Out at sea – cruise part 3

This was a big day for me; my first day waking up on board the ship, from a deep sleep in a very comfy bed, and my first day of ‘work’.

The days schedule (that was put in the little box outside everybody’s room on a daily basis) told us all that today would be an Arabic class, two bellydance classes and a bellydance performance. Busy Lorna!

So half an hour before the Arabic class was due to start I sat down to work out what I was going to teach. Not exactly a lot of preparation, but I already had a fair idea of what basics we would get through in the half hour I was allocated. If we got past ‘hello’,’ thank you’ and ‘yes and no’ I’d be lucky! I was pretty nervous though- I had a fear that someone who spoke Arabic would come along just to pick me up on something or make fun of my pronunciation. So the beginning of the lesson was a huge disclaimer that I was not a native speaker, but that I had lived there for seven years and had ‘got by’! 

My fears were justified. I had a woman from Iraq come along with her American husband (I presume for him to learn?). Every time I said something I would give a sideways look towards her, which she always caught, but thankfully she would also nod in approval! At the end she said I had done very well. Phew! Our half hour actually stretched to an hour because everyone was so interested and asking questions. There were at least 50 in the class! They liked it so much they all wanted handouts so they could practise. There was yet another thing to add into my day- I did type them up and I actually posted the lesson in this blog in case you missed it... http://bellylorna.blogspot.com/2013/06/basic-egyptian-words-to-use-on-your.html

Then, the bellydance class. I decided since there were only about 15 or so ladies I wouldn’t use the head mic, however, by the time we had finished the introduction I realised I probably should have, since I had nearly 60 people in the class! Great hilarity ensued and we were all shaking it to our hearts delight by the time the lesson was over. After nearly 17 years of teaching experience I still love that first class that people do. Their facial expressions when they are concentrating hard to move their hips in a figure of eight, their joy when they ‘get it’. It is a small scale version of having children for me- experiencing  elements  within the dance anew through their fresh eyes. I should do more teaching. I get so much out of it for me. When I moved to Cairo I decided to do very little teaching and focus on the performance. My thinking was that I could teach when I am 60 – but by then I wouldn’t be able to be performing on a stage in Cairo! Now however, looking back over my over 7 years here, I realise that actually teaching is important to me. To my own dance and development, but also on a psychological level, that interaction with women who want to learn. I plan to teach more from now on....

In the second dance class of the day I was impressed that yet again we had fairly high numbers and that many from the morning had come back for more! So I had to teach a class that was suitable for complete beginners, but also not a repeat of the one earlier- in fact that was the experience for the rest of the cruise. I taught 8 classes over the course of the 2 weeks, and in everyone I had the die hards that come to every class, and I also had total first time beginners too. I don’t know who people who plan their lessons allow for these things? I teach almost every class as I perform every show. Improvised. When I perform it allows me to gauge the audience reaction, to do more of this, less of that, depending on their response. In teaching, exactly the same. If I plan something too much then a lot of the joy goes out of the class for me, the interaction is lost, or at least greatly reduced. It becomes (read with a robot voice)’must teach x,y then z....’  rather than (normal voice!) ‘Oh let’s do x... oh that works well.. but maybe since that was hard we will do j and k, oh and then z and then c and ... ‘ well you get the idea. I end up doing a lot more usually, but it flows, there is reason to it. Not a logical one that I could have planned in advance. But one that organically grows within the class between my students and me. Whether it is a taster session beginner’s class or an advanced professional private one to one class.

Anyway- back to the ship.

My 3 classes of the day over with I had 45 minutes to get to my cabin, shower, dress, make up – AND sync my playlist onto my iPod. This last bit was my downfall. It always is. I can never decide which songs to dance to until the very last minute- which is why working with a talented band in Cairo is my ideal situation since almost always I turn to them after one song and say- oh do you guys know..... and usually they do and we perform it without any rehearsal. I guess I am addicted to the adrenaline! So- the iPod, of course, decides it doesn’t want to sync. No reason (ok, maybe in my time related stress there was a logical reason but I sure as heck couldn’t see it!). What to do?

Ah. IPhone... phew- thank god I have that. Ok- sync done tick... get to the crow’s nest (the bar I was to perform in at the very top of the ship, which is now FULL of people, literally a couple of hundred – let’s just say, most were standing because all the seats were taken!) 5 minutes before I was due to go on. Phew.

Now all I had to worry about was how much they would laugh at my bright pink skin that was clashing beautifully with my lime green costume. Yes I know- stupid stupid me!

Or at least that is all I ‘thought I had to worry about.

I haven’t had an iphone for long. I didn’t even know it had a shuffle option....

Oh yes, I found out the hard way. Tell me I am not the first bellydancer this has ever happened to please?

I spent the entire show (30 minutes and 7 tracks) praying that the next song wasn’t going to the ‘outro’ music!!!! The gods were on my side... every thing else was completely mixed up, but somehow worked anyway, and the outro was the outro! Yippee. My relief was tangible!

It went very well. I had people up dancing and everyone was very receptive and complimentary! A good job well done. Pat on the back for me, Ouch, No... Too much sunburn for that!

I am kicking myself now that I don’t have a single photo of any of the classes or the shows. I was too busy doing them. I am sure there will be photos kicking around facebook and YouTube... and if they ever appear I will attach them!

