We arrived in Cairo in August, 2009.
It is always a shock to arrive at your overseas destination. The trip is over---yet there is still so much that yet has to happen! There is no time for a victory dance. There's a bus you need to load at the tarmac. There's a crowd to navigate through once in the airport.
I'll never forget my first encounter with a tourist in Cairo. It happened right inside the door of the airport. He was a struggling father trying to push an umbrella stroller with his kid. As a mom, I felt for him. Yet, at the same time, I had my own small child to protect. His continued pushiness was endangering my son.
"Excuse me. I'm trying to get through," he let me know.
"We all are. But we have to be patient," I said with a smile and some firmness to my voice.
"If you could just move out of my way," he reasoned, as if he were on a power walk around the lake.
"Ya," I was getting testy, "I can't. This is Egypt and it's best to learn how to be patient and wait."
He waited. He said something under his breath but he did stop pushing his kid into my kid.
Even now, I remember that man when I want to keep my own patience in check. You simply have to relax a bit within the chaotic framework of a gazillion people living along the banks of one long river. Everyone wants. Everyone needs. Yet, Allah provides what is best-- when the best time occurs.
When I gave birth to my son, I wanted to share him with his father's family in Egypt. I wanted them to feel the connection and to embrace him. Later, when AbuBoo headed over to Egpyt, he went alone. My son and I stayed back in America--waiting to hear if Al-Azhar would permit another marriage between the exes (after their three divorces). Though I desperately wanted my son to be held by his grandfather, Baba Ahmed, this was not to be.
Baba Ahmed died the week after our American divorce. Six days after AbuBoo landed in Cairo, his father died--without ever seeing the photographs I had sent. He never saw them because his son, my former husband, didn't make it to his parents' home right away. He spent the last days of his father's life in Giza with his ex and his kids. The pain of that really did haunt me.
Even though I wanted to settle into my new life in the big city, I wanted very much to bring my boy to his grandma on the coast. Before I had left on our trip, I had arranged it all with AbuBoo. He was so happy that his mom could see Mr. Boo. The first and current wife was not happy (probably since Baba Ahmed had barred her from ever setting foot in the house again). It seemed like everything would go nicely for a short stay. My former brother-in-law could pick me up from the airport.
Wait.
Um...no, he couldn't.
That change in the plan came the night before I left, in a quick call from AbuBoo, as I was enroute to grab wi-fi. With my cell phone tucked into my hejab (and my hands on the wheel ) I learned that I'd be at the Cairo airport with his son and NO WAY TO GET TO THE COAST.
OK, he didn't yell at me. Those caps are in place to show the mind-blowingness of it.
Of course, so much was going in my life that, in many ways, I was mondo-beyondo. I just let the scary thought wash over me. I gave it up to God. Wallahi. I reacted very calmly and told my ex not to worry. I'd find a way.
He told me that the trip in a taxi would cost about $50. Although, he couldn't get that money to me but I had that much, right?
Right.
Well, not really. I mean....somehow. I didn't worry because I couldn't worry. I made it to the local falafel restaurant and greeted the Palestinians who had been so gracious that summer. They had allowed me to use their wi-fi without purchase. They had even translated for me with the Egyptian Consulate in Chicago (and why Egyptians can't find an English speaker for that job is unfathomable). Now, I was coming to send one last email and to say goodbye.
I was given free falafel and fries and--
fifty dollars.
Subhanallah!
I hadn't told them a thing about my conversation along the way. I had only shared it with Allah. But look how amazing and merciful Allah is! Not only was I receiving a gift of money, but also I was being shown that all my needs would be taken care of. The crystal clear message was to release worries.
I carried that money with me in my pocket that early morning at the Cairo airport. It was the deciding factor on who would be my driver for the next two hours. The driver had to do the job for $50.
That eliminated a lot of people! The young drivers with their fancy new cars all refused. Then, an older man offered a ride in his beat-up Peugot wagon. He seemed kind and nice. In the end, he got the job.
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3 comments:
MashaAllah! It really shows that Allah subhana wa ta'ala agreed with your decision to move to Egypt.
Assalamaliki, I was looking for some info on Egypt and expats and ran into your blog. I was wondering how fruitful staying in Egypt is if you consider learning Arabic, being in a Muslim environment as key priorities.
We are from India and I am a homeschooling mom. We have thought often of moving to a Muslim country where my kids can learn to speak Arabic and join a really good Hifdh program. We are totally lost coz my husband is into sotware development and there seem to be no jobs.
I'm sorry this is a really long comment but I didnt know how to mail you....
Jazakillah khayr for reading through and your time :)
p.s. your blog is quite interesting.
Wa Alaykom Asalam Educatin,
Good questions! For my son and I, it has been a good choice for us to learn more Arabic, though it's a slow go...of two and a half years to be understood by the vast majority. We have not been concentrating on formal Arabic. The Egyptian street Arabic we know is not seen as proper...but everyone knows it around the world thanks to Cairo's cinema industry.
From what I understand, I think you'd be happier in Pakistan than coming to Egypt. I know of many Pakistani-American youths who get sent overseas for a year to become hafiz (memorizers of the Quran by heart). They seem to do very well there.
I don't think Egypt would be a good choice for you, in my opinion. There is a lot of classism/racism and Indians are not seen as worth as much as Europeans---astragferallah. This works in my favor but against you. And OF COURSE this has NOTHING to do with Islam, which is totally against viewing people by skin color.
The other thing is that you are used to the Indian culture which is simmilar in some ways to Egyptian culture (I know both extremely well). The long tunics I wear are Pakistani and are not as usual here as other clothes. People stare a bit. They aren't very flexible seeing other cultures coming in to the mix. Sure, they will welcome...but they won't welcome into their fold.
There aren't a lot of ordinary food products from overseas within the neighborhoods and I know how Indians like their foods. It would be a struggle for you as mom to provide for your family's eating everyday.
All that aside, Egypt is still having problems daily. You're right that jobs are scarce. But the jobs situation is secondary to the political and security issues. It's not a good time to come here for anyone, in my opinion. There will be better times ahead inshahallah.
Let me know if you have any follow up questions. :)
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