Whazzup Egypt !!!

Vanished Persian army found in Egyptian desert?

2009-11-11T22:20:00.002+02:00

When we were in Siwa, we heard the tales of the Persian army that was headed to Siwa over two and a half thousand years ago, in search of the temple of Amun, that was cursed and were killed by a sandstorm in the middle of the desert. No one knew if they lost their way or what had actually happenned to them.

Now Italian Researchers claim to have found the remains of the army.

Read the whole story here on msnbc

El Koshary Today

2009-11-03T22:11:00.002+02:00

Egypt's answer to The Onion.

Its in English, so its great fun for people who want to enjoy the Egyptians sense of humor, but don't follow Arabic.

Take a look at El Koshary Today Egypt's Most Reliable News Source. LOL

BBC Video Report on Black Cloud in Cairo

2009-10-25T23:01:00.003+02:00

A very informative and balanced? report about the black Cloud Hanging over Cairo right now.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8324024.stm

That itchy feeling in your throat right now is more likely due to the pollution in the air right now than Swine flu. Take care of your health, the best you can, given the situation.

Book Review: The Poison Tree - Planted and Grown in Egypt

2009-10-06T10:18:00.003+02:00

A friend sent me the link to this yesterday. The book is legally donwloadable for free from Marwa Rakha's own website. While currently available in English, she promises that the Arabic translation too will soon be online.

The book is written in a semi disjointed "part blog-part diary-part letter" fashion and someone who is used to a structured flow when reading, may start out feeling a bit disconcerted. But if you persevere you can gain some insights into Egytian culture, sexuality, morality and society. The unifying theme of the book revolves around gender stereotypes, dating and marriage and how men and women are held to different standards in society. While this may be true across the world, it is more pronounced in Egypt.

I often wondered how so many Egyptian friends and acquaintances kept ending up divorced within barely a year or two of marriage, sometimes with new born kids who were not even a year old. Some have ended up remarrying men who had been unfaithful to them during their first attempt at marriage. This being a very sensitive and private matter, I have never felt comfortable enough to actually ask them the question directly. But Marwa's book has shed some light on at least some of the reasons, which seem to lie in Social Conditioning.

There were parts that I skipped over, but there were also parts that are really insightful.

This book is worth reading if you are interested in human behavior or are visiting Egypt and would like to know a little more about people you will encounter.

But, I would highly recommend the book to any non-Egyptian girl/woman/lady planning to get herself an Egyptian boyfriend or Egyptian husband. Most Egyptian men think and operate differently from "Western" men and its important for a female to know what she is getting herself into before she gets in too deep.

While the book may also be guilty of stereotyping men and women, there are a lot of grains of truth behind the characterisations.

The book could be classified as chick-lit, but there is a lot you can begin to understand about Egyptian society and how it operates through the eyes of a Single Independent Woman

If you would prefer to read the book as a paperback or on kindle, they are both available via Amazon.

Also published on desicritics.org

Time Out visits Luxor

2009-10-06T10:16:00.003+02:00

Time out is a magazine that I do enjoy picking up in every country that I visit.

Was pleasantly suprised to see Luxor featured in Time Out Dubai.

Here's the Article.

Cairo's unique Ramadan traditions

2009-09-11T21:23:00.003+02:00

Interesting article from Gulf News on the unique traditions of Ramadan practiced in Egypt.

I must admit, I have only seen the fanoos in Egypt during Ramadan, not in any other part of the world, so I did know about that. But I've never heard about the Yameesh, which nut is this?

Edited on 13 Sep, to add:
Thanks everyone for the clarifications of Yameesh being any combination of nuts and dry fruits. I guess the reported got it wrong about the Yameesh being unique to Egypt.

So that means, its only the Ramadan Fanoos that is unique to Egypt, or is there anything else that you know of?

Time to change again, in Egypt

2009-08-18T14:42:00.000+03:00

Just in time for Ramadan :)

CLOCKS GO BACK ONE HOUR AT 12.00AM FRIDAY MORNING! (11:59:59PM THURSDAY)*

Home made Cotton mattresses

2009-08-11T23:22:00.003+03:00

Was having an interesting discussion with some friends the other day about mattresses and I remembered how, Back home, our mattresses used to be home made, believe it or not. The cotton from our cotton trees (in India cotton grows on trees, not bushes/shrubs) was harvested, we kids would sit to seperate the seeds from the fluff. It used to be great fun and then when we had enuff we made our own pillows by stuffing them with pure cotton into saris and bedsheets recycled as pillow cases.

