Back to life - back to reality
but who's reality are we talking about - and where is the actual real world... Geniuses have been breaking their head on this question. Some of them told me that Egypt and especially cairo is the real world... but now that i am back in Germany I sometimes believe it is there... I guess it all has to do with defining the real world. After having left cairo on 1st Aug 09 I am now back in a world ruled by rules and regulations and minor exceptions. Prior to that I was in cairo for 3 years hearing of rules and regulations but living by the exception. Great difference i can tell you. Nothing happens as expected... and so you dont plan your day or week but plan each hour over and over again - always with plan B in your head and then actually executing plan C. In germany i hardly make plan A as it aint necessary - it is all planned to the dot anyways - be it the train, working hour, lunch break, yoga times, tv shows, bed times, shopping hours etc etc.
Leaving cairo so fast - I adapted pretty fast back in germany - a world that is very familiar to me as i had already lived in Ffm so a couple of years. But coming to cairo now for 4 days as a break makes me realise that this world here is much closer to the real world - you have it all here: Life on streets, bars, restaurants, concerts, street fights, discussions, street cafees, poor - rich, noise - peace, people people people with and without cars fighting their way through daily life... constant fight - sometimes bigger and sometimes smaller... it aint all ruled and regulated as in Germany... and thus all five senses are working at once...
How tiring some ppl might think -- at for sure it is - but it is real!
2 more days to enjoy...
Friday, September 25, 2009
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Click on this bar to see more pictures
Long time no see... and now all you will see is the beauty of the sea that I was honored to see last weekend... oh what a joy... Especially with the two lovely ladies Claudia and Tineeee... Look at all the lovely fishies and I even met NEMO.
The location of this lovely rencontre is called Marsa Alam by the Red Sea which lies in the south of Egypt. Check it out under corayadivers.com (not that i dived ;o)
Long time no see... and now all you will see is the beauty of the sea that I was honored to see last weekend... oh what a joy... Especially with the two lovely ladies Claudia and Tineeee... Look at all the lovely fishies and I even met NEMO.
The location of this lovely rencontre is called Marsa Alam by the Red Sea which lies in the south of Egypt. Check it out under corayadivers.com (not that i dived ;o)
Monday, June 16, 2008
How to reduce the taxi price in Cairo
Ya habibi, I'm local!
Even for a fairly seasoned ex-pat Cairene, cabs can be a major rip-off in Cairo and therefore, CROQ. MAG is willing to give away some highly confidential "codes" to help you pay the "local" foreigner's price.
You regularly get hustled for 7-10 LE for a ride from Zamalek to Downtown.
Here's what you do to take it down to just 4 or 5:
- Discard the bottle of Baraka water prior to hailing the cab (minus 1 LE).
- Don't carry a fancy backpack, or any bakcpack for that matter (minus 50 piastres).
- Yell "Tax!" (and not taxi) while firmly shaking your hand towards the direction you are heading (minus 1 LE).
- Greet the driver with a "Samu-aleikum"(minus 50 piastres, with a further 50 piastres reduction if you perfect a deep manly voice).
- When giving directions: 'yemeen insha allah / shamel insha allah (minus 1 LE).
- When paying, throw the driver a bundled-up pile of dirty notes (minus 50 piastres).
Remember not to overdo it! Don't try to sound "local" because you're NOT and a "Ya habibi" will not only make you sound lame, but will add 5 LE to the ride.
Even for a fairly seasoned ex-pat Cairene, cabs can be a major rip-off in Cairo and therefore, CROQ. MAG is willing to give away some highly confidential "codes" to help you pay the "local" foreigner's price.
You regularly get hustled for 7-10 LE for a ride from Zamalek to Downtown.
Here's what you do to take it down to just 4 or 5:
- Discard the bottle of Baraka water prior to hailing the cab (minus 1 LE).
- Don't carry a fancy backpack, or any bakcpack for that matter (minus 50 piastres).
- Yell "Tax!" (and not taxi) while firmly shaking your hand towards the direction you are heading (minus 1 LE).
- Greet the driver with a "Samu-aleikum"(minus 50 piastres, with a further 50 piastres reduction if you perfect a deep manly voice).
- When giving directions: 'yemeen insha allah / shamel insha allah (minus 1 LE).
- When paying, throw the driver a bundled-up pile of dirty notes (minus 50 piastres).
