Life Lessons Learned from a Dan Brown Novel

Okay, I admit it. I am a fan of Dan Brown novels. His action-packed stories with a clue around every corner keep me on the edge of my seat, and I can hardly put them down until I turn the last page. In fact, I just finished his latest The Lost Symbol in record time - a miracle considering how much time I spend taking care of my son.

But it occurred to me the other day that living life in Egypt is a lot like a Dan Brown novel. There are definitely some distinct parallels to my life.

Aside from the part where you're racing against time to decipher ancient symbols to keep some crazy lunatic from killing you...

But I think you get my point.

It's the details that matter. Robert Langdon, Brown's hero in several books, is a professor who specializes in ancient symbology. He usually finds himself somewhere in the thick of things, brought onboard the investigation either by fate (as in wrong place, wrong time) or by connection (friend, colleague, past history, etc.). And, for me, the interesting part of the story is how he discovers clues from the smallest of details. 

Life in Egypt is kind of like this. It's the little things that matter. 

• It's buying that shampoo and conditioner when I happen to see it in the store because I know that when I run out of shampoo, that most likely the conditioner that goes with the shampoo I want won't be available. 
• It's remembering to tell my husband to get meat (beef) for us from the butcher on Wednesday or Saturday because every other day of the week it won't be fresh or available.
• It's getting small bills from the bank so that I have them on hand because when I get out of that taxi, I'm gonna need a 5 LE note to give the driver because he's not going to have change.

I know it sounds silly that some things are so insignificant and yet so significant at the same time, but it's true.

The enemy is who you least expect it to be. Without giving anything away (in case you haven't read his books yet), I am always shocked to find out who the bad guy is in just about every one of Brown's books.

There are lots of things in Egypt that I already know will be hard for me. The heat, the dust, the traffic, the craziness during Ramadan, the trying to find clothes that fit me, the trying to find ingredients for holiday cooking, these things I already expect to give me problems... so I plan accordingly.

But the most difficult moments are the things that catch me by surprise. These are my *enemies* because I am not really ready to face them. 

• It's when the electricity goes off after dark for the 4th day a row, and I'm stuck trying to entertain my son out on our balcony in the dark in the summer heat when what he really needs is to take his bath and go to bed.
• It's when I can't find the diapers we always buy in either one of the pharmacies near our house so I have to pay almost twice the cost at the only place I can find them in town. 
• It's when we send our bowab (doorman) to buy red Cheddar for us only to discover when I go to add it to the recipe that it's not the imported type but rather the Egyptian kind that tastes like foot.
• It's planning your whole day around something that suddenly gets cancelled so you're left wondering how you're ever going to reschedule that and what on earth you're going to do with the rest of your day.

I know that you're thinking that I have some sort of optimistic, go-get-'em attitude that will kick in to save the day (and me) at these times. But alas I wouldn't call these my "shining star moments" where I rise to the occasion to kick some culture-shock butt. Nope, these are usually the times when I kind of cry to myself (and to my husband, of course) and skulk off to feel sorry for myself.

Chocolate does me a lot of good then.

You might break a few rules. Professor Langdon always seems to be running away from the authorities in these books, whether they're on the good side or bad.

I'm not saying that I'm not a law-abiding citizen in Egypt. Quite the opposite, in fact. But I DO break a few rules that I would NEVER break in the States.

• I ride in a taxi with my son in my lap and not buckled into a carseat.
• I jaywalk like it's goin' outta style. This is a matter of survival of the fittest (and fastest).
• I have on numerous occasions ridden in a car going the wrong way down a one way street.
• I cut in line - especially if I ever ride the Cairo metro. The key is to pretend that no one else is there.
• I'll walk into a store with my cup of Starbucks coffee and ignore the security guy trying to tell me I can't.

You laugh, but I'm looking at this list and feeling a little repentant.

What would Robert Langdon do at a time like this? Probably break the rules now and ask for forgiveness later.

Definitely should make this my new motto in Egypt.

Well, there you have it. My life according to Dan Brown.

Can't wait for his next book... in like two or three years.

The Allure of Cairo

The allure of Cairo is in its contradictions. The modern and the ancient. The poor and the rich. The backwards next to the technologically advanced.

That a donkey cart is completely at home on the road alongside a Mercedes.

That one of the most peaceful places in Cairo is on a sailboat on the Nile in the middle of the city.

That the largest Coptic churches and mosques seem to come in pairs.

That the best bread in Cairo is made in open-air bakeries.

That even the poorest Egyptian can still afford a mobile phone.

That the oldest tourist bazaar in Cairo is right across the street from the one of the most conservative mosques in all of the Middle East.

That anything you want "today" is usually not available but it might possibly come "tomorrow."

That two lanes designated by white lines on any given road actually become three or four whenever there are cars on said road.

That the pollution of Cairo results in some of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen.

That some of the oldest mosques in Cairo have been built right into the fabric of Cairo, surrounded on all sides by streets, shops and apartment buildings.

That "Old Egypt" is actually Coptic Cairo.

That there are markets deep into the city where most foreigners never venture selling used books in English and secondhand Western-style clothing.

That the great bustling city of Cairo backs right up to the last surviving ancient wonder of the world.

That big trucks drive like they're the smallest of cars.

That it might take you an hour to drive what should take you only five minutes.

This is what I find the most fascinating about this city of 20 million people. It's the things that make me stop and scratch my head... and laugh and think to myself "that's SO Egypt."

The sights, the sounds, the smells - all a part of what they call "the mother of the world."

