Ok- so last blog was all about the not so good stuff here….. so why do I like it so much and why am I extending my 6 month stay to probably more like a year!!!
It's lovely getting into taxi's to hear the sounds of Om Kalthoum coming at you from the stereo
It's lovely watching the sunset every night from my balcony and seeing the sky change through all the colours before the whole place comes alive with the sound of the call to prayer.
It's lovely watching the boats on the Nile, and the rowers, and water-skiers, and fishermen (women!) etc etc day and night.
It's lovely hearing all the latest pop songs coming from the weddings across the Nile- who needs a stereo?!
It's lovely getting the opportunity to write my blog, read books, go to a gym, see friends, watch fantastic dancers….
It's lovely dancing in front of Egyptians- hearing their positive comments and feeling like I have achieved something over all these years.
It's lovely speaking in Arabic to someone and being totally understood. (Ok- so doesn’t happen often- but defiantly more often than it used to!)
It's lovely meeting new people all the time- people come to Cairo from all over the place for all sorts of interesting reasons- I feel my horizons have widened! I've met dancers, writers, archeologists, aid workers, teachers, reporters, fitness trainers, in fact- you name it- not many occupations left to meet!
It's lovely being missed- I get so many emails from friends, family and students back home that it is heartwarming!
It's lovely having such a large flat and space to move.
It's lovely working with musicians- for my saaidi number at a wedding on Saturday night I had a drummer and Mizmar player follow me out into the hall and follow me round the tables- fantastic feeling.
It's lovely to have a standing ovation for a drum solo- wow- what an ego boast! (I'll never be able to come home at this rate- my head will be too big to get onto a plane!)
It's lovely having old women cry and kiss you because it’s the only way they can describe to you how much they love your dancing! (Not so lovely when the old men try to do the same!!!)
It's lovely teaching Egyptians- at the same time as learning from them the feel of the dance. So much more sexy and flirtatious and fun than it is at home- a real female bonding experience. Half the girls in my class today are veiled- yet when its just girls together there really is no barriers. No young, no old, no good, no bad- just all women together having fun.
It's lovely having teachers, dancers, musicians and costume designers at the doorstep.
It's lovely waking up knowing that, without a doubt, the sun will be shining! I love not feeling cold!
It's lovely watering my plants as I look over to the pyramids in the morning.
It's lovely to have as much free time as I do here and to socialize as much as I do. At home I teach so many hours that friends hardly get a look in- sorry guys.
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