Cairo: The City of Overstimulation

I know it's been two weeks since I last posted. Sorry. That is the funny thing about Cairo - while we've only been here about four weeks, it feels like four months. That isn't a bad thig, just how it is - we all think so. There has been so much going on that sitting down to post seems to have taken the back seat. Things are either super busy or I'm so overloaded that nothing can come out. So on this quiet Friday morning, I thought I would just share some observations.

Cairo is a loud city. Loud. The Egyptian people don't know what a conversational voice level is. It constantly sounds like they are trying to get each others attention arcoss the room when they are three feet away. The funny thing is that most of the time, they are just talking. The cars honk all of the time. All. Of. The. Time. The thing about it is that all of the honking means something and you learn very quickly what they are "saying" to you while they honk. Egyptians like their music - especially turned up loud. I've actually had to ask taxi drivers to turn down the music. The calls to prayer sound five times a day. From speakers. All around the city. They are fading into the background but they are still there. Especailly on Fridays when they read for an hour. The streets are built up on all sides so that all of the sound travels as through a tunnel.

Cairo is a crowded city. You learn very quickly that walking on the side of the road means almost rubbing up against cars parked on the side. Taxis drive within inches of you and you just get used to it. People are everywhere - not quite like Times Square but constantly there.

Cairo suprises you every day. Some mornings you get up to go to work and find a small lake at the bottom of your road so you have to walk through sand, rocks, and piles of trash to get to the bus. Taxis will "fail", kick you out, and then speed off once you pay them. You go to the pyramids and see emaciated or rigored animals all along the way. You find yourself interacting with local people very differently than you thought you would - especially men.

And living in Cairo is so beautifully different than anywhere else. You learn the beauty of fresh produce (even if it isn't the best season quite yet). You learn to love not having a car. You learn how to quickly love and appreciate new people - some of which you may not have interacted with in your life before here. You learn that despite what you've known before, it is not only acceptable but encouraged to invite yourself to people's homes/events. You learn to crave the community of like minded people and the joy of learning from those so different from you. You learn to expect the unexpected and just go with it. Everyday you feel the pride of just doing it - jumping in with both feet. You lay down at night and think, "I can't believe I did it." And every night, "it" is something new. At the same time, you lay down every night and feel humbled. You don't know it all, you can't do it all, and you still have a lot to learn.