Half a Ha'penny

 

I've enjoyed watching my children reach out and attempt to make new friends.  They are uninhibited, and they worry not about what other kids might say or do.  The biggest challenge this year has been language!  Recently, they met two darling boys at the sports club we frequent.  Their mother is Egyptian and their father is Polish.  In the course of establishing a friendship, my youngest (4-years old) offered a "penny" to each of the boys that she had acquired during our recent "R&R" (Rest and Recuperation) trip back to the United States.  The boys seemed delighted with their new treasure and hurried over to their mother to see if they could somehow reciprocate in like fashion.  A few moments later, they returned with three shiny, tiny "Grosz" coins from Poland that they shared with each of my daughters.

A Grosz is equal to 1/100 Zloty and the current exchange rate of Zloty is about 3.5 to the U.S. Dollar.  So the Gosz coin is worth roughly 25% of 1 U.S. Cent on today's market.  ;-) 

HOME SWEET HOME

Since getting married more than a decade ago, we have moved around a lot.  About every 2 to 3 years we get the itch to seek out a new adventure.  I like moving.  Well, not the packing up and getting settled part, but the opportunity to live in new places.  Nowadays, we find ourselves living in a spacious apartment in the megalopolis of Cairo and it is the largest home we have ever lived in.  I estimate that it probably around 2700 square feet.  I love the space.

As expats with the American Embassy, we could choose to live in an American-owned compound (apartment complex with walls around it and guards) or we could live "on-the-economy" (an Egyptian apartment).  We chose an Egyptian apartment and are for the most part happy with our choice.  A big advantage to the compounds is that they have generators that automatically turn on whenever the local power is cut.  Little did we know back when we had to make our choice that Egypt would experience a terrible energy crunch, the worst in years resulting in multiple power cuts a day, sometimes as many as 6 times a day, sometimes every day for weeks at a time.  Ugh.  It's after a day like that when I wish I had a back-up generator to keep my house operating.  Cold food sitting in a frying pan waiting to be cooked and a stalled laundry cycle only 5 minutes after starting are no longer uncommon in my new world.  It's strange to say, but I've already almost gotten accustomed to it.  Almost. ;-)  

So here's the tour of our Egyptian home . . .

I love having a foyer.  In the past we have had homes that enter into the living room but I prefer a space to take off shoes and set down bags.  When you walk in, to the right is a large living room and to the left is a half bath and the hall leading to the rest of the apartment.  I love the wood floors.  The rug is from Iran.  Our flag is from Philadelphia.  The black box in the bottom right of the photo is one of several air purifiers.  Cairo is terribly polluted, so we need all the help we can get.

We brought only a few items of furniture from home.  This side table is from New Mexico.  We bought many of our baskets in New Mexico.  Although they fit in really well with Native American designs, I think they were made in Pakistan.  So they happen to fit nicely into our Middle Eastern home, too.

The main living space is very large with areas to sit and visit, play, read, run (up and down the length of the room for my girls and on the treadmill for me) and learn. We only brought a few pieces of furniture from home.  Most of it is provided from the Embassy furniture pool.  We were able to pick out what furniture we wanted from the warehouse and fortunately most of it is new.

My favorite area in our apartment is our homeschool area.  I love the big windows that flood the space with lots of natural light.  It also helps to have the light from outside when our power goes off.  I am fortunate where our apartment is situated in the building and in the neighborhood.  When I look out my windows, I actually get to see plenty of green trees and even large swaths of blue sky - not just more apartment buildings.  We have room for tables, chairs, a white board, word wall, games and more.  Probably the reason why I love this space so much is because this is where I am teaching my children to read and understand the world around them. 


Balconies are nice because they give us a small bit of outside space we can call our own.  When we first moved in I told my husband that I wanted to get some fresh air on our balcony.  Well, in Cairo that is not going to happen because the air is so polluted.  It's actually cleaner inside our apartment.  Stepping onto the patio or even just opening the windows introduces a cacophony of indigenous noises - the honking horn primary among them.  I actually enjoy watching the world pass by below me; it's fun to "people watch" in this exotic part of the world. 

