First Days on the Nile

I’ve been in Egypt for about 24 hours now. I am slowly readjusting to Muslim Standard Time (MSE). A joke among the students here, MSE represents the Islamic culture in respect to time. Basically, there is none. Every time there is an event with a time on it, it is appropriate to arrive at least 30 minutes late. You will still be the first one there. An hour and a half late is usually when people begin to show. Ironically enough, the program I am participating in now is surprisingly punctual. Our entire program was given to us planned done to 16 hours of every day. I kid you not.
We are staying in the Shephard Hotel, a very nice hotel on the Nile that is over 100 years old and literally right next to the Nile. Not a block away- right next to the famous Nile. The River of Life. Outside my window. Right there. Our room has a Nile view, AC, two large cushy beds, a huge bathroom and everything else we could need for two months. After settling in, we dove right back into our Arabic with intensive colloquial classes and more orientation. It was nice practicing my Arabic again in a real environment. Walking around Zamalek and Garden City, both neighborhoods of Cairo, I systematically took in every smell, sound, sight and interaction I experienced. There were new restaurants, bigger billboards and less people. My favorite shisha place had closed down. But, it was still my Cairo. Streets were peppered with garbage piled neatly in corners and around the sidewalk perimeters, the distinguishable stinging in my eyes from the smog was ever-present and the smell of the roasting lamb filtered through the grimy streets and the beautiful dress of the Muslim women and traditional men proudly presented their culture.
Later, I walked down the Kornishe (the street along the Nile) and was very quickly reminded of what it is like to walk by yourself in the Arab Middle East. Whistles, hissing, a lot of wow’s…It is absolutely crucial that you walk with your head straight forward, walk with a purpose and do not entertain eye contact with men hitting on you because it is a sign that their flirtatious behavior is encouraged. One man yelled at me, with impeccable English I might add, “your body’s worth will be high!” I have no idea what that meant, but I couldn’t stop myself from giggling. I met up with some old friends from the American University of Cairo beside the felucca’s (the boats that sail the Nile) and gave them all hugs before heading back to get a head start on some studying.