Alleyway

In Egypt the alleyways & streets smell like apple shisha.

I'm craving warm evenings.

NO WALL

via pasunepipe

Dancin' and Drumin'

It's Friday. Relax, and read this awesome article by MPR on the Karen New Year 2010 - I guarantee tomorrow's New Year Celebration 2011 (2750) will kick even more ass.

Attend. Eat. Dance. Drum.& meet the co-workers I'm always swoooooning over.

YES

****

I usually don't swear in this blog (do I)? But today, I'm throwing all caution to the wind because - What The Fuck Has Obama Done So Far - is awesome/entertaining/informative. CAN'T STOP CLICKING moremoremore. Love it.

& while you're off being informed, check out the November Women's Press 'Think About It' segment. Or if you're feeling saucy after the Obama site cool off with some Good Fucking Design Advice.

InstaFan

 

...of Information is Beautiful. 

It's just that! Informational & Beautiful. 

Check out the website & I can guarantee you'll learn something without straining your brain. Awesome? Yes.

Where There is Joy There is Henna

A few weekends ago my dear friend Jess came up to visit & because it's 'what we do' - there were many adventures involved. Including, but not limited to: a 5 mile Kayaking trip down the Cannon River (the next weekend I did a 12 mile with Mike - still sore), an authentic Turkish meal at the Black Sea (even after a few appetizers & main courses we found room for baklava/Turkish coffee), & most notabily a trip to Minneapolis' own SomaliMall for henna. 

Henna is a plant native in some regions of Africa, southern Asia, and northern Australasia (I had to look it up too). Since umm - forever* it's been used to dye skin, hair, fingernails, wool, leather, and silk. The earliest texts link henna skin dying with celebrations of a woman's marriage/fertility.

Henna is a symbol of luck, beauty, and joy - and the most detailed and exquisite patterns are saved for brides to be. Today the hands and feet of many husbands to be are dyed as well. This pre-wedding celebration is sometimes called 'The Night of Henna'. It is not uncommon to see women with simple henna designs on their hands and fingernails daily. But intricate designs are saved for weddings, holidays, and celebrations.

 

Henna can be a great way for women to make money too! At Karmel Square a young woman named Hawa decorated Jess and I. She was trained by her older sister Halima, and together they were apprenticing their niece Eda. Business women?!

It's the beauty of henna that really gets me.
The small shops & spaces where women come together to be decorated with henna - are truly magical. You can feel girl power. It breaks through all differences of background, race, language, religion, etc. Be it in a hotel room in D.C. with girls from Tanzania and Nigeria, Khalda's living room, a hole in the wall beauty shop, or a small space in Karmel Square (Somali Mall) - henna brings women together & makes them feel good!

*for more detailed information on henna click here. 

Honey

Dessert stand on a Cairo street corner

Hey, remember back threeeee days ago when I talked about my friend Kim's new blog Culture Smash?! Well, as promised I made my first contribution (I cheated a little by repeating a It's a Small World post), but really, it's an awesome project. Check it out - it's the beginning of something beautiful. 

Hijab Style

http://hijabstyle.blogspot.com/ <----- THIS. Is very cool. 

Hijab Style is a UK blog dedicated to the Hijab & Islamic style. The blog covers: both high fashion runway and street style inspirations, seasonal tips/trends, updates on Islamic dress in the media, DIY, work wear, personal stories of empowerment and liberation, international style, how to wear a hijab, owning one's body, reasons why individuals wear the hijab, & more.

Maybe someday I will become a Hijabista (I didn't make that word up), but for now - people like Kim and I will just be proud supporters. To all of my friends who wear a hijab (or other forms of head coverings) I applaud your faith... and STYLE. 

I heard about Hijab Style via BBC News you can find the article here

II

Alrighty. TWO matters of Internet business. 