After I had finished I called Margo about something and she said, 'oh, I am up at the captains champagne meet and greet, come and join us....!' So I threw on a little black dress, as one does, and headed there. 3 glasses of free champagne later I still hadn’t met the captain who was too busy shaking hands with everyone but I had met and chatted with a great number of Dutch guests, who were a lot of fun!

After having responsible for the entertainment so far that day, I then decided to see what the ship had to offer in its own entertainment! After a huge dinner of course. I am lethal at a buffet. Maybe it’s my Scottishness but I want to try everything and end up with way too much food. Everytime. Ah well- to be honest- the food was so good, every meal, every single thing I tried, that it was impossible not to put on weight during this trip! It just had to be done!

That evening I watch Jodie and the Halcats in the ocean bar, Ben and the Halcats (a different band!) do the British Invasion night in the Queens lounge and the amazing full show, Aces High in the vista lounge. Lounge is the wrong word for the last of those venues. It is a full blown theatre. The Show was fabulous. Far better than anything I expected to see on a ship and far better than many things I have seen in actual theatres over the years! The voices were superb and the dancing was wonderfully choreographed and professionally performed. The stage setting and backdrops were impressive. The whole thing beautiful.

Everything on ship seemed to go to sleep about 11pm. I suspect due to the average age of the guests....! The staff bar however partied until 1am. I didn’t go there very often in my time aboard, mainly because you had to go through the bowels of the ship to get there and I could never remember how!

That day I received some wonderful news and did some organising to arrange a special treat. You however, will have to wait until my next blog entry to find out what that was!

Apologies for lack of photos in this entry- more tomorrow I promise!

Basic Egyptian words to use on your holiday in Egypt

I was asked recently to teach a basic Egyptian language class. Just half an hour on some of the main words and phrases that might be useful for a tourist spending a day in Egypt.
I am not a fluent arabic speaker by any means, but have lived in Cairo for 7 years. I thought I would publish this list for any of you who are planning a trip here and might find it useful. If you are an Egyptian arabic speaker and notice any mistakes- please do feel free to advise me! so here goes- some of the basics for a complete beginner!

Egyptian Arabic- just a few basics to help you get by!

Most common greeting- ‘peace be upon you’- is’sallam aleykum

-Answer that with- we aleykum es’sallam

Hello- Ahlan                       Hello and welcome- Ahlan we sahlan

-Answer that with- Ahlan beek (m) / Ahlan beeki (f)

Good Morning- Sabah el kheir,    Good Afternoon (which you use in the evening too!)- Miss a el kheir

Goodbye- ma’asallama (but most people also use is’sallam aleykum to say goodbye too!)

How are you? – Izzayack? (to m)/ Izzayick (to f)

How do you do?- Amal eh? (to m) / Amla eh? (to f)

-I am good- Ana Qwayees (m) / Ana Qwayeesa (f)

-I am not good- ana mish (or mush!) Qwayees/ Qwayeesa

What is your name?- Ismack (m) / Ismick (f)  eh?                                 

 -My name is... – Ismi ....

Where are you from? – inta min ain? (m) / inti min ain?(f)  

 to reply; ana min.......... ‘your country’

Yes- Aywa     No- La’

Thank you- Shukran  (remember La’ shukran with a smile works wonders!!)

Please – Min fadlack (m) / Min fadlick (f)

Excuse me (to get attention) – Lough samaht (m) / lough samahti (f) (both with breathy ‘h’)

Is it possible?- Momkin?  

Eg Momkin shey? To order tea in cafe!

Also momkin da? (pointing at something) - is it possible to have ‘that’

Tea- shey,    Turkish coffee- ahwa,    ‘normal’ coffee- Nescafe,    water- maya

Sorry- asif (m) / asfa (f)

I don’t understand Arabic- ana mish fahim arabee. (m) / ana mish fahma arabee (f)

How much? – be kam?                

Too much! – Kateer

The word you will hear most often – Inshallah – it mean ‘god willing’ !

Inshallah that will be of help to you if you are planning to travel to Egypt soon... have fun, and enjoy my chosen homeland!

Getting excited in Cairo.

Before you wonder- no, I am not about to start writing about anything rude! That’s not my style!

Before living in Egypt, when someone said something good was going to happen I was able to feel that excitement... yeah I have a great gig coming up, or yeah, they are going to write up an interview in the newspaper... or whatever it was. Even down to the yeah- I am meeting my friend ‘so and so’ for dinner tomorrow night..

Here, in Cairo I have learned that when someone tells you something is going to happen... you really have to hold back on your excitement until there is more proof to back it up. The number of times I have been bitterly disappointed since moving here 6 years ago has taught be that level of self control. My response to good news if often ‘Hanshuf’ (we’ll see) or ‘Inshallah’ (god willing), rather than the ‘hurray’ or ‘yippee’!

 It often gets called cynicism by people who haven’t lived in Egypt long, realism from those who have.

The anticipation and excitement about something adds to the pleasure of the event. That’s why advent calendars were invented!

I really miss that in my life.

I wish I could do what many Egyptians I meet do, which is get excited about stuff... and then if/when it doesn’t happen just shrug it off with an ‘oh well, it wasn’t meant to be’ type attitude.

Until I reach that level of emotional control, please forgive me if I ever come across as negative. It’s called self preservation!

Mallish v's Asif

Today I only just made it to the boat in time. Traffic was bad. Ok, so this is a normal occurance in Cairo and one of the biggest annoyances of Cairo so nothing new there. The problem today however was caused by the mile long double lane queue at the petrol station at giza, near the Pharaohs boats.

