The Beautiful People vs Mr/Mrs. Personality

Do you think that people who are not that good looking have better personalities? Remember that old song "They call you Mr. Personality because you're so ugly!" Well that was an extreme but you know the how people think when someone describes a person as having a "great personality" that automatically means they're not a looker? Of course beauty is in the eyes of the beholder but I'm talking about just general societal standards, so play along. I don't mean any offense to anyone so take this with a grain of salt.

You see, I have this theory: People who are of below average looks are forced to rely on other aspects of their self. They develop a good sense of humor, they're funny. They focus on studies/reading and therefore become better students/smarter. They are more unique. These traits are developed in childhood, more towards the tween/teen years. I also think people who are beautiful get ahead in life more easily. They get special treatment, more opportunities, and attention. When someone who is, let's say plain, doesn't have these advantages, it builds character. Less attractive people learn there is more to them than the outside and build that, while a lot of the time beautiful people depend on their looks to get by because it works. I'm referring to physical beauty here only. A sense of humor and intelligence is more important and more beautiful, I think.

I suppose beautiful people get preferential treatment because humans are visual. We're subconsciously drawn to good looking people. Also, people go by first impressions and think if something looks good, it must be good. It's like The Hunchback of Notre Dame. People hated him on his looks alone and it happens all the time in this world. While hotties get to skip lines, free stuff and better service. It's not fair but it's true.

The best is when you don't care what anyone thinks. I'll admit, I get intimidated around really beautiful women. Just nervous and self conscious. I'm working on it though.

What do you think? Do pretty people have it easier in life? Do less attractive people have better personalities?

Cairo

So yesterday E had a meeting in Cairo and asked if we wanted to come for the day. I love a little spontaneity, so the kids took the day off school and we headed for Cairo. The drive was a long 5 hours but we're used tot he 8 hour drive to where my husband is from so it wasn't too bad. Most of the way is boring desert but there are some pretty sights driving through Ein el Sokhna.


We passed 2 stretch limo and trucks with sound equipment going the other way in the Red Sea direction and decided maybe it was Beyonce on her way to the concert she was giving in Porto Ghalib tonight.

Finally when we reached Cairo, and not 15 minutes into the city, I already was thankful I lived in Hurghada and not Cairo. Seriously? The city looks like there is a coat of black dust over everything. This is just going into Giza and passing through Tahrir. In Hurghada we have dust and litter but not like this. The air is cleaner of course. The traffic was bad and the fumes were gross. Here's my drive by shot of the Nile.



We thought the zoo would be a good place to spend some time. It's one pound to get in but it's really a sad place. I don't think it was this bad last time we were here a couple of years ago. We love animals but the conditions there were unspeakable. Most of the animals were not out because it was near closing time and some zoo guys kept wanting to show us some animals for tips. There were people trying to sell stuff and one woman came toward us and said to me "come here I want to tell you a secret!" I was like "Come on kids!" There are weirdos at every turn! I don't know what she wanted.

It's pretty big and there aren't any clear signs or directions. Lots of empty cages. They have cats and dogs in cages there, you guys. Long haired cats are a rarity here I suppose but not a zoo animal in my mind. There are more stray cats than anything. The cages were small and filthy. It's depressing. The only animals that We felt looked ok and actually got to see were these below.

Baboons...open the pic in a new window cause they are the same color as their habitat.


These little dessert foxes.


This elephant passed us on his way somewhere all I could say was "there's an elephant right in front of me"


There are some cool looking old trees there though.


So we got shooed out of the zoo half an hour before closing time and got some snacks from a street vendor and walked a bit while the kids finished eating them. Unfortunately the urine soaked floor of the zoo wasn't were this animal behavior ended. We saw a guy pee on the street. It was disgusting. The street is lined with trash and I refuse to throw trash on the ground. Dawood was like "what's the difference?" It's the principle! We kept walking. No trash can in sight. We finally came to the "Faculty of Engineering" I guess it's part of the Uni, and threw our snack wrappers/drink bottles in the dumpster inside.

We decided to spend the rest of the time at the Mall. A nice clean, non smelly place. Thankfully the first cab I hailed stopped. The new white checkered cabs are cleaner and have a working meter so we were so glad to sit for a while till we got to Nasr City. There was traffic but Tahrir has lots of sights to look at from the street vendors to the billboards so it was ok. I even got a pic of the Cairo tower on the way.



So from the dirtiest place in Cairo, to the cleanest, we got to City Stars Mall. I think it's the biggest one in Egypt. It's nice but most stuff is expensive. We had lunch in the food court and walked around looking at shops, people watched. I've never seen so many skinny jeans/ballet flats/carina top hijabi's in in one place.


We saw these tiny turtles for sale at a kiosk and I thought they were so cute. 75LE each. Too rich for my blood but so cute.



The kids thought the fountain was a good photo op.

There are no benches in the mall. The only way you are sitting down is by buying something. We even got scolded for sitting on this little bench-like ledge by the stairs. You're not allowed to lean on the glass railings that goes all around the center of the malls floors either. Later we stopped to get milk shakes at Mcd's just to sit for a while.

We played around in Toys R Us for a bit.


BIG Piglet!


Cute Lemur!


Finally we had dinner at Papa Johns. We were all tired.

I didn't even realize Dawood was making that face till I uploaded the pics!


All in all, a long day but a change of pace. It was really striking to see the big difference between the people at the zoo and the people at the mall. Makes you think about the haves and have nots.

To Tell or Not to Tell

I'm always faced with the decision of if I should tell people here my background of growing up in the US or not.

