May Days

It has been a busy few weeks with travel, a new set of courses, and the happy arrival of my Uncle Bob and Cousin Jon.  Due to all the activity, my body finally wore down a couple days ago and I contracted a cold and sore throat.  However that did not stop me from staying up to stream game 7 of the Leafs-Bruins game- my first taste of hockey in over two years.  Up 4-1 with only 11 minutes to play it looked like my beloved Leafs would pull off the series upset.  You probably know what happened next. 

I have been a Leaf fan since as long as I can remember.  Despite nine straight years out of the playoffs, considerations for my emotional health, and basic human reason; my allegiance never wavered.  It has not always been easy.   

The Egyptian nationalist Mustafa Kamil Pasha famously said "If I weren't Egyptian, I would have wished to be an Egyptian."  Well if I weren't a Leaf fan, and I most certainly wouldn't have wished to be one. 

                                               

Otherwise life is back to normal for us in Beni Suef.  A new slate of courses began last week, with classes full of eager and enthusiastic students.  The streets are awash with onions, apples and watermelons.  And with daily highs in the 30s, it is safe to say that Egypt's heavenly spring has come to an end.  Ceiling fans have almost already become a necessity, while the sun is best avoided midday.

Coming back from beautiful Spain was a bit of an adjustment.  But we are genuinely happy to be back in dusty, little Beni Suef.  Even after short trips to Cairo, Beni Suef always seems to receive us like a soft catcher's mitt.  People here are so friendly.  From the smiles of fruits vendors to the handshakes of the children on our street, it has not taken long to feel at home again.

Most young people are focused on high school and university exams.  Those whose faces are not planted in a textbook are mainly talking about politics or football.  Most notably Egypt's many Barcelona FC fans walk about in a stupor- not willing to accept the teams 7-0 drubbing at the hands of Bayern Munich in last month's Champions League showdown.  I tell them it could be worse.

                                                    

I want conclude by sharing a story that captures the spirit and struggle in Egypt at present.  Nowadays a very common dividing line in Egypt concerns one's position on the Muslim Brotherhood (MB).  Whether talking to young children at schools or strangers on the train we are often asked, "Do you like Morsi?"  It is an unfortunate and overly-simplistic discourse- but it is a reality.

So here is the story: our friend works as a secretary at a government school in the countryside.  Some of the school's faculty supports the Brotherhood, while others oppose the group.  One day the school was rewarded with a visit by a government Minister (and member of the MB) from Cairo.  Upon his entourage's entrance into the school, a young, Muslim teacher approached the Minister and told him Egypt's education system was a mess, and that it had only gotten worse with the MB in power.  Soon thereafter the Minister left in a huff.

Immediately following the incident, pro-MB teachers began a push to have the outspoken teacher fired, making allegations of ethical corruption of the students, and even trying to manipulate compromising photos of the male teacher.  The high school students became aware of the scheme and countered with an outcry of their own, as by all accounts the young teacher was quite beloved.

The following day the hallways were alight with tension and excitement.  Things came to a head with a meeting between all teachers of concern, who eventually agreed with the principal to forget the entire matter and move on as if nothing had happened.  But the students would have none of it, demanding that the pro-MB teachers be fired.  The students would not budge, and ultimately all teachers involved were transferred to new schools.

An incident like this would never have occurred before the revolution.  Some Egyptians argue this combativeness is symptomatic of a newfound lack of respect for authority.  Others see it more positively.  For all its present failures, it is undeniable that the revolution won Egyptians greater freedom of speech.  And if one is looking for reasons for optimism in Egypt, the emerging voices of the country's millions and millions of young people might be a good place to start.

Spain Photo Journal

We are home safe and sound in Egypt after an MCC retreat in Spain.  Barcelona is a place we had never imagined we would visit, and we were pleasantly suprised by the beauty and vibrancy of our destination.   We will let our photos do most of the talking, but simply put; our time in the Spanish region of Catalonia was amazing!

The retreat was held at Marti-Codolar, a residence on the North end of Barcelona.  Here we joined our MCC colleagues from across the Middle East and Europe.

Constant rain did not stop us from taking advantage of our free time.  Here we visited Antoni Gaudi's spectacular Sagrada Familia, which is still under construction after 130 years.

We visited the monastery of Montserrat as a group,
braving wind and rain to reach the mountain's summit.

We embraced Spain's proud culinary tradition,
highlighted by tapas- a diverse selection of scrumptious appetizers.

Eventually the sun came out, and so did the turtles pictured here at the retreat center.