This is Cairo.

Surviving Eastbound Jetlag

I would give anything to be this woman right now.

I wish I could say that coming home to Egypt was easy.  But right now I am dealing with a baby who was wide awake at one o'clock in the morning.  And the fact is that it isn't easy.  Not easy for me and not easy for him.

And not just because of my son being unable to sleep.  It's me too.  I just can't sleep.

So then when I finally do fall asleep, I sleep like the dead until mid-morning where I suddenly wake up in a panic thinking that the entire day has gone by without me even realizing it.

For some reason this time adjusting back to Egyptian time has been really tough.  I'm not sure why.  Maybe it's because we arrived in Egypt at 4:30 AM, went home and went straight to bed as if it was the end of the day instead of the beginning of one.  So since then we (at least my son and I) have been off a little.  Time-wise, that is.

So in case you've never experienced it for yourself, let me paint you a picture of what jet lag feels like...

You feel like a zombie at 4:00 in the morning because you can't close your eyes.  Your mind sees the darkness and thinks, I should really be asleep.  You close your eyes and instead of feeling the calmness of the silence, you suddenly feel itchy all over... and DYING of thirst... and your mind is racing a mile a minute with all the things you need to do.

Then when you DO fall asleep, it is way later than you should be falling asleep so technically you should only be sleeping for a fraction of the time you will actually sleep.  And then you end up sleeping more than you should have in the first place!

The solution?

Well with regards to my son, I am denying him that second nap so that he will be sleepy enough to sleep through the night when I finally put him down for bed.  But for myself, I seem to have broken all the rules.

Eastbound jet lag has definitely been tougher than westbound jet lag this time.

Here's the thing about westbound jet lag.  You arrive sometime in the afternoon (that's just how it works with flights from Europe) so the sun is still up.  There is something about sunlight during the middle of the day that helps you adjust quicker.  So when we arrived to KY this time, my son and I took a lot of daylight walks (as in, walks during the daylight.)  And we were busy too, another thing that helps you recover quickly from the time change.  Apparently going right into a schedule actually helps you to adjust quicker because you really don't have much of a choice in the matter regarding getting up and going about your day.

My husband is finding this 100% true because while we came back to Egypt to sit and relax at home, he was up early every morning going to work.  I think he was more exhausted in the beginning, but now he is already fully adjusted while we are still struggling to fall asleep at night.

But I have a few ideas in mind that I hope will work:
1. Go to bed at a consistent time every night.
2. Get up at the same time every morning.
3. Get up and get ready for the day (shower, breakfast, etc.) immediately.
4. Get out of the house early in the day (during the brightest sunlight hours).

Wow!  That list will take a LOT of discipline and even more umph to get me through the day ("umph" is my more technical, more accurate word for energy) than I realized...

Maybe it would be easier to just go take a nap now.

After all, I earned it.  What with all that hard work I just put into writing this post...

A Glimpse at My Life: 5 Years Married Today

My husband and I have been married five years today.

I wish that I could share with you the wisest of wisdom that I have learned over the past five years.  But unfortunately most of the lessons I have learned I have unlearned and relearned...and so forth.

Here are a few things I know a little better than I did five years ago...

Being right isn't always all you think it's going to be.  I like being right.  I don't like being wrong.  I think it's just human nature that we don't want to admit that we're wrong.  But I am *learning* that admitting that I'm wrong doesn't make me a bad person and it doesn't make me weak.  But being right still makes me feel REAL good!

It's best to pick your battles.  Yep, that is true.  I am *learning* when to open my mouth and when to keep it closed.  Keep in mind that the rules are different here in Egypt than they are in the States (although, if I had followed this rule back in the States the same way we do most of the time here, well, I might not have gotten into so much trouble back then.)

A battle can never be won if you fight it in public.  Drama drama drama...I really do hate drama.  Don't get me wrong I was the queen of drama back in the day but not as much now.  Actually now I can use the threat of drama as a way of closing the subject...not that I would actually follow through (or if I did then the regret would be HUGE and the apologies LONG).

Family comes first.  Priorities are a tricky thing.  When in doubt, family comes first.  Well, that's all I'll say about that.

My husband is my best friend.  My husband and I make a great team.  Period.

Marriage is a picture of how God loves us.  I have learned so much about faith and trust in the Lord that I never knew before being married to my husband.  And forgiveness...

I am sure that there are many more things to add to this list but this is all that comes to mind right now.

Now on to the next 5 years Lord willing!

What Americans Would Miss

A recent article on a great travel blog that I discovered just the other day tackled the topic of What Americans Take for Granted.  And quite frankly, I found it fascinating.  However, at the same time I'm not sure that I thought it did the topic justice.


There are so many things that we Americans take for granted, whether we have lived in the States our entire lives or whether we live outside the U.S. and only return stateside for visits from time to time.

Don't get me wrong, I am in 100% agreement with most of what was covered in the article.  I just was left with the feeling that there was so much more that could have been covered on this topic.

Maybe my perspective is a bit different because I am about to celebrate my 5 year wedding anniversary - which means that I have lived 5 consecutive years abroad in Cairo (not including the first two years I was based in Cairo) as an expatriate.  Now, keep in mind that we have made the trek back to the States once a year so I am not that far out of touch with American society.  I mean, I still know the secret handshake and the clubhouse location (wink wink nudge nudge).

So rather than spending just ONE Fourth of July out of the USA, I have spent a good 5 Fourth of July holidays.  But I know people who have lived abroad for over twenty years, so I would say that this list will continue to grow over the years.