The help would clean larger quantities of cotton which was then tightly packed to make mattresses. Professional guys came around to stitch the mattresses up and also to refresh them every year or so, when they would open out the mattress, refluff up the cotton and "air it" and then add more cotton to make it nice and firm again.

These cotton mattresses were ideal for the hot humid weather we have back home on the Indian coast. Come to think of it, I dont think spring matresses came to India until the late 70's or so.

It seems this still happens in the rural areas of Egypt and happens in parts of the city too.

I did one day come down to our ground floor in Mohandaseen, to find the whole lobby covered in a snowy substance. Thats right, there were a couple of guys refluffing cotton. I have taken a picture of it, but cant find it right now, will upload when I check my other system.

I was told that the person who makes mattresses in Egypt is called a munaggid .

You can buy fresh cotton, at the Khan. The guy is pretty easy to find. With your back to Bab Zuweila start walking towards the main street of the khan. You will see this beautiful sabeel on your right, the cotton guy is right opposite. I have a picture of him too.

I need to get our photos organised into one hard disk so they are easier to find. Will upload the pictures when I find them.

Pickpocketing scheme

2009-08-11T23:08:00.003+03:00

I'd heard about this a couple of months ago and it seems to have re-surfaced.

This information is to help you protect yourself.

The scheme operates like this:
The innocent passerby is stopped by an decent looking well-dressed man, who will point to a spot on the victims pant and motion that there is a stain. When the conman pretends to clean the stain for you, he actually creates the stain, by spitting or by something on his handkerchied. Then as he pretends to clean the stain for you, he pockets the victims wallet and disappears, before the victim even realises it is gone.

Normally these people operate in pairs or groups. If you see someone gesturing that you have a stain, just walk away like you don't understand anything they say. They may be armed, so better to avoid direct confrontation.

This modus operandi has been reported by multiple people around the Shooting Club area, so please be aware of your surroundings when you are out. A little bit of common sense, awareness and confident demeanour, should keep you relativey safe.

Take care.

Fruits & Vegetables being Irrigated with Sewage Water?

2009-08-11T18:10:00.002+03:00

Or so reports Al Masry

Thousands of farmland acres producing essential crops comprising Egyptians food basket are irrigated with untreated sewage water. Shocking as it is for consumers, small farmers deal with it in a relaxed way claiming it is their only option taking into consideration the high cost of using good-for-irrigation water.

Watch the video interview on Al Masry

So whether you believe it or not, it makes sense to start rinsing your vegetables in a mild solution of Potassium Permanganate to get most of the icky stuff out. (this cost effective treatment was recommended by a friend who works on water purification installations in houses and offices in India)

Superior Scribbler Award

2009-08-11T17:20:00.004+03:00

A month or so ago, Bernadette from http://escapadethroughegypt.wordpress.com/ bestowed me with my first online award for this blog, The Superior Scribbler Award.

For details of this award and its beginnings, visit the original post and blog that started it all: The Scholastic Scribe

As with all Bloggy Awards, there are rules that go with the award:

Each Superior Scribbler must in turn pass The Award on to five most deserving bloggy friends.
Each Superior Scribbler must link to the author and the name of the blog from whom he/she has received The Award.
Each Superior Scribbler must display The Award on his/her blog and link to the original post at The Scholastic Scribe which explains The Award.
Each blogger who wins The Superior Scribbler Award must visit the original post at The Scholastic Scribe and add his/her name to the Mr Linky List. That way, we’ll be able to keep up-to-date on everyone who wins This Prestigious Honor!
Each Superior Scribbler must post these rules to his/her blog.

Thanks Bernadette, for considering this blog worthy of the The Superior Scribbler Award. Its good to know that others enjoy my scribblings.

So, here in no particular order are five bloggers that I believe deserve some recognition:

1. Rushina at A Perfect Bite for her awesome recipes and food related writing. She doesn't blog half as often as she writes in print, but its all amazing!

2. Judy for Under the Date Palms She blogs sporadically, but is always interesting to read.

3. Surya at Howdy Neighbour, she's one tech savvy woman, now blogging for the Mobile Industry Review too.

4. Akshay at Trivial Matters who takes the most mind blowing pictures and visits the most interesting places and photoblogs them all. He has just moved to Blind Boys .org but the old blog deserves its share of recognition for the many eyars of work and pictures on it.

