you live you learn

my work colleague with me in sweden keeps going on about how much he misses his 4-month old daughter, and how it's the first time he's been away from her and how he really wants to go back to see her and how he dreamed of her last night and how he's waited so long to have a daughter and he doesn't want to leave her.
It's really cute...

It's funny, i never really thought fathers miss their kids. I mean sure it's nice to have 'em around, when they're being nice and cute and not annoying, but to go as far as miss them?

He's no Roger Moore

but the new james bond sure is good.

and in light of that i am planning a poker night......

A very late thanksgiving

Living with an american has finally paid off. This year Nisrin, motivated by nora and naynay, decided to cook a turkey for thanksgiving. We made it 2 days late, and due to some cooking drama had it 6 hours late, at 11:30 pm to be specific.
Our little "family" gathered up to eat, Me, nora, naynay, sarah (nisrin's friend), Purvi, Shahira (nora's friend). Mai was also part of the gang, but couldn't stay out that long - we saved her a share.

Nisrin cooked the Turkey Sahira and I carved

Sarah made the gravy

Naynay made the sweet potatoesNora made mashed potatoes and corn on the cobpurvi wanted to guarantee some veggie friendly food - she made pastaI had the most difficult task of getting the drinks

And at the end of this fabulous group effort we got around nora's dining table and had a mouth watering meal

followed by a nice cuppa tea and star shaped chocolate cake

How we made it up my six flights of stairs after this big meal is a wonder!

It was a lovely day of cooking, playing sharades, chatting, gossiping and of course eating.
At the end of it i gave thanks for having such wonderful friends, I know i do not say it enough, but it's true.

Arrived

Yes, i am in Sweden - finally.
It's more beautiful than i last left it :)

it had to happen i guess

I am stuck in vienna, missed my connection flight - for more than one reason all of which are my fault.
I hope one day i can laugh about this, right now i couldn't be further from laughter.

I have a date with a giant toblerone

Weekend in Amsterdam!

So THAT's what they mean by autumn!
Yup i finally got to see that season for real - the yellow, brown and red leaves - and of course the cold!
I had me some fun Amsterdam time with the help of the greatest hosts ever! arthur, Aly and Lieke (who despite not having a blog, is still cool!) were awesome! It was great catching up.

Spend some good reflection time at the Anne Frank's House, and some not-so-fun time at the Hash Museum (it sucked ass)

What struck me most in the Netherlands was their railways - i had to travel a bit for work - and it's friggin' awesome! So reliable, well developed, and connects every town! WOW!
KLM was also a pleasent surpirse - nice food, and awesome entertainment!

Enywayz - next step Boras, Sweden - get ready for some serious ass freezing next week!

Stay tuned for my next post about my tantrum with the egyptian airport authority - i think we should give se3idi's a break and use them for all our jokes!

A hollywood movie about Egyptian Police brutality!

Well we had to see it coming people!
Rendition
Looks like it's gona be big - Reese Witherspoon - an Oscar Winner and Jake Gyllenhaal - an Oscar nominee!

Plot goes as follows:
"Witherspoon will star with Jake Gyllenhaal in Hood’s next film, Rendition, written by Kelly Sane. The plot finds a CIA analyst (Gyllenhaal) whose world starts spinning out of control when he witnesses the brutal interrogation of an Egyptian-American by the Egyptian secret police. Soon, he’s on the run for his life, and must in turn help the tortured man’s pregnant American wife Isabella El-Ibrahim (Witherspoon)."

Funny thing - the movie, which takes place in Egypt is shot in Morocco and South Africa.
It's quite a trend to have movies whose plots take place in Egypt being shot in Morocco. (English Patient, Mummy Returns)

...

did i mention i have a really cool boss?

little victories!

So i went to the gym - a salsa-style work out.

1) i found 40 pounds in my gym pants pockets! YAY!
2) I had my first gay-salsa-instructor experience - it was hillarous, i do not think i will miss this class, like ever!! I had to stop myself from giggling at every one of his moves and words.
I now understand why my guy-friends never wanted to learn latin dance :P
3) Sex and the City re-runs are BACK!! The early pre-plastic-surgery episodes when they were all still relatively ugly.

..okay my last point was not related..but it's still a victory

Next Stop: Amsterdam

Just when i thought November will be spent purely Egyo-style, my inbox thinks differently.
Next stop: Amsterdam! It's exciting,,, everyone i have met who has been there, loves it.
So i am getting ready to party-- Netherlands style!! only 10 days to go!

Dismissive attitude

Though my dismissive attitude has gotten me into many arguments and discussions and attacks from bloggers, friends and family - it is my security mechanism for living in Egypt.

You generalize and dismiss - very simple

1) Government and politicians: thieves with no integrity
2) Egyptian lower class men: sexually frustrated pigs
3) Egyptian upper class men: sexually frustrated schovenists
4) Egyptian lower class girls/women: mean bitches who think that all upper class girls/women are promiscuous
5) Egyptian lower class veiled girls/women: veiled bitches who think they are so righteous and uncovered girls are the sinners of death and are inferior to them
6) Egyptian upper class girls/women: stuck up and arrogant and fake
7) Egyptian upper class veiled girls: brain-washed and trying to brain-wash you!
8) Forgeiners living in Egypt: the typical expat attitude - this place is a shit hole, and i am so much better than you
9) Egyptian bloggers: poor them! an ant that is trying to single-handedly kill an elephant
10) Police: un-educated stupid useless suckers , i will take the law into my own hands, thank you very much! (bring on the pepperspray)
11) Religious People: People who over-advertedly advertise their religion - therefore are fake and all about appearances
12) Religious figures: they are politicians

The list is endless.

While this maybe heartless, cruel and politically incorrect, it's the only way i have remained sane over the past few years. And i think most of the people i know are like that - just a little less vocal about it.
Putting all those people at a level below you makes their acts excusable - if you think we are all the same you will constantly be disappointed because people do not have similar values and the society is almost lawless, i.e. there's no agreed upon code of conduct in the country. What is acceptable? What isn't? different answer in every class and every gender.

But truth be told - one gets surprised in many instances. I always remember to give some people a small chance, they sometimes surprise you.

One thing you probably didn't know about me - i used to be quite socialist, part of me still is - but being elitist reduces much of your frustrations when living in Egypt.

This post is inspired by the latest events in Cairo - thus the anger and bitterness level are higher than normal.