Another Walk in the Neighborhood

More neighborhood scenes: Got a few responses from the e-mails I had sent out. Laid a bit low today, catching up with myself from the heat. I had to go out for bottled water, needed for drinking and (with white vinegar) soaking unpeeled fruit. The first photos you see here are of the French school near my apartment building. It's on the way to my local shopping area. When the door is open, you can see a statue of the Virgin Mary. Adolescent girls entering the school do not wear the hijab. My neighborhood is diverse–veiled women, unveiled women, mixed race and Caucasian people. I live next to the Italian Embassy. Today, a woman, with long, blonde high-lighted hair, in a stylish bronze sateen pants suit accompanied a gentleman into the building. I have seen only cats in Egypt, no dogs.

Teaching of History Politicized: History classes in Egypt are designed to chronologically cover all periods of Egyptian history from pharaonic to contemporary times with further details added depending on students’ age group. After the January 25 (2011) revolution, a chapter on it was added to the program of study for sixth graders and middle schoolers last year. Previous lessons about the role of the National Democratic Party, the former ruling party, in political life and its many “achievements” were removed along with photographs of former President Hosni Mubarak. History lessons offered in schools are generally fragmented and highly selective, and change based on political developments. Most lessons covering the pharaonic, Islamic or modern periods stress taking pride in monuments. When periods of colonization are examined, invaders from the Hyksos to Mongols are presented as pure evil. It was Napoleon who said: "History is written by the winners."

Local Restaurants:This picture may be considered the local version of Boston market. I haven't eaten any meat off the street yet, seeking to avoid pharaoh's revenge. However, food that's thoroughly cooked and relatively fresh is usually safe. There are some restaurants with western standards; but I'm still too new to the city to know where they are. The frozen peas I found in a local shop are rather "mealy." The hotel near me has an impressive Lebanese buffet; I may try that some time. Koshari, an Egyptian dish of rice, lentils, chickpeas, and macaroni topped with tomato sauce and fried onion, is, more or less, the national dish of Egypt. I've joined a Cairo Ladies Lunch Gathering group on Facebook; so I may learn more about the city that way. A mailinglist, called Cairo Scholars List, managed by Prof. Samer Ali, Arabic Literature, University of Texas at Austin, has really been helpful in making connections and sharing information about Cairo. Have a Walking Tour (with lunch) of Islamic and Coptic Cairo, sponsored by Fulbright, coming up on September 22 and their orientation session (mainly about security, insurance, and personal living issues) on September 18, but it's a "must attend."