Our First Christmas in Cairo

 011222 – Our First Christmas in Egypt

Christmas is just around the corner and we have realised that it doesn't seem to matter where you are in the world - nor the fact that we all have twelve months to prepare ourselves for it - but each year Christmas sneaks up on us while we are looking the other way.

Since our last email, life has been somewhat in the fast lane for us, as we near the end of this year and gear up in preparation for the year 2002. We have had a constant steam of house guests since the beginning of December, with the last one only leaving this morning [at 6.30am]. One of our guests was due to stay with us for 3 nights and finished up staying 10. On the way to our home from the Airport she commented that she could see there was much more to Cairo than just the Pyramids and wondered if she could extend her stay. We said that it was OK with us, as long as the airline could change her tickets. Fortunately for her, they did and so she did! With Mary here as a tourist on the way home from Tanzania, we also had a better look around Cairo and its environs. The other 2 guests were here on business and therefore only had evenings and weekends to sight-see, but they made the most of it, nevertheless. So, in the past few weeks we have seen the Pyramids [both at Giza and Sakara], had several looks at the Khan [a B-I-G Bazaar in Islamic Cairo], seen Coptic Cairo twice and been to Alexandria [by train and with our own personal guide]. Each time we went to the Hanging Church [in Coptic Cairo] we secured the services of one of the Guides but the last time we went, we were chatting away to this particular one and anyway, one thing led to another and next thing we knew we had invited him to be our guide to Alexandria within the next day or so. He is a wonderful Coptic Christian who is in his final year as a tourist guide [completing a 4 year University Degree]. He mentioned to us that he would be delighted to accompany us to Alex for experience as a Guide in that part of Egypt. The suggestion was too good to refuse and so we met him at one of the Metro stations at 7.00am to catch the 8 o'clock express north!

We've also been busy just doing the things that one does when one has house guests and, at times, sharing our telephone line for internet connections 3-ways! It's been fun and a good learning curve for us for future guests. As part of being host/hostess, we've also been included in social activities that are outside the normal run of the mill.

One of the highlights during this period was the fact that Albert was in a Christmas Play - he played Nicodemus and did a great job of it, too! Our friend, RW, was the narrator and also did a fabulous job - she had the biggest part and many lines to memorise. Albert was the first on the stage and also the last! The other highlight during the play were the real camels and donkeys! In this part of the world where both of these animals are in abundant use, they don't play at make-believe, especially when you can have the real thing. So, the three wise men came in riding their camels and Mary arrived astride her donkey which was led by her husband, Joseph. Apparently, every year brings its own challenges when working with kids and animals but this year things seemed to run pretty smoothly as there were no major dramas or hiccups [or at least, none that were evident to the audience]. Not like some of the stories we've heard from previous years!!!

Another interesting event that has happened since our last email is that our road has been re-surfaced. Like most things here, they are done completely different than the way things are done at home. We live almost exactly half way along the length of the street, which when it comes to things like road re-surfacing, means that whatever action is happening, we seem to get a double dose of it. The first we knew that something was happening was at about 9.30pm one night we realised there was a lot of excited yelling, screaming and cars being moved. So we went and investigated [by looking from one of our balconies] and realised that all the cars were being moved. Mind you, most of the noise was just a few people yelling to the upper floors of the many multi-storied buildings along the street to get the drivers' attention for them to move their vehicles [or throw their keys down so that someone else could do it for them]. Nothing is done quietly here! Anyway, this took quite some time and then the heavy machinery came into view with all the residents acting either as a cheer squad for the road-gang or as experts in this line of work! They worked well into the night and eventually we went off to bed and left them to it! It wasn't until next morning that we discovered that the road HAD been resealed, but it stopped right out the front of our place. That meant that either that night or within a few days, all this was going to be repeated. Well, we had one night of respite which also meant that all the neighbourhood kids had a wonderful 2 days of climbing in, out and on the machinery which had been parked by the side of the road with no-one left to supervise it. Anyway, right on cue 2 nights later, at about 9.30pm we had a repeat performance. This time, of course, we knew the script and watched the pantomime being played out. By 10.30pm the trucks arrived with the bitumen and they set to work, again, with the cheers and words of encouragement from the boys of the neighbourhood. The only thing that was missing for it to be an Australian scene, were the folding chairs and eskys!!!

During this period of time, we have also experienced our first Ramadan. On the whole, I think it went OK. Certainly, we didn't notice much disruption to things or extra abuse or harassment, on a personal level. We had heard many stories of what we could expect during the month of Ramadan and I must admit, I wasn't particularly looking forward to the event. It is, therefore, with much relief that I can report that we have come out the other side unscathed. From a business perspective, most places have dramatically reduced operating hours and at the time of "the call to eat" normally, a call to prayer is heard from the mosques, the streets are almost deserted. At times, it was quite eerie and very un-like the Cairo we have known these past 4 months. 

