The Story of The Rat

Tough conditions on the streets of Cairo have made poor rats to look for quality food from households. One of the representatives of this species entered our apartment in the early morning of 22^nd of October while we were celebrating the first hours of my bday. My Indian flat mate had the honor to meet this creature while It (we never had a chance to find out if it was He or She) was entering our kitchen from the window. It’s a common problem in India, he said, and described the size of the Rat (It was huge!). It’s a pleasure to live with guys who are eager to destroy unpleasant things and so we prepared for the battle with a bucket and a mop. Unfortunately It had disappeared in the kitchen and we kindly hoped It had found its way out again.

Just in case I carefully closed my bedroom door when I went to sleep.

Next morning sharp tooth bites on the soap in the bathroom were signs It is still around. The Rat-haters promised to buy poison later this day.

One of the smart moves was to close the bathroom door before we left the house because when we returned from the continuous celebrations of this day (Thank you for the Surprise Party and the gifts!) we found out our bathroom had been the cage for this animal for one day. It had felt as home there, It tasted different soaps, some of them It liked more, some less, did some s—t on the floor, tried to chew through the door, left the tale and foot prints on the dusty area. There was also a cute small round hole in the net meant for flies on the window, exactly Its size.

I feel the Rat was smart to chew the hole and use it to exit our comfort zone and left for good. Just in case we placed some delicious Egyptian bread moisturized with drops of killer poison on places It might consider entering again.

Take care, dear Rat. Hope to never feel your presence again.

my Brother

I just found out my brother Margus is in a movie!
The movie is an Estonian documentary about selling and he was selling books from door to door in US two summers with Southwestern[www.kuukulgur.ee/myymisekunst]
There is always something interesting and unpredictable happening with you! I think you should write a book about your life starting with early childhood. As far as I remember you have always something interesting going on. Like lately giving psychology sessions to young girls, doing parachute jumps, diving lessons, buying a car, going to university again, crazy trips to Vigala Sass etc etc.

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I hate forgetting things. But it happens often that at some point I realize I have forgotten a really important date and I discover it hopelessly late. And then feel embarrassed and don’t know what to do. I don’t want to cause the same feeling to my close friends. I care about them. So there is just a small reminder about 22^nd of October and something that happened in 1983.

one in a million

Before I moved to Cairo I had no idea how it is to live in a city of 20 million people. By now I can already imagine how it feels like.

For example I thought that no way I will meet people on the street who I know since the probability it to happen is much-much lower than in my home town Tallinn (around half a million inhabitants). But it has happened here considerable times already.

It’s actually even possible to meet randomly people who you don’t know, but kind of remember, also the second and third time.

And it feels good when in a huge city where you feel like a random ant, your work is recognized in local newspaper.

How much is enough?

I believe it’s possible to get used to almost everything.

For example Ramadan. I am not fasting but I am used to people who fast around me to be a bit grumpier, emotional and I prefer calling them after Iftar when they have had their first meal and are happy. Also in the beginning I felt weird eating in the office when all our staff is fasting. But not anymore. Today I ate a whole package of Estonian chocolate candies (“Tallinn”) and I am constantly drinking water without any sign of guilt. Yesterday I was also enjoying “kiluleib”. I don’t know any Estonian who is living abroad and doesn’t miss this salty raw fish with black bread and a slice of egg. Thank you, Kristjan.

I am also kind of used to annoying attention on the street but was a bit shocked when I heard a story that happened to one of our fellow trainees here http://activeculture.nomadlife.org/2006/10/those-who-are-last-to-be-defeated.html

After three months in Egypt I haven’t experienced anybody grabbing me luckily yet. But it has made me think – why?

Is it just blind luck, faith or am I simply not harassable? I know the last word probably doesn’t exist but I think you get what I mean.
When I am alone I usually walk on the street with the coldest face I can ever produce, I normally don’t look to peoples eyes, they are like empty places to me, I dress quite conservative, I don’t react on comments or pay any kind of attention to anybody. When I am with a group of people I must admit I sometimes like to make fun of the attention. For example when I see a policeman starting to say something or do the normal sound when he wants attention (something like “pssssssttt”) I just try to be first and surprise him with something similar. Or just show the middle finger. I am rude I know. But this constant horniness of certain class of Egyptian men is just funny.

I have a dream to make a research and test those guys. I want to take a group of most horny and aggressive Egyptian men and close them in an area when all women are most gorgeous and preferably wearing as less clothes as possible. It would be extremely interesting to see how they react. The other dream I have is one day when I have a magical power to change every Egyptian woman’s mindset to make her go out on the street with mini skirt and a tight top. Will the guys go crazy or will they get used to it soon and stop paying attention to women who have some area of bare skin?