I saw in the news that petrol shortages were happening in UK too. However, before I knew about them, when I asked about the reason for current situation in Cairo a friend told me that the petrol companies owed the government money, which they were refusing to pay until the electricity company (government owned) which owed them money paid up. The truth of this story i cannot verify but I found the whole thing so typically frustratingly true to many aspects of life in Cairo that part of me believes it. Of course, it could be caused by world increases in prices... that would seem sensible and in fitting with the rest of the world. However, the culture here is when anything goes wrong is blame someone else.

Always someone else.

To the point that the word ‘mallish’ is used when the word ‘asif’ would be the correct response. By that I mean that people shrug off things by saying ‘don’t worry about it’ when they should be taking responsibility and apologising, saying 'sorry',  for it instead.

Annoying?

Very.

Understandable?

Yes, unfortunately so. Egyptian society seems to have developed, if developed is the right word for it, into a blame the underdogs society. Everyone comes down very heavy on those they consider beneath them. The manager blames his staff, rather than accepting that if they are doing something wrong then his job is to re-educate them. I presume this is caused from having a military dictatorship for so many years which blamed everyone else for any failings and never ever (even when people were protesting in the streets last febuary) accepted that perhaps they could have done things better themselves. A child learns from his parents. The country learns from its government.

I don’t want this blog entry to come across as angry. I have been made angry by the many many times. Now I am like many in Egypt, understanding and passive. It’s not right, but its the way it is. I haven’t a clue how it can be improved. My vote is start at the top. I hope that the new president when he (there is no point in me writing here he/she, as THAT would never happen!) so, when he messes up... which he will. That he can take a little of the blame and show people that it is stronger to admit failure and learn from it than it is to throw the blame on someone else.

Good luck Egypt. 

Tourists please come.... The sun is out...

the sky is blue,

and there are only a few clouds, and there are also still protesters in Tahrir square.

Some people are saying ' but its only the muslim brotherhood that are there now'... others, people i know, who have been there in the last couple of days say 'no... its everyone, doctors, lawyers, you name it'. i wouldn't know- i promised the people who worry about me that I would stay out of danger... so that means I am still avoiding tahrir......

although I did go to Khan el Khalili yesterday. The traffic there and back, with so many roads blocked off, was horrific, but once there it was so quiet.. and the vast majority of the shops were open. The really sad bit for me was seeing all the gold shops, open, but with not one gram of gold in the windows. It was all stolen that 1st friday.... and no customers.....

The only other foreigners we saw in the Khan, were a turkish film crew who interviewed me. Unfortunatly, non PR efficient Lorna managed to mourn the loss of the tourists without plugging the fact that i was a bellydancer here!!!

As we walked through the market, all i could hear was
 'Zaboon, Zaboon, fe Zaboon!'
customers, customers- there are customers!....

...you could taste the hope in their voices. While the recent events have no doubt made a very important, and neccesary impact on Egyptian politics, they have unfortunatly also made a massive negative impact on tourism. Most hotels now are completely empty. I spoke to a manager of the el hussain hotel in the khan who was telling me how his guests were saying 'no no, we'll stay...' but when the khan was raided and they heard gunshots, they packed and left the next day. Understandable... but probably more upsetting to local businesses than the looting in the first place. The police are back protecting the streets and things have really quietened down. 80% of Egypts income is from Tourism. Sharm and Luxor have been totally unaffected by the 'revolution' and are praying for visitors.... Now is probably the best time to go to Luxor if you want to see the temples without hoards of people in front of them, getting into your photos!!!

If you love Egypt and like me are impressed by the peoples strength in expressing their need  and right for a voice.... then please do what you can for those same people now... and book your holiday for this year..... i admit i wouldn't recommend this week,.... since we still have a curfew in place and Cairo really is a fabulous place to be at night.... but as soon as that becomes all clear again... come! Please.

Our jobs depend on you....

......and I have 3 spare rooms to rent out to any dancers wanting to come!!! even through the worst of the last 2 weeks, i have had dancers, from all over the world, staying with me in my house and we have managed to do a lot of private classes here in my studio... and I have had 4 other teachers come to the house to teach my guests too. For anyone want to do intensive dance training... there is nothing better than an imposed curfew that means your teacher can't leave the house!!!!

Funnily enough- with my last house guest leaving today...despite everything,  everyone of them said what a memorable, and enjoyable holiday they had had.....and that they would be back.... despite being indoors the majority of the time through a revolution! The friendships made through these events are friendships which will last.....Cairo still charms even in its most volitile moments...

a week at home...

This past week has been very strange for me. I am used to my Cairo life being packed with too many things to do... and this week has been the opposite.

We have too many dancers working at the pharoah boats just now... so with 5 dancers ( Me, Outi, Maya, Mona and Magda) that means we each only get 12-13 nights work a MONTH. Which is NOT enough to live on. hmmm. not great. Thankfully usually when this happens i can suppliment things by teaching (which I have done a little of this week) and renting out my spare rooms ( although this week was an empty house week too). Why do we have so many dancers?... business. If the boat emplys numerous dancers... if one of us were to be sick, travel or throw a diva tantrum, then they still have enough dancers to work. It makes business sense, I know. It's just hard when there isn't much work outside of the boat. Although its tough I shouldn't complain. i have also had times over the last 4 years when there were only 2 dancers working on the pharoahs which meant work EVERY night... and that is even tougher, especially if you get injured!

so i have had 5 days without 'work'...(with some assumptions!)

