First impressions count

 

This is my second visit to Cairo but nevertheless I'll be talking about first impressions, because when I arrived last sunday everything felt so new. I forgot that traffic was madness, I forgot policemen were positioned at every five meters, I forgot taxidrivers don't take no for an answer and I forgot I looked like an alien (why else are they staring at me?). But the past few days, several Egyptians were so kind to remind me of all of this. This doens't necessarily means I'm not happy about me being here...Even though I wouldn't mind the wheather being a little less hot, I think I can get used to the idea of living here the next couple of months. For now, while I'm searching for a nice flat, I'm discovering new things little by little. I've experienced Ramadan in Tunisia already, but here I've seen another dimension. Seeing people break their fasting right under the bridge of 26th of July in Zamalek, or seeing and hearing people pray in the street, is in my eyes unusual but fascinating.

 

In these pictures chairs are still empty, obviously, because when I was passing, it wasn't time to eat yet. But it should give you an idea...

Lastminute graduation!

Only a few hours before jumping on the plane, a formal gathering took place: my graduation! Even though the results were already known and my diploma had allready arrived through mail, this was our turn to shine! Although I had my doubts wearing this oversized non-flattering superhot toga (made in mexico btw), in the end we've got some great shots as a souvenir, not only of our four years at the University of Ghent, but also of my friendship with ex-colleagues Liesbet and Sandra, that lasted all this time. About those two; you can see clearly in the pictures which one liked the toga the most (Liesbet still wearing it while me and Sandra got rid of it) and which one has a glass of wine holding in her hand on every picture (Sandra, which made she started saying things like PZ in stead of PC and poterhammen instead of boterhammen {dutch for sandwiches} ). Fun times!

Trading Scheldewindeke for Cairo

 

The word is out, Sarrour is going to Cairo! And she is enthousiastic, happy AND motivated.  Yet, there are dark clouds blocking some of that sunshiny feeling. I'm leaving behind an idyllic little green village, called Scheldewindeke, where birds wake me up in the morning and cows keep me company in the evening, where cars only occasionally pass by and where the local farmer smiles when one says 'bonjour pappie!'. I'm talking about this:

    

Hold that feeling, folks! Because this is where i'm heading to:

 

  

I'll give you a second to recover from the shock...No, I'm exagerating. Off course there is a big difference. Belgium's countryside and Egypt's capital city shouldn't be compared at all. Like I said, i'm very glad to make the trip, it will be enriching in many ways, culturally, intellectually and personally.

But it's not a bad thing to prepare myself mentally to a different kind of view, noise, food and people. In stead of green fields, I'll see a foggy sky and the singing birds will be replaced by Allahu Akbar many times a day. Foul, ta3miyya and koshary will stand in for mama's tasty soup  and I will miss my friends no matter how many millions Egyptians are around . Obviously, what I'm leaving behind is precious to me, so honestly, am I trading gold for plastic? Or is there a little diamond hidden at the banks of the Nile?

Can I pull this off?

Although there is still one more week to go before I'm heading to al-Qahira, it's about time I got started on that lugage of mine! Thinking about those few twenty kilos that I'm allowed to bring makes me nervous...I mean, since I'll be there the whole year, we're not only talking about trousers in light fabrics but also about warm and fuzzy sweaters that will protect me from Egyptian wintercold, not to forget about shampoo, lotions and other bathroom stuff. And not to mention how heavy dictionaries and studybooks can get. Because, unlike you might think, I'm NOT participating in Egypt's next beauty pageant. On the contrary, I'm proudly taking the intellectual path. Still, I want to do it in style!

But honestly, isn't this a mission impossible?

I want to put these things

into this suitcase!

I suggest you guys start placing some bets...I'm feeling optimistic, let's say 5 euros it fits into the suitcase! Who raises the bet, do I hear 5 and a half? Anybody?

Welcoming myself to the Blogosphere

Hello blogreaders!

I'm not going to start with any "Ahlen wa sahlen"-stuff yet, since I'm still on non-Arab territory right now. Let's say that in little more than a week, I will gently take my 'first' steps on Cairo-ground. No doubt that I will have a lot of anecdotes to share with all of you, for which reason I created this cute little Blog. (Yes, everything is cute and little in Sara-world). Oh, and I also made this because I'm utterly bored for the moment, is it obvious? Well, let's hope boredom brings creativity! If I add any messages in the next couple of days, they will only be slightly Cairo-related (read: "what shall I put in my handlugage?" or "has somebody seen my passport?" )

On the whole, I hope this Blog will bring you a mixture of -more or less- serious facts, nice anecdotes and some of my well-known memmilicious humour...After all, this is dedicated to friends and familymembers that are staying behind...

To all my dutch friends and comrades, don't worry, plenty of "vlomse berichtjes" are coming your way!