Khallee

Assalam u alaikum,

No matter what anyone says about Egypt being a very modern country and not very Islamic, no one can disagree with the fact that Egyptians are among the most generous people in the world. There are so many examples that I've seen myself. Today I bought a big crate of bottled water from the store and was walking home with it. I had reached my apartment when I heard someone yelling, "Ammo!" I turned around to see a little girl running up to me with my wallet. Subhanallah, I said to myself. In any other place it might have been gone in a flash but this girl ran all the way from the store to give it to me, with all the money intact, I might add.

Generosity and politeness is ingrained in the culture. I bought koshari for lunch today (alhamdulillah my digestive system is still in good working order) but I only had a fifty-pound note (for more on the importance of fukka in Egypt, see previous posts). The boy working at the restaurant had no change of course, so I said I would give it to him tomorrow. I managed, through some intelligent purchases (the crate of bottled water was all part of my plan to get more fukka ) to get some change, so I decided to give him the change tonight. When I went to give it to him, he just kept saying, "Khallee," and refused to take the money. I was totally confused. "It's only a guinea and a half anyways, what's he playing at?" He could only speak in ammiya anyways and I couldn't figure it out. When I went to get Mustafa from Al-Diwan, I asked his teacher what khallee means. "Oh," he said, laughing, "Khallee means something like 'don't worry about it' or 'don't give it.' Instead of saying, 'Yes, give me the money,' out of politeness they say the opposite."

I guess that means I still have to give him the money. :D

In other news, Mustafa and I may go to the pyramids tomorrow since it is free day tomorrow and my class is in the morning. It depends how much homework I have. If I have a lot we won't go but otherwise we'll try and go. Just pray we don't get ripped off too badly. We just want to get a feeling for it before we go with anyone else.

I really need to wash my clothes, but I never get any time. I thought I would get more time now that my classes are in the morning, but I never do. I guess that's life, in Cairo or Canada.

Oh by the way, the Egyptian Constitution is being changed! Yaaaaaaaay! Egyptians will now actually have FREE elections! On the news they always feature Hosni Mobarak going on about how the changes to the dustoor will make life more free and democratic for Egyptians. My teacher had a little bit to say about that.

Ma'asalam,

~Ameer