We also finished our last language lessons and finalised our arrangements for our voluntary positions next year. All that we need to do now is sign off on them, before anymore offers come in. Albert has just been offered a job teaching History and Geography to a group of  6-8 year expat students. The need is very great for these kids, but his workload is already very full and he cannot find the time without giving up something else. However, everything he is doing is important also and there are so many needs and opportunities for work, that you cannot do everything. Any teachers out there who want to teach in an exotic location for 6-12 months, have we got a job for you; the need at this particular school is desperate and it may have to close if none are forthcoming.

As for Christmas, we have 2 opportunities to celebrate the season. Within the expat community, Christmas is celebrated on 25 December. It is a normal business day here for everyone else and it is only the expats who have the day off work. Western-Christian schools and colleges close for about a week but that's about it. Then on 6/7 January, the Coptic Christians celebrate their Christmas Day. The Coptics are in fasting-mode now, having started some time ago. They fast for 12 hours [8.00am-8.00pm] on the first day, then they fast not by not eating food but rather for the next 40 days they do not eat any animal products, except fish. That means they don't eat meat or any dairy products. Then, on the night of 6th January they break their fast by having a family meal where meat and other animal products are bountiful. The following day is their Christmas Day! We're not sure what happens but I'm sure we'll soon find out! Our landlady is currently at her Red Sea Villa and before she left, she and her daughter called by and gave us their gift to us - so that we would have it for the 25th. We received a bottle of home-made wine, a frozen chicken and a jar of something to have afterwards [again, it's home-made]. We're not sure what it is but when Ola saw it she said "kwayyis awi, awi, awi, awi, awi, awi, awi, awi, awi, awi, awi, awi". "Kwayyis awi" means "good, very". So obviously this stuff is very, very, very good. It seems to be like a preserve with dates and almonds in it - red in colour, in a thick syrup. We'll let you know after 25th December! The chicken came from a village where she frequently goes for charitable purposes and they give her a chicken each year. Our landlady doesn't eat much and she gives it away and this year we are the lucky recipients. We had a memorable experience and a half, at her favourite chicken shop recently! Our Arabic is OK at times and dreadfully inadequate at others. Anyway, we decided that we'd try our landlady's chicken shop and wandered down this narrow alley-way. We thought we had asked for 2kg of chicken fillets and were asked to select our chickens from the range of caged birds. So far, so good. What we finished up with, however, were the 2 chickens PLUS 2kg chicken fillets!!! Fortunately, we have a small chest freezer [as well as the one in the fridge], so storage was no problem but we are still scratching our heads as to where we went wrong in the transaction!!! Somehow we only paid 38 Egyptian pounds (less than 18 Aussie dollars) for the 2x 2kg chickens and 2kg of fillets and the locals are still scratching their heads as to how we "Westerners" who usually pay 10-50% extra, got them so cheaply. Note the two chickens were still warm when Albert did the final cleaning at home.

The weather has certainly changed from summer to winter and while the days are cool, the nights are getting mighty cold. In saying that, though, most days are very pleasant but a long sleeved shirt, or skivvy/windcheater are in order. Like most homes here, ours is built for the hot weather and therefore gets cold once the sun goes down but its not unbearable, well most of the time. A couple of nights we went to bed early as it was so cold. We've thought of putting the heater on a couple of times, but so far have opted for another jumper and found that to suffice! Apparently January gets a bit nippy, so we'll wait and see how we fare! I'm finding that the clothes are taking 3-4 days to dry, as opposed to when we first arrived and they were dry as soon as you pegged them on the line, almost!!! We are both well and surprised at how cold it gets in winter. Winter here doesn't mean that it rains, only that it gets cold. The days are really nice with the temperature in the low 20's, so you need a long sleeved something on but once the sun goes down, it gets r-e-a-l-l-y CC-OO-LL-DD. The locals are rugged up to the hilt, even during the day, with the men in the souq having their scarves wrapped not just around their necks but all over their heads as well - all you see are these 2 eyes peeping through - and that's during the day!!!

Next time we go home, or to Europe [which ever is first] we'll be buying a few things for the really hot weather but for sure, we'll be buying more winter stuff. The stock that we've seen so far in the shops doesn't do anything for us - the colours are really drab and lifeless or made from camel’s wool and is a bit scatchy on our delicate "Western" skins.