Day 1 without work was great...i caught up with 3 close girlfriends and had lovely quality time. Including an interesting and informative stretching session with a girl trained in ballet. She got me almost into the splits!!! was so impressed with myself! (this assumes that for a dancer stetching isn't 'work'?)

Day 2 was THE productive day. i had over 200 outstanding emails, some from as far back as early 2009!!!! I managed to get that list in one day down to less than 10. Also did a costume shop visit (always good, although often expensive!). The evening was spent as the day started... emails... (this assumes emails, mainly about dance from dancers, isn't work?)

Day 3 and spending the majority of the time at home alone is beginning to get to me. I get depressed if left to my own devices for too long, I think its about having too much time to think! Anyway... I was moping about then said to myself- STOP, snap out of it... how can i make myself happy again....? so i went to my studio and put my 'happy mood' playlist on the ipod up to full volume and washed dishes, scrubbed kitchen cupboards, emptied the through everything into it cupboards in the living room and sorted things out for throwing out etc etc  i even made a to do list and ticked some things off! It is amazing the power of happy music (mine includes Mr Boombastic!). I decided that i should keep up this energy level and went into the studio with a view to doing some stretches and thought- why not do an arabic lesson at the same time... THAT was my big mistake. I was lying on my mat, doing a glut stretch, listening to the michael thomas arabic course... and my knee hit the floor! I had fallen asleep mid stretch!!!!!! oops my energy had stopped. I planned to go out salsa dancing... but then i ordered Pizza... and that put an end to any form of movement as the evenings activety, so i slumped in front of the TV, which people who know me know is NOT a good sign! (this assumes stretching, arabic study and sorting bellydance photo cd's from music cd's isn't work?)



Day 4 i had a reason to get up... a class to teach. Yippee! I enjoyed it so much i continued for about an hour in the studio choreographing a dance for her next class! Then I tried to debug my plants on the balcony. They have mealyworm. Or at least thats the closest thing i could find online that looks like them. Internet said to dab them with rubbing alcohol and they would fall off. So i put some whiskey in a spray bottle and blasted them. ( it didn't in the end work, but it was a very bizarre experience, some from my country would say sacreligious!). Oh and I got a long outstanding job done. I have bought many lamps in my time here. i love them! But the wiring is not exactly what you would call safe, or often effective! So I gave 2 lamps to the bowab so he could take them somewhere to fix.. and within a couple of hours they were back with me- working. hurrah- success- tick off that list! Go out dancing... i could have... i had invites... but no- i sat in front of the TV, again. (this assumes teaching and making my spare rooms presentable to dancers who want to rent them isnt work?)

Day 5 my prayers were answered in the form of work. I was called into the Nile Maxim to cover a lunchtime sail. It was fun, despite having a new tabal and singer... i just loved being back doing what i am here to do!Plus , on the Maxim the program is different so i got to do almost a full hours show, rather than just 2x 15min sets as is usual on the pharoah. That was great. I felt awful though when i got an old man up to dance, cos he was dancing about by his table anyway.. he took the stick off me, and proceeded to try and dance... except he was really old and not steady on his feet and in trying to impress/imitate me he landed on the floor. It must have really hurt becuase the stage there is marble, not wood and it is hard enough on the soles of my feet, so i can only imagine what landing full onto it must have felt like. Anyway, there were no broken bones and he was still smiling at the show by the end of the sail. Thank god! (this assumes work that isn't my contracted work , isn;t work?)

Then- wow- paragraph 2- this was a busy day! I asked the bowab about a small glass top table, because i needed new glass for it. Within an hour a boy had come to measure it, phoned in to his boss with sizes and got price quote, gone, collected 'made to measure' glass, with bevelled edges, and returned it to me. all within an hour. In a country where it can take days to do easy things, somethings that you would think should take longer just happen. i can't believe i had been putting it off for years- literally! The glass broke in an interesting manner. The coffee table was beside a window. usually the shutter is left closed. The cleaner left it open. The sun shone through the window, magnifying as it did so, the beam of light hit the glass topped table and the until then perfect glass, cracked. One long wavy line of a crack that made a heck of a noise as it grew! So now, that shutter stays shut! That was nearly 4 years ago!

para 3- life is beginning to look up! - friends came over. A girl from Ireland and her Egyptian 'husband'. They are travelling  to hers for christmas and we spent a while going over the extensive list of everything you need to supply the British embassy with in order to get a visa. What a nightmare! With a UK passport i have to admit I have always taken it completely for granted that you want to travel, you buy your ticket, and you go. Often just buying a visa on arrival, if you need one at all! For egyptians to travel, especially to UK or USA, the requirements are massive, even with a letter of invitation! Oh and then we went out to eat mandy. No- not a person !!! Mandy is a yemen dish with basmati rice and sultanas toped with the meat of your choice, we had very fatty lamb- I will try chicken next time. Very tasty too- and the shop is walking distance from my place. Although the poor man in the shop got into an awful tiz when i wanted to take the number for deliveries finally admitting that no one in the shop could speak english so he was worried how could they take my order? when i told him not to worry it would be ok, in arabic, his relief and surprised smile were evident!

a good day.

