Manic days of Ma3adi - Mumkin Maniac

No, that's not a spelling error!

A consonant in Arabic has never been translated. It looks like this font of a 3 only exactly backwards. So while in English we say "mah-dee" in Arabic we say
Ma-AAAAAAH-Dee

got that? try it 5 times fast, see if you've got it! HEY, NOT BAD! keep trying ;)

Just wanted to write notes about Manic days of Maadi.

*Sunday, it was approximately 65 and even a cool breeze! The traffic wasn't hectic and I found myself feeling very relaxed and soaking in some tranquil moments as I wandered thru a large garden area. I could actually smell freshness and some flowers instead of the usual ode'de pollution scent.

I popped out and was hit with sensory overload - the noise of a clanky dying bus, the sight of the ugly thing bounding down the road and the lingering black LEADED gas fog choked me......

*Tuesday I enjoyed a cool walk from the apartment at 7:30 am and saw a man washing his car, amazing how fresh a car wash can smell, hard to describe! I turned my head...to see the military personnel peeing on the cement wall.

*Eating lunch today, my son tells me he's glad we don't see horse flies in Egypt because they could eat the poop on the streets outside, fly in here and then puke on our food.

*Most days we got swimming at the same pool. All the lifeguards now know me, accept I do not have many husbands but somehow I have children who do not look alike....but 2 days ago, decided I had to cover my head to return. Why? Because. But why? Because. I only hope it doesn't get over 100 before I find the appropriate attire!

Of course, when we go swimming, we throw out MANY large chunks of food, bottles of water, etc...etc...etc...etc.....but heaven forbid..my long blonde hair should be floating in the pool!! Jasmine has to wear it too since her hair is taweela (long).

*When I tell someone about the man peeing, the serious response it - thanks be to God it was not #2. Yes, be thankful for the little things - is quite a circumstantial and perspective-oriented statement

*When trying to communicate in Arabic that I like the garden on my balcony.....I told an Egyptian man exactly this - I am on my balcony garden, I love you. I'm glad he found me funny. This was Waleed, poor young man!

*When my Sudanese friend from church, James, asked me if Rob was home, I tried to answer in Arabic and I told him I have no husband. Instead of my husband is gone. Thankfully, he also found me funny and is another person who speaks English to me, me Arabic back to him.

*Thinking I should re-label post this "Wendy in Danger!"

*oh danger! in English we would pronounce this Arabic word "Qatar" - in Arabic is it
Keh - Tar - hmm..interesting, no?!

*The sitter shook my hand today and I forgot it's a rub thing, not a grip and shake thing....I accidentally grabbed and shook - thankfully for her, I did remember she's a woman, so I didn't graple w/ all my might ;)

*My teacher gave me a certificate today, said I was top of the class and now am Certified to begin speaking everywhere here and I wonder if he meant "certifiable everywhere I go." Perhaps his English needs work?

*They don't wear bra's or underwear here..it's become a difficult feat to overcome...because...no selling of it either!

*Today I was sick of waiting for the line of taxi's, so I walked out, held the palm of my hand up (very VERY rude here) and they stopped and yelled at me.....while we all walked across. I think I'm acclimating to the culture now too!

*Saw a very cool wedding ceremony a couple weeks ago - tried to hang out and take photos - but the guy w/ the automatic weapon saw me and waved....I then shrunk back in...and peeked thru curtains in my dark appartment. Even the women's veils were fancy! Never seen such extravagance here!!

*Had a guy point his AK47 down the street at us today while checking the clip apparently....two days ago, saw a guy sleeping with his nose bent up....with the barrel of his shotgun as the resting place....two weeks ago, I saw 8 guys playing "swords" with their AK47's. (I hear an 80's song "boys will be boys, bad boys bad boys...." tho the rest of that song does NOT apply)

*Had to inform my teacher, that the old love ballad is Lady in Red, not Lady Ingrid, he was heartbroken and embarrassed...but to hear him sing this song...was....hilarious.

*An Egyptian man asked me something yesterday, I couldn't understand one word. I told it to my teacher...the teacher said this man asked me to have lunch with him - OH DEAR! **need** to find a wedding band my size - MUST continue a search! Of course I'm flattered - everyone here thinks I'm low 20's, this guy was maybe 25...but it's just...well....it's so inappropriate since I **am** married!

*The man above, I told him in English, I only speak English. BRAVO, WENDY!

*Have used 4 taxies and only Arabic in the past 10 days...successfully, I might add!

*Am saying English words strangley - I really think I'm speaking 3 languages now...American, Egyptian-English and Egyptian Arabic! "Must go reversing, please" "You car is where?" yep..in English, I say this because I'm working so hard to think it in both languages, it just comes out so wrong!

*Wore a US flag shirt yesterday...and...um....a man gestured across his chest and pointed to mine, I started to storm off and he looked so confused....later Waleed did almost the same thing and I said something to him about it and he was confused...he wanted to know what flag this was, but did not know the English word "flag"

*Have not had a day go by in over a week, where I don't let cats ride in the elevator with me.

*Could use prayers for my sitter! Nadia is having back surgery!!! Will be in bed for 2 months before she can start Physical Therapy. (Bysical Teraby as we say in Egyptian-English).

Truly, I'm not belittling the people or the language here! It's just so cute and I want you to "hear" it!

*Today, the garbage man (bare hands, bare feet, collects garbage, piles in the street 1 block away, walks thru to sort what's still useable and what's not)

*Today, the garabage man offered me his hand and attempted English. I did not accept his hand and I complimented his English. I figured it was the lesser of two evils to refuse the American gesture he was trying to accomplish...than to shake it and then run upstairs freaking out! I think I'd prefer horse flies, thank you!

By the way, Mumkin is maybe......I typed it on accident, but decided to leave it for you to wonder.....wonder away! Until I get it more under control, my language skills feel like that of a 3 yr old

Adios, Amigos!