Downtown Barcelona was very, very impressive.  

Despite our high expectations, Barcelona more than lived up to its golden reputation!

Enjoying a 360 degree panorama atop a hill in Barcelona.

The last day of retreat brought a sad goodbye to a wonderful group of people.
It was truly a privilege to spend time with such a thoughtful and inspiring bunch.

After Barcelona we rented a car and made our way up the Costa Brava (meaning Wild Coast).

Small coves and beaches like this marked the coast around the town of Begur.

Drinking delicious espresso and milk with our dear travel-partner Phil.

The only downside of the cafes is that now back in Egypt, I will have to
relearn how to drink Nescafe.

 On one hike we decided to get off the beaten path a little, only to find ourselves stuck between a rock, a hard place, and more rocks.  It was quite an adventure!  Here Wanda braves the heights, while I embrace the frigid waters.

Our food staples throughout the trip: baguette, spanish ham and cheese!  I ate brie wedges like they were slices of pizza.  And all of this was washed down with affordable and
delicious Spanish wine.

Our base for two nights, the lovely medieval town of Pals.

Snow-capped mountains to the West, Azure waters to the East, 

and gorgeous rolling farmland in between.

A breakfast of xuixo; buttery pastry filled with rich creamy custard, deep-fried, and rolled in sugar.  In terms of pure delectability, it is at the very least in the same ballpark as Kanafeh.

The final night of our trip was spent with our wonderful country reps Tom and 

Judi in Cadaqués, a lovely and unique town near the French border.

Insulated by the rugged mountains, Cadaqués was the perfect place to wrap up our trip. 

We are thankful for the wonderful time that was.  The MCC Europe/Middle East team, the amazing city of Barcelona, and the beauty of the Costa Brava, will always hold a fond place in our hearts and memories.

Egyptian Cinema

We are currently on holiday after a wonderful MCC retreat in Barcelona, Spain!  It has been a wonderful and enriching time.  We will be sure to write about our experiences once we are back in a few days.  
One little tidbit of excitement- while waiting for our flight in the Cairo airport, we were passed by the famous Egyptian actress Youssra.  In honour of this celebrity sighting, we have a short essay on Egyptian cinema. 

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A key component in our language acquisition has been watching Arabic films and television.  Egyptian films from numerous eras can be found on television day and night.  Beyond teaching us the Egyptian Arabic dialect, they provide us with a fascinating window into Egyptian culture.

Cairo is the media center of the Arab world, and has historically been equivalent to Hollywood in terms of film production in the region.  The first full length Egyptian film Layla was released in 1927, though production did not really take off until Talaat Harb, founder of The Bank of Egypt, created Studio Egypt in 1936.  This innovation ushered in the Golden Age of Egyptian Cinema.

The Cinematic Golden Age in Egypt largely coincided with that in the West.  Films in the 1940s and 1950s were marked by classic narratives and happy endings.  Musicals were common, and literary adaptations soon rose to prominence as well.  Watching these black and white films today, we are always struck by how calm, clean and quiet Egypt is portrayed.  Oh, to have seen Cairo in the 1950s!

Omar Sharif, here with Peter O'toole in Lawrence of Arabia, was one 
of the few Egyptian stars to enjoy international success.  

In the years following the 1952 Revolution Egyptian society would change fundamentally, as  Directors began to create realist films which confronted social ills and taboos.  The energetic and ambitious President Gamal Abdul Nasser saw what a powerful tool film could be, and nationalized Egyptian cinema in 1964.  In the eyes of many this spelled the end of the Golden Age, and the beginning of censorship and repression.  That said, the following years were marked by many new developments in artistic style.

The legendary comedian Ismail Yassin showing off his notoriously big mouth.  

Born poor in the town of Suez, the highly-successful Yassin would eventually die poor as well.

Nasser passed away in 1970, and his relatively unheralded vice-president Anwar Sadat came to power.  Sadat's rule was marked by an opening to the West both economically and culturally.  This change was reflected in film, as sex and violence became the norm.  Watching the short skirts and liberal affection in Egyptian films from the 1970s, Wanda and I can barely believe our eyes.  Is that really Egypt?  The discrepancy between then and now is truly incredible.  

Egyptian film experienced a real decline during the remaining decades of the twentieth century.  The spread of television and influx of American films torpedoed budgets and profits.  While over 100 films a year were produced in the Golden Age, by 1995 that number had shrunk to 12. 
  