5. Deepti at Things That Bang writes from her heart and carries her readers along with the emotions.

Service Apartments in Cairo

2009-08-03T19:44:00.004+03:00

This is an idea long overdue in Cairo. I have had many friends and newbies ask for just such an option, but I did not know if one existed so far (leave me a comment, if you know of any others) The Hilton Suites does offer this, but as far as I know they are 2 bedroom suites and slightly on the higher side to rent out. (It works out cheaper to rent an apartment for long stays)

A service apartment offers the convenience of a hotel (someone else does the cleaning, changes sheets, picks up your mail etc) and a home (you can cook your own food, order home delivery from restaurants that aren't a part of the hotel et al)

You can stay for as little as a day to long stays like a year or 2. Saves you the hassle of having to handle the plumbing and electric connections which could save a large chunk of time, especially in Cairo.

The StayBridge Suites have just opened in City Stars and hopefully will emerge as a more reasonable option than the Hilton Suites.

They have 56 double bedrooms, 84 single bedrooms, 140 suites. And this is what I really appreciate: 80 non smoking rooms! So you dont have to breathe the all permeating, all intrusive stale cigarette smoke from previous occupants.

They promise a weekly Friday Barbeque for the residents. There is a laundromat on the premises where residents can do their own laundry. There is also a minimal fitness centre on the premises and for an extra charge guests can use the Health club at the Intercontinental Hotel next door. They also promise to provide free wifi in all the rooms.

Ok, I just did a dummy search on the site and turns out it isnt that cheap after all. The starting price for a single studio looks like 180$ per night + 13.44% tax + 12% service charge. And the average rate seems to be about 250$ per night + taxes. I don't remember even the 4 seasons being that expensive. hmmmm. Lets see how long they can command these prices. . .

Solar Cities eco-tour

2009-08-03T00:00:00.003+03:00

Solar Cities eco-tour, when someone mentioned this on an online forum. I was like "What? Are you sure this is happening in Egypt? in Cairo? People in this city are harnessing solar energy? Are we talking about the same Cairo?"

She gave this site for reference: http://solarcities.blogspot.com and I was completely wowed just reading about the concept.

One of the founders was inspired by an "inner city eco-tourism" opportunity he got on a trip to Johannesburg in 2002. Global nomads T.H. Culhane and Sybille Culhane are now working on the Solar C3.I.T.I.E.S. mission: "Connecting Community Catalysts Integrating Technologies for Industrial Ecology Systems"

They brought solar power to some of the neediest neighbourhoods in Cairo and it has made a difference in the lives of the residents.

To read more about this story and sign up for your own tour, visit the blog http://solarcities.blogspot.com/ I know I hope to do this the next time I'm in Cairo.

Not carrying a valid driving licence in Arabic, could land you in jail

2009-08-02T00:13:00.003+03:00

If you plan to drive in Cairo, then make sure that you always carry a valid drivers licence in Arabic while at the wheel.

A new law has been passed / or is currently being strictly implemented, I'm not sure which.

But a non-Egyptian friend found this out the hard way when she got a call saying that her Egyptian husband had been jailed for a traffic offense. Her first reaction was that : someone had been badly hurt as a result of her husband's driving, but it seems that the infraction was a minor one: He was not carrying the international translation paper for his licence (grey coloured one with your photo in it)

He was later released when the right papers were produced, but it was a rude shock for the entire family which has never seen the inside of a jail before.

Please, if you plan to drive in Egypt, do carry all the necessary documents including a translation if you have an IDL issued in any language other than Arabic.

Stay safe, drive safe.

Someone else brought to my attention that if you are an Egyptian Resident or an Egyptian, then you need to have an Egyptian Driving License. An IDL from another (your own home) country is useless, if you are a resident here.

Croc takes a mid-air stroll on Egypt Air flight

2009-08-01T16:15:00.002+03:00

From Sydney Morning Herald

To think of all the paperwork we had to do before our cat could fly with us. . . .

And what about the hand baggage screening machines where they stop passengers from carrying drinking water? Did they think this was a crocodile leather bag or something? Wasnt it emitting heat to show it was alive, or is a croc a cold blooded animal?

ET Story on The Abu Simbel Relocation

2009-07-27T00:59:00.002+03:00

On the occassion of the 50th Anniversary of the relocation of the Abu Simbel temples to rescue them from the rising Nile waters (due to the construction of the High Dam) Egypt Today has published an article on the story.

Although the article seems a bit biased, it does throw up some fascinating insights like, how the seams in the temple façades and inner walls were filled in with epoxy resin and rock dust collected during the carving process, giving the surfaces a natural, uncut look.

Harassment of Women on Cairo Streets

2009-06-24T12:30:00.004+03:00

Warning: While most of my posts are General Audience, this post has some material that you may not want young children reading.

Sexual Harassment on the streets of Cairo is a common topic that comes up whenever a couple of women here in Egypt meet up, online or in someone's home.