Day 6 is today and I have all sorts of exciting things lined up for tonight and plans made with people i can't let down, so finally i will be 'doing something' with my time 'off work! The day started earlier than I would have liked since my cleaner insists on starting her day at 8am. Usually this involves me opening the door with my eyes still closed, then going straight back to bed and waking only to pay her before she leaves. Bliss. Today i had to play the ogre and go round the house with her pointing out all the things she hadn't been doing right, or at all, and that took 20 mins. It's a job i knew I had to doo for weeks, lets be accurate, months, but i could never bring myself to tell a grown woman how to clean a glass, or a window. so I had been ignoring the probelm and hoping she would improve on her own. In fact, she got worse, sloppier and sloppier. It seems that unless you are tough, and that means delivering a warning with not hit of smile or even what a brit would consider manners, is the only thing that works. I hate it.

So now i am wide awake, have done my emials, and this blog and its not even 10am. Hmm- how to fill my day.....?

tonight;
- i will go and see a circus performance (by someone who contacted me through my blog- ie work)
- then interview and my life here as a foreign dancer (ie work)
- then watch a film a friend bellydancing (ie work)
- then go out to some cabaret bars to watch lots of dancers (ie work)

amazing how little of my life isn't 'work'.... but also how much 'work' i love!!!!!!!!  I'd just like to make the point. Most 'normal' jobs you leave behind you when you leave your office, shop whatever. Your work seldom consumes EVERYTHING in your life.

When you are an artist, and in particular when you are self employed and have to promote yourself, then 'work' never stops. You don't want it to stop. It becomes you. Without bellydance my whole world would be completely different. I hope I never have to know just how different.

My 'boring' , 'work-free' week... hope it's been interesting for you!

Learn arabic with CD's

http://www.michelthomas.co.uk/arabic.htm


I love it.............. I can't recommend this course enough...

I am still working my way through it... but even the intial 2 CD's taught me things I didn't know after living here in Cairo for over 4 years. The instruction is easy to follow... and learn and use straight away. They use Egyptian 'ammeya' ie what you need for life and work in Cairo! It's worth every penny!

If you want to learn to speak arabic THIS is the way to do it!

I used this course (ie Michel Thomas) for french years ago... and it really worked... after 8 hours listening to the cd's in the car i could understand and speak passable french (its gone now- not used it for years- but thats my fault- not the course!) I have been waiting ages for the arabic version to come out and am so happy to have it now and that its in Egyptian dialect!!!

Translations of songs

Found a blog that has a lovely translation in it..also some thoughts, poems and ideas, political and emotional from an arab man's viewpoint. check it out!

http://saeedomar.blogspot.com

This is the translation included...

Amal Hayati by Om Kalsoum


Hope of my life
O love that has costed much;
one that does not end
O beautiful song
that my heart has heard,
and cannot be forgotten
take all of my life
but today, but today, let me live


let me aside you, leave me
in the lap of your heart
and leave me dream, leave me
and i hope my time wont wake me up!


i have never tasted passion like your passion
i have never liked my life, if it wasnt for you
i accepted my wishes, and accepted this life, and accepted love

the first time we met I gave you my heart; my heart

more than this joy i dont dream
more than what i am in, i dont ask

after my contentment with you
if my life persihes, i wont regret

and it is enough to wake up to your smile saying 'Ya Ein'
i d hear it like a song,
that says 'my love does not end'

let me aside you, leave me
in the lap of your heart
and leave me dream, leave me
and i hope my time wont wake me up!

whose love, have made all life love
whose closeness, woken my life and my heart

and you along, it is hard to blink an eye; not even for a second
it is hard to see your beauty and sweetness fade

thus i miss you, thus i long for you
longing for you, and you and you

i wish i can call you with a word that has not been called upon you, by anyone
a word that measures up to all of your love
measures up to all my yearnings
a word like you; and who is like you!?
for the like of you, have not seen another

o my love, however long my life is with you, its days would be few
for the happiness and passion in your love, could not last us long generations

your love have fulfilled my heart and thoughts
illuminated my night and make me live longer

a busy day in the life of Lorna....

Trying to get myself organised... for a change. But have managed to get quite a lot done today. The Scottish tour workshops are confirmed...

Edinburgh 6th March, to book contact Elspeth, swishandhips@hotmail.co.uk
Dundee 13th March, to book contact Nova, nova_pin@hotmail.com
Glasgow 21st March, to book contact Joanie, bellydancerjoanie@hotmail.com


It's going to be really good to see everyone again. Now I just have to work out some studio space for teaching some private classes................ let me know if you are interested in that or/and if you have venue ideas in Edinburgh area!!!!


I also discovered 2 video clips on youtube of myself that I didn't know existed- funnily enough, both in the same costume (my Mango pharonics one!)- but not filmed by the same person or on the same date!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upstvy5uxnU

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctnZdIQlwJA


AND i did a private arabic class for 2.5 hours and felt I really made progress, it's slowly coming together! A friend was very patient with me and sat answering my questions. I have decided that i want to take one verb, then go through all possible uses of it... and really get good at it... thats the plan anyway... I have a fair amount of vocabulary now.... but i put it together in a way that isn't always understood as well as I'd like!!!

AND i did some 'dance' homework... working out what moves I actually do have in my current performance repertoire, and finding that Thank God- i do have a lot more than 6 !!!! Sometimes it feels like you do the same thing over and over... but i haven't been, I dont think! Mind you- I also have some fresh inspiration now and can resurrect some moves I haven't used for a while! These things really do go in phases for me. The downside of not choreographing.... the upside is of course that you 'invent' new moves whilst improvising! I miss teaching! That is the perfect way for me to keep a handle on all my various moves!!! I even practised!!!

AND i cooked- worthy of note becuase I so rarely do that! Healthy stuff too!

