Fatma just told me that this guy that I met yesterday wants to sit and talk with me some more. Sounds sorta normal, right?
YEAH. NOT HERE.
I'm really afraid she's taking on the mother match-making role, trying to find me a good husband. She asked me what my opinion was of him, and I was like, I don't know him? And then she asked if I would be ok with sitting and talking to him. How can I say no? It's one of her family friend's sons and there's nothing outwardly not okay with it, but I know that that's how spouse hunting starts here. So I said maybe, but I'm busy.
I just want to come home again.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
A Thoughtful Reflection on Egyptian Culture...
i.e., I no longer will maintain the cultural relativity, my butt stance. At least for the duration of this entry.
before you continue reading, look at this picture: http://virb.com/458278556709923/photos/1314926/fullsize
Full credit to whoever put that up, smile, or something? Go you.
So now, if you have looked at that picture, please continue reading. Otherwise, you will just be confused.
So, just as a brief background, I found this picture while stumbling around the internet. This was shortly after my friend's friend's mom (unsuccessfully) tried to convert me to Islam, so I was pretty much like, yeah! Go the west! Open affection, open minds! We rock!
And then, as per usual, whenever I think anything that isn't loaded with all sorts of subtleties, I later changed, altered, and rearranged that thought. And it led me to make all sorts of observations about this culture, myself, and the west. Which you will now have the great privilege of reading.
The first thing I realized is that this picture is really really hypocritical. It's trying to depict the West as open-minded and the East as a closed place that discourages affection between men and women. Well, if the west is open-minded, it's a pretty big leap to make to think that this picture can accurately summarize relationships between men and women in the Middle East, or even just in Egypt. (I really do think these might be Egyptians. The man just looks, really, really Egyptian, like his clothes and everything. And the woman too.) And also, the west certainly has its share of marital problems, with a divorce rate of what, 50% or something. (I should write about the divorce procedure in Egypt. I actually think America has a lot to learn from how they do it here.) And this particular couple might just not be particularly affectionate, that's pretty normal in the culture here. It's really rare for couples to be openly affectionate in public here too, one of our teachers actually said that if a husband respects his wife, he won't be too affectionate with her in public because it's sort of disrespectful and will make her look disreputable. And actually, on this point, I saw a couple pretty much like the one in this picture, the man wearing the religious beard, and the woman a niqab, and they were like locking arms, and they were pretty old, and it was sooooo cute. So yes. Basically, if the West were such an open place, we wouldn't assume that wearing these sort of clothes and acting like this couple is doesn't mean that they aren't loving or are really close minded.
Also, the white couple just kinda bugged me. Like, how long will they be able to keep up that sort of affection? Sorry, that's just me being my cynical crabby old lady self. HOWEVER, this is relevant, because you find Egyptian couples doing the Egyptian equivalent of the white couple thing here, and it just bugs the crap out of me. Because the girls are always hijabed and you know, your model good Muslim girl, and then she's like out holding hands and being all pouty and flirty with her fiancee (who she could and probably will leave at any point). And you never see girls without hijabs doing this kind of stuff in public, because they can't get away with it. If they tried, everyone would just be like, you hair exposing whore, tempting our good muslim boys! Whereas, if you wear a hijab, go right ahead and tempt 'em. (let me add that the percentage of girls who engage in this sort of behavior is very small, but very visible. and that I'm not against the behavior, but the hypocrisy behind it. yeah). What was the point? I forgot. I'm sorry. Oh, that the white couple behavior doesn't mean they're any more loving. Just that they're more obvious and physical.
Which brings me to my next point. While there are all sorts of terrible men and terrible husbands here (and they are enabled by the culture since women are, in most circumstances, more or less powerless to them, or at the least, subservient to them, thus giving them the chance to be as tyrannical as they want), those who are good, really really respect women. As weird as that might sound. And also, I admire the fact that they take their faith so seriously, and really hold to it. As long as they don't try to convert me to it.
