. Adil, likes me because I speak Arabic and am nicer to him than other roommates who shall remain nameless (or, in this case, initial-less). He calls me "Miss Leeza" and said he was sad I was leaving (I said I was sad as well...even leaving the landlord is hard!). We kept the apartment in good shape (and with considerably more stuff than it came with), and he told me that he would keep the rent at the same level if we wanted to stay (we can't), or if we knew someone else who wanted the place (we don't). When he came to collect the keys, he was teasing us and joking. Initially he said to me "enti mushkila" (you're a problem), and when I got mock-offended he smiled and said, "la', ana araf. Naas kwayyesin, naas kwayyesin." ("No, I know. Good people, good people.") Saying someone is from good people is a very high compliment in Egypt, so that made me really happy. the building I live in is famous for having lots of foreigners and some people feel it is not an "authentic" Egyptian experience, but I have really enjoyed living there.

Packing was interesting: I have been trying to avoid needing to ship a package home, and luckily I was able to ditch some stuff here. I am donating some things to a local refugee service in Cairo (serving mostly Sudanese, Somali, Ethiopian and Iraqi refugees, I believe), and threw away some other things. Let's just say that Cairo's dusty streets, a lack of paved sidewalks and many other things have conspired to kill all but 1 1/2 pairs of my jeans, and nearly all my shoes. I get a pedicure, and by the end of the week my feet are gross again. Suffice it to say that some things were not even worth donating. So I have one large suitcase containing winter clothing, sweatshirts and other items I will not be needing in the next three weeks, and I intend to leave it closed and ready to go. The other one I am living out of, in addition to a duffel bag that I can use for travel. Hopefully this foresight will also make it easier (and faster) to actually pack when it is time for me to leave in three weeks.

Today was my last day of work. I have been saying goodbye to people this week, and although I am looking forward to the traveling I am doing in the next few weeks, I am still sad to leave. I helped select my replacement and feel that I am leaving the magazine I edit in good hands, and I guess that helps, but not a lot. I have begun applying for jobs back in the US already, and am hoping to at least have a few interviews lined up for when I go back. In the meantime, I guess this means that, freelance work aside, I am temporarily unemployed as of 6 pm tonight. Uh-oh!

more freelance

Another freelance article I wrote is online. This one is for the same magazine, ICT Business, and it's about microfinance NGOs in Egypt. You can read it here.

By the way, the family has arrived. They have met some of my friends around Zamalek, and we lit Hanukkah candles last night with some other Jewish friends. All in all, a good Hanukkah so far.

office nostalgia

Though I didn't get time off for Thanksgiving, the whole country is going on vacation next week. We have off a full week for Eid al-Adha, a Muslim holiday commemorating Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son for Allah. It coincides with Hajj, the annual pilgrimmage to Mecca that Muslims are obigated to make at least once in their lives, if they are able. To celebrate my time off, I will be going to Jordan for seven days with N, where we will see Petra, Amman, and many other things. Check back next week for photos (though we are flying there, so hopefully few travel horror stories).

As some of you may remember, a few months ago I mentioned that my company might be moving to a new building. Well, they've been getting it ready for a while and it looks like it will finally be ready after Eid. Which means today might be my last day in this office (though some departments will still be here, so I am sure I will visit). But still: here is a photo of the view of Mohandiseen as seen from the balcony in our office. The new office is on the block to the right of the building with the blue windows.

a little belated, but...

One of my freelance articles is available online now, so I thought I would pass on the link to anyone who'd like to read. The article is about an exclusive food deal for AUC, the American University in Cairo, and was published by ICT Business magazine, a business and IT magazine here in Cairo. You can read it here. Enjoy!

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.

new phone!

A couple posts ago I mentioned that my company entered a deal with a bigger corporation. Well, as a result of that deal, I got my first-ever employee benefits: a shiny new phone! My old phone is literally the cheapest phone that they had in stock in the Vodafone store when I first got here, so imagine my delight at getting a flippy phone (and I think we all know how much I love those) with free minutes and actual ringtones and a camera and other fancy things, the Arabic letters on the numbers so I can text bilingually.

As you can see, the classy (and shiny!) flip phone on the left is proof of my semi-legitimacy in Egypt. (I have a work phone! I've never had a work phone before!) On the right is the tiny, mostly functioning phone I picked up when I got here.

Also, successfully asked for first-ever official vacation time, in December when the fam comes to visit. Overall, feeling very adult and professional this week. Scary.