There are those that say that it isnt really bad, incidents of rape are so low compared to the US, what's the harm in a little cat calling? The problem is that if you ignore the cat calling, it then turns to men masturbating at the sight of a women (I've had friends who said they saw their taxi drivers masturbating with one hand while driving with the other, simply because a foreign looking woman got into the back seat of their car), groping (which happens in a lot of cases) and could eventually by progression lead to rape if this malaise is not stopped in its tracks.

I've posted before, about Sexual Harassment but its mostly been newspaper articles or other people's experiences. Few women choose to detail their own humiliation for dissection to the world (its a different matter between close friends who understand and have gone through the same - that is in a way, slightly therapeautic)

When I last traveled to Dubai in March, most papers were filled with the news of 2 construction worker immigrants who were facing court proceedings for cat calling/ whistling at a South East Asian maid.

Points to be noted about Dubai.
1. Women (foreigners/expats) here cover far less than the majority of women in Egypt. (think tank tops and shorts to the maximum, but off shoulder, backless, low necklines are pretty common too)
2. This is a muslim majority country and local Emirati women are predominantly dressed in the black abaya type hijab. Fully covered black robes and heads/hair covered.
3. There is a high number of single men - men who have left their wives behind in home countries because they cannot afford to bring them over when they are here on long work contracts/ unmarried men.
4. There is a large population of hired labour living in what would be considered as Below Poverty Line status in the rest of the world.

All of these have been used as excuses to brush away sexual harassment in Egypt, yet Sexual harassment in Dubai overall is not even 0.1% of what "I" face in Egypt on a daily basis.

Why? Mainly because authorities take action about any such complaint. The law is tough and it is applied without fail. No excuses.

I'm not saying that everything about Dubai culture is perfect or everything about Egypt is imperfect (I've lived in Egypt for 3 years) but harassment on the roads makes me tend to avoid going out unless absolutely necessary or in a large group of friends. I know a lot of expat women in Egypt who are here on husbands postings, who do not visit anywhere that is not an expat dominated location for fear of being assaulted. While such fears may not be justified, it is a real feeling that these women live with daily.

A closer look at my wardrobe, shows me much higher necks and back lines than 3 years ago. Sleeves below the elbows, loose fitting semi-shapeless clothes. Visiting Lebanon and Dubai makes me realise how much I have changed my own style of dressing to suit this country. (Not that I ever wore plunging necklines to work in India, but they didnt all end above my collar bone either) Changing the way I dress, was just one of the adaptations to blend into the culture and surroundings in Egypt.

My husband and I both love traveling around the country/city and discovering hidden gems of cultural, architectural and historical interest which takes us into sometimes weird areas. Our driver/translator despairs when 'Madame' wants to visit Souk al Gumma (The second-hand Friday market) and other such areas, which he tells me even his mother and sister who have lived in Cairo all their lives, avoid.

But a part of the charm and beauty of living in another country is to explore its nooks and crannies. Unfortunately in Egypt, exploration into some of these nooks and crannies brings a lot of unwanted attention and in many cases, especially if my husband isnt with me, harassment both verbal and sometimes physical. So one has to be extra careful about where one goes, with whom one goes and what kind of clothes one is wearing.

Fortunately, not being cursed with blond hair, white skin and blue eyes, the harassment that I face is less than those who look "foreign" even if they are conservatively dressed.

Yes, making a scene helps and you don't need to speak in Arabic. I remember generally strolling around the pyramids alone when my husband went inside one of them (I'm claustrophobic and chose to not go in) one of those camel ride guys was persistently trying to get my attention. As is the case with most touts in the pyramids area (I have visited over 25 times in the last 3 years) I continued to ignore him, as though I couldn't understand him and refused to make eye contact. (this may seem rude, but works in most cases of persistent touts) Usually after 3-4 tries they leave me alone. This guy actually touched my hand and attempted to give me the riding whip/stick for the camel. While his gesture was not sexual, he was still "touching" me without my permission and when I had given him absolutely no reason to believe I was interested.

In Egypt, Egyptian women will never permit a strange man to ever touch them, so why do they think it is ok with tourists/foreigners? Anyhow I screamed at him in English "How dare you touch me, what do you think of yourself, what gives you the right to even touch me?" Nothing abusive, nothing indecent. In English and loudly. It was enough to make the people around stop and look and stare at the man. There was nothing confrontational about my attitude. I just made a noise to attract the attention of other people around to what was clearly something this camel guy should not have been doing. He immediately apologised and slunk away. The incident shocked him (I train people in NLP and Body language, so I KNOW he was shocked) and I doubt he will be touching any women any time soon.