Well, that's all for now. Potentially more observations to be added at a later time.
Peace out, yo.
: ) E.
before you continue reading, look at this picture: http://virb.com/458278556709923/photos/1314926/fullsize
Full credit to whoever put that up, smile, or something? Go you.
So now, if you have looked at that picture, please continue reading. Otherwise, you will just be confused.
So, just as a brief background, I found this picture while stumbling around the internet. This was shortly after my friend's friend's mom (unsuccessfully) tried to convert me to Islam, so I was pretty much like, yeah! Go the west! Open affection, open minds! We rock!
And then, as per usual, whenever I think anything that isn't loaded with all sorts of subtleties, I later changed, altered, and rearranged that thought. And it led me to make all sorts of observations about this culture, myself, and the west. Which you will now have the great privilege of reading.
The first thing I realized is that this picture is really really hypocritical. It's trying to depict the West as open-minded and the East as a closed place that discourages affection between men and women. Well, if the west is open-minded, it's a pretty big leap to make to think that this picture can accurately summarize relationships between men and women in the Middle East, or even just in Egypt. (I really do think these might be Egyptians. The man just looks, really, really Egyptian, like his clothes and everything. And the woman too.) And also, the west certainly has its share of marital problems, with a divorce rate of what, 50% or something. (I should write about the divorce procedure in Egypt. I actually think America has a lot to learn from how they do it here.) And this particular couple might just not be particularly affectionate, that's pretty normal in the culture here. It's really rare for couples to be openly affectionate in public here too, one of our teachers actually said that if a husband respects his wife, he won't be too affectionate with her in public because it's sort of disrespectful and will make her look disreputable. And actually, on this point, I saw a couple pretty much like the one in this picture, the man wearing the religious beard, and the woman a niqab, and they were like locking arms, and they were pretty old, and it was sooooo cute. So yes. Basically, if the West were such an open place, we wouldn't assume that wearing these sort of clothes and acting like this couple is doesn't mean that they aren't loving or are really close minded.
Also, the white couple just kinda bugged me. Like, how long will they be able to keep up that sort of affection? Sorry, that's just me being my cynical crabby old lady self. HOWEVER, this is relevant, because you find Egyptian couples doing the Egyptian equivalent of the white couple thing here, and it just bugs the crap out of me. Because the girls are always hijabed and you know, your model good Muslim girl, and then she's like out holding hands and being all pouty and flirty with her fiancee (who she could and probably will leave at any point). And you never see girls without hijabs doing this kind of stuff in public, because they can't get away with it. If they tried, everyone would just be like, you hair exposing whore, tempting our good muslim boys! Whereas, if you wear a hijab, go right ahead and tempt 'em. (let me add that the percentage of girls who engage in this sort of behavior is very small, but very visible. and that I'm not against the behavior, but the hypocrisy behind it. yeah). What was the point? I forgot. I'm sorry. Oh, that the white couple behavior doesn't mean they're any more loving. Just that they're more obvious and physical.
Which brings me to my next point. While there are all sorts of terrible men and terrible husbands here (and they are enabled by the culture since women are, in most circumstances, more or less powerless to them, or at the least, subservient to them, thus giving them the chance to be as tyrannical as they want), those who are good, really really respect women. As weird as that might sound. And also, I admire the fact that they take their faith so seriously, and really hold to it. As long as they don't try to convert me to it.
Well, that's all for now. Potentially more observations to be added at a later time.
Peace out, yo.
: ) E.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
I want to go home
Yep. That's just it. I want to go home.