When shopping or at, for example the hairdressers, I avoid it. People tend to think if you came from America you must be rich like on "Za bold and Za beautiful". They'll charge me more, it's not right but it happens. I also have to make sure the kids don't speak English in a cab or a shop for the same reason.

In social settings, when meeting someone new, I'd rather they know. My looks and Arabic can get me by as a born and bred Egyptian for a short convo, but when talking longer people start to notice. I feel like to someone who doesn't know, I'd sound pretty stupid messing up conjugations and tenses. So I'd rather they know than think me a simpleton who can't speak correctly.

Also, I guess I have a slight accent or say words differently even when speaking correct Egyptian dialect, because I always get the "Where are you from? You don't sound Egyptian.". Either way, people here, especially in Hurghada always ask each other where they are from because a lot of people move here from Cairo or other cities. They usually want to know what kind of area you came from, so I usually just give my standard answer: My parent's are from Cairo, but I was born and raised the US and moved here 7 years ago.

It's always a sort of awkward exchange and most of the time people ask if I wore hijab in the US and are surprised to learn that many women do. I always tell them how Muslims in the US don't take Islam for granted as is often the case here. They ask if I met and married my husband there and which of my kids were born there, etc. Some people go on to ask lots of questions about life in America and the people there. A lot of people assume all Americans hate us though but I tell them that there are so many intelligent, open minded people and the bad one's give American's a bad rap, just like bad Arabs give us a bad rap. On the other hand, some don't have any interest and treat me like everyone else, which is fine with me.

The odd thing is that most people still think of me as "coming back" to Egypt. Even though I was born in the United States. They assume America was a strange place for me or that Egypt is my real home. I guess they don't think it through. If they were to move to America after 25 years in Egypt would they feel the same? No, so I use that comparison and it usually makes things clear for most. But there's always some who don't get it.

Meme

I was tagged by the lovely SabiWabi From OyHabibti for this Meme called 5 (Random) Things That I Love.

Well, of course I love my family and friends and above all, Allah. This tag is more like little pleasures, or at least that's how I'll take it.

Easy Peasy. In no particular order:

#1 LOST

There is no television show that I have ever followed with such fervor and dedication. It's that good. The writing is phenomenal. They always have you at the edge of your seat going WHAT THE?!?! The last season is a mere 77 days away and I only know this because I have a countdown on my LOST BLOG!

#2 Magazines

I love 'em. The glossy paper. The smell of the perfume ads. I just love magazines. Even more so now that I can't get them easily. My mom brings some fromt he US when she comes so that's great. Oh, and online magazines will never be the same as the real thing, in your hands/bag.

#3 Hello Kitty

I love this cat! Not this much, but a lot. I'll buy stickers and notebooks with her image cause they make me happy. Can't find real Sanrio here but if it looks real, I'll buy it.

#4 Chocolate

I adore chocolate. Does anyone not? My favorite is dark chocolate with mint. MMmmmm. Lindt makes a good one. I'm an equal opportunity chocolate eater though. I like white Toblerone with the toffee bits and Cadbury dairy milk too!

#5 THE INTERNET!!!

The internet is the best, coolest most wonderful thing invented. It's amazing, really all it provides to us, information, entertainment, socializing. I keep in touch with my family mostly by way of the web. I met all of you fabulous people here too. It's fantastic! Any thought or question that crosses my mind, from...hmm I wonder why people hang shoes from telephone wires to what's my kid got? I can find out within seconds. I Love the internet!

Utter Chaos

The other night I was in a situation that could only be described as insane. It was complete and utter chaos.

So Thursday nights are the most crowded at the promenade and the kids and I went for a walk that night and stopped at the supermarket there. It's a small market and it was really crowded. Filled with people buying drinks and snacks sold cheaper than at the cafe's that line the promenade. The kids chose a few candy treats and we got some drinks and got in the really long line. They only have 2 registers at this store and the lines were all the way down the aisles. There were some people who stood in a line but many others who just shoved their way to the front and stuck their items in the cashier's face, totally ignoring the line.

I've made a diagram to illustrate the situation.

At first I just mumbled under my breath how crazy this was. Then people in line started getting impatient and frustrated with the line cutters, voicing their objections in whatever language they spoke.

At one point some dude a few people behind me just shoved his basket on the register table, somehow thinking he was someone special. He must have thought the rules didn't apply to him for some reason and at that point I had just had it. I turned around and yelled "Mayenfa3sh kida!, Fee taboor hina" (You can't do that there is a line here!) to which he replied that he was in line and I said "Ana hina ableek" (I was here first!) He claimed he didn't see anyone in front of him. What? This huge crowd of people, you didn't see them? Why would I yell at this guy if I wasn't in fact, in line. I am not confrontational especially in public with strangers but I really reached my boiling point. The cashier guy was already scanning his stuff by now. Astaghfirullah, (God, forgive me) I was so angry.

I don't understand why he kept ringing up people who were just getting in the front of the line without waiting. One girl tried to cut in front of me and I told her, sweetie, you can't go in front, there's a line. She had one bottle of Coke so I told her I'd get it with my stuff since it was almost my turn. She gave me the money and waited outside. It was totally unfair and completely crazy. I really felt like I got a glimpse of how a mob of angry looters could form. It was that bad. I had the kids wait outside, holding hands. I wanted to leave the stupid basket and get out of there but I hadn't waited in line for nothing. I finally checked out and got out of there but what a nightmare.

I have questions. WHY do they think it's ok to do this. WHY didn't they learn about getting in a line in Kindergarten like we did. Will Egyptians ever be able to adhere to order and follow rules??

I know one thing. This would NEVER happen in America.