Its Corn Season in Egypt, Do you know when corn season is where you are???

I guess since the last couple of weeks have past I have not been written on the blog so here it goes.

Work has been going full speed ahead since I returned from my trip to India. We are headed towards the end of the project and time has just speed up because of the need to get as many appointments done before people start taking their summer holiday and leaving Egypt.

On an interesting note it is corn season in Egypt. (Maybe for that matter the rest of the world) that being said its corn season. I don’t really think that I have been as aware of a fruit or vegetable season as I have been here in Egypt with corn season. And it is not just because my driver Magdi apparently grows a lot of corn on his farm. But because everywhere you look there are people selling corn. And its not just like buying it by the pound. There are little stands where they sit there on coals and roast it, and they keep fanning it by hand to keep the coals lit. Typical Egyptian Entrepreneur attitude.

( stopped writing the blog so now a couple of days later it has started back up)

I have got to admit (like you weren’t already aware of it) I have gotten spoiled in this job. First off its my job as a International Business Analyst, to ask questions and therefore there is no question that is off limits, as long as I preface it by saying, “now you don’t have to answer this if you don’t want to but off the record”……or take the living in a hotel, if that concept is not enough….I remember watching some movie not to long before I left to start this job of how this guy owns this hotel and so he ends up living in it but he doesn’t like to tell people he lives in a hotel being a bachelor and all because of it looking just too sleazy, then take the fact that my laundry is sent out and I don’t ever drive cause my company has a driver here for me.

The reason why I am saying this is that I have gotten really oust to not having patients or to have to wait on anything. Really I mean the typical Griggs is already not know for patients to begin with but combining these things is not the best. But I am reminded of this two or three times a week when I go to the grocery store. Right down the street of the great neighborhood I live in is this really American style grocery store. The only problem is the cashiers are nothing close to Americans, in fact if I was to put the typical Egyptian in the dictionary I would put a picture of one of the cashiers in this grocery store in the picture.

It is always at the Egyptian pace, which is usually backward moving, but even when its not its always an issue, the machines out of ink, they don’t have change or its just time to switch shifts. So I say this for all of those wondering what Chad’s going to be like when he comes back that yes I have been spoiled, but don’t worry there is a team of cashiers in the grocery store in my neighborhood who always are teaching me their own bit of patience.

Speaking of my Neighborhood, I love it, it really is a big city neighborhood. I live on Zamalik a tinny island in the middle of the Nile in Downtown Cairo. The island is said to have over a million people of the upper class living on it. From the Ambassadors the Presidents son is about to buy a place to business executives, but this is not all that you see or what you love about Taher Hussien street Zamalak, by Fondo (Hotel) New President (my home here in Egypt).

What I love about it….the same people are always always sitting outside every time no matter what time of day it is they are there. Right next to the stairs of the internet café there is this old man who trys to sale tourist souvenirs Who always says hello and always wants to know how my day has been. Funny enough this is the same man when Ophelie moved out of her apartment he tried to charge her, when she asked what for…he replied because I said Hi to you every day. Oh it might be an interesting day when I tell him I am leaving.

Or the Police, there are both uniformed police, secret police and army guys in total there are usually 6 or so. More government beacuracy at its finest not that they are actually needed but more because it gives more Egyptians a job. But its one reason why I love it cause it makes my streets one of the safest one in the world.

Or how about the dry cleaners, every time I walk in there about every night they call me….Cheed….even though I have told them a million times its Chad….it doesn’t matter….its always Hi Cheed hows its going….!

Or the woman who is always whereing the (Abaya – the black full dress covering for the women) she is always sitting on the corner with different trinkets, tissues, corans, prayer beads and the such, every time I walk by she always starts trying to sale me something, this is every night, and every night I tell her Me Masri (I am Egyptian not a tourist)….

This is just a little glimpse into my neighborhood I love, no matter how tired at 5 o’clock (the end of a normal workday) it always makes me smile, to know I am in a place that I belong in this crazy crazy city of Cairo.

All for now,

Cheed