So what DO Americans take for granted?  I am going to tackle this from my own angle...as in, what do I think that Americans would miss (if they were living outside the States, that is?)

Good driving.  I'm not saying that all Americans are good drivers.  On the contrary, I would say that a lot of them are not good drivers.  But still, the rules are there.  And the majority of people follow at least the basic outline.  And then there are police out there providing real accountability (as in - not out there to line their own pockets with spending money) so that people follow the rules.

Wide open spaces.  I have that Dixie Chicks song running through my head right now (what can I say, my mind works according to the music).  But I really mean it.  Try going to just about anywhere in Europe, especially in the cities, and you'll see what I mean.  Downtown Louisville has the widest streets compared to downtown Cairo and plenty of parking space (yes, I said plenty of parking space).  


Ready-made food products.  I have grown rather adept over the years at eliminating recipes that I could never possibly dream of trying because half of the ingredients are ready-made products.  We just don't have those kinds of things in Egypt.  And I must say that we get a LOT of stuff in Egypt that isn't available in other places.


Ice cream.  Did you know that ice cream that is made in America and shipped abroad starts to taste a little stale?  I would know...I have tried it.  I keep telling myself that I will learn how to make homemade ice cream just to get something a little closer to what we get back home.  But then again, no ice cream maker available.  


Doughnuts.  Okay so I am not even that much of a doughnut fan.  My idea of good doughnuts when we were growing up were the Hostess chocolate-covered and powdered-sugar doughnuts.  Still, not even the Hostess ones are available where I live now, much less Krispy Kreme.  


Good Mexican food.  Now we do have several Mexican restaurants nowadays in Cairo, although perhaps they border on Tex-Mex than real Mexican food.  But the chips and queso do the trick so I am happy, at least for a moment.  


Hot dogs.  Yes, we can get hot dogs in Egypt.  And yes, they taste NOTHING like the ones in America.  Now I know what you're thinking - aren't hot dogs made of pork which is forbidden food for Muslims (okay, so maybe you weren't thinking that).  And my answer to you would be yes, but at the same time there are all-beef hot dogs available in the USA that taste exactly like the pork ones to me.  I was never a hot dog fan before I moved overseas.  Now I crave them like mad when I come home to KY.  Blame it on my husband!


American breakfast.  Eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, waffles, omelets, biscuits, muffins,...hungry yet?


Being able to get married without having to own your own house and furnishing it from top to bottom.  Long story short is that an Egyptian man cannot even think of getting married unless he owns a flat.  And the flats in Egypt are not the ready-to-move-in kind like we have in the U.S. No, these flats are basically just a hole in a concrete wall and EVERYTHING has to be built from there.


Closets.  I miss American closets.  Any kind will do, sliding door, walk-in, wide, narrow...they simply don't exist in Egypt.  Okay, so walk in your closet and then walk out...then imagine your life without it (that's how I live everyday)


Trees.  I love trees.  I seriously get offended every time I see them cutting down entire trees in Cairo - I kid you not, my heart hurts.  Just ask my husband


Drive-thrus.  Okay so I don't drive around Cairo with a sleeping baby in the backseat on my way home.  But if I DID and I needed a quick lunch or dinner - I would definitely be missing these.


Central heat & air.  I know, I know not EVERYONE has central heat and air conditioning in the USA.  However, enough people have it for it to be common place.  I certainly could do without the turning the air conditioner on and turning the air conditioner off routine that fills my days.  Great if you're trying to build up those arm muscles by lifting the remote and pointing...walking a little closer and lifting and pointing again...walking STILL closer to make sure it works this time...lift and point (I need to replace the batteries in all those remotes).


American television.  Let's put this into perspective.  In Egypt, I have a total of 7 satellite channels that are almost 100% in English that carry American television shows and movies.  And there were not this many channels 5 years ago when I moved back to Egypt to get married (I think there might have been 3 at that time).  So here I can choose from any number of marathons dedicated to my favorite TV shows - but back home in Egypt this is something non-existent.  Maybe it's a good thing because at least I can tear myself away from the TV in Egypt because there is absolutely NOTHING on.  


Walmart (or Target).  I think I have sufficiently covered my love for these stores.


American sales.  Coming home to the States is all about seeing family...and buying stuff to take home.  So back-to-back-to-back sales are definitely well-appreciated.  I was chatting with the saleslady at JCPenney the other day (a new past time of mine after having a baby and living abroad for 5 years) and I asked her if the current sale was ending anytime soon.  Her reply was that they always have a sale going on.  I have found this to be true in many stores that there is always some sort of sale going on.  Yes, this is NOT true in Egypt.  


Parks.  Did you know that we have fences around most of our parks in Egypt?  We have this beautiful (well, beautiful is exaggerating a bit) park right at the corner of our street that is securely locked most of the time.  Someone cuts the grass and trims the trees (shedding a tear), but they apparently sneak in at night because everytime I check the door are padlocked.  So to find park after park after park with SWINGS and benches and TREES (did I mention that I love trees?) is just a wonderful wonderful thing.


Freedom of religion.  I know, I just shifted gears on you.  But seriously tonight as my favorite praise song "Mighty to Save" came on the radio as we were driving home, I rolled down the windows and turned it up loud and sang my heart out...and I thought about how great it was that we have this freedom to worship as we please...and the freedom to stare at the crazy lady sitting at the light next to you who is singing at the top of her lungs.  Forgive me - I live in Egypt!


Freedom of speech.  Americans take this sometimes to extremes (as in saying TOO much) but it's true that this is a freedom that we highly value.  