I. The Bad. This morning I got a pretty informative/creepy e-mail from Student PIRG (public interest research groups) about facebook & it's non-existent privacy. For those of you like I who cannot bear to delete the addiction, but want to keep 'er safe - I suggest you read here. To be fair, I also read on the Huffington Post that facebook has announced new and easier privacy settings should be released in the next few weeks. 
II. The Beautiful. I have a new blog for everyone to check out/become a part of! Introducing -- http://culturesmash.wordpress.com/  In the words of it's creator Kim Hope Athay, 

"... This blog is going to create one stage for many people I know - and hopefully many people I’ve never before met - to share about their cultural experiences.  The good, the hard, the funny, the classic, the traumatic, the life-changers, the life-alterers.  The lessons we learn while traveling abroad need a place to be planted, nourished, and grow into fruits for future world travelers to digest.  
It is my belief that we have no way of appreciating, respecting, or loving the world outside of our borders and comfort zone until we have traveled beyond.  Likewise, how can we know what to appreciate here until we know that others live differently?  The greatest experiences in my own life have happened on foreign soil - for many reasons, not least of which that it taught me to understand America better in the context of the world.
If you have traveled abroad and would like to be a regular (or irregular) contributor, please click on “Submit your Experience” in the right-hand column.  Frequently I will ask for submissions based on a certain topic (like food, taboos, religion, bars, education, sports, etc.), however, you can really write about any cultural experience you have had abroad… I’m anxious to help you share your stories here."

A great way to learn about culture, people! I personally hope to become a frequent contributor (there is even talk of somehow/day linking my new monthly travel feature and Culture Smash) & I beam at the thought of you doing the same. 

Jess in Ghana

To end my week of blogging celebrations, I'm unveiling a new blog segment - thattttt doesn't have a name yet. :) Each month, I will be interviewing a friend (colleague, relative, etc) about one of their travel experiences. I've been blessed with some outstanding/adventurous friends, and it would be simply evil to keep them to myself. 

It only feels right that my first interviewee is the beautiful, selfless, up-for-anything, faithful - Ms. Jessica Crawford. You may recognize her name because Jess was my Rwandan roommate/partner in crime, IRIS co-worker, and continues to be one of my closest friends. She is my go-to girl for inspiration, motivation, and anything travel-related. I can always count on Jess for good conversation and together we've consumed gallons of coffee, tea ... and wine. The Rwandans thought we were sisters - and I think on some level they were right. & now ... I'll let you fall in love with her: 

Where did you go (where IS it), how long was your visit, and why? 

I studied abroad for 5 months at the University of Ghana in West Africa (in between Togo and Cote d'Ivoire and right under Burkina Faso). The University is located in Legon, a small "suburb" of the capital city of Accra.  

Cultural facts, please: 

Ghana’s population is around 24 million. I would say that most of the country is Christian, although there are a number of Muslims. Most people still hold on to some traditional beliefs as well. Adinkra symbols are used to express different emotions or communicate wisdom or lessons (i.e. the gye nyame symbol mans “accept God” and is prominently displayed on posters, taxis, businesses, etc)

The food is spicy! They use a tiny red pepper in almost all of their foods, so not a lot of variety but very spicy. My very favorite dish was red-red; beans cooked with lots of pepper with a side of fried plantains. Yum! Other traditional dishes are kenke, fufuo, and banku – each made with either ground up cassava, maize, or plantains. It comes out as a mushy ball (sort of like sticky mashed potatoes) and you just pick off pieces with your fingers and dip it in soup. Messy, but so so good!

The easiest way to get around in Ghana is on tro-tro’s, their public transportation system. It’s surprisingly efficient and very cheap! A ride on a tro usually consists of very close quarters, marriage proposals, trays of dead fish in your lap, and an occasional goat nibbling at your ankles. Definitely miss the tro-tro’s!

Most difficult cultural adjustments: 

My situation might be a little different than others I was with. My most difficult cultural adjustment stems from an experience I had – I encountered a pretty scary situation the first night I was in Ghana which destroyed my trust in the people. While I usually approach situations trusting until proven otherwise, I started my time in Ghana with a wall built up to the people. I didn’t necessarily even realize it was there until it started to break down and I realized how much I had been shutting out and refusing to let myself love or discover. So I would say learning to trust was my most difficult hurdle, one I did not think would be a problem for me.

