Sunday, October 15, 2006

Scottish Music

I'm so glad to be here in Cairo and learning about my own culture- because everything that seems new here in Egypt reminds me of how we do things differently at home in Scotland.

Even to the point of being in a Scottish wedding in St Andrews during my recent visit home, and seeing people up ceilidh dancing, which has never been my favourite thing. The energy and enthusiasm, not to mention the levels of skill, all reminded me of everyone up dancing at an Egyptian wedding- the style is different, and the music… but the enthusiasm is exactly the same. Its all about the socialising aspect of the dance and the fun of it. Not about the technique or the look of it all. Seeing it all from that Egyptian perspective, as it were, gave me a much greater appreciation of my own Scottish heritage…the dance and the music, to the point where I even listened to Scottish folk music on the radio one night while I was driving home to Edinburgh, rather than switching it off as I would have done normally. I even enjoyed it!

I guess you don't appreciate your own country, and what you have there, until you leave it!

2 comments:

O. said...

Hope I don't get into the habit of commenting on every post - I've a long way to go!
I am other way round, living in Scotland as a foreigner. Since living here I actually find myself rather impatient with some things back home, notice infrastructural inefficiences, hate the government more than ever etc etc. Hoewver, one of the last times I visited, my parents drove me to the train station and we passed a bit in the countryside with traditional houses and gardens with flowers and there was one of those most peaceful sunsets we tend to get in late August, I suddenly felt I was about to start crying! very strange for me... Getting old or what!

Lorna (aka BellyLorna!) said...

hehe- you can comment on every post if you like!!!

i agree with the infrastructure thing- the roadworks in Edinburgh just now are a killer- however- everything is relative........... i still prefer the roads there to the the roads here in cairo!!!!!

enjoy the sunsets!