Freedom to disagree with your government.  Did you know that this isn't allowed in much of the rest of the world?  Maybe I should rephrase that you have the freedom to express (as in say out loud) that you disagree with your government.  You can complain about your president, your representatives in Congress, your senators, you name it and you stay safe.  You may not be the most popular person around at times but you still have that right.


Freedom to be anything you want to be.  I know we could go on and on about environmental limitations and people's backgrounds and listen to all the "well I never got to be what I wanted" complaints, but the fact is that in the USA we have options.  We have MORE options than many people around the world could ever dream of.  (So basically stop complaining and get off your butt and get to work...right?)  I know LOADS of people who could only DREAM of having the chance to come to this country and make a whole new life for themselves, doing whatever it is they put in mind to do.  It's not a perfect country but it definitely opens so many more doors.  I hope that we can all appreciate it as much as we should.


What do YOU think Americans take for granted?

The Sacrifice of a Name

What's in a name?  That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.  

-Shakespeare 

I like my name.  I think it suits me.  It's simple and not easily turned into some strange nickname.  And back home it is easily pronounced.  I mean, people usually say my name correctly the first time.  It's spelled the normal way, the RIGHT way, not like some others with a crazy spelling like Aryn or Eryn.

And then I came to Egypt.

Egypt is apparently where all correct name pronunciation dreams come to die.  I know, that seems a bit harsh doesn't it?

But I know I am not alone.

Just last week we were at church and the pastor introduced himself as "Jim."  And then he launched into a tirade (well, I exaggerate a bit) about how his name wasn't "Jeem" it was "Jim."  Apparently Pastor "Jeem" has a hard name to pronounce.

I laughed.

It was like he was inside my head.

I don't give out my name much these days.  One of the earliest lessons I learned when I first arrived in Egypt was that it wasn't appropriate for me to tell people (namely men) my name.  So then when I struck up any sort of polite conversation with a taxi driver and they asked me my name, I knew that we had just crossed into non-polite conversation territory so I would clamp my mouth shut immediately.

But I mean, seriously, if they know that it's impolite to ask a woman's name then why do they ask it?!!  It's like they're daring me to break the cultural rules here!  And then I can see them in my head later down at the coffee shop talking about all the loose Western women that they shuttle from place to place when, in fact, THEY are the ones who bring up the subject in the first place.  We don't KNOW that we shouldn't be giving you our names (unless some kind Egyptian language teacher or friend takes pity on us and tells us these kinds of things)!

But I digress...

Delivery in Egypt is a wonderful thing (I really SHOULD blog about it sometime so that you can appreciate it as much as I do).  But the one thing I always dread about getting delivery with a new company is when I try to tell them my name over the phone.  It takes me like 10 tries for them to get them to hear my name correctly.  No, my name is NOT Ellen or Eman or Evan or ... (fill in the blank with some Arabic name that is nowhere near the name Erin) ...

It's "Eh-REEN."

Yes, you guessed it.  Here I am in Egypt mispronouncing my own name.

Let me tell you.  I worked as an office manager for an Egyptian company here for almost 3 years, and most of that time I was on the telephone talking to different clients and companies.  And I am ashamed to say that I resorted to the "Eh-REEN" version of my name on a regular basis.

And cringed every single time.

In Paris I was aghast to find that they could pronounce my name correctly (hallelujah!) but they were determined to spell it "Irene" rather than "Erin."  So even though they could say it right, all I could hear in my head was "EYE-Reen," which is not how they pronounced it at all.

So now when I do delivery I usually take the easy route.

I give them my husband's name.

Yes, this is more culturally appropriate anyways.  And yes, this is because his name is written in Arabic downstairs on the intercom button so it's easier for them to find me to deliver that pipin' hot pizza (or McDonald's cheeseburger or my favorite Egyptian banana split - aka Roz bi Leban with ice cream & fruit on top - or diapers) to my door.

But what they don't know....

What I'll never tell...

Is that I just can't bear for them to mispronounce my name AGAIN!  Or me either for that matter!

Yes, it's just a name.

But it's MY name!

Disclaimer:  I just want to say to all my lovely Egyptian friends and family that I LOVE that you call me "Eh-REEN" or Erini.  I am not complaining about how YOU say my name, and you are certainly welcome to call me anything you like.  This is more of an expression of how I feel when I try to get complete strangers to understand what my name is.  Oh...and if you're one of the very few (you know who you are) who call me Eranie, well I guess that's okay too. ;-)

When I Grow Up

Do you ever have this feeling sometimes that your life is a bit like the movie Big (or 13 Going on 30 for the younger generation)?  Somehow you've woken up and found yourself in a brave, new world where you are suddenly a grown-up?

Okay, SO I'm a woman in her thirties.  But, seriously, I still have a lot of things I want to do when I grow up (for real):  travel the world, write a book, own my own business,...

Yes, I know what you're thinking.  Travel the world?!  Don't you, like, LIVE in Egypt?  Didn't you spend 6 months in Paris, France, and another 2 months in Yemen and in the Philippines?  Why, yes sir, I sure did and why thank you for reminding me that my dreaming days are over.  

But what about Paris with my husband, London on a non-rainy day (and when I am not suffering from a horrible cold), Rome, Athens, the Great Wall of China, Salzburg-Austria (where the hills are alive), Budapest (or is it Prague), Prince Edward Island, New York at Christmas, Disney World, VENICE...

