Half Way to Cleopatra

Lasts views over Nile

The Flat Conquest proceeds…

In a couple of weeks I won’t have this view anymore…
but at least I ll be having decent life conditions…

incha-ah-la…

posted by Half Way to Cleopatra @ 1:33 PM 0 comments  

Birthday

My birthday day was on Friday, the 26th…
Began as a normal day, made pancakes, made my laundry…

Lunch was nice, went with Elise, Heny, Ryan and Lorenza to Didos, in Zamelek ( for a change) they made me a surprise and my dissert came with 3 magic candles, those ones that don’t turn off…






Dinner was simply divine…
We went to Sapporo, in Sheraton Cairo…Fine Japanese… Sushi, Salmon, Octopus, Tuna Fish, Shrimp, California Rolls… What a blast…

During the Dinner I felt I wasn’t in Egypt…
was so.. but so like home!!!!

On Saturday night Mars should appear in the sky…
so I and Sameh went to Moqottan (I think it’s the name)…. We wait...wait….look up…look up….nothing!!!

The weekend was amazing.. I want to thanks to all that made me feel good, and those who stayed with me and celebrate, although I was sad and missing home and family and my friends, I realy appreciated all… and I bring you all in my heart!!!
Katlin, who called me from USA!!!!

Sameh, who arrived from Saudi Thursday night and took me out
Samy, who left to India, but spent Thursday night with me, as well.
Elise And Heny, who made me the surprise Cheese Cake at lunch, and later Elise went with me to the Japanese.
Ryan and Lorenza who also spent the day with me

Augusto, who join me at the Japanese

My Friends form Portugal:
Diana, who phoned me
The P.U.T.A.S. ( Oh dear!) who phoned me and from Lisbon made the party and drank some caipirinhas and vodkas for me… ei guys.. u made me cry!! And later I want to see the pics!!!
And all the ones that I didn’t mentioned, but also made me happy with text messages, or phone calls!!!

posted by Half Way to Cleopatra @ 10:32 AM 1 comments  

2nd round, 10 to go

Me and Katlin





2nd month in Egypt


2 months has passed since I arrive Egypt… among all the differences I notice in me, there some are quite notorious, also, some of my believers about some things had changed…

Physics
- my hair is shorter (ahaha) well, its kind of damaged, dry and with more dead ends that usual
- my skin is dry and dirty
- gained 8 kilos
- my backs are hurting everyday
- my nails are dirty
- my immunity system is weak..

Physiologic
- more patience than usually
- can control (most of the times) my bad temper about certain type of situations
- indifference for many thing I always thought as standards for my believers, eg: Friendship values, life style values..
- understanding and tolerance for what Im not used to, for the differences

All things in life has the good and the bad side…
I found many good things here, as I found bad…
its just a question of how well can we deal with it, the flexibility to adjust and to show our opinion…
Fit in doesn’t mean stop been ourselves, or let others to step on us… it’s all a matter of cultural exchanges.. where the respect it’s the most important…
Some values as friendship may be different from Portugal to USA,to Egypt, to Greece… however, the respect and acceptance those differences are the basis…
Also about friendship, I changed most of my values about it, when I first get here, I looked for someone to talk, to share the personal experiences, like a friend, the person that I found, has disappointed me, although the cultural differences, the values for friendship are not so different from Portugal to USA…
As we started to know the people around us, we are able to choose and to know in who we can or cannot trust…
and I already found some like that…
its sad, but it’s a growing process…
However, I found in Katlin a good comrade… in our friendship the respect and the concerning about the other welfare are there…
Friend is to know everything about the other, and still love, respect and accept him…

I hope can make more friends here, feel that I didn’t hung out with some persons that already left, and I didn’t had the chance to meet them better, as Laura, Jenny, Alli G…
but hope I can get to know the ones that still here, as well as the local ones…

ps: diet still goes... however, can't resist to Betingen and missay-a

posted by Half Way to Cleopatra @ 9:51 AM 2 comments  

NOt MucH, Always The SaMe...

So many things since last post…

Sincerely I don’t have time to post, im looking for a new flat to move with Katlin and Leah, hop by the end of the month or the first week of September…incha-lah!!
Our favorites areas are Zamalek and Doki. So, if anyone know some nice apt in one of these areas, 3 bedroom, good conditions, just let us know…

Im starting to get sick of this stupid assignment that they gave me in at work… its f*** ridiculous, and worst, there this guy, who is supervising us, that is pushing and demanding to much, much than the rope can handle… keep smiling Paula, just keep smiling… I really don’t care… i feel already a huge deception about this, and I know that my real work will start in a few weeks, but, I really feel no sense in doing this… what for, I ask myself … The only good thing is that i ear portuguese radio on the internet...

The Sallamers are leaving… I went to the palace in the other day, and doesn’t look the same… Laura is leaving today… I ll miss you!!!!