Favorite story: 

Such a hard question! There are so many things that flashed through my head when I read this! The one that probably baffles me the most and still gives me chills a little bit though: For a couple weeks I’d been trying to get together with a man that I had only been introduced to on facebook but was a Chiropracter who had attended Palmer Chiropractic in Davenport. We were ‘introduced’ (via facebook) because of a trip I’d taken to Madagascar and his hope to initiate his non-profit there. It hadn’t worked out yet though and I had basically given up hope that it would.

My friend Ryan and I headed to beach miles outside of town one day. We’d never been there and it ended up being quite the trek to get there. By the time we arrived it had clouded over but we were still determined to spend some time by the ocean. There were only three other white people on the beach. Would you believe that it was Jay, the chiropractor and some of his coworkers?!

I ended up telling him about this children’s home that I’d hung out at a couple times. One of my last weekends there I showed him where it was and introduced him to the kids and the staff. The adjusments he made that day on the children made huge differences! He ended up moving back to the area a few months later and did regular adjusments on the children and community members in the area. All stemming from a chance meeting on a beach in Africa :).

Trip highlight: 

Again – so hard! Three things popped in to my head, I hope you don’t mind if I quickly share them all... Easter Sunday a few of us spent the day at a Leprosarium on the outskirts of Accra. A leprosarium is a home for lepers, only a few of them still exist. It was incredible to spend the day hearing their stories and seeing how they live. They were possibly some of the most generous people I have ever encountered and had such a positive and refreshing outlook on life. It was truly beautiful.

I worked at a children’s home in the Volta Region of Ghana called Hardt Haven Children’s Home (www.hardthaven.org) It is an incredible facility for children with HIV/AIDS. I fell in love with the kids there and learned so much from them. It was definitely the hardest saying bye to them.

Finally, a few friends and I took a couple weeks off of school and made our way up through Burkina Faso, in to the Dogon Country in Southern Mali, and ended up in Timbuktu, on the edge of the Sahara. Besides seeing AMAZING sights and meeting wonderful people, we all learned a lot about each other, ourselves, and the cultures we traveled through.

What did you learn about yourself?

I came away with an intense confidence in myself, that I had never possessed before. My semester there allowed me to discover so many things about myself. Everything we did just tested our limits so much. Before, when I had been uncomfortable emotionally or mentally I was able to count on my physical surrounding or material possessions to provide comfort. Or when I was uncomfortable physically I could count on my emotional stability to calm me down. However, it’s when both of those things are taken away, when you’re neither emotionally or physically comfortable that you’re really tested and able to discover so much about yourself.

Favorite Souvenir: 

Hmm..couple options. Either a bomb leather bag I got for a  steal on the beach in Kokrobite or the ring that our friend Abua made for me in Timbuktu inscribed with a traditional Tuareg good luck symbol.

Essential travel item: 

Journal – don’t dare try to travel without one.

Where next? 

Excellent question! I’m in the process of applying for some internships either in DC or California. Meanwhile, I’m waiting to hear back from the University of Leeds in England where I would complete my Masters in Global Development and Education. So, we shall see!

What is something you wish the WORLD knew about Ghana? 

I just want to take everyone I know there! They are a welcoming and loving culture; they see everyone as their brother and sister.

After coming back though, I was introduced to an issue that I wasn’t aware of during my stay there. Ghana is one of the world’s major suppliers of cocoa. However, child labor is still prominent on the cocoa plantations. Children are kidnapped, purchased, or coerced in to working on these farms; often the children are from neighboring Burkina Faso or Mali, a little farther north. I was mortified when I learned about it and could not believe that I lived so close to that and didn’t even know.

THANK YOU JESS! 

I hope you all enjoyed the first of many travel stories!! Happy weekend to all... xoxo

Veil Me

Today's top story on the BBC website is, "France MPs' report backs Muslim face veil ban: A French Parliamentary committee has recommended a partial ban on women wearing Islamic face veils." Should this ban get passed face covering veils will no longer be allowed in, "hospitals, schools, government offices and on public transport."

BBC article:( http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8480161.stm)

First off... I cannot say that I understand everything (the personal, the political, the religious, the feminist, the submission, the pressure, the comfort, etc.) about veiling. I cannot say I have a background on French policy, nor the Koran. I cannot even say that I have a clear opinion on the matter.