 

This is the little guest bathroom.  We are not fans of the "bum gun."  It is very typical for Egyptian bathrooms to have a hose with a sprayer attachment, a bidet, or a toilet with a built in bidet feature.

I like having a formal dining room.  I would prefer an eat-in-kitchen plus a formal dining room . . . maybe in our next home.  Notice our homemade lanterns hanging from our chandelier that our girls made during Ramadan.  


In our china cabinet we have some local art (Egyptian clay nativity, painted ostrich egg and wooden bowl) and a couple beautiful wooden nativities from Jordan.


We love our wall map (from IKEA in the USA).  We use it all the time as we dream about where in the world we want to go next. 

It's tough to go from practically my dream kitchen in our last house to this one, but this is still nice.  I do miss natural light and being able to look outside while cooking.  I like all the counter space and island.  I love having granite counter tops.  The cabinet space is sufficient. 


It's nice to have hot water and an extra freezer.  Cairo is a large enough American Post that we're fortunate to have access to a commissary.  It's like a small grocery store that sells American products for cost.  Here they import fruits, vegetables and some dairy from Europe.  We only go to the commissary about once a month.  When we do, we literally stock up.  I was used to grocery shopping once or twice a week.  It's quite a spectacle when we pull up to the apartment with our loads and loads of groceries.  Our freezer is often full of frozen meals, meat, concentrated orange juice . . . and rarely ice cream.  Unfortunately (or not?), we have yet to find any ice cream at the commissary that isn't gross and unrecognizable after transit.  We have quite a few of the electrical converters, like the one on the right corner of the counter, since here we use 220 voltage.

I prefer a walk-in pantry but that would really be an American standard since there are not any walk-in type closets in our apartment.  When my girls were very young this kitchen would have been tough since I cannot see what they are doing in other rooms while I am inside making dinner or doing dishes.  But they are old enough to do their own thing while I work and this way I can shut out the noise and watch a little Netflix.  


Our family room is a comfortable place to watch a movie or work on the computer.  It also has a door.  I used to think that open living spaces were ideal but I am really enjoying doors to keep noise contained or out.  It is neat to have a small view of the Nile River from a couple of our balconies.  The view from this room is my husband's favorite.

We have a large Master Suite with an attached balcony and partial Nile River view.  Although I miss having a large walk-in closet, our wall of built-in-closets provide plenty of shelves and some hanging space.  Our decorative pillow cases and quilt on our bed were handmade in Luxor.  Notice that we have air purifiers in each room...thank goodness.  Have I metioned how poor the air quality is here?  ;-)


Although the bidet is still a mostly foreign concept to the American home, my husband now swears by it.  He wonders why America has not embraced this "clean technology."  I have no comment on my conversion process.   

These are the two guest rooms that our girls are using.  The allure of the top bunk wore off after a few weeks so one of my daughters now sleeps on the queen bed in the other room.  But it can transform easily into a guest room again . . . any takers?

For a family of girls, I think we would have preferred pink over blue, but the girls enjoy their bathroom and it's more than sufficient for the chaos of each nightly routine.  I had to teach my girls to take showers because the little water heater isn't big enough to fill the tub with warm water.  Our apartment has four of these little water heaters (master, guest, kitchen and laundry room).  

The thing that I miss most is not having a yard.  In the past it was a joy to have the option to tell my kids to “go outside and play.”  Here . . . they do go outside but it is never to just play and run around freely (unless we walk to the club that we joined and then it is still a supervised play).  Sometimes we blow bubbles on our balcony but it really is not the same as having a yard . . . and we can only dream of our own play set.

Also, I miss our attached garage.  At least we have a garage but I cannot park our minivan into our spot.  We have to push in our side mirrors and cannot have passengers in the vehicle on the passenger side when we park because we have to squeeze to within about one inch of the cement wall.  The driver cannot open their door the whole way but must wiggle between our minivan and another parked car.  Luckily our boabs (doormen) will park our vehicle for us.  They also keep it clean. I was really stressing out about parking here before my husband came up with the solution to use their help.  I don't know how they have not yet damaged our vehicle in such a tight spot. 

