Today was sort of a lazy day. I slept in a bit and then took a stroll around the neighborhood. I always wear my hair in a ponytail, but today it was down and "out" and oh boy did people notice. All the men made hand gestures about my hair and whistled. Who knew a little bit of blonde hair could get so many people riled up. Needless to say, it was in a ponytail by the time I got to the local grocery store.
The grocery store close to here is pretty expensive and really only for expats and very wealthy Egyptians. I found some things to use to make lunch and some pita bread Kate wanted to use for dinner. Then I went on a hunt for a tea kettle. The one in the apartment is a 3rd degree burn waiting to happen- there's a hole in the top that blasts steam in your face, the handle gets super hot and has melted, and it's hard to pour. Considering that it's used on average 8-10 times a day in this apartment by its six residents, I figured it would be a nice thank you gift for letting me stay here for two weeks.
Of course it was on the highest shelf. Knowing no Arabic but "thank you" I somehow communicated that I wanted the tea kettle. He got it down for me and proceeded to speak to me in Arabic. I felt awful, but he finally understood that I had no idea what he was saying. I checked out, got my change and walked back to the apartment where I did some dishes, some reading, and replied to a lot of e-mails. It's hard to believe that when I get back to DC that wedding season begins and I'll be done with this blog and be on to this one!
I also went out on the deck today to take some pictures of the neighborhood. There's always something going on below- someone selling vegetables, kids playing, or a car accident with tons of people crowding around to make it more dramatic. The circle their building is on is just crazy- I don't like roundabouts in DC- I can't imagine driving on this one.
Tonight will just be a quiet night in- Kate was diagnosed with Bronchitis this afternoon and Nic has lots of homework. We're going to make a tasty dinner and just relax... trying to remember what relaxing feels like, because once March hits and he weddings begin, I won't know what that means anymore!
1 comment:
You know how I am obsessed with learning foreign languages? It's largely because I am really creeped out by the experience of being unable to communicate with someone. I want to know every language. This is not ever going to happen, and I hope I won't let it keep me from exploring like you do. Congratulations on your bravery, katy!
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