So many Mohammeds

Mohammed, in Arabic means, “praiseworthy”. Mohammed was the name of the prophet and founder of the Islamic religion, and since then, has become the most common and favored name among Islamic people. I met no fewer than five Mohammed’s in less than three days in Cairo. The first day, I felt really blessed as I was traveling alone to my hotel, and happened to run into a few SAS students from my sea. Traveling alone in Egypt was not recommended, but I found myself alone after a bit of miscommunication, and losing my presumed travel partners. That was when we met our first Mohammed. While waiting to get on the bus to Giza, Mohammed found us and chartered our group of ten in a small bus to his hometown of Giza, so he could take us to ride camels, and see the great pyramids. He knew that we were all on a budget and that we were a group of students from the US. Rather than being put off by Americans, as we thought many Egyptian people might be, instead we were welcomed with open arms. Mohammed took so much pleasure just in showing us his hometown, talking to us about Egypt and showing us his warmth and generosity. My first afternoon and evening in Cairo was spent with a group of SAS students, on the backs of camels riding into the sunset, right up to the ancient pyramids of Giza. I cannot tell you how amazing it was to see the Pyramids. But to ride up through the desert on camels and then to touch, climb and even go inside the pyramids, was like nothing I could have imagined. I never thought I would ever see the Pyramids, and I certainly never thought I’d ride a camel in the desert, at sunset, in Egypt. It was one of the greatest experiences I have had on this trip to date.
After the sunset, Mohammed took us to the rooftop of his friend’s home so we could watch the sound and light show at the Pyramids. He didn’t want us to have to pay a fee to get into see the show. After that, he took us to a Tea and Hookah shop and bought tea for all of us, while he went to find us a cab back to our hotels. I loved how the tea was sweet and strong, and the smell of apple flavored tobacco lightly dusted the air.

The second day Mohammed treated three of us to a traditional Egyptian lunch of koshari (a type of pasta with lentils, chickpeas, onions and a red sauce). It was delicious. I just keep remembering how excited he was to show us everything. He was going to take me to a wedding later that evening. Unfortunately, after visiting the Citadel and the ancient mosques in old Cairo, I got lost again, and couldn’t find Mohammed. I was really sad because he was so excited to be our guide, and I know he really wanted for me to see more of Egypt. Plus, I was back to being alone. Fortunately, I ran into some other friends and was able to join them for dinner, after some hookah and cocktails at their hotel. I felt really bad, though. Mohammed was so excited about showing me more of the city. I hope I can reach him to let him know I’m sorry for having lost him.

Back at my hotel I made friends with several of the staff there, and yes there were a couple of more Mohammeds among them. But I also met Hasim, the gift shop owner who taught me to speak in Arabic, and gave me a souvenir coin and chiclets every time I walked in. It was funny, because I was staying at a Spanish owned hotel and everyone assumed I was Spanish so they spoke Spanish as best they could to me. But even when I told them I was American, they were so excited. I told Hasim that I wasn’t sure how the Egyptians would treat us, knowing we were from America, considering all that is going on in the world. But Hasim told me that he knows the American people are not our government, and he has many friends who are Americans. He also showed me pictures from the album in his top drawer, of he and his brother smoking hookah and chatting with American soldiers several years ago. I also met Salaama, the host at our restaurant who offered to teach me some Arabic and show me around Giza. He was really excited to learn that I was a teacher and that we had brought students here to learn about Egyptian culture. Everyone was so kind. My one regret so far is that I didn’t really talk to any Egyptian women. I didn’t realize this until my last day in Cairo. Everyone I had spoken with were men. The vast majority of Egyptian women are Muslim, and probably 98% of them wear the headscarves, and some of them are entirely covered up. I felt like I stood out so much, even though I dressed very conservatively, and even wore the scarf when entering the mosques and other religious sites. After one slightly sketchy run-in with a taxi driver who I ended up telling I was not only married, but also pregnant (I quickly learned that it was best never to tell men that you are single, and if married, it’s best to say you also have children), I was thrilled to find that some of the metro cars are reserved entirely for women. I love that this exists. But in some ways I am sorry that it has to. I guess some of the men can be pretty aggressive. I fortunately did not experience this too much, but some of the students did. I just remember looking around at the women on the train and wondering what their lives are like and how they might compare to mine. If I get a chance I really want to talk to some women in Alexandria. I can’t decide for sure how I feel about the Islamic tradition of dress. It struck me as such a strange contrast that the men appeared so modern and really quite free to dress as they pleased, and present themselves as they wished. Whereas the women, many of whom walked hand in hand with these men, were almost entirely covered up. Many of these women were probably quite gorgeous underneath – it was difficult to tell when at times all you could see were their eyes. The men, many of them, were incredibly attractive (one of the last Mohammed’s I met at yet another restaurant was stunning – he gave me three chocolates at the end of the meal and asked if I’d come back the next day – Inshallah, I thought – God willing – but alas my tour of Cairo was over and I had to leave). The women’s beauty is kept hidden in many ways, and I wrestle with how I feel about that. I understand it I suppose but it really is such an odd thing for me to see the difference between men and women. Islam, who is one of our students on the ship, says that women are actually upheld in the Islamic religion, and they are quite well respected. This is of course, only if they follow the traditions of keeping themselves covered at all times, except when alone with their husbands. It would be interesting to live for some time in their shoes. I think that’s the only way to really know how it feels. I did see a great many young women who were quite fashionably dressed and looked quite beautiful in their scarves, chatting with young men or their group of friends, and I have to say they really did appear quite happy. Again, I was never approached by any women, nor did I take a chance to talk with them, so I don’t know much about their lives, their thoughts, or how they feel about their religion and culture. This is something I regret.

Something else I observed were men walking down the street arm in arm, as well as women walking down the street hand in hand. I thought this closeness and affection was wonderful, and something that in many ways is missing or would be seen as strange in US culture. I was thinking to myself how great that was, how we live in a homophobic society that would view these gestures as gay, and therefore, strange or odd, and how I wish that would change. But then I remembered in our pre-port briefing that I learned that in Egypt, homosexuality is illegal, and that made me sad. How can a society make illegal something for which you have no control? It’s like making it illegal to be white, or black, or female… (something not so far removed from our own society, in fact). So, yet again I leave this port with questions and contradictions in my head. The traditional greetings in Arabic are “As-salaam alaykum” (peace upon you), and the response, “Wa alaykum as-salaam” (and unto you, peace). I think of our Egyptian student, Islam and what a wonderful person he is, how he represents a religious faith that in many ways is so beautiful and peaceful, but is also so misunderstood (by those both within and outside of the faith). I think of all the Mohammed’s, of Hasim, Salaama, and of the women on the metro car. I think of the Copts (The Egyptian Christians who make up a tiny percentage of the population), and I think of my Coptic Egyptian friends back home, and their families who left Egypt long ago for America. I think of the wedding that I missed, and what I might have learned there, or who I might have met. I think of the sights – the River Nile, the Pyramids, the Sphynx, the Egyptian museum with the mummies, and coffins of King Tut. I think of the children on the park bench who spoke a different language but eagerly played with me when I drew a game of tic tac toe. I think of the next Mohammed I met who urged me to go home before the sun went down, so I wouldn’t get hassled on the street. And, I look forward to Alexandria, hoping I’ll have the chance to learn more.