I had a whole series of weird interactions with my friend who lives in the country and her family, the least weird being the mother of one of her friends telling me that I should rethink the fact that I was a Christian and the the Bible isn't a true book, that it's been changed. While of course, the Koran is the one true book, and she shouldn't change her religion. Then, of course, they couldn't understand why for the life of them I was upset. I even started crying, because they just wouldn't drop it and I was SO MAD. What gives them the right to tell me my religion is false? I would never rip into one of them and tell them that the way that Islam is practiced in Egypt basically imprisons girls and then makes them think they're being protected (even though I would totally think and then write in my blog...). And the worst part was that my friend went along with it too. I just want to go home where others basically respect my beliefs. Or not even that. Just leave me alone to do as I want. And also, I can't explain to them why I think saying this kind of stuff to me is wrong. They don't have the like, cultural basis, to understand it.
But yeah. Generally speaking, if anyone in America treated me that way, we wouldn't be friends anymore. End of discussion. But like, they're still so nice to me that I don't want to cut off the friendship. Also, they're really good at making me feel guilty for not coming to see them enough and I fall for it every time. Damn you, my conscience. Damn you!
And like. I like it when my friends are ok with me leaving, and don't make me feel bad because I have to do something else, and can't be with them ALL THE TIME. And also, I NEVER EVER EVER EVER GET ANY TIME ALONE OUT THERE (in the country). Which I sort of understand, like, I'm a guest, and it would be a bit rude to leave me alone, but I'm that way. I need some time alone. Or at the very least, time when I don't have to focus on arabic all the time. Actually, that's sort of a theme of my life here. I wish so badly I could buy a soda and just go chill next to the sea after school some day, but I can't, because that is primo harassment territory. Compare that to Middlebury (or even Barre), where when I had something I really couldn't figure out, I would go for a walk alone, as late as ten at night. Without being covered from ankle to neck. God. It's these tiny differences, the ones that I was so good at glossing over just a few weeks ago, that are finally getting to me.
At the very least, it's just a month til I'll be home. And I'm sure I'll miss it here by that point.
blurgh.
I had a whole series of weird interactions with my friend who lives in the country and her family, the least weird being the mother of one of her friends telling me that I should rethink the fact that I was a Christian and the the Bible isn't a true book, that it's been changed. While of course, the Koran is the one true book, and she shouldn't change her religion. Then, of course, they couldn't understand why for the life of them I was upset. I even started crying, because they just wouldn't drop it and I was SO MAD. What gives them the right to tell me my religion is false? I would never rip into one of them and tell them that the way that Islam is practiced in Egypt basically imprisons girls and then makes them think they're being protected (even though I would totally think and then write in my blog...). And the worst part was that my friend went along with it too. I just want to go home where others basically respect my beliefs. Or not even that. Just leave me alone to do as I want. And also, I can't explain to them why I think saying this kind of stuff to me is wrong. They don't have the like, cultural basis, to understand it.
But yeah. Generally speaking, if anyone in America treated me that way, we wouldn't be friends anymore. End of discussion. But like, they're still so nice to me that I don't want to cut off the friendship. Also, they're really good at making me feel guilty for not coming to see them enough and I fall for it every time. Damn you, my conscience. Damn you!
And like. I like it when my friends are ok with me leaving, and don't make me feel bad because I have to do something else, and can't be with them ALL THE TIME. And also, I NEVER EVER EVER EVER GET ANY TIME ALONE OUT THERE (in the country). Which I sort of understand, like, I'm a guest, and it would be a bit rude to leave me alone, but I'm that way. I need some time alone. Or at the very least, time when I don't have to focus on arabic all the time. Actually, that's sort of a theme of my life here. I wish so badly I could buy a soda and just go chill next to the sea after school some day, but I can't, because that is primo harassment territory. Compare that to Middlebury (or even Barre), where when I had something I really couldn't figure out, I would go for a walk alone, as late as ten at night. Without being covered from ankle to neck. God. It's these tiny differences, the ones that I was so good at glossing over just a few weeks ago, that are finally getting to me.
