Wheelcomb to Aegyb! No broblem!

Unfortunately, this past week I hit what is known as the bottom of the study abroad curve. If you haven't had the privilege of studying abroad or living in a different country (with a significantly different culture) for an extended period of time, this is the point in the trip where absolutely everything about your new country just pisses you off. I naively thought, before coming to Egypt, that I really wouldn't have to deal with this problem too extensively. Boy was I wrong. The amount of profanity and cursing Egypt that I did during this week, week and a half, or two weeks is immeasurable. On top of being homesick, missing my friends and family, being infinitely frustrated by Egyptian "time" and attitude, I had midterms - in classes so frustrating, I'll only be able to begin explaining why they are so upsetting.

Let me, again, begin with explaining the title. It's a bit of a jab at the Egyptian accent - Arabic does not have an equivalent to the letter P, so whenever there's a P in a word, it gets changed to a B sound (which is the closest equivalent in Arabic), and all the vowels are over-pronounced (I can't figure out why though, because Arabic has both short and long vowels, like English). I'm also mocking what seems to be every Egyptian male and under 11-year-old child on the streets of Cairo. "Welcome to Egypt" should become a national slogan or campaign effort or something. It is pretty much all you will hear as a foreigner walking down the streets of Cairo... that and a really obnoxious hissing sound, which is meant to get your attention, so that the utterer can also welcome you to Egypt... or try to sell you something. No matter how much I think my brown hair and tan skin will help me blend in, the fact remains that I am not Egyptian, and people can tell. Hence, I am "welcomed" to Egypt multiple times everyday, even though I've been living here for almost three months.

The other half of the title is me having serious issues dealing with a prevailing Egyptian attitude. "Mish mushkela/mafeesh mushkela" are phrases heard frequently throughout any given day in Cairo. Translation: No problem/ there's not a problem/that's not a problem. This can be a response to virtually everything. And while I'd love to be able to embrace this remarkably blithe attitude, sometimes there is a problem, and I just want someone to help me solve it... or at least acknowledge it.

As much as I'm coming to love this city/country, there are definitely things about it that really bother me. I can only image what Cairo was like in her golden days. (Probably about 50 years ago. Yes, also under British control.) When I walk down the streets, I can picture how all the old buildings must have looked when they were first erected, I can imagine the new streets bustling with activity, but not overcrowded or filled with trash. Today, it's apparent that Egypt has tried to keep up with the rapidly modernizing world. But they're not quite there, or things just aren't quite right. Whenever I think about it, it's like, well, Egypt is trying, but they're missing half of ever memo about updating. As you may be able to imagine, it's a little frustrating at times.

So, the combination of the "no problem" attitude, and lack of logically-working systems (traffic for example), lends to the concept of "time" in Egypt. I, myself, am not generally the most punctual person you will ever meet. But I do have some concept of time and when it is disrespectful/unacceptable to be late places. I also have a profound respect for other people's time. I hate to be the one who holds someone up from getting somewhere they need to be, when they need to be there. The concept of the importance of time seems to be completely nonexistent here. Everything happens late, things take much longer than they should to get accomplished, nobody cares that you might have somewhere (like class) to b, trains never run on time, teachers are late for class, etc., etc., etc. Perhaps one day, when I have nothing to do and nowhere to be, I'll share this attitude. Right now, however, I don't.

Basically, nothing ever gets done when I need it done, how I need it done, without some bit of trouble and run around. I don't feel like getting into the classes right now.