Ungrateful

nurka

Hi I moved to Cairo Egypt, about two years ago. I was really excited when we were planning our move. My husband had accepted a three year contract with his company. So we were getting ready as we have moved before with his company to Istanbul Turkey. It was lovely there, even though we were a little worried then more so, then when we were making our move to Egypt. I mean people were really scaring us and telling us that Turkey was a "third world country" and since we are born and raised in NY City, we didn't know what to expect.

I lived as a kid in the former Yugoslavia Kosovo for five years, so I thought to myself it can't be worse then that. My husband being originally from Bolivia lived there as a kid for a year or so and visiting in the summers, though he really never saw the suffering parts of the country, and didn't really remember much. For us Turkey was a pleasant surprise, Istanbul resembles somewhat Staten Island NY with the bridges and the historical and residential sites. It was breath taking places we went people we met...ahh.

So when we were going to Cairo we asked a couple of our friends how egypt was and we had received a very positive feedback and we thought since it was more positive then the feedback we had received about Turkey that it would be prettier and nicer in general. All the while I had only one friend that was married to an Egyptian telling me otherwise, I would just simply choose to ignore her.

Then when the actual move happend me and my family were in for a shock or "shock and awe" as GWB would say. I mean it was completly different then what we were told and expected. I remember my brother asking me how do you like it on the phone and my answer... trying not to be negative was..."it's Africa i guess not much to expect", from the tone of my voice I guess he read through me and was thinking how ungrateful I am to be here.

I went sight seeing the first couple of months, kids were in a good school. I tried taking up Arabic and some lessons at other places, but I was sad seeing the things I saw daily. Things I wasn't ever exposed to before...at least not in that way. There are beggers everywhere, half naked kids (we are talking about ages 1-5),horrible traffic...I mean no lights or signs on streets, people here don't even have water for everyday use in all the area's, it was really dirty, for me at least.

But as time passed on I realised how ungrateful I was for all the things I took for granted, I mean one day we didn't have water in this so called upper class region of Cairo and do You know how bad the stench can be, when you dont flush for a whole day, with a big family and we had 3 bathrooms ,we ended up buying water to flush toilets... sad hmm. I was ungrateful for the fact that I have food and shelter where as so many people here can't even turn to the government for help for their basic needs like food and water and shelter. I mean I can go on and on...

I just wanted to let people know that all the basic life luxuries that we have in the west are not so every day here in other countries, and that many of us take them for granted and are very ungrateful for the blessings we have, and that maybe we aught to try and help some how those close to us and those in other countries. I mean they are people just like you and me, you cut them they bleed just like me. They are strong given the circumstances and maybe if they were in my shoes they would be better then me and appreciate things more then I do.

Trying to be gratefull and pass the message on, without making it sound like babble.

Sincerly
Nurka

Byrnzie

I spent a week in Cairo. It was a festering hell hole. I got ill straight away and abandoned my plans to travel south. I went to Ireland instead and got drunk on Guinness to try and recover. It worked.
I may return one day to Cairo, although I reckon it'd be a mistake to stay more than two days.

Kann

I lived 3 years in Cairo. I remember it as a great experience. Sure the city is really tough to live in and you see things you wished didn't exist, but some of the people there are the nicest persons I met. Some people who had close to nothing and offered the little they had to welcome you even if they didn't really know you.
The city isn't that nice, never found the courage to drive in there for instance, and is really dirty but I felt the people made up for it. (As well as the sights, did you go to the sinai desert?). Just don't drive there
What I really hated though was having that much money (a regular pay in Europe which was some 10 times higher than the medium wage there) while more than half of Cairo is so obviously struggling in poverty. That is hard to live, especially since the best you can do is help 1-2 persons at the time in a city that big.
I heard though from old friends there that it's not getting better there and life and people may not be as easy going today (what with all the problems in the region).
And I agree with you, living in such a place helps you learn the meaning of gratitude.

