Connections

Minimum fives times a day I wonder why  I came to Egypt and why I am still here. Then small connections show themselves. An old neighbor and good friend, who grew up across the street moves to Egypt. You run into a girl who went to your high school when your dad taught there, lived a few blocks away from you, was on the GHS volleyball team your dad coached, and who's brother gave you rides to school in the morning. You meet people from Seattle, a lot of people at friend's parties and random nights out. One of them comes to check out the room you have for rent in your apartment.

So, why I am here? Why are all these people here too, what was it that made us think "I know I'll move to Egypt!" To many King Tut books as a child? Could be. I know I read a few of them and was mildly obsessed, in fact the obsession was only matched by my interest in the Titanic and whales. Politics of the time? The thought that the only person hiring in America is the Foreign Service Office so we all better learn Arabic fast? Was it the water in the Fremont area? All of the above? Who knows, I suppose Egypt has always been a multicultural crossroads and only recently has that slowed down.

These days I have been dealing with a new job, some serious apartment drama, and generally growing up and feeling like my life should be on a track when it is not. Then throw in the whole "I live in Cairo and can't really give anyone a clear reason why," dilemma and I have started to feel a little anxious. Part of my anxiety has been calmed by finally signing a six month lease at a great apartment in Heliopolis with a roommate who seems really relaxed, committed to living in Cairo for a while, and kind. Importantly, again friends here have stepped up far and above what they need to do and really helped me handle all the apartment drama. The rest of the anxiety will go away when I feel like I have a handle on the job and some security.

Here is what I tell people when they ask why I am here. Initially Egypt was a good excuse to travel and a golden opportunity that fell in my lap. Then some travels in Europe and the chance to live in a castle kept me around. Now I feel like I have a job, for the meantime, that would be about ten times harder to find in the states. International work experience can't be bad and I swear I am going to seriously start studying Arabic. Add in the Sinai beaches, amazing friends, an odd ease in getting some things done, and no chance of snow ever unless the world really is ending and some 2012 crap starts happening and you have the canned answer. The snow thing is serious though, I am over cold weather. But, still working on the candid answer. Maybe the canned and the candid are the same and I have just repeated the story so many times it feels likes fiction and not a reality.

Stay tuned for apartment pictures, we need to decorate, and maybe one day I'll figure out a candid answer as to why I am in Cairo.