Newsletter #4 - 27 June, 2003

Hi there,

We've now been in Cairo for two weeks and it seems time for an update. Already we have seen so much, learnt a lot and met stacks of people. I'm sure things that may have originally seemed a little odd, like not having a door to an elevator, but being able to see the wall slide by, are now just considered the norm. So, before I stop noticing, I'd like to share a couple of stories.

Culture shock

I was expecting that culture shock would come in the way we are treated as we walk down the street, struggle with the language barrier and get used to subtle (or not so subtle) differences between Australia and Egypt. One thing I was told early on is that culture shock is tiring and this has proved true for both of us. This seems to be because whenever we interact with any part of Egypt, entering a shop, meeting new people or just walking down the street, it takes more concentration.

It was a great surprise to meet within a week a Kiwi who not only loves rugby but has access to South African television from his flat. So the next day, I caught a taxi to the station (50c), caught a train for ten stops (Hurstville to Redfern - 20c) and then walked to his flat and heard the dulcet tones of Gordon Bray. To be able to relax in front of something familiar, not only the TV, but rugby, was fantastic.

We are still two weeks off from starting our formal Arabic training, so in the mean time we've been learning from both Sudanese and Egyptians as we go. I'm still not able to understand the locals as they talk normal speed, and am sure the original price when I ask, goes up in the translation. As I'm generally the one who does/attempts the talking in the shops and taxis, I need a clear brain that can quickly learn vocab and listening skills.

One of the oddest sights we've seen on the roads, and there have been many, was sweeping off one highway onto another and there in front of the taxi, in the middle 'lane' of three was a steam roller going all of about 10km/hr. It was quite an extraordinary thing to see and certainly tops off watching people running to jump on the local bus or riding bicycles with enormous platforms of food on their heads.

Food

For Patrick and others interested in the different cuisines, I know you'll be disappointed that my first story is about the best pizza I've had in ages. At a restaurant called Maison Thomas, we weren't sure whether to expect French food. The pizza base was extraordinary and including drinks, the meal cost A$8.

I've tried Egyptian coffee only once and it was great. Generally I've stuck to getting cappucinos and the worst one ever came from the Marriot hotel, right next door to the Cathedral where we're working. Egyptian tea is also a different experience and one I thoroughly enjoy. Whether it was sitting with some Sudanese refugees on the grounds of the cathedral, being welcomed into a very poor Egyptian house or sitting in Simonds, the swanky coffee house in Zamalek, the tea is refreshing in the heat.

Lastly, I've got to comment on the incredibly cheap price of food. Ripe tomatoes have been spotted for as low as 20c/kg. Apricots, 50c. Bread rolls and a few sweets from the bakery, enough for two, 25c. Lastly tamiir(?) to feed three for lunch for 75c. If we continue to brave the local shops, food will always be cheap. There are some supermarkets in Zamalek, which has been helpful for the less common ingredients we eat at home with including fish sauce or corn flakes.

Challenges

There have been three notable challenges to being in Cairo. The first is the incredible heat. Last time I wrote, we were in a top floor flat and our bedroom was like a sauna as the airconditioning wasn't working. Tonight is going to be the first night in a new flat. Though it is only two bedrooms, it is much larger and certainly more lavish in every way. In particular the ceiling fans and the three airconditioners will be a great comfort in the heat. However, it must also be said that the first three days we were here were the hottest and it has since cooled slightly. According to CNN's weather forecast, today was only 38 degrees.

Arba Wa Nuss is the name for an area of Cairo that houses about 2500 refugees and Egyptians. Refuge Egypt runs a health clinic in the Coptic church on Weds so two days ago we went to visit it. After taking the expensive route (airconditioned bus for 1 1/2 hours for 50c) we had arrived. Photographs couldn't convey my initial impression. Neither could a movie. As we walked up the rocky, sandy embankment we could see and definitely smell the open sewer flowing down the hill by our feet. There were no sealed roads, nor running water in the houses, but the people who lived there had a pride in their homes.

We met three Egyptian girls who had been to church and were at the grounds of the clinic. One of them who spoke little English acted as interpreter, and we eventually laughed our way through explaining where we were from, why we were there and getting invited to their house for tea. It was an incredibly humbling experience.

We also went on a house visit to see a mother who had given birth five days earlier at the hospital. The room that the couple lived in, now with their child, was empty save the bed and two chairs. On the balcony was the only space for food preparation and clothes washing took place downstairs.

In this region Jo has been asked to do a needs assessment report for the clinic as it plans to expand its services. Though first impressions are that the area needs everything, she needs wisdom to know how best to serve the residents of the area.

Following on, our third challenge is working out exactly what it is we can do in the year ahead. There are many opportunities, some we are attracted to readily, others which seem too challenging and others too boring. Discernment to know how to best use our time and skills for the many openings is something we're still working on.

Regards,
Josh'n'Jo

Email me - joshua at kuswadi dot com