But here is what I CAN say:

-I've seen the the negative treatment of veiled women in United States hospitals, airports, and city streets. Smart, kind, beautiful women, who are all wonderful mothers, daughters, and friends.
-I've lived with a woman who chooses to veil for the respect of her parents, community members, and mostly, herself and her God.
-I've veiled my own body out of respect and fun (and only once because of pressure).
-Most of the women with whom I've been in contact have had the choice to veil or not. On the contrary, I also realize that not all women in the world are allowed to choose and that, is a serious issue needing attention.

-I know that there are different types of veils ranging from popular hijabs to more full covering niqabs and burkas.
-I believe that Vogue could have a hay-day with the spunk, colors, patterns, and creativity of female Islamic fashion. (Aesthetically, I was never let down on the women's Metro cart in Cairo).
-I know that early Christian women veiled (including the Virgin Mary).
-In my experience, most women do not veil in their own homes around close family and friends (both male and female) that they love and trust.

My dear friend Khalda, beautiful with and without her veil. Always blue, pink, or floral.

In my opinion, there is nothing to be scared of - if only we can respect a women's personal decisions, reexamine our ideas on beauty, and fear not things we do not understand.

Something to love today: personal style.

Lia Lee

While I'm on my health and culture kick... book suggestion time!

I'm currently reading,

"The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures" by Anne Fadiman.

It's wonderful.
A mix of beautifully constructed sentences, colorful stories, and interesting facts; it tells the true story of Lia Lee a young Hmong child living with epilepsy.
Only 78 pages in and already my thoughts of refugees, Hmong culture, American medicine, natural remedies, cultural sensitivity, parenting, and faith have been re-evaluated.

Something(s) to love today: intercultural communication & foreign language courses.

A Spoonful of Sugar

Tomorrow I'm going to the Doctor. I'm not overly excited about this, but I am thankful. I'm thankful for the option of buying (some) medications over the counter- that work. For knowledgeable, respectful, and rule-abiding medical staff. I'm thankful that at 22 years old, I have a basic, common sense understanding of my body. This thankfulness, is new. & completely due to experiences in Cairo.

Once again, thankfully I can say that I had no need for urgent medical care while in Egypt, but I did have my run in's with flaws in the system. Including but not limited to: an over the counter cough medicine that knocked out it's takers for 3+ days; paramedics that were not trained to set broken arms or stitch cuts; a friend whose doctor answered his cell phone during surgery.

I also found myself explaining to many of my friends how their body works. Things I've known since high school like: the effects of high cholesterol, the reason for menstrual cramps, the ways that our body is linked (one friend was convinced his ears hurt because of cell phone use, but had nothing to do with his rotting teeth), the importance of hydration, negatives in extreme dieting, and the benefits of taking the stairs! I was also the drug dealer ... ibuprofen, nasal decongestants, and anti-diarrhea pills. Egypt has no laws on drug testing so my meds from America were magical.

So what's the issue? Health wise- it's a mixture of vitamin deficiencies, malnutrition, contaminated water (outside of large cities), extreme pollution, and lack of basic health education. In terms of medical care - it's understaffed hospitals, a majority of people who are unable to pay for care, and a lack of modern equipment.

Interesting facts:
In Egypt, most vaccines and other shots can be bought over the counter, and people inject themselves.
Many Egyptians are learning more about their bodies and health from American TV shows such as Dr. Oz and The Doctors translated in Arabic.

One benefit of all this is the popularity of natural remedies. One simple, fabulous, Khalda concoction got me out of a few rough days: Hot Lemon Water. Simply - boil water, once hot- squeeze in the juice from one half a lemon, add a few spoonfuls of sugar, wa-la... instant fever reducer, stomach ache healer, and cold eraser.

Something(s) to love today: your mother, your doctor, and your body.

Festival Time

Bare trees, red decorations, Christmas music, warm food, and chilly weather.

I've officially arrived back in the United States just in time for the holiday season. For that, I am thankful.

I thought I would freeze after being spoiled by Cairo's weather, but the warmness of family, friends, and the holiday season have treated me well. Wool socks, tea, and quilts haven't hurt either.

