Rain and Redbull

So the other day, briefly rained for the first time since I've been here.  As there are no drainage systems located within the streets or on the buildings, the moment it rains just a little bit, the streets are suddenly flooded.


The nice thing is that the air suddenly felt clearer, and the plant life seemed fresh with life - not covered with dust as usual.


During my trip to find a power drill, the water however caused crazy traffic as no one here has a clue about how to drive in the rain.  

The other picture is of some Red Bull Sheesha tobacco that I saw sitting on a shelf.  Yuck!

Triangles in the Sand

So I finally went to see some Pyramids.  They are only about 20 minutes from my apartment, yet I never bothered to see them until today.  It was slightly exhausting and I nearly had a panic attack before going because of all the expected frustration from touts, con artists, and street vendors.  Surprisingly, it actually wasn't too bad and I ended up having a good time.  Having studied and worked within architectural history and archaeology, the best part for me wasn't so much the pyramids themselves (although they are truly quite impressive), but to look at the way in which human interventions have continually reshaped the pharonic landscape.  To distinguish between original blocks of stone and later copies, repairs, and reconstructions all amalgamated within this one site really conveys the pyramids as being more about the orientalist imagination.  As I had once mentioned in a previous posting, the pyramids are much more what you want them to be rather than something existing on their own terms.  I had a good time and I'm sure I'll stop by in the near future - but it probably won't be for awhile.  Oh, and if you are wondering - what was the best part? - well, I especially loved looking at all the tourists... they are just so goofy sometimes!

Asian women with umbrellas and boots... I've never seen this in Egypt before.

 

 

 

Yeah... thats me, Indian Jones'n

I really wish Egyptians ate their camels like the Somali's, I could really go for a bite.

 

Professional Photographer?

Academia Upside Down

I can almost see the finish line, shimmering in the mirage of 2009.  I am in critical need of finishing school.  At least for a considerable amount of time.  It simply requires greater motivation to do my schoolwork now, after nearly 8 years of post-secondary education.  It might have been quicker to just be a doctor!  Oh well, as the egyptians say, "ma lish,  msh mshkela," its  fine, not a problem.  I find that working most nights in the 'hood does much to distract from my academic responsibilities.  Classes on refugee law and social policy simply pales in comparison to actually walking the streets and hearing the stories of those who have been displaced.  Working with Youth Violence Prevention Initiative brings about a great deal of satisfaction although it certainly reduces my interest in school work.


However I have done my best to produce quality assignments and to complete the 500 + pages of reading that are required every week.  In a recent situation, I had even managed to go far beyond the expectations of the assignment, and have actually found my efforts to have backfired.  I was required to only write a 5 page essay which overviews the previous 4 weeks of reading, synthesizing the material into a cohesive dialogue, accentuated by a critical reflection on the nature of the literature.  Having written this type of paper many times over the last few years, I sought to do something more sophisticated that would portray more than ownership of the material, by conforming that ownership into a narrow framework and projecting a specific argument.  Working from a body of literature concerned with the genealogy of the refugee studies as a discipline,  the standard definition of a refugee, alternative types of refugees, and the formation of the humanitarian regime, I extracted the concept of Humanitarian Space, and sought to articulate the existence and demeanor of this newly defined entity.

The basis is that within humanitarian operations, a physical space is defined for two purposes:
a. The logistical demands of supplying aid
b. The expression of human rights among a population that had lived under oppression elsewhere

But that a transformation occurs within the space by the simple fact the the entire nature of the space is predetermined at conception by the consequence of a globalized economy and historical conditions. Furthermore it is transformed by the demand for military support and security.  Ultimately these factors produce an awkward, self-conflicting space that may ultimately undermine the logistical and legal priorities of the humanitarian body.


I sought to investigate the physical and social repercussions of establishing a humanitarian space.  I asked, and posed answers for several questions such as "How does it affect the local economy, what role does it play within a globalized economy, how does it relate to the natural environment?"  The paper was about 12 pages long, with an array of scientific academic journals to support my claims.

A few days later I received an email from my professor, asking for a brief meeting about my paper.  I was quite anxious, thinking that she either loved it or... that she was concerned.  What I encountered was instead something of a surprise.

 I visited her office at 3:30.  After a little small talk, she casually mentions that she wants me to re-write the assignment! I could not believe it!  After all, I was working with something new, this was innovation, and one thing I learned in art school is that it is VERY rare to ever create a new idea.  Fortunately, the conversation did not end at that point.

