Thoughts of an Egyptian Woman

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Zamalek

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Just Breathe

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Riding the train to Alexandria 🚂

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The Citadel, Alexandria, Egypt

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"When you feel life at crossroads, you need higher perspective view." Toba Beta

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"Yeah we all shine on like the moon and the stars and the sun" ~John Lennon

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“It is the nature of the strong heart, that like the palm tree it strives ever upwards when it is most burdened” ~Philip Sidney

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5 Reasons why not to get a dog in Egypt

Dogs are the cutest thing ever. They are loyal and love you no matter what. That unconditional love you can’t get anywhere else. I don’t need to keep talking about how amazing they are, coz most of you out there already know that. What I really wanna talk about is the reasons why you can’t enjoy having a puppy if you are Egyptian. And I believe that anyone who has ever owned a dog will relate.  

1.       Slavery

When you first take the puppy home first thing you hear your mother saying: “ah tab3an ana el halbes”. They automatically assume that we are not responsible enough and she will be doing all the work. This is not entirely true, maybe at first she might help around but eventually she WILL NOT feel its existence at home. She will not be a slave (as they claim) serving the dog and cleaning up after it all day and all night. Even when you say just leave it in my room, they are not satisfied.

2.       You just DON’T love me

Why are you doing this to me, I’m too old for this (by the way she is at her prime). You kids just don’t love me is what you will keep hearing.

3.       Just WHY?

And of course you will hear “You are NOT home most of the time, so why do you want it. I never asked for a dog.”  And good luck trying to explain why.

4.       Empty threats

At some point you reach a whole new level… “ohhh trust me when you are not home, I will just give it away” We all know they are empty threats, but honestly hearing it all day every day is too boring.

5.       The theory

Mothers are quite resourceful; they then start searching online for reasons to back up a theory they have. The dog is not hygiene! It’s against Islam to have a dog at home! This is considered cruelty to have it at home! Naturally when you find other sources backing you up and references stating that having the dog at home is not against Islam, they just DO NOT listen.    

Conclusion:  This happens to all of us, just don’t give up easily.  

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Prince Charming

Prince Charming

  I am a highly confused individual. I don't know what i want most of the time and may appreciate things after losing it. Not all the time of-course but I have had my fair share of regrets. When I was younger I didn't date much, not because the lack of opportunity but more of believing in the fairytale.

  Conclusion: I blame all my commitment and relationship problems on Disney…

  Take a few seconds and think about it. Throughout our childhoods, we have been watching Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and Cinderella. They all have one thing in common: "prince charming.” The prince who will rescue you, the one true love, the perfect guy… So since I was a kid, I kept dreaming of my prince and no one could ever live up to him. He had to be perfect. Through my years of waiting, I came across all types of guys. They used to really like me, some were even deeply in love but I kept pushing them away.  None of them was my prince.

Finally, I met the perfect guy. He was a real prince. The kind of guy every girl would pray daily to find. Even though he started falling for me, I felt nothing except admiration and my strong fear of commitment succeeded in pushing him away. Of course like any cliché American movie, I fell for the wrong guy. I thought he was the one for me, but trust me I was confused and naive. I was inexperienced and didn't know what love should be like. I was taken by his charm at first. He was someone who seemed to be in control and reliable. Now that could be my prince, I thought. But the unfortunate truth is that all I ever believed to be charming about him turned out to be a burden I can’t handle.

I don't know what I was thinking, we simply didn't fit. We have extremely different mentalities and mindsets. I would have never been happy in our marriage. Suddenly, I realized that there is no prince and no fairytale and I should start living in the real world.

That doesn't mean that I should lower my expectations but I should consider saying good bye to prince charming and getting to know a real nonfictional man… Someone who isn't perfect but will do anything for you. Someone who will always try to be a better person just for you and will always put you ahead of himself. Since then i started seeing guys differently. Maybe I still didn't find the one or resolved my commitment issues but at least I'm trying. The thing that I won’t compromise in is finding the ONE. Hopefully after changing my perspective, I will be able to give him a chance and let him make me the one and only princess. Why not?? Everything is possible =D

 So this is just my way in saying good bye Disney

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Dress to Work

Driving everyday to work takes forever, because of  course I live in Dokki and my work “el na7ya el  tania” Masr el gedida. I wake up early in the morning  spend more than 30 minutes trying to decide what to  wear and finally grab my everyday jeans, and any  blouse I probably find on the cluttered-with-clothes  chair, and please don’t judge, because I know every  girl has one. Ok, back to the subject, on my way to  work I have only 2 means for entertaining myself.  The obvious one is listening to music, the second is  watching people on the street and in their cars. For  the second time please don’t judge, it’s a harmless  hobby. Well, watching all these people I couldn’t  help myself noticing how they are dressed and I  think, oh they just did the same thing I did this morning. They grabbed the most efficient outfit they found their way. The fact is we all look really comfy but no glamour is found in the air.

I started thinking of my parents, and how they looked like in our old photo albums. Most of my mother’s pictures were literary glamorous, they could fit on a cover of a fashion magazine. The thing I noticed the most is her legs. Don’t get me wrong, I mean they showed in most pictures. Women back then used to wear dresses, skirt and the exception was covering their legs. People didn’t harass them on the streets or even look at them differently. They were proud of their femininity, and no on condemned them for that.

Watch any old movie and take a good deep look of their appearance. Whether at work, club or casino el 7amama they were dressed up. Nowadays try walking on the streets dressed like Faten Hamama, I bet after walking one block, you will go home in tears. I tried explaining to myself, that the conditions and culture back then were different, and they had better living conditions, and these days everyone know the facts and figures : 3ashwa2eyat w Gahl.

So the conclusion if walking in the streets, try to dress conservatively. Ok, that won’t be a problem but maybe I could try to be like a parent’s generation and Faten Hamama at work. People are defiantly educated and open minded. So I tried wearing a skirt, not that short by the way, and now off to work. Arriving at work everyone noticed my legs, they weren’t rude about it or thought that I was showing too much skin but I looked odd naturally, as every other girl was dressed like me on my normal day. I didn’t mind them noticing me actually I might have been flattered by their kind complementary words. The thing on the other hand I used to hear a lot: Do you have a meeting today? The fact is I had a meeting, but why should it be like this? Why did things change so much? Why can’t I look good just for the fun of it. Why is there always a hidden motive?

I arrived to the meeting and met with my client, she complemented me on my outfit, and we started the discussion on dressing for work. She had the same problems that every girl has these days. She likes dressing up and wearing dresses and skirts but always feeling odd and out of place.

Finally I decided the hell with it, I will dress the way I want, when I want and I will be the Faten Hamama of this era, in fashion only of course. Maybe along the way I will change some people’s mindset.