AND i dyed my hair (well, a friend did that for me)... I MISS being blonde, although granted don't really want to be blonde in this country!

busy day............ and it's not even midnight yet!...... what to do now?................

more flat hunting............ and the best dance teachers around..

Blooming heck..............

well, thats the polite way to say what i really want to say anyway. today I had a day off work, which was supposed to be a day of rest and recover, however I agreed to go and view just one more flat with my friend. She is still seeking that perfect to be in place!

Downtown first... interesting characters showing us around, an old, greek looking, man with a stick, and a young higabbed girl with a wiggle in her walk. Old downtown flats are amazing- the architecture is fabulous, Italian and French inspired, and the ceilings are even higher than the ceilings i have seen in Edinburgh. Carved stone balconies and wrought iron lifts, wooden floors and fabulous carved ceilings are the order of the day. The downside, of the ones we saw today anyway, are no AC, little light, and LOTS of road traffic noise (and fumes). Romantic, but not practical.

After lots of sitting about, and waiting, we then headed to Zamalek to look at more flats... My friend thought she'd died and gone to heaven when she saw the 1st place.... wooden floors, huge windows, balconies.... just perfect really............ then of course- the price almost double her budget! Grr. It is so frustrating. You tell people EXACTLY what you want, and what you can afford,... and they show you something thats just NOT suitable. The next place was unbelieveable perfect, for the price, until we found out it didn't have enough bedrooms. Yet again the estate agent ('simsar' in arabic) hadn't listened at all.

The last place was funny (near 'nadi sid' - ie the Shooting club- which is also very near my house). There were 3 women 'cleaning' the place when we arrived. I putting cleaning in ' ' because one was asleep on the sofa , one was sitting chatting and the other was sort of cleaning.... sort of.... anyway- that flat is a possible... thank god the day wasn't totally wasted............ checking it again tomorrow in the daylight- god grant us strength!

Whats the point of this blog?............ Just to show how things are never easy here in this crazy city. Never boring either though. And that it does pay to stay tough, and to keep searching and searching for EXACTLY what you want. For my friend, its that perfect flat, for me It was a year searching for a dancing job without strings and with workpapers! Nothing is easy- but when you get what you search really hard for- its totally worth it!

I recently received the comment from a reader that she'd like to hear more about dancing.... The thing is that just day to day living here teaches me SO much about Egyptian attitudes and behaviour. I believe that until a dancer understands that, how can she hope, as a foreign dancer, to 'dance like an Egyptian' ?

What do i mean? Even the Estate agent... in all ages, shapes and sizes plays 'the game'... offering you the perfect flat, teasing you with flats out your reach, persuading you that you are his friend and he'll get you the best deal... all of that is useful on the dancefloor... Never actually promising anything, or even giving, but instead suggesting- a life of glamour,a bit of fun, a cheeky grin, an emotional response, an understanding soul. Telling your audience through your actions what they want to hear. It's all imperative in the dance... as much as a perfectly executed shimmy or hip drop or arabesque.

Even time keeping... often non Egyptian dancers (and occasionaly Egyptian ones too!) dance a little too fast. I've seen myself do it in the past, and still if I am nervous or ill or tired. We often try too hard. Egyptian attitude is so laid back that you think the dancer is going to totally ignore a certain beat in the music, and then she manages to hit it- effortlessly, almost as if it was an afterthought. This is a common approach to life here, planning your night out, after you have already left the house..., planning an appointment to view a flat, only to find you are there, but the owner still needs to be found to get the keys,whats the rush?....

The teachers of this intricate, amazing dance form are all around... in the people.

yuck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have heard of disgusting taxi driver incidents but thankfully never really been the victim. Yesterday I was.

I had been in khan el khalili, and I got in a taxi to Mohandiseen. The driver waited til we were on the bridge out of that area then wanted to know 'how much'.

I said 20 - should be 15 if no traffic- so figured 20 was fair and good. he went nuts. wanted 35! i refused- said if he didn't like that then stop now and we'd get another taxi. He said had to drive us to end of bridge cos he couldn't drop us on bridge.. and then demanded money- on my refusal...i got out the taxi... still refusing to give him anything since he didn't want a fair price for the journey

...
so he spat in my face!!!!!!!!!!

i was so shocked and repulsed that I didn't think quickly enough to take his number.... furious.

what can I say? i hope his taxi breaks down everyday! yuck yuck yuck.

I love Cairo..... I do I do i do..... yes- I am trying to remind myself of the good things! ( Like fateer at 1am after a night of salsa, dancing for appreciative Egyptian audiences, sunshine in december.......) yes I do love Cairo.

It is worth it. I just wish I could have a day without stress- think that why Dahab was just the break I needed- you could get in a taxi and KNOW he wasn't going to hit on you or swear at you etc etc.

Started up my arabic lessons again....I have a private tutor who comes to the house and is very good and only charges 90le for 2 hours... I had managed to learn to read and write... then hadn't had a single lesson the entire time I have worked at the Pharoahs- so had completely forgotten even the alphabet! Thankfully its coming back , albeit slowly, and am enjoying learning now that i have more confidence to use my arabic more. My grammer is still appalling.... but wahda wahda (one by one- ie step by step!).

wish me luck (in the arabic and also in only getting in nice taxis from now on!!!!!)

