But lots of folks get packages anyway, and to varying success. Roommate 3 got a package from her sister which contained Halloween decorations, candy, cereal, and even a spiffy new outfit. She was charged 60 pounds for customs - about 10 bucks. This was a successful and satisfying transaction, and I hope it makes up all for the nose breaking. On the other end of the spectrum, an Arabic classmate of mine got a package she said contained only party supplies. Her customs charge was 2,000 pounds - around $370! I hope those supplies are worth it.
Mail here is delivered to various offices, not to our homes, so we don't have the option of turning down the fees. Mine goes to the graduate student office, and when I've got a letter (I actually got one! Thanks Dominica!) I get an email about it. The same happens for packages, but these emails contain the price. I was very confused recently when I got an email saying that a package had arrived from California from someone named S. Tomo or some such without an addressee. (The folks at the grad office though that it might be mine. It was only 11 pounds - maybe 2 bucks - so I considered picking it up out of curiosity but refrained.)
The blind email seemed a very strange tactic to me. Had they emailed everyone from California? I mentioned the situation in Arabic class, and R, seated at my side, piped up: "Hey, that's for me!" Small world, no? Small university, anyway.
Turns out, the grad folks peeked inside the package, noted that the letter was addressed to a name starting with "R," and then sought out a grad student from the San Francisco vicinity whose name started with that letter. I think that theirs was some impressive detective work, though not nearly so impressive as my psychic ability to mention the mystery package while sitting with its intended recipient.
The world works in mysterious ways. Also, I want a package. But I don't want a 2,000 pound package, so don't wrap up those diamonds and rubies you have laying around, nor the various electronic accountraments you're dying to get rid of (although I need a new DVD player for my computer since my has committed suicide). If you feel the urge to send me exiting, but cheap looking American items, email me for my mailing address. Be sure to include a note to the customs inspectors indicating the worthlessness of the included items. Reassure them that this is all trash that, rather than tossing, you've instead packaged and sent to Egypt, much like a pharmaceutical company.
Now, onward: Thanks to Roommate 3's generous loan of images, I have many a picture to display. I haven't been taking many photos myself of late because I've been mired in midterms and, as a result, misplaced my camera for a few weeks.
Turns out it was in the drawer all along.
Here we have #4 dyeing her hair in our bathroom. Her stylish shirt is fashioned out of a Puma shopping bag.
Shopping bag fashion promises to be all the rage in the coming season. Just look how pleased she is with her outfit!
This is the view of protesters from our balcony. As you can see, the black-suited gentlemen mirrored the plain-clothes protesters in nearly all respects. They even shared water.
Last night, 2, 3 and I went to a Yemeni restaurant with the lovely M and one of her Egyptian buddies.
The name of the place is: Yemeni Restaurant. This makes it a bit difficult to ask directions, but luckily M knew how to find it.
I'd never eaten Yemeni food before, and I didn't eat the grilled fish above, but I hear that it was fantastic. The bread was certainly exciting. It comes out piping hot on a mammoth platter, and is so large that the five of us could barely finish it. Compare, if you will, the size of bread to my giant arm below:
M studied Arabic in Yemen. She reports that children there often wander about in suits like this little gentleman who posed outside the restaurant on what was perhaps the delivery motorbike. I think he was the owner's son. Or else he really liked the restaurant and decided to spend his free time haunting it. You never can tell with these mischievous little scamps.
In much older news, here are 2 and I posing with menus at Chili's, many a moon ago. Are the menus identical to those in the states? That is for you to decide.
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