You know you’ve been in Cairo a long time when (31-40):
trailing grouse in daily life bits n bobs, fun, you know you've been in Cairo a long time | 
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1. You don’t worry if someone overtakes you on the inside lane.
2. You have no qualms about overtaking on the inside lane.
3. You only buy summer shoes that are dust proof or can be easily cleaned.
4. You have no qualms about walking around streets in the West with the same numeric value of relevant currency as you do here, until you notice the shop assistant’s eyebrows raising when she sees $1000 in your wallet when you pay for a coffee.
5. You know that when you go to the movies for the 6pm showing you don’t need to turn up before 7pm as that’s when the trailers start.
6. Having watched too much MBC, you dream about Jeremy Paxman.
7. You notice how expensive everything is getting.
8. You start forgetting which words are spelled with a ‘B’ and which with a ‘P’.
9. You notice how crude lyrics to Western popular music are, especially in comparison to those of Arabic pop.
10. Amr Diab starts being sexy.
7 Comments
1.
tuesday's bread commented on March 26, 2008 at 1:26 am
what do you mean ’starts’ being sexy?!
2.
insteadi commented on March 26, 2008 at 2:40 am
Hmmmm..didn’t want to give too much away about how smitten I was with him from the first moment I saw him!
3.
Victoria commented on March 26, 2008 at 6:23 am
I just had to laugh after reading your profile. I’m blonde and I’ve been to Cairo (visiting not living) and yes it does make a difference!!!
4.
insteadi commented on March 26, 2008 at 8:00 am
Hi there Victoria! Finally someone backs me up!! Thanks!
5.
Lynda commented on March 30, 2008 at 1:29 am
So you carry a $1000 when you are OS… I am coming with you next time! LOL
6.
Beachhutman in Beijing commented on April 21, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Do you also get what I got in Saudi? You stop using the verb “be” in sentences with english speakers!
7.
trailing grouse commented on April 22, 2008 at 10:00 am
Lynda: better than that, I carry UKP1000! Come along!
Beachhutman: I speak enough Arabic not to have that problem. I do forget a lot of English though and I don’t realise until I’m back in the UK and find myself feeling semi-illiterate!