Remember not to overdo it! Don't try to sound "local" because you're NOT and a "Ya habibi" will not only make you sound lame, but will add 5 LE to the ride.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Rocky & my driving licence
Coming back from Germany didnt only mean coming back into a cold and more or less empty appartment but also coming back to my new companion, Rocky. After doing minor beauty opperations and repearing the front tire, rocky took me and Carsten (friend from Germany who came over for two weeks) to Alex. It was actually quite a nice ride. We drove up to Alex, had a nice walk along the "beach", ate lovely fish (yam yam) and then decided to go back to Cairo. Well driving in the dark with these maniacs around aint that easy. Once back in cairo, I really did collapse. All i thought of in the car was why dont they stick to basic street rules??? It would be so much easier if they would only overtake from one side and not two at the same. Even when driving far right on the road, the other cars find another way to drive past you on the right... Oh well... we arrived okay...
Well I asked all way how they (the Egyptians) get their driving licence. This question got answered. Last tuesday I was accompanied to the licence department in order to apply for an egyptian driving licence (which i need in order to get correct number plates). We (Tobias and a GTZ consultant for these issues) drove with rocky to this place. It was like a big square with bungaloes around. We went in and waited. Our consultant went back and forth, money went back and forth and finally my pic got taken and we are directed outside. What now... I am asked to bring Rocky... I look into the area they show us - what do i see... A big square with some lines, curves, parking lot, how big would it have been? 50m2???
My task: Drive around the square in order to get your license. Yihaaaaa... And so I did... all i hear then is a mabrouk - here is your driving licence!!! Wow that was easy, 2 minutes driving in a square in second gear... and thats it...
YOu see this is the answer to my question... the driving licence is haded out against money... thats it. And I have one too...
Well I asked all way how they (the Egyptians) get their driving licence. This question got answered. Last tuesday I was accompanied to the licence department in order to apply for an egyptian driving licence (which i need in order to get correct number plates). We (Tobias and a GTZ consultant for these issues) drove with rocky to this place. It was like a big square with bungaloes around. We went in and waited. Our consultant went back and forth, money went back and forth and finally my pic got taken and we are directed outside. What now... I am asked to bring Rocky... I look into the area they show us - what do i see... A big square with some lines, curves, parking lot, how big would it have been? 50m2???
My task: Drive around the square in order to get your license. Yihaaaaa... And so I did... all i hear then is a mabrouk - here is your driving licence!!! Wow that was easy, 2 minutes driving in a square in second gear... and thats it...
YOu see this is the answer to my question... the driving licence is haded out against money... thats it. And I have one too...
Monday, November 19, 2007
My new companion
Life has changed. I am no longer alone in the streets of Cairo. I found a companion at the German embassy who was looking for a new home, and after thinking back and forth, I finally (after a month or so) took him home with me. Of course I was a little hesistant at the beginning. Didnt know how I would cope here in the streets, but now that I am conqering the streets of Cairo with him - I feel great. He prevents me from the hassel with the taxi drivers, from the fight in the metro getting out of the doors, from spending most of my income on transportation. Well what shall I say, Rocky rocks!!! Even more, now that my dear flatmate Serene made sure we have the right music to accompany us. Thanks Serene!
Well, all i can do is invite you to join me and Rocky on our trip through the streets of Cairo.
Oy, the dent in the bumper was not caused by me!!! It is there to warn the other cars not to joke with me or Rocky!
Well, all i can do is invite you to join me and Rocky on our trip through the streets of Cairo.
Oy, the dent in the bumper was not caused by me!!! It is there to warn the other cars not to joke with me or Rocky!
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Cairo III
Hmmm i was wondering whether i actually blogged since i am back in cairo for the third time. And I dicovered - NO. well this can not be.
How come i am back? well this i wonder myself every day. But to get down to the facts, although i was trying to concentrate on writing my thesis, I actually did accept a joboffer of the GTZ. Thus I am now working full-time in Cairo at the Children at Risk Programme of the GTZ/EU. This is where i did my second internship. Guess I must have made them quite dependent on me during that time - that they actually consider hiring me for a year and a half ;o)
Well now the winter is slowly approaching. This is actually quite funny, as the most obvious sign of winter, is the policemen changing their clothes from blended white to dark blue - or is it black? Well and slowly but surely the t-shirt weather is disapearing. Althoug... nevertheless we still are going swimming (open air!) and only during praying times, as it is actually a public pool in a not so posh area. But its 50m and kind of clean.