Oh, and yes I do want to write a book one day.  I'm not really sure why.  I know that there are loads of people out there who never think of writing a book one day and they write books all the time.  So what is so special about me wanting to write a book?  I don't know, it's just something I'd like to do.  I'll let you know if I ever do.

And in my mind I have owned the perfect little bookstore for years.  It's one of those stores that has all the BEST books to read (which of course I could personally recommend because I would have READ every single book there) and a sweet little cafe attached where one can sit and read books to her little heart's content.  Oh, and don't forget the home-baked goods on sale that I made myself.  I didn't say it was a realistic place, just that it's been in my mind all these years.  But where oh where would that little shop fit here in Cairo?  And who would ever want necessarily to read all the books that I like?!

Still I have to say that He did pretty good when He planned out my life.  I still have those "Big" moments where I stop and look around in disbelief.  After all, who could have imagined THIS?!

But don't worry I am not about to give up those dreams yet either...

Counting Pennies

Who needs pennies anyways?  Coins in general are just a regular annoyance.  They jingle in your pocket and add pounds to your purse.  So why do we keep them around?

My husband doesn't even bother to use coins whenever we go back to the States.  I discovered this by accident when I was looking for something and found the huge pile of American coins that he had managed to hoard over a week of visiting the States.

So I, being the money-conscientious one (ha!), quickly confiscated the coins and added them to my own meager collection because I actually use them.

I find it some sort of challenge, actually, to give the store clerk the exact amount of change.  It is a sort of never-ending cycle really, because once you successfully rid yourself of all coinage - then comes the moment when you need coins and you don't have them...and so on it goes.

But I really didn't start this topic today to talk about pennies or coins or anything of the sort actually.  I wanted to talk about this article I read today about a family that had to get rid of their car due to the recession.

The situation feels a bit distant to me.  I mean, I feel for the family involved, but it just seems so far away.  Granted it IS far away because I live in Egypt, but the reality is that it could be anyone in this situation.

We live in a cash-based society here in Egypt.  By "cash-based" I mean that we actually pay for most things in actual cash money.  Credit cards here are very strange because in order to get one you have to front the money to the bank first and then they will grant you a credit card in that amount.  In my opinion that's more like a debit card than a credit card, even though it's not technically pulling the money directly from your account.  Actually it sounds like a lot of work - taking the money from there to pay the money here, etc.

Yes they DO give out loans but I couldn't even begin to explain that one.  I mean it took several tries PLUS the bank guy explaining it for me to kind of understand the way the credit cards work here.  Like I said, not really a credit card if I have to give you the money up front.

But I think in America we have long been content with living beyond our means.  Can't afford a big house, just take out a bigger mortgage...Must have the fancy car, another loan in place...Can't pay off the credit cards, just transfer them to another card...  Sounds like a vicious cycle to me (MUCH worse than the coin counting I was doing earlier).

I was reading another article where the family happily downsized their stuff.  It definitely made for interesting reading.

So maybe this going back to living a more simple life isn't such a bad idea.  Could YOU live without your car?  Could you have less clothes, less shoes, or less beauty products?  Or perhaps we should start in the most reasonable way, that being living within our means.

Have YOU been simplifying your life lately?  If so, how and why?

Why Extra Time Change is Good

Now that my email group for foreign ladies living in Egypt have moved on from the topics of their favorite hegab style and their stance on second wives to a topic I can finally understand and relate to - namely the time change issue in Egypt - I am surprised to find that everyone is so against it.

Click here for a little background on the issue.

So if a bunch of ministers got together in one room and decided that the Egyptian people should change their clocks four times this year – certainly the pros must outweigh the cons!

Let’s look on the bright side…perhaps there really are some advantages to this:

First of all, I LOVE fall back.  You know what I mean, that day each autumn when we move our clocks back one hour.  I always feel like I am in heaven when I wake up that first morning and realize that I have a whole extra hour to sleep.  So…one advantage of changing the clocks four times is an extra fall back.

Secondly, I am psyched that this means that for another month or so the time difference between Egypt and the USA will be only 6 hours (EST).  So I have a whole extra hour to talk to family and friends.  That 7 hour time difference is a real kicker at times.

Thirdly (and fourthly), it’s Ramadan time.  For those of you who don’t know, Ramadan is the month of fasting for the Muslim community.  They fast from food, water, and cigarettes (and other things) during the daylight hours.  So this time change means that they #1 will get to sleep an extra hour in the morning (not really but their bodies will feel like it) and #2 will get to go home from work an hour early.  Most workplaces in Egypt already adjust their working hours to allow workers to leave early in order to get home to break the fast with their family.  So when they leave at 4:00 instead of 5:00, their bodies will feel even that it is only 3:00.  See what I mean – advantages!

Granted, I HATE spring forward so the thought of an extra spring forward just wears me out by thinking about it.   Plus I am neither Muslim nor working so the whole fasting angle really doesn’t apply to me either.

Well, at least I tried, right? 

My New Best Friend

These are about to become my new best friend...

The only thing worse than your average cold is the one that sneaks up on you in the middle of summer...and the only thing worse than THAT is the knowledge that the tickle in your throat will be a full-fledged cold in about 24 hours.

So last night I finally took a Claritin as apparently downing unlimited amounts of Vitamin C and orange juice yesterday was not helping.

Prepare to enter the haze...

I know, I know, Claritin is non-drowsy.  And it is, really it is.  But somehow I always feel a little bit out of it on days when I take any kind of cold medicine.  Maybe it's just the side effects of the cold itself, not the medicine.

