1/2 way

I am officially past the halfway point of my time in this wonderful city. It is one of those strange feelings where time has passed so quickly yet so much has taken place and I have gone through many ordeals since I first met Ma'andi in Cairo airport. I think for this reason I did not feel guilty about spending last week just socializing instead of site seeing. I know I have much more to see here before I leave but I find that with an expanding network of friends there are various events going on most nights. In fact last week I had my first experience of a Cairo Night club that bears the unfortunate name of "Latex". Any other place in the world I would automatically think gay-bar but I heard it from good sources that this was THE club to go to in Cairo. The group we met there was possibly the most multi-national mix you can imagine, including a Nigerian, an Australian, a Pakistani, an Estonian, a Bangladeshi, an Indian, two Germans, and two Americans. All of them came to Cairo for internships originally and some already completed this and are planning to find permanent positions now. In some ways I felt marginally guilty for being with just foreigners, after all I am in Egypt to experience Middle East culture, but I am also getting something from each of these people too, considering they have such varied backgrounds. After an hour or so I realized that the club was only attended by ex-pats and tourists as most Egyptians were not allowed into the club unless they paid an extra fee/bribe. We stayed dancing until 4 am before my feet became unbearably sore and we decided to call it a night. I have learnt that there are common characteristics between people who travel and work abroad, particularly in a place like Egypt. They tend to be incredibly friendly, outgoing, spontaneous, and interesting. Ultimately this is because those who are willing to take risks and roll with the punches are best suited to the unpredictable and unexpected occurrences here, of which there are many!

A few nights later, Noora, another friend, invited us to a Mohammed Moneer concert at the Opera House. Apparently this guy is an extremely well known singer that many fondly acknowledge as "the King" of Egyptian music. I am not familiar with his music yet I thought it might be interesting to see what goes on at a concert in Cairo, so we agreed to join her. The Cairo Opera House has many different stages and theatres and was recently built in a joint venture between the Egyptian government and Japan. The complex is impressive and modern, but in true Egyptian style we arrived to find there were no public toilets open! After making our way through the mostly male crowd towards the stage we proceeded to wait for quite some time, again in true Egyptian style the concert that was due to start at 930pm did not get underway until 1130. When he did finally make an appearance the crowd went wild, jumping and climbing onto each other's shoulders to get a better look. I was slightly shocked by his appearance as he was a middle aged man with an afro wearing a white shirt unbuttoned halfway. Somehow he did not seem that "Egyptian" to me but this is another perfect example of the contradictions in this society. Although it is mostly conservative there are also subcultures of liberally minded people who accept a self-professed hippie like Moneer and who stay out late dancing and singing, women and men together. In general it was similar to any concert in the US or England and he was accompanied by an excellent band whose talents I could appreciate even though I was unfamiliar with the songs.

I have come to feel at home in this place and it will be difficult in August to say goodbye to everyone, but I will leave with some amazing memories. Also, something worth mentioning is that I now realize my interest in this region of the world is not purely conceptual. I talked for a long time about wanting to travel so I could immerse myself in a new culture and learn more about the politics and issues of the Middle East. Now I can say after this experience that I have only piqued my curiosity to discover more and to explore further the maze of relationships, which have placed the West at odds with the Middle East and Islam. This summer is just the tip of the iceberg I believe and I see a role for myself in the future to bridge the divide between these competing ideas and cultures. It has been a chance to test myself and consequently I have learned more about my capabilities and hopes for the future.