"Put me a list with the really necessary things we need in our place."

[Nothing1234 2]

Seems we've finally landed on our feet for a bite.

Waleed just accepted the job in Hurghada today and we're going to be by the sea this summer! I am happy to be away from crowded Cairo. He is looking for a place for us that is a one bedroom now with standard amenities. I have 4 foreign friends there that are the wives of his Doctor friends mostly so I am even more excited to not be all alone!

Also the wedding celebration may not happen now. They say the hall in the Mosque is just for signing papers and since we already did that 2.5 years ago we might not have that. Neither of us want the noisy 5 hour celebration at a families home as we prefer the quiet 1 hour ceremony and congratulations at the Mosque. So it is not a big deal. We would just go back to our original plan of having a wedding ceremony on 11.11.2011 here in the US. He is going to stop at the Mosque and explain to them himself that since I am not Egyptian we had to sign the papers at the only place where they can make it official in the Ministry of Justice as everyone knows that is the place for foreigners to get married and see if the Mosque accepts this or not. We will see.

I rejoined WOMEG to hopefully find someone local to help me going shopping for native clothes in Egypt for this summer.

My hubby has a friend that has a hotel there and several of his friends (with their wives are there). Let me know when you arrive and are headed that way....I will email them to see if you guys can meet up (ladies of course! or couples would be fun too).

Will do baby cakes! Not long now!

I can't believe it....I feel like I'm going with you! LOL (I wish). That would be a lot of fun tho....

[Ihavequestions 419]

Seems we've finally landed on our feet for a bite.

Waleed just accepted the job in Hurghada today and we're going to be by the sea this summer! I am happy to be away from crowded Cairo. He is looking for a place for us that is a one bedroom now with standard amenities. I have 4 foreign friends there that are the wives of his Doctor friends mostly so I am even more excited to not be all alone!

Nice! I'm actually a little disappointed that you'll be away from Cairo; I was hoping to meet you IRL. But that's okay, you have a marriage to enjoy.

Also the wedding celebration may not happen now. They say the hall in the Mosque is just for signing papers and since we already did that 2.5 years ago we might not have that. Neither of us want the noisy 5 hour celebration at a families home as we prefer the quiet 1 hour ceremony and congratulations at the Mosque. So it is not a big deal. We would just go back to our original plan of having a wedding ceremony on 11.11.2011 here in the US. He is going to stop at the Mosque and explain to them himself that since I am not Egyptian we had to sign the papers at the only place where they can make it official in the Ministry of Justice as everyone knows that is the place for foreigners to get married and see if the Mosque accepts this or not. We will see.

Olivia, the Ministry of Justice is where couples who are not the same faith get married. It's perfectly legal to get married in a church or in a mosque, but "mixed" marriages don't happen in those places. Even then, in either a church or a mosqe, there is no celebration. It's like we do it in America, the official stuff first, then the celebration. Here many couples sign the papers in a family member's home.

Still, why skip the celebration? I understand it's like being under a microscope for hours (which it really is), but it's a huge deal and it sounds like his mother really wants to do this. Why not?

I rejoined WOMEG to hopefully find someone local to help me going shopping for native clothes in Egypt for this summer.

Did someone say shopping? How can I help?

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

I think it's because Waleed prefers the smaller celebration the way he likes it mostly. I wonder what is going to happen with all that? It's really up to him what he wants to do.

Yes shopping! Melly offered to go too but I'll take what I can get. For my graduation my Mom is giving me $100-$200 to buy inexpensive clothes for the summer there in Egypt since I have mostly winter clothes. Waleed's older sister has two little ones to look after and his younger sister is too young and his Mom doesn't speak English and he doesn't think it would help for him to go with me because he doesn't know where to shop or what is the good prices for women's clothes. I don't understand the bargaining mentality and don't want to get ripped off because they see I am western and they think I am from a rich country. That fact is I am a student and don't have a lot of money and I don't know how many changes of clothes I may get with that money.

[Ihavequestions 419]

I think it's because Waleed prefers the smaller celebration the way he likes it mostly. I wonder what is going to happen with all that? It's really up to him what he wants to do.

Yes shopping! Melly offered to go too but I'll take what I can get. For my graduation my Mom is giving me $100-$200 to buy inexpensive clothes for the summer there in Egypt since I have mostly winter clothes. Waleed's older sister has two little ones to look after and his younger sister is too young and his Mom doesn't speak English and he doesn't think it would help for him to go with me because he doesn't know where to shop or what is the good prices for women's clothes. I don't understand the bargaining mentality and don't want to get ripped off because they see I am western and they think I am from a rich country. That fact is I am a student and don't have a lot of money and I don't know how many changes of clothes I may get with that money.

Inexpensive shopping:

#1: Port Said

#2: Everyplace else because they go to Port Said to buy it and resell it.