Now all I need is a nap.  My son is happily napping right now and, quite frankly, I should be right there with him.  I don't know about you but sleep for me really is better than any medicine I can take.

Actually quite a few people have been coming down with colds lately.  And considering that the weather is so hot right now, I guess it's only right that we should all suffer together right?  I mean what else could we ask for with Ramadan just around the corner.  Not only will people be grumpy from lack of food, water, and cigarettes...now they can be grumpy from having colds as well!

Just another reason to steer clear of the roads in the coming weeks.

Now about that nap...

Doritos and Coca-Cola

I had a craving today for Doritos and a Coca-Cola.  Granted the little bag of chips have been sitting there on our kitchen counter since last week, and the 1 liter bottle of Coke was almost empty in our refrigerator.  So basically I couldn't help myself...they were just CALLING to me!

I haven't eaten very many chips in recent years.  Sweets are more my thing - hence the refrigerator full of chocolates that my husband brings home when he travels.  What is better than everyday chocolate?  Special chocolate from Europe!

But every once in a while, I get this incredible craving for salt.  Maybe I've had too much water on that particular day...or is it not enough water?  I can never remember the whole salt vs. water thing.

And I have unsuccessfully quit drinking soft drinks.  When I was pregnant with our son, I was really good and very rarely drank Coke or Mirinda (comes in Orange or Green Apple) or Fayrous (malt-flavored Pineapple drink).  And I was okay with that because it meant I could stick to freshly squeezed juices like orange or lemon just about anywhere we went in Cairo.  Until I got terrible heartburn and had to cut out citrus as well.  Can you really drink milk with EVERY meal?!!

But now that I am no longer pregnant, the soft drinks have been calling to me.  Now I know what you're thinking...an educated 32-year-old like me should know better than to be drinking soft drinks at her age.  Yes, I KNOW there is way too much sugar in them, I KNOW that the carbonated water is just not good for you, I KNOW that caffeine isn't the best thing...

But I STILL LOVE THEM!

So here I am, basking in the unhealthy afterglow of eating a bag of Doritos and a big glass of Coca-Cola.  Does life get any better than this?

I Joined the iPhone Craze

I know what you're thinking...is she trying to sell us something?  NO, I am simply making my confession to the world that I have taken the plunge.

Let me give you a little background on my cell phone ("mobiles" here in Egypt) history.  Ten years ago I was one of only TWO in my class who didn't have a cell phone.  No kidding!

And I held out for as long as I could.

I finally got my first cell phone only when I absolutely HAD to because I was renting the upstairs room in this lady's house and couldn't use her phone.

Even when I came to Egypt the first time, buying a mobile was not high on my list of priorities.  I don't think it was even a thought in my head until much later!  Somehow I had in mind that I was in a third-world country and somehow needed to *rough* it (as in, do things the hard way).  Silly, silly Erin!  What was I THINKING?!

First step...getting a phone.

Second step...getting a phone that wasn't the cheapest one in the store.  I don't know what it is but somehow I have always felt guilty about buying a nicer phone.  I mean, it's just a PHONE right?!  You talk on it and that's about it.

WRONG.

Oh, if you could see me now.  Now I must admit that I HAVE had nicer phones (mostly Nokia) in recent years that had some bells and whistles on them.  But nothing like an iPhone before!  This is unlike any world I have ever known!

And the iPhone is particularly addictive due to the wide range of applications available for download.  I think there really is just about anything you can imagine available.  And many of them are FREE (yes, I said FREE!)

Now I got my iPhone just last Christmas so this means I have had it for less than a year.  So I know I am not nearly as iPhone-savvy as many others out there are.  But I can waste (I mean "spend") a lot of time on this baby!  And you should see me when I meet other iPhone users - it's like we're in some special club or something.  Hilarious!

So now the question you may be asking is...so what applications are you using?  (I thought you'd NEVER ask? ;-))

Here are my Top 5 applications in use:
1.  Facebook
2.  Total Baby
3.  MobileRSS
4.  Solebon
5.  AllRecipes Pro

Honorable Mention:  iPhone Weather, TextFree, Free Pedometer, SYTYCD Fan, Craigslist

Do YOU have an iPhone?  If so, what are your favorite applications?

Food Bloggers Extraordinaire

As I sit here waiting for my tea to cool down, I think it's time to share a little about my latest obsession:  food blogs.  I mean, seriously, these ladies are amazing!  Are they cooks or photographers?!  And they're so funny.  I know sometimes I think I'M funny but they are HILARIOUS.

For those of you who are new to the blogosphere...although I can't give you an actual definition of a food blog - basically a food blog is a blog about food (duh!) but I see many that are basically people posting recipes and often posting pictures of the recipes step-by-step (I know, pretty cool, right?). So if you like to cook or just if you like to eat (that includes all of us, doesn't it? ;-)) then you really should check some of these out.  There are apparently hundreds of them, because I discover loads of them daily.  It can be a bit overwhelming.  I mean, I consider myself an okay cook but these ladies make it look easy.

I do wonder, however, how much of their daily lives are wrapped up in "the blog."  I tried just to take a picture of my finished product of the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cake recently and it took me a while to get the lighting right to get the *perfect* picture.  And, seriously, a lot of their photos look professional to me.  And I think if I tried to take pictures while I was actually cooking, I might feel a little schizophrenic and forget something crucial like the flour (I am always trying to live down that one moment in my baking history where I forgot the flour).  It could happen!