Although I have to rewrite the assignment to provide a general discussion of the material, she is willing to accept my previously submitted paper as the semester Final Exam.  Furthermore, she is willing to provide assistance to submit this paper for publication or for proposal at the World Conference of Humanitarian Studies 2009 in the Netherlands.  Of course while it is quite likely that the paper will not be accepted given my 'rookie' status,  she felt the subject was unique and it will be at least strongly considered.

I suppose the situation could have been much worse. The funny thing is that I was so aggravated about having to rewrite the assignment, it was difficult to recognize the value of the newly available opportunities.  But now that they have become a little more clear, it is also certain that I have much more work ahead of me.  It will be necessary to do extensive research on the subject of humanitarian space, in particular its relationship to militarization, human rights, and refugee protection.  It will be necessary for me to seek out and review nearly ALL previous publications wherein the phrase might be featured so as to trace the historical construction of the concept, and to see how it the concept has changed over time alongside the evolution of humanitarianism - which has shifted extensively over last century from a focus on relief aid to development to prevention.  Clearly there is much to do, and not much time to do it as the conference deadline for paper abstracts is next week!  I gues its time to get to work!

A Ghetto Wedding, A Swollen Ankle, and Crazy Street Rappers

Today my friend Mallory described being in Cairo like being in a relationship with another person, and I think she's right.  You might find it fascinating in the beginning, and then not so much later on.  Yet for all the frustrations, it is felt that the relationship is important and that one should make an effort to overlook the shortcomings and take full advantage of the best parts.  Yet sometimes, some days, are just better or worse than others.
The other night a fellow Fulbrighter had a party to celebrate his birthday, to which I invited several other people, yet was only accompanied by the aforementioned Mallory.  The location of the party was only about 2 or 3 miles down the street from her house, so it seemed convenient and neither of us really intended to stay that long. So we strolled down at about 11, since the invitation said to come anytime after 10:30.

We arrive and spent a few hours talking to other expats in Cairo, and it wasn't all that exciting, but it certainly wasn't bad.  However from the building rooftop we could see that some sort of crazy event was happening about another mile from our present location, with the bright lights and REAALLLY loud music, so we decided to investigate.

I have always enjoyed 'going off the beaten path,' as it is within such times that really exciting experiences occur.  After all, one can only have adventures if one creates oppurtunities for such adventures to happen.  Now to walk down the street to this crazy party in the heart of one of Cairo's poor urban neighborhoods at 3 am is really not a bad thing, as strange as that might sound - in particular as I am a guy.  But to walk down with Mallory, it was important to pay attention to MASSIVE wedding reception!

The people at the wedding were really excited to see two foriegners show up, and in classic Egyptian hospitality, they insisted that we meet the bride and groom, drink some whisky, eat some cake, share some smokes, dance to the music, and overall just partake in the raucous marry making.   Of course we didn't submit to all their offers - like the all the hashish - but we did hang out for a bit,  talking to people and soaking up the atmosphere.  All of the people were shocked that we could actually speak Arabic, that we lived in Cairo, and that we weren't actually lost!  It was really as much for them as it was for us, and we are totally glad to have investigated.  After about 30 mintues, when the cops arrived - requesting for the volume to be cut down - we decided it was probably a really good time to leave.  We said thanks, and went back where we came from.

We left the wedding, navigating a maze of intimidating streets to get back to the main route.  Extra cautious of our environment.  Everything was fine along the way until of course we actually reach Nubar Street, the street on which Mallory lives.  Sighing with relief, I temporarily let my guard down as we began walking down the main street.  As soon as I took about 2 steps in front of her, some young guy suddenly pops up from between two cars and grabs her breast!  At that moment I immediately kicked the guy in the lower back, and with the rush of adreniline I hit him harder than I've ever hit anything in my life.  He fell away and stumbled into a run, taking off down the street.  Mallory was fine, and while I don't know how he fared from the incident, I can honestly say that my ankle has been really sore the last two days from the severity of the impact.  Of course I walked her home afterward, obviously much more vigilent from the encounter, and nothing else happened along the way.

In other news...