At the very least, it's just a month til I'll be home. And I'm sure I'll miss it here by that point.
blurgh.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
A Continuation of the "Cultural Relativity, My Butt" Theme
And Stories from the Wedding in the Country
All right, so let me just preface this by saying that I'm going to be completely open and honest about some of my opinions about Egyptian culture. This means I'll probably come across as self-righteous, arrogant, and intolerant sometimes. All I can say in my defense is that having lived here, these are the realities of the lives of the majority of people in Egypt, and if anything, I'm not making as much of some of these things as I could be.
Right. So. Topic 1 (which may be the only topic I write on now): Sex Before Marriage in Egypt
It doesn't happen -- or at least that's what the majority of Egyptian Muslims like to think and will tell you. I'm certain that it does. The reasons for this are that a) marriage is the primary goal in life for most Egyptians (esp girls) and b) all girls must be virgins when they get married. So much of Egyptian life centers around protecting their daughters' virginity. The way the majority of religious families do this is to never let their daughters go out alone, or actually with anybody outside the family - though they can go out with a family member and their female friends, or if their female friends are close with the family, just the female friends. Sons can move out of their family homes when they turn 21 (though quite a lot don't do so), but daughters live with their families until they're married (ideally before they turn 25). Boyfriends and girlfriends aren't really an accepted concept here -- they go straight to engagement. If you want to spend time with your engaged, you either sit with him at your family's house for a supervised visit, or you go out with him and one of your brothers to supervise to make sure no funny business happens.
And what does this do? Well, from my standpoint, it puts girls in what is, functionally, a prison. And because they grow up with this notion, it makes them think that this prison is a sign of love because their family wants to protect them (which is, to be honest, the motivation of the families that live this way). It keeps them from ever taking responsibility for themselves. And it makes them think that men are out to get them or something, all the time. So they enjoy the protection and they think it's necessary.
As for the men, they think that they're really missing out on something, and because they can't have normal interactions with any girls outside their families, they can get sort of desperate (this comes across when they harass foreigners, cause we're exceptions to the rule).
So from my standpoint, what all this protection and guarding and cultural whatever really does is just to build up pre-marital sex into this huge thing that it really isn't. And it also extends way past not having sex before marriage into not interacting with the opposite sex because you're scared they'll try to jump you. And then men sort of fall into that role. And it also keeps women from ever living on their own -- creating them as pretty dependent people.
I got all this info from Madam Fatma. These were my basic conclusions. I had no idea how to explain to her that having pre-marital sex doesn't mean you're a bad person. And I also didn't know how to explain without sounding self-righteous (who am I kidding? this is a self-righteous statement) that in America, we're free to make as many bad decisions as we want (whatever you want to think of bad decisions as), but that that means that when we make the right decisions, it's because of our own values, not because we don't have the option to mess up. OH. And the other thing that really bugged me about this whole protecting girls situation is that it's basically a big way of saying that families don't trust their daughters, and then it gets switched around to protecting them from the big bad men of the world. But the boys can go out and do whatever they want. I don't know if that's clear. I hope so.
Anyway. The wedding was cool, but mostly because I got to see everyone I know in this village because they all got together for the party, not because of the wedding itself. I actually accidentally got left behind for the coolest part of the wedding. Oh well. They did have some traditions that I hadn't seen -- namely putting up handprints from the blood of the water buffalo they slaughtered on the wall, and doing this traditional dancing that was almost exactly like breakdancing in America (I'm still not sure if someone just saw a video on youtube and then it caught on, or if this is a real tradition...cause only the twenty and younger guys were doing it). I met a lot a lot of teenage/twenties cousins of my friend, and now they are all always calling me, cause that's what happens when Egyptians meet an American. blergh.
