eudaimonia & anagnorisis

Since Nice, I’ve popped back thru Milan and now find myself in Egypt.

[ cairo ]

Returning to Cairo is a sensational bombardment. The taksi ride from the airport alone made memories of the full-fabulous-crazy-chaotic-surreal-serene year I spent here flood my mind: Certain streets, buildings, shops, even parking lots seemed to hold some nostalgic meaning as I drove passed them… It was overwhelming, almost depressing, but in a beautiful way. Taking the exit for Shari3 Mar’uf, however, I was confirmedly depressed by the inescapable sensation of elapsed time. No matter how similar the streets, it is undeniable that things – and I – have changed. As I laid in bed and heard the Adzan around 4a, it was also undeniable that I really love being here, quirks, occasional inconveniences and all.

My time in Cairo has been pretty low-key. It's absolutely fantastic to see Aly and Mohamed again. Refreshing to be staying with Edefe. Lots of excitement with the LE summer program, including my first trip to Menia and some cool connections with other Cairo-based NGOs (check out the Egypt Pilot Program Blog for more about Learning Enterprises).

(Above) With i ragazzi at Mu2attam Hills, in the midst of shouting Italian curse words and making wishes on rocks being tossed off the cliff. Meeting in Menia with Samia and Yvette, on an fantastic little house boat that practically functions as their third office. Edefe, having recently finished her MA dissertation, over Italian food at the Semiramsis.

[ menia ]

I think Menia might be Egypt’s best kept secret. The Cornish there is easily the most beautiful in the country. The people are particularly lovely. It’s like a cleaner downtown Cairo with less traffic. The one kink in my quick visit was that en route home, Farek, my odd but loyal driver’s car broke down. We sat in the Sahara in late-afternoon heat for hours, seizing the opportunity to unravel unnecessary details of our lives to one another and swap as many jokes and riddles as we know. About 2-and-half Sodoku puzzles into the Desert Adventure from Hell, the kindest man in the world (who, by the way, was wearing the sexiest galabayya I’ve seen) gave me a frozen Pepsi bottle of water and I am since that moment SURE that good men DO exist and they might all be Egyptian. A few more Soduku puzzles later we finally caught a lift back to Cairo, hilariously being tugged behind a flatbed truck by a rope which broke and needed to be re-tied approximately every 40 minutes. About 9 hours later, we were deliriously happy, shouting praises to God, to see the the silhouettes of the Pyramids at Giza in the distance: Al-Haram, alhamdulila, Al-Haram!!