Olivia, it depends on what you want. You'll understand this when you get here and have a chance to look around, but the rule is ANYTHING goes as long as the arms (to the wrist), legs (to the ankle), and chest (up to the neck), and rear end (cover it with a long blouse or whatever but make sure it's long enough) are covered. Showing those parts of your body will not - I repeat will not - get you anything but attention you do not want. Harrassing women in the streets, who are either not travelling in a pack or accompanied by an EGYPTIAN man, is a national past time among the (mostly younger) men and they do not police each other. Once a woman is in the sites of a crowd of these guys they will not stop until they can't see her anymore. They're vicious.

Something you might want to consider bringing is long sleeved, plain, light weight tee-shirts to go under anything short sleeved you may already have. If they cost less than 85 LE in America, you're getting a deal and buy them there. Most women here wear what they call "a body" but they're made out of lycra or whatever that shiny/stretchy/knit material is and they don't let the skin breathe at all. Those are fine in winter but not in summer.

Anyway, I've seen some things that made me wince (think silver knee books, thick tights, and mini-skirts that, ahem, typically are seen on the "street" in America) but I have to remind myself that here women wear things because they are pretty, not because they dress like they are or are like they dress (which is a western notion).

Dressing down is, in fact, frowned upon - particularly when you're out with your husband.

Skirts are wonderful in the summer heat. Sandals are, too, but you'll want to be careful and not let the slimy water from the streets touch your bare feet because that stuff is toxic. I swear it is. It has to be - they slaughter meat and wash the floors out into the streets. Anyway, as with anything else, you get what you pay for. It's certainly possible to buy a pair of everyday sandals for 25 LE, but don't expect them to last long. You can get nice skirts and blouses for less than 100 LE. Be careful with fabrics - cotton is king during the summer months.

When you buy clothes inspect for missing buttons, broken zippers, etc. Any decent shop will send it out for repair and you can return to pick it up. If it's from a place in the street, put it down and walk away.

I don't know what to tell you about what you can expect to spend. I've developed a hole in my hand and money slides right through it and into the cash registers at clothing shops - particularly since I've discovered these gorgeous, however shockingly un-tacky, abayas from Dubai.

[Aymsgirl 0]

uuughhh that gave me the shivers...the ants in Morocco are 10x the size as here in the states...the mosquitos are annoying and the cockroaches love the summer time! and they fly! quick story...I went to brush my teeth and As I picked up my toothbrush, a cockroach ran out...that was the last time I left my stuff in the bathroom. Every night I made my husband inspect the room for bugs lol.

I think I remember Waleed saying he hates cockroaches. I guess I will have to keep a look out too.

Olivia...super huge humongous freaking flying cockroaches! When you see one you will ####### your pants at how big some of these monsters are.

[Melly 2 0]

uuughhh that gave me the shivers...the ants in Morocco are 10x the size as here in the states...the mosquitos are annoying and the cockroaches love the summer time! and they fly! quick story...I went to brush my teeth and As I picked up my toothbrush, a cockroach ran out...that was the last time I left my stuff in the bathroom. Every night I made my husband inspect the room for bugs lol.

I think I remember Waleed saying he hates cockroaches. I guess I will have to keep a look out too.

Olivia...super huge humongous freaking flying cockroaches! When you see one you will ####### your pants at how big some of these monsters are.

I've heard several people mention the ginormous flying cockroaches here but I'm wondering if they're more in the countryside than in the city? I know there are regular crawling roaches in the city, just didn't know the ginormous flying ones were here?

[Aymsgirl 0]

uuughhh that gave me the shivers...the ants in Morocco are 10x the size as here in the states...the mosquitos are annoying and the cockroaches love the summer time! and they fly! quick story...I went to brush my teeth and As I picked up my toothbrush, a cockroach ran out...that was the last time I left my stuff in the bathroom. Every night I made my husband inspect the room for bugs lol.

I think I remember Waleed saying he hates cockroaches. I guess I will have to keep a look out too.

Olivia...super huge humongous freaking flying cockroaches! When you see one you will ####### your pants at how big some of these monsters are.

I've heard several people mention the ginormous flying cockroaches here but I'm wondering if they're more in the countryside than in the city? I know there are regular crawling roaches in the city, just didn't know the ginormous flying ones were here?

I saw these in Alexandria. They either flew or took nose dives off of things. I had never witnessed anything like that in my life.

[Melly 2 0]

lol, I'm sure I'd scream. I remember something similar in the hotel I was at in Jamaica. Lovely hotel but it was so humid there. Blech.

[Amoon 0]

I was reading through this thread and saw someone mention something about "crazy lingerie blowing in the wind" at every store there in Egypt. Althougth I've never been to Egypt (I could see it across the water of the Dead Sea & Red Sea), I do have to agree that the crazy lingerie not only blows in the wind in Egypt, but it also does in Jordan. It reminded me on a certain instance when I went shopping for underwear with my mother in law and this is what we found....

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

^

[Amoon 0]

I was definitely embarassed that day!

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

That feather thing is just awesome! I might buy and wear it just to make Waleed laugh his azz off!

[Amoon 0]

That feather thing is just awesome! I might buy and wear it just to make Waleed laugh his azz off!