Also, weird occurrences. I feel conspicuous pretty much all the time here, but in this village, it's because I really am like, someone who's never ever ever seen there. And they think of me like this super model, not because I'm especially pretty, but because my skin's white and I've got blue eyes. Only. And this is like, ok, except that it translates to weird things like my friend's twenty four year old cousin honestly talking to her mother about marrying me. After meeting me once. OH YEAH. THAT'S THE OTHER WEIRD THING ABOUT MARRIAGE HERE. It really doesn't take a lot to get engaged -- you literally meet them once (maybe two or three times) in a structured family visit and if you're attracted to each other, then you get engaged. WHAT?!?!? Back to my friend's cousin -- he then wanted to take a picture with me, and I really really didn't want to, and when they asked if I wanted to, I was like, not really... in Arabic, but her family was like, no, no, he just wants to show his friends he met you, and it's ok, he's part of our family. Meanwhile I'm thinking, this is no different than the men who harass me in the street, he's just ok because he's related to you. Blargh. In the end, the picture was taken, but I didn't touch him and I made a very uncomfortable face.
Let me just say, for all that finding out about how girls are raised here freaked me out, it did finally establish in mind that I could never settle down and make a life here...a) because I would never fit here and b) should I ever have children, I couldn't raise them this way. So, one good thing, I suppose.
Ending on a positive note, it made me really happy to see my friend and her family. OH YEAH AND I GOT MY INTERNSHIP IN DC. For those of you who didn't know, I was applying to work in the Dept. of Education dealing with published materials. It sounds really really cool...especially because I'll actually be doing things.
Whew. That's it. Be well and keep in touch.
love,
e.
All right, so let me just preface this by saying that I'm going to be completely open and honest about some of my opinions about Egyptian culture. This means I'll probably come across as self-righteous, arrogant, and intolerant sometimes. All I can say in my defense is that having lived here, these are the realities of the lives of the majority of people in Egypt, and if anything, I'm not making as much of some of these things as I could be.
Right. So. Topic 1 (which may be the only topic I write on now): Sex Before Marriage in Egypt
It doesn't happen -- or at least that's what the majority of Egyptian Muslims like to think and will tell you. I'm certain that it does. The reasons for this are that a) marriage is the primary goal in life for most Egyptians (esp girls) and b) all girls must be virgins when they get married. So much of Egyptian life centers around protecting their daughters' virginity. The way the majority of religious families do this is to never let their daughters go out alone, or actually with anybody outside the family - though they can go out with a family member and their female friends, or if their female friends are close with the family, just the female friends. Sons can move out of their family homes when they turn 21 (though quite a lot don't do so), but daughters live with their families until they're married (ideally before they turn 25). Boyfriends and girlfriends aren't really an accepted concept here -- they go straight to engagement. If you want to spend time with your engaged, you either sit with him at your family's house for a supervised visit, or you go out with him and one of your brothers to supervise to make sure no funny business happens.
And what does this do? Well, from my standpoint, it puts girls in what is, functionally, a prison. And because they grow up with this notion, it makes them think that this prison is a sign of love because their family wants to protect them (which is, to be honest, the motivation of the families that live this way). It keeps them from ever taking responsibility for themselves. And it makes them think that men are out to get them or something, all the time. So they enjoy the protection and they think it's necessary.
As for the men, they think that they're really missing out on something, and because they can't have normal interactions with any girls outside their families, they can get sort of desperate (this comes across when they harass foreigners, cause we're exceptions to the rule).
So from my standpoint, what all this protection and guarding and cultural whatever really does is just to build up pre-marital sex into this huge thing that it really isn't. And it also extends way past not having sex before marriage into not interacting with the opposite sex because you're scared they'll try to jump you. And then men sort of fall into that role. And it also keeps women from ever living on their own -- creating them as pretty dependent people.
I got all this info from Madam Fatma. These were my basic conclusions. I had no idea how to explain to her that having pre-marital sex doesn't mean you're a bad person. And I also didn't know how to explain without sounding self-righteous (who am I kidding? this is a self-righteous statement) that in America, we're free to make as many bad decisions as we want (whatever you want to think of bad decisions as), but that that means that when we make the right decisions, it's because of our own values, not because we don't have the option to mess up. OH. And the other thing that really bugged me about this whole protecting girls situation is that it's basically a big way of saying that families don't trust their daughters, and then it gets switched around to protecting them from the big bad men of the world. But the boys can go out and do whatever they want. I don't know if that's clear. I hope so.
