Wednesday, October 17, 2007

1st day in Cairo..........

.............. not so good.

in fact- it had me walking along the street sobbing loudly by the end of it!

Whilst visiting a friend today, her bowab's son (caretaker) switched off the lift while I was in it. then came to my 'aid', he opened the door with his key- and eventually moved out the way when i refused to jump into his arms. then he touched my arm and I gave him a row and told him not to..... but all this was just an excuse to then touch my chest. I shouted and hit him and he ran away scared- but I was still shaking for a good while after it. suspect he'll be losing his job for that. I was shaken, but in control.

THEN.................... walking home this evening, 9pm, on hugely busy gamet d'owel street, a man on a bycycle just reached out one hand and grabbed one breast as i was trying to cross the road!!! I shouted after him and burst into tears then and there in a very busy part of the street. Everyone around must have seen what had happened, and certainly heard me shout and saw me cry- but NO-ONE did anything.................. I was gutted. I have never felt so repulsed and scared anywhere before. In all these years I have spent so much time in Cairo, and although the name calling can wear a girl down, and I have had the occasional bump pinch etc... to be groaped twice, in the same day- it has floored me. I really always believed if you were obviously wronged in the street like that, there were far more good people around who would help you, than bad, or frightened people who would pretend it hadn;t happened. That has blown my confidence in the 'egyptian hospitality' completely out the water.

was going to go out tonight with friends, but going to bed early now instead.................... can't face it.

God grant me the strength to pull the next one off his bike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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