It couldn't last!!!!!!

of course.... my body objected to being worked every single night- so on wed night, at the end of my show, I went over my ankle on stage. It went a very impressive blue balloon shape but thankfully, ibuprofen, ice,arnica cream, support and REST have done it wonders and it looks fairly normal now.... apologies to anyone who went along to the Golden Pharoah last night or tonight to see me dance- I was licking my wounds (ok- not literally- yuck!) Fingers crossed- all back to normal by tomorrow. The look of disgust on the chemist's face when I didnt' know what size my ankle was when I went in to buy a support bandage was very amusing- tell me honestly- does ANYONE reading this KNOW what width their ankle measures??????????

However I have decided to take a complete rest from dance when home this trip to Scotland- so not even having the one night i had planned at Morocco anymore- so you'll have to either wait til Sept to see me in action- or come to Cairo! Sorry for anyone who had booked because of me........

I did manage to hobble along to the Nile Maxim last night to watch Rhanda perform. It was my friend Hannah's birthday and we had a lovely evening, birthday song and cake by Rhanda and her band! Rhanda has so much energy- considering that was her 3rd show of the night- very impressive!!!!!!!

Also limping to the cafe next door afterwards, instead of the usual sexual remarks from guys passing by i heard the 'alf selema' ( a thousand get wells....) a very nice change! Once the ankle heals, I might have to fake a limp in future anytime I have to walk anywhere!!!

Have also decided that this time of year in Cairo is sent as a curse to the Sinuses! There is so much dirt in the air that you can't help getting an infection of some sort. My supply of menthal chrystals from uk have now run out- more shopping to do next week!

ok- thats my moans over for today..................

Chatting in Arabic

I was so proud of myself today….. I had a 2 hour Arabic lesson this morning… then I taught a private dance class to an Egyptian girl I met in the gym. The good thing is that she doesn't speak English………. And we did our 1 hour class, but also sat and chatted for nearly 2 hours ……… IN ARABIC !!!!!!!!!! ok- so they was a lot of guess work and miming on both parts and I know my grammar wasn't perfect etc; but we both managed to make ourselves understood and had a laugh doing it…. For 2 hours! Feel so proud of myself- but also more determined than ever to actually be able to speak this damn language!!!!!

Stupid

wow- there is nothing to make you feel so stupid as stuggling to learn a foreign language- well for me anyway. I know it is difficult and I shouldn't out myself down etc etc... but I have been living here for what... not far off a year now... and granted I wasn't taking classes for maybe half of that... but really- the level I am at I know of people who have achieved the same in a couple of months. I guess we all have our strengths and weakness' and since memory seems to be a weak point with me I find this incrediably hard. I am determined to get it though....... today I have been writing out simple words in arabic onto flash cards and going through them to see if I can speed up my reading any........... it does seems to be helping. I guess I just need to put more hours into it. Ah well- unless I start dancing more then I guess thats what I'll be focussing on for the next week or so! I bought a good book in edinburgh when I was there- The 100 word exercise book - arabic. It is good- although I knew over 70% of the words already- I wouldn't have known how to write them all and certainly not very fast. This book has lots of games etc to help check I know it and dont cheat! Next lesson though I am going to have to check all these 100 words are the same in egyptian arabic so I dont learn the wrong thing! (already recognise some that are different) oh the joys.

Egyptian language is a much greater challenge here for me than the dancing, thats for sure!

..... back to the flashcards...........

learning to read.........

Hmmm......... this challenge I have set myself is not so easy to achieve. I guess i really just need to put the hours in! I had decided before this trip home to scotland I would be able to read and write arabic (all my lessons before this month have been speaking only) and I guess i also can't expect miracles within 7 classes..... but I am doing better than I thought I would. I am incrediably slow- thank god my teacher is very patient with me!

However, I do have a problem when it is written without the vowels....

In arabic you put lines and squiggles above and below each letter to change the pronounciation of it- rather than adding vowels in amoungst the constanants- and generally- and in most typed arabic, the 'vowels' are removed. So you have to guess whether the b is pronounced 'be', 'bu', 'ba' or b or even 'bba' or 'bbe'- fine if you have a fairly good grasp on the language so 'know what sounds good or not'... but I feel like I am scrambling blindfolded through the maze that is arabic language!!! determined to get this!!!

An interesting aside about this is that seemingly the Koran was origanally written without any vowels- but as foreigners wanted to become muslim they needed to be able to read it correctly too- so the lines and squiggles method was adopted then (a long time ago! and obviously my own name for the vowel system!!) to help them. This is one reason some people give for some of the different interpretations you get for certain things said in the koran... one word could be written say 'ktb' but could mean katab, kutub, etc etc....

the laugh now is watching me sitting in the back of a taxi- trying to read signs over shops and billboards as we drive past them........... I usually get the first few letters but by the time I have even begun to discipher the rest we have driven past it and I have to look out for the next sign! I do feel like a 5 year old...... and I feel like this experience will make me much more patient if I ever have to teach a child how to read english!!!!

TV

well- I have been in my flat for almost 10 months now here in Cairo- and today i switched on the television for the first time!!!!!!!!!!

It's got satelite- so I spent about 5 hours just checking out all the channels to see what there was (nearly 800- although a lot of them you have to pay more to view!)... and take a note of all the Egyptian ones- the plan being that if i have the TV on while i am in the flat then I am hearing more arabic than usual... so hopefully I'll get better at understanding what folk are saying to me!

What a bizarre mix.... CNN then some italian fashion, Music, then sex channels, then someone standing reciting the Koran, then a whole channel dedicated to sailing?, then all the God channels- of various religions, then oh- just so many things............ weird.