The critically acclaimed director Youssef Chahine.  His highly artistic films dealt with 

difficult social issues such as homosexuality, prostitution, and corruption in Egypt.    

In recent years Egyptian cinema has enjoyed a renaissance of sorts.  A number of films, such as The Yacoubian Building and Two Girls from Egypt, have tackled contemporary issues.  The main box office draw, however, remains comedies.  The beloved Adel Imam, Ahmed Helmy and Mohamed Henedi are all good for a few laughs.  Then there is the regrettably popular Mohamed Saad, whose films are about as witty as your average American slapstick comedy. 

Over the years the Egyptian film industry has exported far more than just movies.  Egyptian films made Egyptian Arabic the most famous dialect in the region, easily understood across the Middle East.  Moreover, this soft power has helped Egypt to enjoy an unparalleled voice on other issues in the region.  Thus for all of the Gulf's Dinars and Dollars, Cairo will likely remain a cultural center in the Arab world.

 

Not Your average Egyptian women.

An ongoing question in Egyptian cinema relates to what sectors of society are represented in cinema, and how they are portrayed.  Historically stories have focused on the upper class (this is hardly unique to Egypt).  The cultural divide between Egyptian classes has long been a stark one.  Thus even today Egyptian actresses are rarely covered- unless one takes makeup into account.  Contrast that to your average Egyptian neighbourhood, where nearly every Muslim woman wears a higab.

The Egyptian economist Galal Amin highlights how the dualist discourse in Egyptian cinema has changed markedly in recent decades.  Whereas the upper class used to regard rural Egyptians as an integral part of the Egyptian state and economy, the lower classes are now seen more as an embarrassment or burden.  Indeed rural Egyptians are often disparaged in film, that is, if they show up at all.

Your typical Egyptian comedy these days.  A few cheap laughs, little substance, 

highlighted by a voluptuous, scalpel-sculpted Lebanese 'beauty'.  

Now in the shadow of another revolution, the interaction between the state, the media and Egypt's many classes will be fascinating to watch. Hopefully new voices will be heard from, and perhaps old influences will return.  Ultimately the history of Egyptian film reveals much about a society in constant flux.    

A Family Reunion

Less than a week ago we bid farewell to my parents Tim and Johanna. They came to Egypt for two weeks and saw the world that has become our home. As we look back, we are once again amazed by how quickly time went with our beloved guests. After all the anticipation prior to their visit, it is suddenly over.  But ilhumdulallah we have many memories to look back on and – thanks to my dad – multitudes of photos!

 My wonderful parents.  I had not seen them in over two years!

Since Isaac and I were working, the bulk of our time was spent in Beni Suef. Although by tourist standards Beni Suef is a relatively unimportant city, it is our home. Thus it holds many humble pleasures my parents had heard about and were eager to experience. We showed them our favourite cafes, introduced them to our closest friends, and gave them a taste of sumptuous local foods.

Stuffed from stuffed-vegetables- visiting with Teresa and her dear family.  

School Party, headlined by Isaac doing his best Amr Diab impression.

As we were busy with the English courses, my parents were able to meet our students and participate in our classes. This was a real pleasure for our English learners as they got the chance to converse with more native speakers and hear about my parents' first impressions of Egypt. Topics of Cairo traffic, sunny/snowy weather and traditional Egyptian foods caused much laughter on both sides. 
 

 Turkish coffee at Fishawi's in Islamic Cairo.

Indiana Tim exploring an ancient tomb at Meidum.

After a rich and relaxing time in Beni Suef, we traveled to the country's capital and spent a couple days touring the major sights. We visited the Egyptian Museum, Tahrir Square, Coptic Cairo, Islamic Cairo, the Khan El-Khalili, Mokattam and the Giza Pyramids. Not an ounce of energy went unspent! As always, epic Cairo did not fail to entertain and awe us with her sights, sounds and smells. 

And I thought we were a tall family!

Shopping at the Khan El-Khalili.

In addition to being exciting and captivating, Cairo is also exhausting and overwhelming. Therefore, we went from the noisy capital to Anafora for a couple days of respite. The Coptic retreat center of Anafora is a parallel universe. It is a bougainvillea paradise in the eye of a dust-storm, a sanctuary for the soul. We spent an incredible time there, catching our breath in the fresh air. This was the perfect way to unwind and soak in our company before our parting.

 

Peaceful bliss at Anafora.

And so my parents' visit ended and they returned safely home to snowy Kitchener-Waterloo.   Isaac and I appreciate the unique time we shared with them in Egypt and the host of new memories we now have together.