Now that Eid is over, I am now working a lot of hours on my project with the NGO, Youth Violence Prevention Initiative.  In short the YVPI works with a non-profit agency called St. Andrews, and is funded by the United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees.  It is headed by my friend and fellow student, Natalie Forcier, and consists of only about 6 people, including myself.  The aim of the project is ultimately to reduce violence among Sudanese street gangs living within urban Cairo through education and skills training, the reinforcment of hip hop culture, and the development of oppurtunties for sports and organized social events.   My part within the project is two-fold.  I am producing an hip-hop album with various gangs, while also conducting research to articulate the structural determinants of violence and marginalization among refugee youth.

Working with these guys is great, and it is definately the best part of my life right now.  It takes a lot of time to build trust and relationships, to enter their social circle, but it provides an oppurtunity to really penetrate the depths of our world.  In short, these guys have lived through more than any Tupac or 50 Cent could ever pretend to be.  Having survived through genocide, warfare, torture, and systematic abuse, the frustrations and feelings of disempowerment leading to violence and gang creation is easy to understand. 

Thus far the I have been working with one particular group, known as the UniGunz, and have been compiling some basic tracks.  The guys are really excited about the project, as the creation of hip hop music is a means for these alienated young men to establish 'street cred' without fighting, robbery, or drugs.  By channeling their frustrations and life stories into music, it serves as a means for therepy and violence reduction.  Of course the working hours of 7 pm to 4 am is a little wearisome, but the benefits of the project far outway any inconveniences.  As of January I intend to have compiled an album featuring tracks by all of the gangs, and maybe a single track including all of them.  We are organizing a concert to debut the album in Cairo, and I intend to make it available online for download.  At this time I have several tracks recorded and quite a bit of material in process.  Of course as I take on more work with each successive gang, I assume that the rate of progress will become slower.

I will be working on this project over the course of 3 phases for most of my time in Cairo.  There is potential that it could become a major project later on, providing financial incentive to stay in Cairo for another year or so.  Of course, I'm not really sure if I want to stay here all that long, as I really want to go back to real Africa, but I will  just have to see what happens then.  As for now, the project is exciting, all of the participants are really enthusiastic, and it is absolutely the greatest part of my time in Egypt.

Into the Water

I returned to Cairo late last night.

It was a long bus ride, but uneventful.

I don't mind coming back home to Cairo, in someways, I'm even happy about it.

But then again, it would have been so easy to stay in Dahab, as you can see.

 No camels on the beach please.

Evan, Mallory, and Nezia.
On a mission for food.

Evan.
Snorkel.
What's more to say?

Nezia looks very happy about her seashell.

As usual, unable to decide where to go...

Nezia lookin' hip.
Mitch lookin' blurry.

Evan and Mallory are well regarded as the ultimate Sheesha connoisseurs. 

Evan showing off while I freeze in the background.

 Our favorite restaurant owner working the grill.  Each time we went, we wouldn't really even order, we would just ask him to cook whatever he wanted. 
And each time, it was a feast.

Mallory looks very engaged in the dinner conversation.

Evan looks... um, not so engaged.

From where I stand, I see Saudi Arabia

This place is beautiful. 

More than that, perhaps it is best described as picturesque.

The water of the Gulf of Aquaba, seperating the Sinai Penninsula of Egypt from Jordan and Saudi Arabia, is the deepest royal blue.  The beaches have no sand, but consist of black, gray, brown, and red igneous rocks.  All along the coastline are sprawling outdoor restaraunts, where the tables are low to the ground and the surrounding area is completely covered with soft pillows in brilliant colors.  To go to dinner is not a matter of popping in and out, but takes several hours, during which you might lay down and take a nap, drink spiced tea, smoke flavored tobacco through the sheesha, and simply enjoy the moment of watching the waves crash against the shore, while sharing the time with those around you.  The first night here, we went to dinner and ended up being there for over 5 hours.


Yesterday I went out to the beach for the sunrise, and watched as the sun rose above the mountains of the Saudi coastline in front of me.  As soon as the sun popped out, I could feel the heat suddenly permeate my skin yet the sensation was counterbalanced by a constant cool breeze sweeping across the water.  When I walked along the beach no else was visible with the exception of stray dogs, who all seemed rather plaased by my company as they followed behind or trotted alongside.

It has been great to escape from the urban monstrosity of Cairo. Unfortuanately, I return tomorrow. Nonetheless I'm sure to come back here again sometime in the near future.  Although the nine hour bus ride is somewhat laborious, the reward at the end is well worth the minor discomfort.  In the meanwhile, I fully intend to take advantage of my remaining time here; to maximise every minute of this desert paradise.