We had a wonderful Christmas party just recently, with a mixed group of expats, where we enjoyed a variety of everyone’s cooking and had hot mulled pear and apple juice mixed with cloves and cinnamon. Just the thing for a cold frosty night and get this, we even had a log fire around which we sat and sang Christmas carols. All that was missing was snow. Everyone brought along a present, which was suitable for either gender, and put them under the tree. After the carols, we all drew out a number and in turn had a pick of the pressies. What a hoot! We could choose someone else’s opened gift or have a pick from the tree. Well some turns took a long time as everyone tried to get their favourite gift. There was heaps of fun and laughter and everyone ended up with something they liked. Even the person who got the booby present, yes there was one planted amongst the lot, received a bonus gift of a huge box of chocolates. A game of giving that could have brought out the worst in people, actually brought out the best in them and was heaps of fun, especially when everyone was taking other people’s gifts and then losing them again to others. Oh the intrigue as to who would end up with what. The beauty of it was, that people, in a new land and a different culture (from different cultures Norwegians, Kiwis, Americans and Aussies), thrown together for work and some were reasonably new to each other, had a great time singing, sharing and playing together, in His name.

On that note, we must end this Christmas letter and wish you all the the very best for the Christmas season. May you each have a blessed, safe and Merry Christmas and an equally safe and Happy New Year. May the promise of peace, love and joy that Christ brought into this world, with God's promise of life everlasting for us all, be yours this Christmas and always.

Love to all our friends and family, from us.

011227 – Christmas - Reflections

Hi everyone,

Christmas in Egypt, what was it like? Well, I can say that the fellowship we received from fellow expats, some Coptic Christians (one rang us up on Christmas day especially to wish us Merry Christmas) and three Muslims (one who warmly hugged us and also wished us Merry Christmas) made our Christmas over here very special. However, it didn't seem like Christmas most of the time as there were very few decorations (which you would expect) and it was (still is) very cold, but hey, after all it is winter over here. 

About a week before Christmas we all (R, Victoria and I) went to a Christmas party, as mentioned in our Christmas e-mail, then on Christmas Eve we all went to the 7pm service, with candles and went through the Christmas story in scripture and song. After the service, several of us went around to R's flat and partied til late, with Coptic Christians, along with people of several different nations. One of the Coptic Christians is a new acquaintance, whom we met at the "Hanging Church" at Mar Girgis. We had a great time. Next morning, we went to an Aussie family's flat for brunch, where we caught up with R again. Here we had a great time of fellowship and a huge feast (including bacon and egg - the bacon in particular was a real treat), before moving on to another Aussie family's flat for a very late lunch (4pm), more carol singing, games with the kids and great fellowship. Needless to say that despite our best intentions not to do so, we all over ate, as our hosts had gone to a lot of trouble to make Christmas, especially for us first timers, memorable. R went to a Norwegian Family for her late lunch and she had a wonderful time there as well.

On a sadder note though, when Victoria and I travelled to the different places on Christmas day, for many it was life as normal. They did not have a clue about what Christmas Day meant to them, and for many, they probably didn't even know it was Christmas Day and one of the most important days in their lives. As I walked through the souq, with the bar-b-qued chickens for lunch, I passed a lot of sad and hopeful faces. I saw very little joy at all. Who knows, but our time here may have some small effect on some. PP.

The day after Christmas, Victoria and I had a quiet and purposely lazy day. Victoria, however, did have her hair cut. That night we went to R's flat for a joint tea, where R cooked soup and I cooked a chicken stir fry, after which, we watched the Jesus video in Arabic. Lucky we knew the story, as there are still a lot of Arabic words we don't know as yet.

Saturday, Victoria, R and I are planning to go to Alexandria to visit a NZ couple there and have lunch with them. It's a 2.5 hour trip each way, with the train leaving Cairo at 8am, so to get there means a very, very early start 5am (well, for us it's early) in order to get tickets at the Ramses station in Cairo by 7am.

Sunday, Victoria, R and I, along with 6 others are going to the ballet. Yep, you heard right, Albert going to the ballet, to see the Nut Cracker Suite. Going to the Opera Theatre here is very cheap. Metro train to the Opera Theatre (50 cents Aussie return) and about $11 Aussie for seats. We are not sure at this time whether it is a local production or International one. Note: the Russian Ballet regularly perform here, for about the same cost to patrons as above. There have to be some perks, eh?

New Years Eve we are spending with some Dutch friends, who are having an open house party. Just about everyone (expat wise) we know here, are going, so once again, it should be a great night and way to see in the New Year. Victoria and I will have to write an e-mail describing how the different peoples celebrate birthdays, Christmas and other important events. The two Dutch girls next door, celebrated Christmas present giving on December, 5th by celebrating St Eclaus Day (pardon the spelling, but that's the way they say it). Special sweets are eaten, everyone writes a poem, which they attach to the gift they bring and they are then read out by the recipient. From all accounts, they had a wonderful time.

Well, until we send out our next big one, next year, 

Have a very safe and Happy New Year everyone,

Love from us.