Thanksgiving was a success, and I'm so happy I was home for it. Thank God for America and a holiday focused on feasting, chatting, napping, and ad shopping! Now, I just need to gear up and bundle up for Christmas.

My friends in Egypt and Muslim friends around the world are also in the midst of holiday celebrations. During my time in Cairo I was fortunate enough to celebrate the end of Ramadan, Eid ul-Fitr. Approaching now is the Eid al-Adha (Eid meaning "Festival"). According to a BBC article (linked), "Eid al-Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice, is a three-day festival that is celebrated after the Hajj - the annual pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca that every Muslim who can afford to and is capable is required to perform once." During this time individuals focus on the ideas of sacrifice, giving, and sharing.

Sound familiar Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrators? During this holiday season lets remember that people around the world have more similarities than differences. The joys of love, sharing, and good friends and family are bigger than religion, skin color, and nationally.

'Egyptians Gear Up for Eid al-Adha'

Let us remember our neighbors both near and far during this holiday season.

Out the Window

I've been asked what I'm going to miss most about Cairo (after Khalda, of course). Although there are many things: fresh fruit, the music - drums, hips, loudness, ridiculous nighttime dramas, warm weather, falafel & koshari, written Arabic ... I think, what I'm going to miss most is the sunset.

Perhaps it is because I came to Egypt in the last throws of Ramadan. When sunset meant it was finally time for millions to enjoy the first sips of water and tastes of food after a long day (and month) of fasting. It meant tables filled with family and friends and strangers on the streets with dates (the food) to share.

There is something about knowing that soon I'll be hearing the forth (out of five) call to prayer for the day. With about 4,000 mosques in Cairo the start of "Allahu Akbar" or "Allah u Akbar" generally saying, "God is the greatest" is sometimes early, delayed, echoed, distant or near ... but still for millions of people it is a time to pause and pray; for me, it is a time to reflect and soak in the one consistency in this country.

Everything seems just a little quieter when the sun is setting.

The colors are vibrant even through the frighteningly visible smog and pollution; hazy oranges and reds.

Unlike so many places I've experienced where the blink of an eye brings darkness after a day of sun- in Cairo, the sunset seems to stick around long enough for those who care to notice.

Lizard in the Bathroom

I have so many things I want to show, to share, to teach, to tell, to learn ...
There are so many things that I do not understand, do not like, do not believe, do not deserve, do not think I'll be able to live without when I leave...

My thoughts, my journal, my sentence forming skills - all a mess.

For weeks I've been forming this mini-list of things I'm going to appreciate when I return home. I've thought it would be a cute lil' diddy to post, but for reasons unknown until now I haven't been able to. Mostly I thought nothing of it; blamed backspace and my spaced-out mind.

Today I realized that it is because my list isn't very cute or funny.

A shower, comfortable bed, bug free kitchen/bathroom, English, familiar people, the concept of lines, manners, reliable electricity, cross walks, clean air, laws against litter, a basic trash program, clean water, freedom of dress/movement/media/speech...

Even I can't see where the line between superficial worries and political issues begin and end. List typed, I still don't know where to go with this.

It didn't take long to realize I wasn't just another American cruising the Nile, eating mangoes, and checking out the Pyramids. A new arrival though is the weight of being more fully emerged into a different culture.

The longer I'm here, the more I see. The more I see, the more I understand. The more I understand, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize- I have no. freaking. idea.

It is a good thing I journal. It helps me process this mess of thoughts, and keeps me from talking to myself too much. Works as a good calendar too - I actually sat and stared at the date for a while today. When did my return date get so close? I can't wait for that bed ... and shower ... and ...

Baby, It's Cold Outside

Signs of Winter in Cairo:

The police men have changed from their white uniforms to black.
80 degree weather during the day and 'cold' at night.
It rained for about two minutes today, this only happens a handful of times a year.
Khalda wears sweat pants to bed now.
Street vendors have full supplies of fuzzy sweaters, mittens, wool socks, and hats.
Leather jackets - everywhere. Especially pleasant in the hot Metros.
While everyone else is shivering, I feel great!

