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Greetings to all my friends, students and dance/music associates,
Yes, this is your moderator and yes it's been a long time. This last summer I was incredibly busy with a new business and then it was pack up and take off! I didn't seem to have time or energy to post anything and I, unfortunately, left all my emails on my hard drive in Canada (yes, including my Nile Rhythms e-newsletter member list). So, now I am hoping to update everyone and also hoping some of you will contact me with your emails and phone numbers.
I am living happily in Cairo now with my new husband, Hassan, and my daughter, Rowan, of course. I can tell you it's been a whirlwind of activity and only now am I able to take a breath and relax. Shortly after arriving, we moved to a new flat (anyone who has ever lived here knows this is a huge ordeal, as flats have to be overhauled and cleaned to make them livable by Western standards...unless one is very rich!) and a job followed shortly thereafter . I am teaching history to grade 7, 8 and 9 in one of the British international schools. Extremely high stress and, honestly, not a very supportive or organized atmosphere. It's a learning curve that I hope will conclude with a new level of patience and strength (the children have NO self discipline and classroom behaviour problems run rampant)!
My husband works a LOT and so time with each other is precious. My daughter has been coming to school with me though she is doing her schooling online. She's made a few friends and is finally feeling more comfortable about living here.
Cairo...the pollution is horrible. Worse than when I lived here 8 years ago. There is twice as much traffic (hard to imagine as there was hardly room to move on these roads before) and the noise is unbelievable. Cairo is noted for the honking horns, the blasting calls to prayer and the mobile phones ringing...now consider this with a population of over 26 million (some say). Yes, quite a change from the calm, beautiful, spacious, mountainous region of the Kootenays! But for some reason, I love it. But there has to be change. The attitude of many has gotten worse. For example, we get more hassled than before (being white folk...and women) and the economic stress Egyptians are facing has made life harder and people less patient. It feels like something must give, but I am not sure how that is going to happen.
As far as bellydance goes, I have had NO time to dance, or to go see dancers. I am hoping this will change now that I have a 1 month holiday (lucky me:). There are many teachers, of course, that I would like to study under and I am planning to get into contact with them soon. Ehab Gadalla is a fave teacher of mine and I am planing to track down Randa Kamal, Lucy and Dina (if I can afford them!:). But of course, being as famous as they are, its much easier and more affordable to take workshops from them in the West. Saying that, don't miss your chance when they come to Canada or the US!!! You will get the best of them there. Much more organized and accessible!
Well, as you might be able to tell, living in Cairo is full of ups and downs. Having an amazing and supportive husband makes it all worth it and, of course, glimpsing the Nile every morning on my way to work helps:) Living in the land of the Ancients is a dream, as always...a dream that is intensified by the challenges and sweeter for all the love I am given.
Yours truly,
Zahira
Yes, this is your moderator and yes it's been a long time. This last summer I was incredibly busy with a new business and then it was pack up and take off! I didn't seem to have time or energy to post anything and I, unfortunately, left all my emails on my hard drive in Canada (yes, including my Nile Rhythms e-newsletter member list). So, now I am hoping to update everyone and also hoping some of you will contact me with your emails and phone numbers.
I am living happily in Cairo now with my new husband, Hassan, and my daughter, Rowan, of course. I can tell you it's been a whirlwind of activity and only now am I able to take a breath and relax. Shortly after arriving, we moved to a new flat (anyone who has ever lived here knows this is a huge ordeal, as flats have to be overhauled and cleaned to make them livable by Western standards...unless one is very rich!) and a job followed shortly thereafter . I am teaching history to grade 7, 8 and 9 in one of the British international schools. Extremely high stress and, honestly, not a very supportive or organized atmosphere. It's a learning curve that I hope will conclude with a new level of patience and strength (the children have NO self discipline and classroom behaviour problems run rampant)!
My husband works a LOT and so time with each other is precious. My daughter has been coming to school with me though she is doing her schooling online. She's made a few friends and is finally feeling more comfortable about living here.
Cairo...the pollution is horrible. Worse than when I lived here 8 years ago. There is twice as much traffic (hard to imagine as there was hardly room to move on these roads before) and the noise is unbelievable. Cairo is noted for the honking horns, the blasting calls to prayer and the mobile phones ringing...now consider this with a population of over 26 million (some say). Yes, quite a change from the calm, beautiful, spacious, mountainous region of the Kootenays! But for some reason, I love it. But there has to be change. The attitude of many has gotten worse. For example, we get more hassled than before (being white folk...and women) and the economic stress Egyptians are facing has made life harder and people less patient. It feels like something must give, but I am not sure how that is going to happen.
As far as bellydance goes, I have had NO time to dance, or to go see dancers. I am hoping this will change now that I have a 1 month holiday (lucky me:). There are many teachers, of course, that I would like to study under and I am planning to get into contact with them soon. Ehab Gadalla is a fave teacher of mine and I am planing to track down Randa Kamal, Lucy and Dina (if I can afford them!:). But of course, being as famous as they are, its much easier and more affordable to take workshops from them in the West. Saying that, don't miss your chance when they come to Canada or the US!!! You will get the best of them there. Much more organized and accessible!
Well, as you might be able to tell, living in Cairo is full of ups and downs. Having an amazing and supportive husband makes it all worth it and, of course, glimpsing the Nile every morning on my way to work helps:) Living in the land of the Ancients is a dream, as always...a dream that is intensified by the challenges and sweeter for all the love I am given.
Yours truly,
Zahira
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