I laughed the other day when I was reading the Simply Scratch blog where a lady commented that she felt "inadequate" when she read this lady's blog.  And I can definitely see what she means...I mean, who is going to read my piddly little blog when there are so many amazing blogs (how many times can I use the word AMAZING in one post?) out there that put the rest of us to shame?!

But like with anything, if you do it just so people see you - what kind of happiness are you really going to get out of it anyways?  I started blogging as an outlet for my creative writing genius (ha!), but really if blogging makes me happy - even if nobody reads it (heaven forbid!) then blogging it is!

My tea is cooled down now, and I think I hear a little voice in the other room telling me that my little boy is awake now.

But before I go, here are some of my favorite food blogs so far:

• The Pioneer Woman Cooks
• Simply Scratch
• Karenpie
• Tasty Kitchen
• She Wears Many Hats

Happy reading!

The Art of Long-Distance Friendships

In this day and age, the reality is that many of us will move.  We may move from city to city, across states, across the country, or (in my case) across the world.  And it is often difficult to maintain the relationships from such a long distance, however far away that might be.

I am not sure why some of my friendships have withstood the test of time and distance while others have slowly faded and still others stopped the moment I moved away.  But after a bit of reflection, I think I can string together a few ideas that might help you maintain your long-distance friendships.  My friends can attest that I am NOT perfect and I really could do better, so please take each of these with a grain of salt.

BE SINCERE.  People know when you really mean it and when you don't.  In my opinion, sincerity in a faraway friend is stemmed from a genuine interest in you and your news.  We all know people who say nice things when you see them and then drop off the face of the earth as soon as you're gone.  So let your friend know that they still matter, even though they are farther away that you would like them to be.

MAKE THE EFFORT.  It takes a lot of effort to maintain long-distance relationships - let's just acknowledge that fact right here and now.  However, it can be more difficult and discouraging when you feel like keeping in touch with your friend is a one-sided effort.  You send out an email only to wait weeks or maybe never for a response.  The friendship is still there but it feels like you are dragging it along.  But keep in mind that everyone has circumstances that keep them from answering you in a timely fashion so be reasonable.  Although if you are the guilty party who never replies when others try to reach out to you, maybe it's time to make a little effort from your end.

BE AWARE.  The hardest thing in long-distance friendships is keeping up on everyone's news.  People have babies, lose loved ones, change jobs, get married, move, etc. and if you aren't aware of these changes in your friends' lives you may miss out on a chance to let them know that you care.  I think the friends that I have had the most trouble keeping in touch with have been the ones that I have missed out on several important events in their lives.  And that breaks your connection with them.

BE PATIENT.  Wait for them to answer you.  Like I mentioned before, be reasonable and give people their space.  We all get busy so give them a break!

MIX IT UP.  A little variety will go a long way.  I am constantly amazed at how far technology has come in providing ways to keep in touch.  There are various social networking options (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, etc.), emails, internet phone calls, blogs, you name it.  I fell almost guilty now if I can't keep in touch with someone because really even across continents with all this technology at my fingertips there is no excuse!

ENJOY THE MOMENTS.  I can't tell you how great it feels to have lunch with a friend I haven't seen in months or years and to talk to them like not a day has gone by!  And I am always thankful for these moments because there is no substitute for some face-time with one of your favorite people.  So when you DO see your friends, I say enjoy those moments as much as you can.  They may come few and far between!

LET THEM GO.  For all your good intentions, there are still some people who move away and move on.  They have no interest in keeping in touch with you or are too busy with their new lives to make any effort to keep in touch with people they knew before.  When this happens, try not to get discouraged.  I believe the only thing you can do is to put the feelers out from your side (send them a heartfelt email, etc.) and maybe one day they will respond.  You may be surprised to get a response one day...and maybe not.  Some friendships come into our lives for a season, and the best thing you can do is remember the good times and move on yourself.

The Proud Big Sister

(Left to Right:  Mom, Logan, Chelsey, Dad, Dillon, and me)

I don't know what it is about becoming a mother that has made me so much more introspective lately.  Maybe it's the realization that a little one is always watching and learning from what he sees, but I have become more aware of myself and the people around me.  And sometimes I feel like I am seeing people with new eyes.

For instance, take my three siblings - Logan, Chelsey, and Dillon.  I'll call them the "Triple Threat."  They are pretty amazing.

In case you couldn't figure it out, I am the oldest of four.  My brother Logan is 6 years younger, my sister Chelsey 10 years younger, and my baby brother Dillon is a whopping 18 years younger than I am!  So the distance between us in age is quite large for your average family, and it has taken a while for me to really connect with each one as an individual.

I can't tell you how many times I have used the words "my brother Logan..." (albeit usually in Arabic) as an example of a hard-working, determined young American man.  I was amazed that he was able to finish not one but two master's degrees all the while working nights at UPS!  Yes, the big sister in me is proud but come on, that's quite an accomplishment!

And my sister Chelsey is no different.  She finished her undergrad in Sports Administration and went right into an MBA program.  With ten years between us, you would think that we wouldn't have much to talk about.  How wrong you would be!  She has such a passion in everything she does, and I must say that it is quite inspiring.  I was floored when she got her black-belt in Taekwondo years ago, but now that she is in Guatemala on her first mission trip I must say that I can't wait to see what she will do next!

My youngest brother Dillon is still just 14.  He will be entering high school in the fall, and it boggles the mind to think that the time has passed this quickly.  I believe his resume may outdo all of us - with several acting gigs in local theaters, a black-belt in Taekwondo, numerous Boy Scout awards,...and I'm sure many other things I am not aware of.  I think I speak for my entire family when I say we can't wait to see what the future holds for Dillon!

