Keeping a Pet in Cairo

Pets can make you feel at home, especially in an unfamiliar place.  We ended up leaving our cat, Ruby behind, but if you are traveling to Egypt, you can of course bring your pet.  I’ve heard of people doing it, but unfortunately I don’t have any info about costs, as I never planned to do [...]

Seasons of Cairo

Born and raised in the midwest, I’m used to 4 seasons.  Freezing winters (we’ve been snowed in for a few days!), spring with lots of rain, warm summers, and colorful falls.  There is not as much visible change to mark the seasons in Cairo.  None of the trees lose their leaves or change color, however, some of them do [...]

Tale of two Ramadans

I keep thinking about it, trying to analyze my feelings and figure out why this past Ramadan was literally the best I’ve experienced in 4 years (ie, since we left America).  The only thing I can figure is, the sense of not having any ‘place’ in Egyptian society really effected me more than I realized.  [...]

Things to consider before you move overseas

We planned a lot before moving overseas, mostly money matters.  But we didn’t think of some pretty fundamental issues.  One is health care.  If you are going to a richer area of the muslim world this may not be much of a problem,  but if you are planning on living in Egypt, Yemen, Mauritania, ie, [...]

Ultraconservative Islam on rise in Mideast

I found this article interesting…, I’ll bet the mall they’re talking about is Technology Mall on Makram Albeid.  It’s true that many places don’t close during prayer times, but I find it hard to see why that is such a threatening occurance in a muslim country, it not like the mall has a lot of [...]

Only in Egypt

This is too funny.  I have personally seen a lot of the things in this video happening in the street.  I had myself a good laugh.  Especially from the traffic and spelling mistakes, classic Egypt.  Just realized there is music ( I usually have my speakers off.)         Here I felt bad for the donkey, [...]

Did we make the right choice?

I will be honest.  I felt a sort of relief to be coming home.  Living in Egypt (or anywhere overseas, imho) can be stressful.  I missed home a lot.  On the other hand, in Egypt, I did feel a sense of ease that my kids were growing around muslims, and in a more Islamic environment than [...]

We plan, and Allah plans…

We’ve made Cairo our home for the past 3.5 yrs, and have lived outside of the States for the past 4yrs.  I’d fully expected to be here for at least another 2yrs, or at least until my two oldest have finished Quran (mashallah, my daughter has 2/3 memorized, and my son 1/2).  However, dh returned [...]

Where have I been? In America!

I have had some major life changes, including dh moving to the states to work, and me and kids staying here in Egypt. And that is not all! Anyway, I went a little out of my head, and took a trip to the states without the kids. They stayed with their Quran teacher. I traveled [...]

Ramadan Journal and pics

First day, I’m feeling good, I shopped, I prepared.  I had a menu for the entire month.  I burn the food.  Yep, and not once but twice.  So first day of Ramadan we order out from Yemen Al-Sa’eed.  Mandi, a yemen dish which is delicious.  You can order a platter or 1/4 up to one whole lamb.  [...]