But the contrast from one channel to the other- as varied as it is- is not quite as strange as Egyptian Soap operas.................. I watched about 5 tonight (or as much as i could handle out of 5 anyway!). Wow- the acting is so melodramatic its entertaining in its own right (for all the wrong reasons). The make up is scary.... and the plots- bearing in mind I can't understand 98% of what is being said.... don't take a lot of guessing- but do tell you an awful lot about the culture. There is always an overbearing father who wants the son/daughter to behave in a respectable manner and marry the person they deem suitable.... and there is also some sort of financial corruption somewhere along the line, and lots and lots of angry shouting and manipulaing women! etc etc............ not sure how much of all this I'll handle....... but we'll see!!! Its an education even if my arabic doesn't improve from it!!!!!! Oh and ALL these channels have a thing along the bottom of the screen where people text in their messages to each other so there is a constant stream of usually arabic along the base of the scrren. I'll know my reading of arabic is up to scratch when i can keep up with the speed of those (not that I would necceserily be interested in the content and since I only know my arabic alphabet at this moment in time, there is a long way to go!!!!!!)

I also started private arabic classes with a new tutor who was recommended to me- he's very good (and affordable) so while I am not doing as much dancing as I'd like to, I'm going to make a concentrated effort to really improve my arabic! Inshallah!

Arabic, Costumes and Party!

Monday was a day of many things…. I had a lovely girl- Hoda, come in to teach the group some basic Arabic for using in the street and shops…. Nothing I couldn't have done with them.. but its been my experience that it is really hard to meet and get to talk with Egyptian women- its all men in the hotels and shops and touristic places…. So this was the groups chance to ask questions they don't often get a chance to ask. So the Arabic lasted an hour- but the cultural exchange was another 2 on top of that!!! Very interesting. One question which had a few comments from it was, as a tour guide, what questions do her Egyptian relatives/friends ask about foreign women? Some of the things were a surprise- but others weren't!! It was also very interesting that before she had taught them yes or no, how are you, or many basic requirements- they knew how to say they were married and whether they had children or not! Different priorities!

After an Egyptian pancake (fateer) , we hit the costume shops…. Much fun was had by all (as you could see from the photos from the previous blog!!!) I had to leave early to go and teach a class so I didn't get to see all the purchases- but I am sure we will have a fashion parade at some point through the week!

The party was the best party I have ever thrown. I was very lucky that Romaya was able to cook for us… and Olivia did lots of shopping while I was out with the group, but what made it a pleasure was the guests- a real mix of interesting and social people. My group of course, my teacher, Sara, whose birthday it was and a couple other dancers- Yasmina and Caroline, some friends from salsa and from Arabic class too. Everyone just introduced themselves and got on with it. I didn't have to work hard as a hostess at all. Apart from organizing the musicians to come… who came eventually at 11.30- until 1.30am Great fun- everyone was up dancing…. Including the men. Sara and I danced together which was one of the main highlights of the night, for me anyway! That and my Salsa with Wael, and Saaidi with Waleed. It was good to see the whole group up and going for it, and to live music too- great! It was all good in fact. Got to bed at 5am (from 8pm) that’s a long, but very enjoyable night!!!!

Tuesday- Shattered!!!!!!!!!!!! What a shocker eh?!!!! The whole group came with me to Maadi and we had a couple of hours dance class in the beautiful studio I teach at there, and after a light lunch in Cilantros (the full ex-pat experience!!!) a wander down to the metro. It's always a nice experience for the group to travel in the women's only carriage. So we get back early- to have a rest before going out… but then the 3, nearly 4 hours of costume shopping started! Yasser and Mahmoud are 2 very happy men after all these girls are buying!!! Since they have an early start to their pyramids day, we spent a quiet evening having a lovely meal in the Nagib Mahfouz restaurant in Khan el Khalili. Was relieved to see they were all as shattered as me by this time. We'll just have to go see a dancer another night.

Arabic class

First class of the new Arabic class term was yesterday………You won't believe this- I have enrolled at level 3- AGAIN- for the 3rd time!!!!!!! I was looking over my books- and I could recognize the writing was mine- but the words written it was like reading them all for the first time! I am so annoyed with myself for not doing regular revision to try and keep the knowledge in my sieve like brain. I wish we had learned my rote much more in school when I was young- maybe it would be trained enough to be able to do it now!!! Anyway- not only is it my 3rd time- but it felt like I was really struggling to grasp what we did even in this first class!!! Thankfully I have 2 really good teachers again this term- so fingers crossed something sinks in!!! I wish I was being forced to use it more…… it's really hard when EVERYONE it seems speaks English- I order in a café for example- in Arabic- and they reply in English! Tell me how is that ever going to help me learn???? GRRR…. Although- on a positive note- I do find my self listening to music and some words jumping out cos I suddenly realise I understand them!!! It's like watching a film in black and white and occasionally some of the actors can be seen in colour even though everything else is grey!!! That was yesterday- today was better- after an early night and a couple of hours revision this morning, I felt back on track again…….. I was speaking to a girl from Hungary and she agreed it was much easier for her because she doesn't have any English so people have no choice- they have to try in Arabic!

The moon

well- today is the day- the start of Ramadan- so 'Ramadan Kareem' everyone.............

going religious

Just a wee religious aside…………

Rabena Ma3ak = Our God with you (or be with you).

So Rab in Arabic is God………..

so who is Rab. C then????