Screw the gym, let's go to the roof!

Cairo can be a stressful place. Cairo can be a place that offers very few, obvious, ways to release your stress. Before I left I ran into a friend at a wedding who had been here for a few months, he cautioned me that one day I would need to lock myself up in a room and get pissed drunk. He was right, but luckily you can find places to go out and get piss drunk because getting completely wasted behind closed doors is to close to alcoholism for me, a wee bit sad.

Alas, there are other ways to relive stress. I suddenly started reading like I used in middle school. Once again I am finishing a book in a day, stealing them from friends with decent taste, and even buying some from Virgin Megastore. Buying from such a sick store is a little depressing, but then again I do drink Starbucks coffee now. Next stop Abercrombie & Fitch to completely round off my middle school rehashing.

Katie and I also discovered the rooftop is the next best thing to a gym. In our best effort to emulate a circuit workout we ran up some stairs and proceeded to rock out on the roof, working on our fitness. Paul was there to document the event on digi film.

Ipods. Sync'd

Figuring out double jump roping.

If you would like to try for yourself, I do suggest you do, you will need one ipod per person, one jump rope, headbands, spandex, and one rooftop. Sync ipods and start the same song at the same time. Now alternate between jump roping, alone or together, and running around in circles on the roof. Running’s benefits are increased with occasional fist pump in the air in time to your sweet tunes. For added enjoyment give your workout buddy an encouraging high-five when you pass each other running. Continue for 20-30 minutes. Add some lunges, a few push-ups, and don’t forget to stretch. Wash, rinse, repeat- presto fitness!


One day we might be brave enough to conduct an aerobics class in the street, but I think I might have to be piss drunk to attempt this. In all my years of athletic performance I have not worked out drunk, something tells me Egypt is not the best place to start.

A few photos of my apartment

I live in Nasr City, a sort of suburb of Cairo. Find Heliopolis on a map and look a little West, Nasr City is around there. In terms of charm the neighborhood is not what an young ex-pat goes looking for, but that apartment is paid for by the school and I can't complain.

The entrance to our building looks a little ramschackled. We have a two clothing stores (men's button ups and women's scarves), a pharmacy , and a moderately price cafe below us. I have not been to the stores or the restaurant. The pharmacy on the other hand saved my life when I got food poisoning. Inside, pictured below, is out "elegant" entry way. I put quotes around elegant because really they sidewalk is not existent and things are a little messy. Somehow Egypt looks tons better in photos than it does in real life, very odd.


We live on the third floor and I make a point to walk up the stairs, super healthy Faye.

Entry Way.

Living room, looking out towards our balcony.

View at night, from the balcony. Towards the right, not pictured, is a busy street with a small mall on the corner. I hate malls, but this one has a movie theater and a Starbucks (groan) with free internet. Starbucks has proven to be good for two things: bathrooms and free wi-fi.

Living room looking towards the kitchen, two bathrooms and three bedrooms.

See the curtain? All the rooms are off a long hallway through that curtain. My room is the tiny white light at the end of the hall.

This is the cat that mysteriously ended up on our deck. As previously mentioned we live on the third floor and we are not connected to other apartments.Somehow this guy showed up. We, Anna and I, decided to leave the cat on the deck because it could be stray and disease ridden. Luckily as I was leaving that night the doorman informed me the phone was for me, I answered and a nice lady told me in English her cat frequently jumps down from the fourth floor to the third, we may see the flying kitty again.