Overall, we feel very blessed to live in such a beautiful apartment.  We enjoy American standards of refrigeration, stand-alone freezer, full size washer and dryer, air conditioning, air filtration, water filters, hot water, Internet, and comfortable furniture.  Now if only they could do something about increasing the bandwidth . . . .

SUMMERTIME

Here is a smattering of random observations . . . .

Lately, it has been very hot and more humid than normal.  As much as I can't stand being cooped up in an apartment all day, we really have no choice if we want to beat the heat.  About the only reason to go outside right now is if we go swimming.  There has been a silver lining to all this time at home.  Due to the alignment of circumstances largely out of our control, we ended up in an unexpected situation where I find myself homeschooling our twin daughters for their first year of kindergarten.  It has turned out to be a most pleasant surprise!  Before I had children, I taught Second Grade.  So I'm not so intimidated by the prospect.  And I am absolutely cherishing this extra time with my children that I otherwise would be losing had I packed them up and shipped them off to school.  I would have been perfectly fine with that arrangement and I have no strong objections to public or private schools and their large classrooms.  But I am keeping very busy with planning their curriculum and teaching them about the world around them.  I have a little classroom set up in the corner of my spacious front living room.  I have the alphabet running across the ceiling.  A dry erase board hangs on the wall next to a large-scale calendar.  The girls have desks and tables and their crafts and artwork adorn the walls.  My daughters so far have been little sponges.  A and B are loving Kindergarten and they are soaking up each new thing I teach them.  It has been so special to have such a pivotal role in their first learning experiences of reading, writing, history, science, math, etc.  It is truly an honor to be the one to give them these priceless skills of literacy and other essential skills for life.  We LOVE reading good books together and I have really enjoyed the nostalgia of revisiting some of my childhood favorites.  We are also watching the first season of Little House on the Prairie on Blu-ray.  I remember watching it as a child and I get such a kick out of seeing my girls love it just as much as I do.  If being "cooped up" indoors to avoid the scorching desert sun is like this all the time, then I think I'll be able to survive the summer heat just fine.
 

A and B in our school area.

 
Our small church congregation is even smaller during the summer.  A few months ago we had 20 children and around 45 adults.  Now there are only 6 children (half are mine) and less than 20 adults.  We are busy with our callings or service responsibilities.  Last Friday, my husband taught the adult Gospel Doctrine class,  which he does every week.  He has enjoyed teaching the Old Testament while living in Egypt.  I taught the children sharing time in Primary and the women in Relief Society.  In Primary, my girls gave the talk, scripture and prayer.  It was a little stressful doing all the preparation for our assignments but it went well and we were glad that we could help out.  (Update:  I wrote this paragraph a month ago and now our primary has doubled.)

We decided to not subscribe to satellite or cable here in Cairo.  I think we are the only home without a satellite dish.  We use Netflix and Amazon.  We have plenty of TV and movies to choose from and I like that we can be selective in our choices.  My latest favorites on Netflix have been "Breaking Bad", "Grey's Anatomy" and "Friday Night Lights."  I love being able to watch the episodes in order one after another... although I have to admit that sometimes this is a problem because it's very easy to go to the next episode instead of going to bed.  

Ramadan is the month of fasting for Muslims worldwide.  Ramadan reminded me a little of the Christmas season for Christians.  Beautiful decorations adorn the streets and porches across Egypt.  People are focused on giving money and food to the poor.  Each evening ends in a feast to break the fast.  Those with means provide meals to those without.  Several street corners throughout my neighborhood were set up with makeshift outdoor dining areas where the poorer sections of society would congregate for a free meal.  It was truly impressive.  I saw one "table" set up in the middle of the road that extended for hundreds and hundreds of feet from one end of a city block all the way to the end of another.  After the sun went down, there were celebrations with food and fireworks.  This year it was observed mostly during the month of July.  It was interesting to experience firsthand.  Devout Muslims fast from food, water, chewing gum, smoking and sex during daylight hours.  Although I did not fast, our lives were different in July.  It was almost impossible to find a restaurant that made food during the day or delivered food before 8:30 PM.  The traffic was quite a bit lighter and the air quality a little cleaner (less exhaust and smoke).  I cooked at home all month.  It was fine, but I always enjoyed having the option of ordering dinner and having it delivered if I didn't feel like cooking. Or if the power was out.   