So now i have been here for two months. What have i been up to in this time???? i have to admit I was busy with getting used to work. Somehow i was really shattered the first few months. I now also come to the conclusion it has something to do with me ignoring my thesis - which still has to be written. But honestly no power at all. So i have been pretending that my thesis do not exist, and since then i am feeling a little better - i wonder how long this feeling will hold.
But for now I have a new companion... Rocky...
More about him next time.... have to go... its getting dark outside
How come i am back? well this i wonder myself every day. But to get down to the facts, although i was trying to concentrate on writing my thesis, I actually did accept a joboffer of the GTZ. Thus I am now working full-time in Cairo at the Children at Risk Programme of the GTZ/EU. This is where i did my second internship. Guess I must have made them quite dependent on me during that time - that they actually consider hiring me for a year and a half ;o)
Well now the winter is slowly approaching. This is actually quite funny, as the most obvious sign of winter, is the policemen changing their clothes from blended white to dark blue - or is it black? Well and slowly but surely the t-shirt weather is disapearing. Althoug... nevertheless we still are going swimming (open air!) and only during praying times, as it is actually a public pool in a not so posh area. But its 50m and kind of clean.
So now i have been here for two months. What have i been up to in this time???? i have to admit I was busy with getting used to work. Somehow i was really shattered the first few months. I now also come to the conclusion it has something to do with me ignoring my thesis - which still has to be written. But honestly no power at all. So i have been pretending that my thesis do not exist, and since then i am feeling a little better - i wonder how long this feeling will hold.
But for now I have a new companion... Rocky...
More about him next time.... have to go... its getting dark outside
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
4 years
Exactly four years ago - i packed my stuff in Frankfurt and moved to Heilbronn to start university
Exactly four years ago - Lino was born (Nadine's son)
Exactly four years ago - my brother went to England
Exactly four years ago - I was celebrating my fair well at the Museumsuferfest
Exactly four years ago - I was wondering if i am taking the right step --> going to university
Exactly four years ago - I was hoping to open new doors and travel and enjoy free time
Exactly four years ago - I passed by Heilbronn on my motorbike and wondered what the hell i am thinking of doing
Exactly four years ago - I packed all the office stuff (CIEE Office in Ffm) and sent it all to Berlin as the office was being shut down
Exactly four years ago - I sat by the river with Sunita and Laurence philosophing what life will bring
... well... and now - four years later - my stuff is still packed in boxes and i am sitting here in cologne (suposingly writing my thesis) instead wondering what will come next.
... i am sitting here writing my thesis
... i am phoneing friends who i havent seen for a while
... i am driving to frankfurt preparing my work contract
... i am flying to turkey to party
... well in general i can say i am trying to wrap up my last four years of university by finishing my thesis and parallel i am planning my new working career with the GTZ in Cairo
What happened in the last four years... well if i need another break from my thesis - i will write this down in my blog at least as far as my memory helps me
Exactly four years ago - Lino was born (Nadine's son)
Exactly four years ago - my brother went to England
Exactly four years ago - I was celebrating my fair well at the Museumsuferfest
Exactly four years ago - I was wondering if i am taking the right step --> going to university
Exactly four years ago - I was hoping to open new doors and travel and enjoy free time
Exactly four years ago - I passed by Heilbronn on my motorbike and wondered what the hell i am thinking of doing
Exactly four years ago - I packed all the office stuff (CIEE Office in Ffm) and sent it all to Berlin as the office was being shut down
Exactly four years ago - I sat by the river with Sunita and Laurence philosophing what life will bring
... well... and now - four years later - my stuff is still packed in boxes and i am sitting here in cologne (suposingly writing my thesis) instead wondering what will come next.
... i am sitting here writing my thesis
... i am phoneing friends who i havent seen for a while
... i am driving to frankfurt preparing my work contract
... i am flying to turkey to party
... well in general i can say i am trying to wrap up my last four years of university by finishing my thesis and parallel i am planning my new working career with the GTZ in Cairo
What happened in the last four years... well if i need another break from my thesis - i will write this down in my blog at least as far as my memory helps me
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