Scubascott

I spent two days in Cairo and it was a major culture shock for me. It was my first time in a developing country, and seeing the incredible contrast between the filthy rich and the desperately poor was an eye opener. Its such a strange city in that you can see brand new mercedes driving alongside carts pulled by donkeys, and multimillion dollar mansions right next to tiny shacks and canals filled with refuse, garbage and dead dogs. It certainly helped me appreciate our way of life here in Australia. The people were very friendly, but it got frustrating feeling like everyone was always trying to scam money out of us. I guess that comes with looking like tourists, but it made it hard to trust the genuinely friendly people who just wanted to help or talk without expecting anything in return. The excitement and craziness of the place was the best thing about it. I got run over by a guy on a bicycle. I'd love to travel to India next and get another dose of insanity.

Istanbul was a completely different story. I think its the most beautiful city I've ever visited. Clean, with gardens, amazing mosques everywhere, great food, great people. I wsh we could have spent more time there, and more time in Turkey in general.

baraka

Nurka, thanks for sharing your story. It certainly places things into perspective. BTW, welcome to the Pit.

polaris

i spent almost 5 months traveling around in africa (east and south) ... cairo would have been luxury to where i was ... in any case - it definitely gives you perspective on how lucky many of us truly are ...

Restless Soul

nurka wrote:

Hi I moved to Cairo Egypt, about two years ago. I was really excited when we were planning our move. My husband had accepted a three year contract with his company. So we were getting ready as we have moved before with his company to Istanbul Turkey. It was lovely there, even though we were a little worried then more so, then when we were making our move to Egypt. I mean people were really scaring us and telling us that Turkey was a "third world country" and since we are born and raised in NY City, we didn't know what to expect.

I lived as a kid in the former Yugoslavia Kosovo for five years, so I thought to myself it can't be worse then that. My husband being originally from Bolivia lived there as a kid for a year or so and visiting in the summers, though he really never saw the suffering parts of the country, and didn't really remember much. For us Turkey was a pleasant surprise, Istanbul resembles somewhat Staten Island NY with the bridges and the historical and residential sites. It was breath taking places we went people we met...ahh.

So when we were going to Cairo we asked a couple of our friends how egypt was and we had received a very positive feedback and we thought since it was more positive then the feedback we had received about Turkey that it would be prettier and nicer in general. All the while I had only one friend that was married to an Egyptian telling me otherwise, I would just simply choose to ignore her.

Then when the actual move happend me and my family were in for a shock or "shock and awe" as GWB would say. I mean it was completly different then what we were told and expected. I remember my brother asking me how do you like it on the phone and my answer... trying not to be negative was..."it's Africa i guess not much to expect", from the tone of my voice I guess he read through me and was thinking how ungrateful I am to be here.

I went sight seeing the first couple of months, kids were in a good school. I tried taking up Arabic and some lessons at other places, but I was sad seeing the things I saw daily. Things I wasn't ever exposed to before...at least not in that way. There are beggers everywhere, half naked kids (we are talking about ages 1-5),horrible traffic...I mean no lights or signs on streets, people here don't even have water for everyday use in all the area's, it was really dirty, for me at least.

But as time passed on I realised how ungrateful I was for all the things I took for granted, I mean one day we didn't have water in this so called upper class region of Cairo and do You know how bad the stench can be, when you dont flush for a whole day, with a big family and we had 3 bathrooms ,we ended up buying water to flush toilets... sad hmm. I was ungrateful for the fact that I have food and shelter where as so many people here can't even turn to the government for help for their basic needs like food and water and shelter. I mean I can go on and on...

I just wanted to let people know that all the basic life luxuries that we have in the west are not so every day here in other countries, and that many of us take them for granted and are very ungrateful for the blessings we have, and that maybe we aught to try and help some how those close to us and those in other countries. I mean they are people just like you and me, you cut them they bleed just like me. They are strong given the circumstances and maybe if they were in my shoes they would be better then me and appreciate things more then I do.