Anyway. The wedding was cool, but mostly because I got to see everyone I know in this village because they all got together for the party, not because of the wedding itself. I actually accidentally got left behind for the coolest part of the wedding. Oh well. They did have some traditions that I hadn't seen -- namely putting up handprints from the blood of the water buffalo they slaughtered on the wall, and doing this traditional dancing that was almost exactly like breakdancing in America (I'm still not sure if someone just saw a video on youtube and then it caught on, or if this is a real tradition...cause only the twenty and younger guys were doing it). I met a lot a lot of teenage/twenties cousins of my friend, and now they are all always calling me, cause that's what happens when Egyptians meet an American. blergh.
Also, weird occurrences. I feel conspicuous pretty much all the time here, but in this village, it's because I really am like, someone who's never ever ever seen there. And they think of me like this super model, not because I'm especially pretty, but because my skin's white and I've got blue eyes. Only. And this is like, ok, except that it translates to weird things like my friend's twenty four year old cousin honestly talking to her mother about marrying me. After meeting me once. OH YEAH. THAT'S THE OTHER WEIRD THING ABOUT MARRIAGE HERE. It really doesn't take a lot to get engaged -- you literally meet them once (maybe two or three times) in a structured family visit and if you're attracted to each other, then you get engaged. WHAT?!?!? Back to my friend's cousin -- he then wanted to take a picture with me, and I really really didn't want to, and when they asked if I wanted to, I was like, not really... in Arabic, but her family was like, no, no, he just wants to show his friends he met you, and it's ok, he's part of our family. Meanwhile I'm thinking, this is no different than the men who harass me in the street, he's just ok because he's related to you. Blargh. In the end, the picture was taken, but I didn't touch him and I made a very uncomfortable face.
Let me just say, for all that finding out about how girls are raised here freaked me out, it did finally establish in mind that I could never settle down and make a life here...a) because I would never fit here and b) should I ever have children, I couldn't raise them this way. So, one good thing, I suppose.
Ending on a positive note, it made me really happy to see my friend and her family. OH YEAH AND I GOT MY INTERNSHIP IN DC. For those of you who didn't know, I was applying to work in the Dept. of Education dealing with published materials. It sounds really really cool...especially because I'll actually be doing things.
Whew. That's it. Be well and keep in touch.
love,
e.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Update
I visited the guy who runs the bookstore across the street for an hour, and I don't hate Egypt anymore.
e.
e.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Stuff
So I've hit a sudden bout of homesickness, and what better to do than to blog about it so everyone else can read it?
I guess I'm just really frustrated by some of the stuff I have to deal with in Egypt -- people ALWAYS staring at me at the least, and at the worst, making obscene gestures at me and calling me sexy lady. And while I know that it's nothing that will bring about any lasting harm, and it's something that I just have to deal with, that DOES NOT AT ALL MAKE IT OK FOR ME. I get it. I'm in a different culture and I have to live here, but I am so excited to go back to America where, a)I can walk around on the street and expect not to get harassed. And if someone does harass me, I can feel entitled to let them have it. and b) I'm free to do whatever I want, wear whatever I want, and really actually openly honestly speak my mind.
Don't get me wrong. I still really like Egypt. It's just that now having to give up certain parts of who I am because of the culture here is starting to wear on me a little bit. I don't think I've had to censor myself so much since leaving high school. And while I won't say by any means that I'm completely grown up and responsible, I'm used to and ready for more responsibility and independence than I get in my life here.
And I thought it was a Middle East thing. Then I went to Jordan, and I realized it's an Egypt thing. I didn't feel at all uncomfortable not wearing a hijab and walking around in short sleeves. Not one man harassed me. And for goodness' sake, it reminded me of America almost. Except that they speak arabic and the food is different.
