Ahlan w Sahlan ya Gamaa3a!! (Hello and Welcome Everyone!!) :)

    Hi there :) Let me introduce myself; I am a British expat living in Egypt. I lived here for two years with my family during childhood for my dad's work, and then came back to marry my husband :) I have been here another two years so far.

    I think most people have a love/hate relationship with Egypt, some things drive you crazy: the traffic, the pollution, the rubbish everywhere, some aspects of the culture here and the noise. But then you can't go by without appreciating some of the amazing things about Egypt; the people, the hospitality, the adventures, the sun(!), the activities, the city life, the cafes, the friends you make everywhere, the ancient history (not just the Pyramids!), the old architecture, the art, and most definitely- the safety!! Let me talk for a minute about safety here. I'm sorry to say, but Egypt does not have much of a concept of safety; hardly anyone uses seatbelts, car seats for children, protective gear etc. But none of that is what the media has been on about, the media has decided to make out that Egypt is a no-go zone, and I want to tell you that it's not true. There was a time of curfews and protests, but it is long gone- we know that since nothing happened on 11/11. I get around by myself on the local transport (mini buses) and I have only felt in danger once (more on that in another post ;) ) I have never felt under threat (mostly because I tend to blend in with everyone). For a time, there were only two groups of people under threat: the police and government, and anyone opposing the government (particularly the Muslim brotherhood.) I am for neither.

I have learned a lot by living in Egypt, I have picked up a lot of Arabic, which I intend to include a lot of in my blog, in order to help people to learn :) I have learned about how to cook Egyptian food (not great for diets, but get me maHshy on my cheat day! ;)) I have learned a whole other way of thinking, a whole new culture. I have improved on my social interaction- gone out and made new friends when I used to be the shyest girl in town! I have learned the importance of social interaction, and the importance of making use of time. It has also taught me a lot about life, about responsibility, about family. Keep in mind, guys, that I am only 22! haha, so that's why I'm still learning a lot of things that most people already know. XD I have been blessed to live with my mother in law, who taught me most of how to live in Egypt.

Anyway, my intention with this blog is to give everyone an insight into a new culture, new types of food, another language, another way of thinking, also will include some funny stories! ;)