And I must give recognition also to my parents.  Without them and their love & support, none of us would be where we are today.  I praise the Lord for them!

In a world where so many families live so far apart, many people often have to substitute friends for family.  And although I fully understand this (and have done the same myself at times), there really is NO substitute for  my family.  It can be easy to let Mom do all the work in bringing the family together, but I think it is our responsibility as well to stay in touch with our siblings.

And to Logan, Chelsey and Dillon - I am so proud of you and I love you all so much!

Accentuate the Positive

I know you know it..."accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative" (can't you hear the song in your head like I can?)  Well, I have had this notion in my mind for several years that if people focus on my *eyes* that they won't notice the rest of me, perfect or not so much.  Granted, I do live in a country where I tend to stick out anyways due to a number of things, my hair color, my eye color, my way of dressing (Westernized although moderately conservative, i.e. no sleeveless, no shorts/short skirts, no tight clothes).  Plus I do have always with me the perfect accessory nowadays - I call it the CUTEST KID EVER! (Just HAD to plug that in there somewhere ;-))

So, I have slowly developed over the past few years a love of eye makeup.  I mean, I love the colored eye liners, the different shades of eye shadow, the colored mascaras, etc.  I am by no means some kind of expert (ha!) but there is just something about getting your eyes all done up that makes you feel like a woman.  And over the past few months I have definitely needed this.  With my hair falling out post-pregnancy and trying to regain some shred of my former bodied self, a little eye makeup goes a long way in boosting my self esteem.

I encourage you (ladies only, please) to do the same.  As my college buddies can attest, I was never much of one to primp.  We call that the "natural" look - the nice way of saying that she really doesn't care what she looks like.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the natural look.  But I have found that when I take a little care in my appearance that I feel better about myself in general.

Now I DO live in a country where the ladies can pull out all the stops when it comes to dressing up to go out. Egyptian ladies do NOT go out of the house in their sweats like we do in the States.  But maybe - on occasion - you might like to dress it up.  I am not saying you should overdo it, a *light* hand should be used for all makeup - unless of course for an evening out.

So have some fun with it and see how you feel.  I assure you that the mirror (and that special someone) will love you for it!

It's Called a Dictionary

Through the years I have been appalled at the growing number of native English speakers who cannot spell.  Emails, Facebook posts, Internet sites, you name it, are full of misspelled words, and I have to be honest that it drives me crazy.

Yes, I am one of those people, those perfectionist kind of people.  But I try to think of it in a positive way - as in a striving for excellence.  And yes, I try to make sure that all of my words are spelled correctly.  I am never so embarrassed as to write something on Facebook or one of my blogs and to realize later that I spelled a word wrong!

My mother used a very effective way of teaching me to spell correctly when I was little.  I used to ask her how to spell a word, and she would almost always tell me to go look it up in the dictionary.  What?!  Yes, looking a word up in the dictionary actually teaches you how to spell that particular word correctly.  Trust me, it worked for me and it can work for you.

And now I don't understand what the problem is.  There are dictionaries galore all over the place, many of which are downloaded already onto your computer (aka "spell check") and automatically put that nice little red line under the misspelled word so that you can see it.  Do people turn that off?  Do they simply ignore it?

I am not saying that I, for one, spell every word correctly every time.  On the contrary, I have misspelled several words while typing this post and have corrected them (or been corrected).  It's basic, you just have to make a little effort.

I had a professor in college who ranted and raved about this.  He would even return a paper back to a student with spelling mistakes.  His perspective was that using spell check was not enough, that a personal touch was needed as well to make sure that "there book" is correctly written as "their book" - and I can see what he meant.  And I must confess that this has stuck with me through the years because I use spell check and then I still go back and re-read the document again, not just for spelling errors but also grammar (but that's a subject for another day).

So, please, if you're a bad speller - we still love you - but please try a little harder.  A little correct spelling will go a long way in getting you the respect you already deserve from those around you!

Separation of Mama & Woman

I think that regardless of what country you live in or what country you're from that the idea of being a mother is remains the same.  Many women become mothers and this defines them.  Some take to it so naturally that you might think perhaps that they were born mothers.  I find myself somewhere in the middle.  In fact, I have been perfectly happy for the past 7 months to define myself as the "mother of Amir." 

Interesting fact about the Arab world (and it may be true in other cultures as well) is that many women will actually be called the "mother of (insert oldest son's name here)" although I think this tends to hold true more with the lower classes rather than upper & more Westernized classes.  The first time I met the lady that cleans our house, my husband said that her name was "Om Fady" (Mother of Fady) and I was like "what?!"  So when he left I asked her her name again and she said it again herself "Om Fady."  I had to ask a couple of times to get her actual name.

Don't get me wrong, I am COMPLETELY happy being Amir's mama.  I love that I am able to stay at home with him everyday and not have to go off to work and leave him to daycare.  This means I get to experience every moment with him, to see each new thing he learns, and to capture these moments on camera.  Sometimes I feel like we are living in a dream world where everything else is just kind of a haze, although less so now in the past few months as we are getting out more.

But I guess there is a separation that has to come as well between the woman herself and the "mama persona" that she has become.  Maybe it's not so much a "separation" as maintaining a healthy balance across the board - whether in dealing with my husband or other family members or in interacting with others outside the home.

I have so much respect for moms around the world who are successful as individuals as well as being great moms.  It seems such a daunting task to try to be a great mother and to still have goals & dreams for myself as well!