Health education....!

First of all, yes I will write 'normal' blog entires again... Fairly soon..all about the daily life of a bellydancer in Cairo. But just humour me for now with my silly poems please. I'm enjoying writing them! I know I am using a very basic poem format, but if it was alright for Pam Ayres, then it's alright for me (just wish I had half her talent!) 

Secondly, no I didn't use the same title for the poem in the title of the blog, just in case it came it in some bizzare search results!!!! 

Anyway- this one was inspired by today's outing ... It's an aspect of life as a foreigner here that few Egyptians or people outside of Egypt know about or I suspect even think about. If someone does not pass this test, they are deported.

That prick...

Sitting alone in the office,
Waiting for doctor to come
Of course he's stuck in the zahma
I'm stuck twiddling thumb

All us expats must face this
Our annual questioned morale
Seemingly colour of passport
Depends in whose bed you'll fall

I'm talking of course of this AIDS test
Or 'bloods test' as they gently say
Without which we've no work visa
Without which we can't collect pay

I've heard a few horror stories
When blood test, folk did not pass
Within days they had left Egypt
Horses put out to grass

Here is one urban legend
I do hope that's all that it is
one dancer who riled a bad person
He had her damned positive

Imagine the state of that woman
Thrown out of country and home
Due to the badness of others
Evicted, real result, unknown

Each time I offer my arm out
Though confident I'm in the clear
I never forget that story so
There's always a smidgen of fear

The doctor arrives with his needle
It's prick; clean, fast, painless too.
Adrenaline drops back to normal
It was nothing after all the 'to do'

The sad thing about this whole business?
the idea, AIDS is not in Egypt
That only the foreigner workers
Are trying to come and spread it

Yet this is a world situation
Not caused by us 'foreign hands'
Look to all of your people
Care for their health, take a stand.

Care for those sick in this country
Acknowledge that they exist
blame yourself, not each other
It shouldn't be shrouded in mist

Some folk are born with the virus
Others used needles unclean
transfusions of blood hit the helpless
It's never as clear as it seems

Educate young, time starts now
Don't blinker them with wrong ideas
Teach 'stay safe' with minds open
Eradicate all those false fears


For anyone interesting in reading more about the topic of HIV/AIDS in Egypt, check out http://www.unicef.org/egypt/hiv_aids.html 

• Population 15-24 year-olds who have comprehensive correct knowledge of HIV/AIDS and who reject major misconceptions about HIV transmission: Females: 4.8%  Males: 18.3%