Trying to be gratefull and pass the message on, without making it sound like babble.

Sincerly
Nurka

Nice post. I've visited india a few times and every time I come back to britain I find myself grateful to have water on tap and central heating and so on.

bump.

LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun

i 've heard great things about Turkey and bad things about Egypt. Seems that they were true.

nurka

Sorry for the late response, I was away for a while and there were holidays coming up here, and kids had extra projects.

Thanks all, I did'nt realise there were so many of you who have been to Egypt.

Just to keep those who have asked updated on conditions in Cairo, well they have only gotten worse from what I hear. Supposedly, it used to be very nice and clean back 50 years ago but very hard to imagine. Someone told me there used to be free vet clinics even for animals, which is non existant now.

Really it baffles me how did these people regress. I mean usually people kind of move forward not back wards, but I guess the same can be said about the Incan and Mayan society and all the other ones that have gone down hill ...
Power always shifts... food for thought heh!

Anyway thanks for welcoming me to the board and hearing my thoughts!

I hope I can help people realise how much of the world suffers, and how we can't even imagine the circumstances that people live in and seem to be perfectly content with what has been decreed for them

wavescamecrashing

i was in cairo last year.

i pretty much agree with everything that is written on here about the place. my grandad was there in ww2 and told me it was a hell hole. the people are great but the place is desperate in places. Have you been down to Luxour? that made cairo look rich, there was a total absence of wealth, though it was more rural and peaceful, which made me prefer it.

at least your kids will have a global perspective and it will shape how they see home when you get back.

worringly, Egypt is the richest country in Africa.

Polaris, tell us more about the reset of the continent...im curious. and the person who spoke about india, we are thinking of going there this summer...

Heineken Helen

MrSmith wrote:

i 've heard great things about Turkey and bad things about Egypt. Seems that they were true.

Turkey is seriously dodgy. We've been to Marmaris in the south twice for 2 weeks each time. The first time we thought they were the friendliest people ever... the 2nd time we realised they were only that friendly thinking that we'd send them money once we got home. Because we didn't, they weren't so friendly the second time... and we saw a much more sinister side to the people. I would never ever ever go back.

South Africa's the one place I've been where I've seen the huge contrast between rich and poor. It was very very sad... just like scubascott said about Cairo, huge mansions right beside the shanty towns. We also visited an aids orphanage. I guess we were lucky in a way to have seen both sides because it would be all too easy to visit south africa and only see what they want the tourists to see... it is such an amazing, beautiful country.

Brisk.

Went to Cairo for a few days, awesome trip.

The Pyramids are incredible.

TrixieCat

Byrnzie wrote:

I spent a week in Cairo. It was a festering hell hole. I got ill straight away and abandoned my plans to travel south. I went to Ireland instead and got drunk on Guinness to try and recover. It worked.
I may return one day to Cairo, although I reckon it'd be a mistake to stay more than two days.

Is there anywhere you haven't been?

Pegasus

Went to Egypt a couple of years ago and loved it.
Cairo is not as interesting as the rest, being a big city, and yes, the traffic is horrendous and really scary (And I cycle in London, so it's saying something!).
But I really loved this country.

Now, I backpacked around South East Asia, so I'm used to basic conditions.

there's lot of poverty, but I've seen things not that far in Europe.
it's the density of population that makes it more striking.

And you were in Europe when you were in Istanbul.

Heineken Helen

Pegasus wrote:

Went to Egypt a couple of years ago and loved it.
Cairo is not as interesting as the rest, being a big city, and yes, the traffic is horrendous and really scary (And I cycle in London, so it's saying something!).
But I really loved this country.

Now, I backpacked around South East Asia, so I'm used to basic conditions.

there's lot of poverty, but I've seen things not that far in Europe.
it's the density of population that makes it more striking.

And you were in Europe when you were in Istanbul.

depends on which side of Istanbul

Pegasus

Heineken Helen wrote:

depends on which side of Istanbul

I know...:p