Home sweet home

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 At the dawn of your life, from the stage of four to two legs, as the Riddler would say, we all have dreams and ambitions. School, if you are lucky, helps you shape them or it can also discard them. Soon enough, you have a make a decision about the career you would like to have when you are old enough to join the wonderful world of money and profit making.Coming from a small town, at the very top of the European hexagon, home was very clearly defined and where some of the best memories will lie forever.

At the time, with an eye sight limited by the invisible limits of cultural awareness, the Mediterranean side of France seemed exotic, it was different and felt more dynamic, yet more relaxed compared to the Northern nest. It is still one of my favourite places: the landscape is beautiful and since the destination isn’t too close to the coast, the towns still have their local feel, as well as the best products to feast on. There, you do not have to think twice before stepping out in a skirt, but your wallet must be ready to face European prices.

A decade ago, I decided to open the door and step into my neighbour’s land, England. As I strolled around the town, devastated by the fact that no one walked with a cane and a top hat or was impressed by my strongly accented Queen ’s English, the Spleen Baudelairien engulfed me but dissipated as soon as I agreed to open all the windows and all the doors and let some other light come in. That is when the travelling sickness started.

A new connection was now built at the top of the Baltic pyramids, a country that is mostly unknown, where you could drive from North to South within 3 hours. 

In summertime, it reveals its best assets: the sun only sets for a few hours, making those interminable summer evenings even more delightful. To enjoy them, the forest and greenery is all around you and your olfactory sense is forever pleased by the smell of wood burning, be it for a camp fire or to add to the heart of a sauna oven. This wonderful physical purifying tradition feels its best in winter, when climate change doesn’t show its extent, and you can jump in a meter of snow in your Adam or Eve costume. After having lived in Cairo for a year, it is a little surprising to feel the rain whilst walking through a peaceful pine forest, picking blueberries at will under the sun of a chilly month of June. In this land, which has undergone much oppression and delivered itself with the power of a million voices from a warmongering Red bear, things are working efficiently. People are even more wonderful once the vodka has removed some of the deepest inhibitions, and you will find a very limited amount of foreigners that will break the pattern of fair headed northerners.

My home though, at this stage of the journey, is currently located in Cairo; Nowadays, I cross the city with the right song in my ears and the positive pair of glasses and find myself smiling with a sense of belonging.

It sometimes reminds me of the Mediterranean France, for instance when my mind plays tricks, to the point where I can mistake a leaking garden hose for a southern French chirping cricket! Although, reality sets in when this chirping sound is disturbed by the comments of my favourite bunch of workers (who I still have the immense pleasure of meeting daily) a few steps away from my place. I have for them the most incredible collection of colourful text messages, typed on my phone, as I walk past them.

Dahab also makes Egypt incredible. In the Gulf of Aqaba, you have to relax, which some of us are better at than others, but all you need is a good buddy!

Having dived recently, it is the Canyon (by day a breathtaking experience and makes you feel weightless and in space at night), the Blue Hole and finally “Bob”, my first sea turtle swimming by on the blue backdrop, that are the best assets of the place.

Each destination, person, friend, student and adventure is like a brick. You’ll see my place from the distance: Mounted on French traditions and Belgian influence, covered in a layer of union jacks bricks with many new open windows and open doors, and in the center, my Estonian rock. Above them and all around, an entire section dedicated to the old Constantinople, where a piece of my heart is forever trapped; that is the most beautiful room of the house, where the two strongest and most precious foundations were built. The top of the building is in the shape of a pyramid. This room doesn’t always have electricity, the purpose is to remind you to light a candle and read a book, instead of staring at a screen. The tip is now garnished with red bricks and welded wires sticking out - they all make me who I am and it is still under construction.

As a leaf in the wind, let’s see what the future holds. To another wonderful year in Egypt!!!