My birthday is next Friday, im going the Japanese, a f*** expensive in Sheraton Hotel, incha-lah… Usually on my birthday I get depressed… perhaps that the reason im only excited to go for the food….

My Arabic is getting good… I manage to argue with the garbage man, that persisting in charge us 20LE a month, and we already had paid him 2 weeks ago.. Also speak with taxi drivers, people at the market…

Im starting my diet all over again…

I think I ll have my camera today, it will be wonderful!!!

posted by Half Way to Cleopatra @ 9:56 AM 0 comments  

Blue Hole and the Prozac effect

posted by Half Way to Cleopatra @ 9:50 AM 4 comments  

Sinai

posted by Half Way to Cleopatra @ 9:47 AM 0 comments  

Why can't be simple like a cheesecake??

Me Hourse Back Ridding












This last few days i have been lots of thing to do and to think..
im reconsidering lots of things in my life, in all the fronts, and its getting difficult get to a conscience decision with so many things on game…
life in not easy,
I would never expect it to, if it was, there was no join in livin'it,

have a twisted sympathy for challenging things, although, I must feel a minimum of pleasure for the challenge it self, or for the "light in the end of the tunnel"..

Probably I ll be the only understanding the real meaning of this metaphors..

I wont say it in a public space if i wasn’t…
yeah..
I m not making sense… like everything around me is not making any sense for me…

yesterday had some important "discussions" that made have sure that im not the only crazy in Egypt…
rather be…

Trying to have a intelligent discussion about religion with a guy that says that pre-marital sex makes diseases but after marriage doesn’t its kind of tyring…

I respect the faith and the religion, but I cant understand how some people can be so limited, and denying scientific facts…
not only the pre-marital sex issue…


I fail to Yasmine yesterday, since she returned I didn’t saw her, and yesterday I had planned to visit her, cause she twisted her ankle, but, sorry Yasmine!! I really miss you!!!!


After this not very challenging discussion I talk about tolerance…

tolerate other cultures, respect them, the way that some people use cultural differences to explain certain types of behavior…

I try don’t do that, but the true is that even between western cultures the views differ considerably … living with different western cultures can be difficult enough, almost as weird as Egyptians… But lets faced it... there are HUGE cultural Differences.....

I do my best trying to keep an impartial and objective position without judging's…
however, the fact of accept some cultural differences, and try to fit me and adapt me doesn’t mean ill let someone step on me that’s another issue, that’s deals with my own personality, and in that front…

im not objective, and my blood boils (a lot)…

After this nonsense I feel much better..
Better what???
Don’t know… kind need saying something…

I thought on screaming, but it wouldn’t be cultural accepted…

I just want to the world stop his rotation, so I could have a 3rd view perspective from my life…

posted by Half Way to Cleopatra @ 2:48 PM 2 comments  

Sometimes i just want to go home

Daan, Ali Taha, Nasrim in alex



















My head just exploded!!!

I had been assigned of a shity task, unchallenging, and monotonous…
generally I loose interest very fast, if I don't find motivation on the tasks, just forget it…
my results turn out to be the worst ..
I lost concentration and focus!!
I can't help it….
I need challenging…

Not just my head explode with the uncomfortable task, but also I burn my eyelashes looking at the tiny numbers on the screen for 7 hours straight…
move on… life goes on…
( im thinking serious in getting the first plain home and cry on my mother lab)

Arabic classes are going well… can say hello and good bye!!
And also I can say the name of one of my favorite food here, bitigeen!!!

For the first time I toke alone the subway, going to Maadi, and even on women carriage I felt observed, as if I was some alien… sow many women wearing burke, or as we used to call it: ninja suit or penguin.

The harassment continues on the streets… its really doesn't matter anymore if im in Downtown, Maadi, Giza….
And I swear that someday I ll loose my head be aggressive to these men… I just want to snore following by the ahaaa ( its like saying every bad names and slang words and offending the guy and his entire family…. Its kind cool.. but not allowed to do it on street, or I might be in serious troubles!!

Daan left today.. it was my first goodbye.. i cant find a way to express what im feeling... Ill miss you!!
i hope to see you again, somewhere!!!

posted by Half Way to Cleopatra @ 4:05 PM 2 comments  

Me, Laura, Simona, Daan, Jessica (etc) Khan-el-kalili one month ago







This last weekend I met new people, nice and funny!
I say goodbye Sameh, he went on "vacations" to Saudi Arabia.. miss u!
I ate yellow watermelon!
I miss diet !
And yesterday, Katlin cut my hair!

Yes.. its like 5 to 8 cm shorter… and I really like it!!!
Perhaps ill ask her to cut more!!

Day 2 off diet: never mind…no exercise yet.. lots of carbohydrates…some fruit… lots of vegetables… lazy ass still on bed after work…

My camera is still broken.. of course I didn’t take it to fix…
I don’t have the bloody idea where Sony is.
I don’t even know where the post office is!!!
I barely know where Im I!!

posted by Half Way to Cleopatra @ 8:13 AM 2 comments