My neighbor's front porch Ramadan decorations

 
Speaking of power outages... HOLY COW!  We lose power for at least an hour at a time, multiple times per day.  Every.  Single.  Day.  The times are staggered and intentionally unannounced.  I consider myself lucky if I can finish a load of laundry without interruption.  Or finish bath time with my girls without it going dark while the shampoo is still in their hair.  I breath a sigh of relief each time I have dinner cooked and ready to eat before the power cuts.  Everything is electric in our apartment so we often find ourselves dining on cold entrees (sandwiches or cereal).  Amazon Prime can't deliver a newly-ordered patio gas grill soon enough!  I really try not to complain about the electricity outages.  At least we have electricity and A/C and a home to live in.  I am surrounded by so much poverty here that causes me to reflect on all of my blessings.  I am so grateful for all that I have and I am grateful for these experiences that put so much into perspective.

 

OLD CAIRO aka COPTIC CAIRO

OLD CAIRO aka COPTIC CAIRO

Cairo, Egypt is an ancient city with a rich history and diverse culture.  Nowadays, most people recognize that Egypt is the most populous Arab country in the world.  Of its population, today the vast majority of Egyptians are Muslims.  But did you know that there are millions of Coptic Christians living in Egypt?  Of course thousands of years before Jesus Christ the ancient Egyptians were practicing their own forms of religion and theocracy.  But Christianity was introduced to Egypt by Saint Mark long before Islam ever formed.  For centuries, Christianity spread throughout Egypt before the introduction of Islam.  I have been surprised by the many similarities and shared principles between Christianity, Islam and Judaism, but that is a discussion for a separate blog post perhaps some other day. 

My family and I had the recent pleasure of exploring Coptic Cairo, one of Cairo's most ancient centers, also referred to as Old Cairo.  Just last night I was reading to my daughters the Old Testament story of baby Moses being discovered by Pharaoh's daughter concealed in a basket and floating in the Nile River among the reeds.  And then I find out as my husband is reading aloud to me from Lonely Planet's Discover Egypt guide book about the Ben Ezra Synagogue in Coptic Cairo, "The adjacent spring is supposed to mark the place where the pharaoh's daughter found Moses in the reeds, and where Mary drew water to wash Jesus."  As if that wasn't enough exciting history, the Church of St. Sergius & Bacchus is "built over a cave where Joseph, Mary and the infant Jesus are said to have taken shelter after fleeing to Egypt to escape persecution from King Herod of Judea, who had embarked upon a 'massacre of the first born'."  So without further delay, here are the highlights of our morning excursion:

ROMAN TOWERS OF THE BABYLON FORTRESS

Outside the ruins of the Roman Towers

THE HANGING CHURCH

Ornate hybrib Islamic/Christian details. Crosses are woven throughout otherwise traditional Arabic designs.

C figured she would help stoke the flames of the incense burning at The Hanging Church.

Inside The Hanging Church.

Apparently this is one of the most highly revered icons inside The Hanging Church.

Mosaics in The Hanging Church courtyard.

The Hanging Church. We love every detail of culture, art, architecture, design, etc. that surrounds us.

CHURCH OF SAINT GEORGE

This is the Church of St. George in Coptic, Cairo. It's Greek Orthodox.

We were admiring all the newly-restored artwork and chandelier inside the Church of St. George.

This is the little Chaplet of Saint George with an impressive mosaic mural. Somewhere before this photo C lost her enthusiasm for seeing all this "old stuff."