Egypt – 10 months later

In August 2013, a crazy family decided to overcome their fear of the second revolution and worries concerning the state of emergency and curfew and focus on their excitement and commitment as they landed in Cairo, discovering the landscape, questioning the decision to leave the old Constantinople.

Some things are sadly just the same:

The town centre hasn’t changed. As we crossed the city for the first time, I recall the sheer disappointment, seeing all those skeletons of red brick building and litter sprawling all over the roads and roof tops; I remember seeing the chaos, poverty and the traffic and regretting leaving Istanbul but a glimpse of Khufu had given me hope. Living in the suburbs, you forget that sight, until the next confrontation. A few nights ago, as we wished farewell to colleagues moving on, I drove through the city: Town hasn’t changed a bit and it is still awfully filthy and punctuated by those same empty red buildings. This time, I saw the three pyramids in the evening sky, the moon showing right above them and in the opposite direction, the sun, bright orange, was setting behind some of the date palm trees on the distance. Peace again.

The situation for women hasn’t changed unfortunately and the harassment “(un)culture” is so engrained in some men that it will take much more than 10 months for mentalities to change... In August, the eve of our arrival, I recall seeing a video (because the media is all about making it as disgustingly real as possible) of a woman being assaulted on Tahrir as the second revolution was striking. Regrettably and coincidentally, a few days ago, a lady was assaulted on Tahrir at the inauguration of Sisi; the worst thing is that some men and fellow women find it normal, as men were happy! There are some groups and organisations working on awareness and raising respect towards women and they are the true hope for my Egyptian but also foreign fellow sisters.

Yet, a lot has changed – in how many countries do you witness the fall of a president and the appointment of a new one within the space of 10 months? For the better or the worse, time will tell and once again, we must wish the best to Egypt, instead of stepping back and patronise this country, from our expat’s safe haven.

We, as a family have changed. There is a true feeling of community here and we have met wonderful people from all horizons, who have made this year even more enjoyable! In addition, besides having developed a sheer hate against flies and insects, I personally have found an unexpected amount of peace in two paradoxical places: The desert and its eerie emptiness, where Eol rules and sculpts at will and the Red Sea, full of colours and life all around. I can never find a fair prose to explain how walking in the desert and diving can offer you a moment when the daily cacophony ends and allows you to channel your thoughts.

Madame Lucie has changed.  Given the monstrous reputation of Egyptian students, the one I was given before even meeting them, I opted for Machiavelli’s method, to be feared rather than loved. Perspective is the key word, as my start of the book is their end of a book, as my idea of acceptable is different from their idea of acceptable, as my idea of religion and need for guidance is different from theirs. It turns out the Egyptian students are just the same as anywhere else, plus a wonderful “répartie” and sense of humour.

More importantly, my international family has changed. Given our different background, Egypt has shaken some of our established traits and grown onto us. It has revealed some of the most incredible landscapes and mind opening moments and the best example is this true story:

Whilst going to town, an Estonian man takes up the mission to buy an Egyptian flag for his old man. In times of elections, the patriotic feel is strong and flags are sold at every street corner, even near our microcosm. As he reaches home to his family, he shows the flag to his son, who, without hesitations, seizes it and starts chanting: “baladi, baladi, balaaaadi....” -The Egyptian national anthem! 

For a second, the entire family stares at him in disbelief and pride, realising that we have all changed in Egypt, and thank the universe for leading us here and reveal to us what is hidden under the layer of dust of Egypt. A layer wrongly thickened by the media, a layer built on the looks of the city, its people and the recent history – but what lies underneath it, if you look past it, is humanly and aesthetically simply beautiful!

 

Un pays à double face!

Il y a quelques siècles, regarder les étoiles en s'endormant était un fait quotidien pour nos ancetres. De nos jours, nous regardons les étoiles, étant supposément plus avancés, ne sachant rien des constellations qui nous guettent.

