Mahlesh

Intercultural communication:

Yesterday when I came home  after a long day a pleasant surprise was awaiting me:

 a towel animal decorated with fresh flowers on my bed:

 

and a creatively used empty cola can which I had forgptten on my "living room" tabe:

And as always actions speak louder than any words especially if language is the weak spot. And that's apparently the Egyptian way to say "Mahlesh that house keeping was lousy recently." and "Hello, I'm the new person taking care of your room.".  Well, I guess the internationally understood and accepted answer to that is a note saying "Shokran!" and 20 LE  when the house keeping person returns in a few days.

Nocturnal greetings,

Anne

Finally... new shoes!

Hello everyone!

I know I haven't posted anything in quite a while but I was kind of busy here.
I have a new, temporary collegue, Nicole, whom I'm getting along with really well and since she lives here in Madinat Makadi as well, we spend quite a bit of time together.

If anyone still remembers some time ago I had a post about how most of my shoes are too damaged by the heat to still be wearable. Well, guess what: this week ( - or last week by now, as it is already past midnight now that I'm finally able to post this - ) I finally found a new pair - by accident in Senzo Mall. Black, my size and even affordable. Serendipity...

Aren't they pretty?!

XOXO

Anne

Staying hydrated

On drinking...

In a country where temperatures outside revolve around 40°C in the shade ( - which is a state that is just not foud anywhere in reality as the sun is burning down on the eath without any obstacles - ) and an agreeable room temperaure for an office is 26 to 27°C staying well hydrated is essential. The heat and the dryness of the air inside caused by air condition everywhere causes you to constantly feel thirsty. I had already used to drinking quite a bit back home in Germany, but in Egypt it's been taken taken to a whole new dimension.

Usually I have about half a liter water right after I wakig up because the night has left me feeling parched. Then I get up and have one or two tall glasses of tea before leaving for work. To the office I take a big 1,5l bottle of water and another big bottle of chilled tea.

I absolutely LOVE Egypt`s national drink: Karkadee, tea made from hibiscus blossoms. I used to take that to work, but sadly I have to stop and find something new to drink as Karkadee has side effects: it lowers your blood pressure - considerably. And even though my blood pressure is always measured to be quite high anytime I'm at a doctor's I think thats rather due to my almost dying of a near attack caused by feelings of panic and terror of being there than a natural condition. 

A colleague told me she really likes a blend of peppermint and green tea which is apparently available at bigger supermarkets here. I think I might give that a go and try it as I can't drink those amounts in fruit infusions which I used to love for it will damage my teeth too much. 

On top of that, I'll usually have 4 cans of diet coke from the cafeteria. - Yeah, I know, not exactly the healthiest beverabe around, but 'm hardly having any coffee as I cannot stomach the stuff they brew at the office (way too strong and too much acid) and I need some source of caffeine.  

So, I have quite a bit to drink at the office (and writing it all down it appears even more). But then, I don't drink very much after that. When I'm in my room, after work, I'll maybe have another half a liter of water or a glass of tea and that's it for the day.

Still, quite a bit more than I ever used to have in Germany. Especially noticeable since I cannot drink the water from the tab and have to carry every single bottle I drink home from the shop.

Greetings from Egypt,

Anne

Saturday

Saturday...

So, since I had the day off from 1pm I had some time tro spend on my hands.

Thus I finally managed to go to the hairdresser`s and have my hair cut. Just the ends so it looks neat again. And then, on the way back to my room I bought a dress - unlikely as it is in those tourist oriented shops around here. I instantly fell in love with it and had to have it (even though it was way overpriced):

I don`t think I have ever recieved so many compliments for a dress.

Now I only need new black sandals to match it...

Sunny greetings from HRG!

XOXO

Anne

Ants!

My room is an ant cemetery.
Seríously, its not funny. Yesterday I found probably some 100 dead ants under my bed and behind the curtains - plus maybe 10 live ones. Yuck!!
Wrote a note to the guy from housekeeping who hopefully comes today.

XOXO

Anne

Uniforms and power

All tied up...

Yesterday I got a new accessory ( - and a fitting blouse, yay - ) for my uniform  which I had to wear to a hotel this morning.
Check out this:

Isn't that the most ugly tie you've ever seen? Looks suspiciously like clown's wear. And I had to wear it - in public too, to make it even worse.


Picture of proof:

 1000 thanks to my ney collegue Hamdi from Luxor. He saved me some serious embarassment and did the knok ast night - after I had failed to notice that the tie isn't one of those already tied ones - because I wouldn't have had the slightest idea what to do with it myself. Thanks Hamdi, I owe you!

Please excuse the slightly shiny look I have on those photos. I took them after first walking about 20 minutes to the hotel and then sitting in the lobby for 3 1/2 hours when the AC had stopped only minutes after my arrival due to yet another power blackout (which lasted until I left at 1:30pm). And that at 32 to 34°C with 60% humidity outside and what felt like 40 to 45°C inside with zero air movement or oxygen. At times I seriously felt like I was not getting any oxygen at all and dangerously close to fainting.
And of course - no guests. 3,5 hours sitting, smiling at noone in particular, sweating and suffocating in a clown's costume. Great start for a day. 

In the afternoon I was supposed to be at the office. I went early to escape the lack of power (and thus lack of  AC and running water at my room). Only to fnid out that the office had been affected by the blackout as well (which is not always the case). But after a few minutes power came back on - for a while. After the power (and all our computers) had gone out another 6 or seven times by about 4:30pm we stopped counting. 
And when does such thing occur? Sure, on the busiest day of the week when everyone's coming in for the weekly settlement day when the whole week's worth of work is accounted for. Fun...

Worst day concerning power so far. 

Greetings from HRG,


Anne