BEN EZRA SYNAGOGUE

Once a Christian church, the Jewish Ben Ezra Synagogue sits inside the greater Coptic Cairo grounds. Some say that the baby Moses was pulled from the basket in the Nile River near this spot (although the Nile no longer flows in this part of Cairo).

Although not on our itinerary because our little girls can handle only so much "old stuff" in one day, this part of town also includes the exquisite Coptic Museum and Africa's very first mosque, the Mosque of Amr ibn al-As.  I find hope in humanity's peaceful coexistence knowing that for centuries this little piece of real estate has been home to Christians and their churches, Muslims and their mosque and Jews and their synagogue.  I was treated to a sweet example of proof of this when Shaima, our Muslim tour guide, surprised each of my daughters with their own Coptic Cross necklace at the end of our tour.  We all really can - and should - get along.  I think it takes more effort to hate than it does to tolerate and even love.

BAZAAR BIRTHDAY

Oh my!  How time is flying.  July is nearly over and I haven't written anything this month.  I have several posts in "DRAFT" form, but I'm having trouble finding the time to sit down and get the job done.  I resolve tonight to provide at least one more update.  This one is a quickie, so here it goes.

Although he's already trying to forget it, my husband recently had another birthday and we set out to celebrate in style by visiting one of Cairo's most popular tourist attractions: the Al-Tannoura Egyptian Heritage Dance Troupe.  Located at the Wekalet El Ghouri Center in Islamic Cairo across the street from the Khan el-Khalili Bazaar, this is supposed to be a wildly entertaining show of live musicians and Sufi dancers (akin to the famous Whirling Dervishes).  They perform late in the evening on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.  We called in advance to make sure we got the time/date right, so you can imagine how bummed we were to show up with our kids in tow and the show had been canceled.  The terrorists got the best of us again!  I'm not kidding.  Because terrorists had just recently carried out a successful attack in southwest Egypt that resulted in the deaths of approximately 21 Egyptian soldiers, Egypt's President Sisi called for 3 days of mourning.  That edict meant that things like the Dance Troupe were shut down for a few days - during my husband's birthday.  We were disappointed to miss the show, but under the circumstances, we completely sympathize with the difficult challenges Egypt is facing and mourn with those whose lives are affected by these tragedies.  

Not wanting to write off the entire evening as a loss, my husband talked me into crossing the street to wander through the Khan el-Khalili Bazaar to salvage some of his birthday party.  This souq is hundreds and hundreds of years old and is full of rich history, old and new.  Anciently, it has been an international market that still serves that purpose today.  In the past decade, it has been the target of two deadly terrorist attacks.  Nearby are several other major sites significant to Islamic culture and history, like the Al-Hussein Mosque.  We visited in the evening during Ramadan, so it was bustling and bursting with energy and near chaos.  I was most smitten by the multi-colored, exquisite lanterns (Ramadan Fanous). The vendors are as aggressive as I have ever seen - and that is half of the experience!  My husband said we shouldn't be intimidated by the pushiness.  In fact, he said I should expect it and even embrace it!  He was right - and I was impressed by his bargaining skills.  I even took a shot at it and talked a vendor down to an acceptable price on a gift I've been eying for my mom.  

Honestly, lots of the stuff inside the Khan is junk - probably imported from China.  But there are many little treasures to discover that are quintessential Cairo!  Shopping for a good deal is probably the #1 reason for going, but the architecture and history are phenomenal, too.  Next time we go we'll either do our homework beforehand or hire a local guide for a very modest fee.  That way we'll be able to take away much more from the experience than just a brass trinket.  And just one practical observation: there are public toilets . . . but they're nasty!  See the picture below for an idea why my 3-year old asked me what it means to squat!   

Birthday Boy with his 3 Little Darlings

B making new discoveries

Typical gilded passageway through this frenetic labyrinth

Gorgeous, Ornate Ramadan Lanterns

Dresses the girls found at the souq - about $3US each

Al-Hussein Mosque in the background

GROSS!!!  Public toilet for emergency use ONLY!