Gosh, alot sure has happened since last I wrote. I wish sometimes I would have transcribed more experiences. Reading back on them is much more enjoyable than actually experiencing them! HaHa. Well, some of them. Actually, I can keep that insight for my next adventure. Which I am sure will not be too far away.
So the hotel, gosh, what an experience. Truly. Not much that I can say other than I learned a lifetime of information. Everything from not shaking a "peasant" man's hand to having to explain, justify and show credible evidence that I was not a
1. Spy.
2. Compulsive Gambler with large debts back home.
3. A murderer...but like seriously.
4. A prostitute propositioning herself to young vunerable Muslim Egyptian men...GAG.
5. A mental retard (This one was actually alot more difficult to convince otherwise).
During the now infamous "inquisition" I was accused of faking my PASSPORT..."umm, dude, I'm like AMERICAN. p.s. not too easy".
Accused of faking my Resume "There is no such thing as a 4 star restaurant...DOESN'T EXSIST. NEVER EVER." Accused of faking the photo of myself in my Resume (aka CV...it's an International thing). Asked over and over and over again "WHO ARE YOU?" "DON'T LIE...WHO ARE YOU?".
Regardless, with that little incident over and my reputation exonerated for the time being (I'm a single female living Islam...my reputation isn't too high right now anyway). I have to say that the people, the bedouin, my neighbors, my colleagues, and so many others I cannot think of allowed for the situations in which I could ultimately learn GRACIOUSNESS, HUMILITY, APPRECIATION, GRATITUDE, SELF CONFIDENCE (there is nothing quite like walking down an Egyptian street headed to your Grocer to buy produce knowing WHAT to say...and HOW to say it) PATIENCE and LOVE. They allowed for me to make many...MANY cultural mistakes, they allowed for me to be angry, sad, frustrated, lonely, bored, happy, peaceful, content, quiet, humorous and most importantly MYSELF. They allowed me the full gamete of emotions, to experience every single one deep so that I could understand them and truly experience CONTRAST. Contrast in everything. Everything was different. No example of my daily life could ever be transplanted there and work. You have to use different methods. Different stories.
I have now been back in Dallas, Tx for almost 3 months. And it's okay. Dad can't see and that is okay. He is managing. He is surviving. And I can't say how lucky and appreciative I am to be here for that. I have been catching myself becoming so nervous that I will "convert back". Here I am without ANYTHING. With no place of being, with no bank account, computer, material possessions, clothes ( I mean I have some clothes, but extremely limited...still my Egyptian wares) and I am okay with that. In fact, I am so scared that I will fall back into this rhythm of CONSUMERISM. I have just recently let go of all these things. And now, I'm in DALLAS. It is the center of materialism. I think materialism was born from here and transplanted to L.A. There is nothing to do but spend money. That's IT! A great challenge I now can see from writing. How wonderful to incorporate my recent experiences into a place that offers nothing but the opposite...EVERYTHING you want whenever you want it...Wow.
I hope I get this job. Not at Shangri-la. Didn't work out. A true disappointment for the time being. But honestly...I really didn't want it. It sounded nice cause it was "given" to me. But really it made me nervous. No point in that, right.
Goodness Gracious. Long blog. I think I'll sign off. But one thing...capitalism is wonderful. Really. It's moderating it that is the tough part.
xoxo
Back in the USA
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