Minnesota is going kill me.

Thank You Ensler and Kingsolver

Tilde and I had a long conversation about what it takes to appreciate Cairo. We concluded that one 'simply' needs to have a passion for culture, an open/flexible mind and person, and an ability to see beauty in the smallest of things.

A Beauty In:

The glimpse of a leopard print shirt under the full covering of a niqab.

Piles of fruit for sale on the street; the greens of mangoes, oranges (ironic, I know), apples, peppers, and pears.

Call to prayer, 5 times a day when millions (billions around the world) take a pause in their day to drop everything and praise their God. I see it as the only consistent thing in Cairo (other than bad traffic), it comforts me.

Mostly, I see beauty in strength. In Khalda and her friends (along with the entire Sudanese community) who face daily racism, but continue on with smiling faces. In the elderly who shuffle their way around this chaotic city. In the sweat of people who work hard for minimal pay.

The women here, amaze me. I personally struggle daily with my lack of freedoms due to my sex. I get so angry about my inability to roam, dress, speak, and stare freely. Cat call after cat call, stares that burn, and a constant awareness that I'm female- by the end of the day I'm exhausted. Granted, I face a different kind of harassment than Egyptian women because I am foreign. I am young, American, and in the minds of young Egyptian males I am Angelina, Jennifer, Britney, and Beyonce combined. Yet, through all the oppression when I enter the women's cart on the metro I'm surrounded by smiles, laughter, respect, style, and love.

Today tutoring I got to meet three inspirational women. Ask me their names and I will not remember them. Ask me about their smile - and I'll do my best to describe it. All three of the women came in today, simply to talk. To practice their skills in English.

First there was the woman who works at the Cairo Opera House. She is an artist who finds happiness in the warmness of orange, yellow, and red. She lives with her mother and it is obvious she wants more, but doesn't complain. Instead she talks about her job and friends. She talks about her dreams to travel, because when she travels she feels alive.

Then there was the young Somali woman. She studies both Arabic and English to be a Social Worker. She is one of two Somali students in her class at Cairo University. Her daily 45 minute trip each way to school doesn't bother her, because here she feels safe. There is no one trying to hurt her in Cairo, no killing on the streets, a constant fear of violence does not exsist. So she complains about nothing.

I got to end my time with a middle aged single mother from Eritrea. I was able to sit beside a woman who would do anything for her children. She didn't understand a word I said in English, or a word in Arabic. She lives with only her children and a constant state confusion and fear. She knows though, that education is her key to survival. So she goes to English classes twice a week, and goes home to immediately teach her children. They teach her the Arabic that their young minds pick up so easily. She holds onto her native tounge also - her children are learning three languages.

These three women were all inspirations, to just keep - keeping on. They were all scared. Scared of being alone, of language, of homework, of the city, of the heat, of their past experiences, of what is still left. Yet, each talked about their mothers and Oprah. About their dreams and passions. Each of them had a smile on their face and in their eyes.

How can I not fall in love with a city when it holds so many surprises and so much beauty?
One just has to search for it a little harder here, but hey, welcome to the Middle East.

BREAKfast

I had my first day tutoring at St. Andrew's today. I help out in a lovely little library with a handful of other volunteers. Oh, how I love being surrounded by books. It was the perfect place to spend the two hours I waited for Khalda to finish her class (so we could go home together).

The moment I walked in I sensed that a book from this tiny little used book library would open my eyes to why I'm here. It sounds dramatic in type, but it happened?

I found Eve Ensler's "Insecure at Last: Losing It in Our Security Obsessed World", or maybe it found me. I literally sat down and read 2/3 without stopping or breathing for that matter.

"My experiences have led me to believe that only by wholly entering, wholly feeling, wholly inhabiting other people and experiences, are we brought to any happiness and security. Only by allowing ourselves to see what we already see and know what we already know are we freed from depression and ennui."

"How can you judge people when you have no idea where they come from?"

Ensler is EXACTLY the motivation/reminder that I needed at the one month mark of my two month journey.

(By the way, in my three hour tutoring session I sat idle for two, but spent a good 50 minutes trying to explain, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Small steps are steps just the same.)