Mon voyage récent à Ras Mohamed, près de Sharm El Sheikh, au sud de la Péninsule du Sinai, était formidable mais aussi mélé à un retour brutal à la réalité!

                        Le premier aspect à présenter est le décor. Des tentes, des dunes de sables et l'eau sont les seules choses à l'horizon, gardés par les montagnes au loin (et un point militaire). A l'aube, le chuchotement des vagues, à quelques mètres de la, ainsi que la lumière du soleil se marient avec l'horloge biologique et vous permettent d'accueillir une nouvelle journée. Si vous vous réveillez à temps (5h11 le matin avec assez de café), vous pourrez assister au lever du soleil et au changement de couleurs qui s'opèrent grace à ses rayons; il y aura aussi les petits crabes qui dansent sur la plage, avant de rejoindre leur nid.

Pendant la journée, la température augmente graduellement et atteint son maximum vers 2heures; il y fait extrement beau et ensoleillé, tandis que les nuits desertiques sont assez fraiches, dependant de votre interprétation de frais.

Au crépuscule, le dinner et les discussions tournent autour de la journée, à la lumière de bougies et d'un feu de bois, qui brule à quelques mètres de l'eau.  C'est en levant la tete que l'on rejoint la fete: d'inombrables étoiles brillent de toutes directions et vous font réaliser à quel point nous ne les regardons pas assez quotidiennement.

De nos jours, nous payons pour passer une nuit dans le desert et faire l'expérience de la nature! Nous avons régréssé tellement, dans notre illusion de progrès, que notre connection à elle est partiellement, voire complètement coupée, nous laissant la tete en l'air, sans aucune idée de la carte céleste qui nous abrite!

                       La deuxième expérience est bien sur la plongée. Aprés avoir apprécié le lever du soleil, il est temps de s'armer de la combinaison de plongée. L'eau est absolument claire et la vie aquatique est en plein essor. Une des qualifications pour etre un plongeur avancé est de plonger à 30 mètres de profondeur mais aussi de plonger la nuit. Cette dernière idée m'angoissait un peu. Il s'avère que 30 mètres de profondeur n'était pas un problème du tout, bien au contraire. Pour la plongée de nuit, vous descendez avec une seule lampe, et ce sera votre seul faisceau de lumière! Si vous vous arretez et cachez votre lampe, tout est noir autour de vous jusqu'à ce que vous vous mettiez à bouger les mains et c'est à cet instant que le plancton s'illumine et danse autour de vous!

 Tout cela, c'est ce qui fait rever en Egypte, ce sont ces activités impossibles ailleurs.

Malgré tout, cet état de beauté et calme s'est arreté avec une grosse claque en pleine figure, lorsqu'un verre a été levé au dinner, pour faire une annonce.

                         L'idée était de rentrer au Caire en bus, un trajet de 6 à 10 heures, inshallah!. Cependant, ce soir la, nous apprenons que deux endroits ont été bombardés et ils se trouvent sur le chemin du retour. A cet instant, malgré ce décor irréel et magique qui nous entoure, c'est une vision tunnel qui prend le dessus, menant vers la peur et l'insécurité.

Subitement, l'impression de vivre la vie pleinement en Egypte n'est plus aussi attirante et les responsabilités que l'on a vous revienne en plein tete.  Prendre l'avion était une des possibilités et avec le recul, réunie avec ma famille, cet arret à Dahab et avoir pris l'avion était la meilleure décision à prendre.

Cette nuit la, j'ai détesté  certains aspects de l'Egypte. Je l'ai détesté à cause de tous les efforts que je fais pour l'aimer et lui faire de la publicité; je l'ai détesté pour son manque de stabilité et ses problèmes politiques. Est-ce que je suis contente de savoir que les élections arrivent et que les problèmes vont se multiplier? A votre avis? Cependant, en tant qu'expatriés, nous avons de la chance - alors je suppose qu'il faut seulement se focaliser la dessus et espérer le mieux pour l'Egypte!