Tom in Egypt // توم في مصر

So, after some chastisement regarding the infrequent of late nature of my postings, I have returned to the fold of TomInEgypt.blogspot.com to bring a clearly long-awaited update to how things are going.

Looking back at my last post rugby seemed to be something of a leitmotiv, so an update on the progress of my late blossoming career may be appropriate. After two very different training sessions last week (the first of which I was somewhat shown up by the first team backs, the second of which I displayed a much improved passing game and was fairly comfortable on the ball) I was selected for the squad to play vs.Cairo on Friday! With the delight of being selected came the frustration of having to tell the coach I couldn't play because I'd already booked to go to Cairo that weekend as I wasn't really anticipating the call up. Anyway, I was selected and can now wear my Alexandria Rugby Club shirt with pride. Oh, and we beat Cairo :D

Since my 3 1/2 weeks update I've also spent two weekends in Cairo, both of which have been hugely enjoyable and very interesting. In Egypt there is a general consensus that Alex is like Cairo's calmer, more beautiful little sister, and over the last two weekends I think I've come to agree. It's very hard to explain or even describe how crazy a place Cairo is. I can't think of anywhere I've been that's so, well, chaotic. Chaotic and yet, in places, totally amazing and breathtaking. The contrast between the mad crowds of Khan el-Khalili and Al-Azhar mosque only across the road couldn't be more stark.

*later addition* Also forgot to mention the defining moment of my second tour of duty in Cairo: the McChicken Sandwich that poleaxed me on the train home. After a fairly big and entirely surreal house party with a bunch of "hipster" Americans, I dared a visit to the golden arches in the morning to give me the extra energy needed to see me through the 2 1/2 hour journey north. Little did I know that the very same sandwich would strike me down en route home and rule me out of Uni for a day, vomiting on the train was amongst the least enjoyable of my experiences over the entire five weeks, and it's going to take much rehabilitation and considerable time before I once again am able to trust Ronald.

In other news we've had various rows with the police captain neighbour about the legality/appropriacy of us having females in the flat. At the moment it's looking illegal/inappropriate so we're keeping a low profile, although this is one of several irritating inconsistencies in Egyptian society and is an issue that will be raised again in the future when I'm feeling more eloquent or when I learn how to say "stop being so bloody unreasonable".

All in all an action packed few weeks, this weekend is Eid al-Fitr (Little Eid) which should be fun and hopefully (inshallah) we're off to a nice beach town about 300km west of Alex for Sunday and Monday before our midterm exams next week. I hereby solemnly swear to update more regularly, sorry mum!

Love to all,

Tom xxx