I love being able to speak the language here. And I love every little success and every time I manage to say a full sentence correctly in Arabic. That said, the system of education is immensely frustrating and unclear.
Basically what I like about being here are my Egyptian friends and speaking colloquial Arabic. Only.
I'm going to visit my friend in the country this weekend and I'm going to get to see the night of henna before the wedding and then the actual wedding. Hopefully I'll be happier after seeing all of her family(?) I love visiting them. The only problem is that we always have some sort of cultural interactiony clash thing that makes me frustrated. I guess I just assumed a lot of things were basically accepted as true and rational in the world we live in today. NOPE.
BLARGH. Cultural Relativity, my butt.
e.
I guess I'm just really frustrated by some of the stuff I have to deal with in Egypt -- people ALWAYS staring at me at the least, and at the worst, making obscene gestures at me and calling me sexy lady. And while I know that it's nothing that will bring about any lasting harm, and it's something that I just have to deal with, that DOES NOT AT ALL MAKE IT OK FOR ME. I get it. I'm in a different culture and I have to live here, but I am so excited to go back to America where, a)I can walk around on the street and expect not to get harassed. And if someone does harass me, I can feel entitled to let them have it. and b) I'm free to do whatever I want, wear whatever I want, and really actually openly honestly speak my mind.
Don't get me wrong. I still really like Egypt. It's just that now having to give up certain parts of who I am because of the culture here is starting to wear on me a little bit. I don't think I've had to censor myself so much since leaving high school. And while I won't say by any means that I'm completely grown up and responsible, I'm used to and ready for more responsibility and independence than I get in my life here.
And I thought it was a Middle East thing. Then I went to Jordan, and I realized it's an Egypt thing. I didn't feel at all uncomfortable not wearing a hijab and walking around in short sleeves. Not one man harassed me. And for goodness' sake, it reminded me of America almost. Except that they speak arabic and the food is different.
I love being able to speak the language here. And I love every little success and every time I manage to say a full sentence correctly in Arabic. That said, the system of education is immensely frustrating and unclear.
Basically what I like about being here are my Egyptian friends and speaking colloquial Arabic. Only.
I'm going to visit my friend in the country this weekend and I'm going to get to see the night of henna before the wedding and then the actual wedding. Hopefully I'll be happier after seeing all of her family(?) I love visiting them. The only problem is that we always have some sort of cultural interactiony clash thing that makes me frustrated. I guess I just assumed a lot of things were basically accepted as true and rational in the world we live in today. NOPE.
BLARGH. Cultural Relativity, my butt.
e.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
I'm Back
in Alexandria. I'm pretty tired. I left Jordan at 6 AM yesterday and got back to Alexandria at 4 AM today. So yeah. long time in transit. I'm actually considering going to bed at 9:30. :P
Sinai was awesome. As were Dahab and Sharm Al-Sheikh. Lots of stories about both. Oh yeah. I also went to Jordan. That was cool too. All right. I'll work my way through all of these places one blog entry at a time in the coming days.
For now, check out some long overdue pictures:
yeah, so those should be links above, but they don't seem to be working...copy and paste it:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2045284&id=4405296&l=c0da7
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2045288&id=4405296&l=650e5
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2045290&id=4405296&l=ff4ff
And just to make sure you keep reading, the coolest pictures, from Petra, are yet to come. Mwahaha. ok sleep.
love,
E.
Sinai was awesome. As were Dahab and Sharm Al-Sheikh. Lots of stories about both. Oh yeah. I also went to Jordan. That was cool too. All right. I'll work my way through all of these places one blog entry at a time in the coming days.
For now, check out some long overdue pictures:
yeah, so those should be links above, but they don't seem to be working...copy and paste it:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2045284&id=4405296&l=c0da7
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2045288&id=4405296&l=650e5
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2045290&id=4405296&l=ff4ff
And just to make sure you keep reading, the coolest pictures, from Petra, are yet to come. Mwahaha. ok sleep.
love,
E.
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