But why do foreign women coming to/visiting Egypt allow these men to touch them, hand on shoulders, holding hands (not shaking hands) People whom they have just met in a shop, not people they know. They would not allow men in their home country to impose on their personal space this way, but yet some of them are perceivably ok when it happens to them in a new country. Any theories?

Point to be noted. Most of the harassment, my friends & I have faced, has been in Cairo. Men in Luxor, Aswan, Alexandria (unless during the Cairene summer invasion), Dahab, Sharm el Sheikh, Hurghada, Abu Simbel, Bahariyya, Siwa, Sinai have been way more respectful of women.

Also published on desicritics.org

St Andrews Refugee Center Craft Shop

2009-06-17T02:28:00.003+03:00

Visited the St Andrews Refugee Centre again today. A lot of new classrooms have come up since I last visited, a little over a month ago.

For the first time, I saw children leaving after school was out and the sheer joy and happiness at attneding school, on most of their faces was infectious.

Today the Craft shop was also open and I popped in for a quick look-see. Lovely paintings and water colours by some of the extemely talented refugees take up the most space. There are also papier mache mirrors with African designs on them. A few bits of African jewelry and some other bits and bobs.

The prices are very reasonable and the proceeds all go to a great cause. Helping these wonderful and talented people stand on their feet and earn a living.

I've blogged about the other services available at St Andrews before.

Give a call to check when the craft shop will be open on check their website:
www.standrewsrefugeeservices.org

If you are leaving Cairo and have things that are in usable condition and you can't take them with you, please consider donating to St Andrews. They make sure that it reaches people who really need it.

A Belly Dancer's Blog

2009-06-15T19:03:00.002+03:00

I was chuffed to see "BellyLorna" as one the Followers of My Blog.

I visited her blog and found it very interesting. We always see the performance side of a dancer and don't really have an insight into the dancers point of view. Lorna's blog http://bellylorna.blogspot.com/ gives the reader that insight. She is a Scottish lady who now performs in Cairo.

I enjoyed reading her blog posts and then found a link to a video of her performance:

I realised I have watched her perform on the Nile Pharoahs Boat at least 4 times. And I always recommend our house guests to do their Dinner Cruise with Nile Pharoahs, because she is the best Belly Dancer on the boats as of now and the Boat also serves Indian Food if you book in advance.

So yes, I am a fan of Lorna's dancing and her blog. I'd recommend the blog, it makes really interesting reading.

Here's another older video

Pet Store : Chez Berge - Mohandaseen

2009-06-15T03:29:00.002+03:00

I normally pick up pet supplies like cat food and kitty litter from Hyper One / Carre Four/ Metro. But sometimes I just need a new treat for my cat that these stores just don't offer.

The usual fall back is Sami's on 26th July street in Zamalek who has a wide range of pet grooming and play products, but I just discovered a much nicer option.

Chez Berge is located on 40 el Falah Street (off Lebanon street in Mohandaseen) Their number is 3305 4806

They stock a lot of Italian Pet supplies that are much better quality than a lot of stuff I have seen in Cairo in regular stores. The brand they stock is Ferplast which has much smoother finish on its plastic items.

They do name tags engraving for pets, stock litter boxes, baskets, sleeping rugs, carriers, toys, food, grooming brushes, litter. The whole shebang, at least for cats and dogs

They also have a vet on premises. But call for the doctors timings.

If you do buy a carrier from them, they are much better quality than most available in Egypt, but do note that the locking mechanism on ferplast carriers may not be allowed on a lot of airlines. Most airlines only allow a double spring lock door carrier on board as checked in baggage or cargo. So do verify with your airline, if you are planning to buy a carrier for air travel.

Precautions to take against H1N1

2009-06-13T02:14:00.001+03:00

The World Health Organisation has brought out some practical and reasonable guidelines to try and prevent falling prey to the virus at http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/frequently_asked_questions/what/en/index.html

What can I do?

Updated 11 June 2009

What can I do to protect myself from catching influenza A(H1N1)?

The main route of transmission of the new influenza A(H1N1) virus seems to be similar to seasonal influenza, via droplets that are expelled by speaking, sneezing or coughing. You can prevent getting infected by avoiding close contact with people who show influenza-like symptoms (trying to maintain a distance of about 1 metre if possible) and taking the following measures:

avoid touching your mouth and nose;
clean hands thoroughly with soap and water, or cleanse them with an alcohol-based hand rub on a regular basis (especially if touching the mouth and nose, or surfaces that are potentially contaminated);
avoid close contact with people who might be ill;
reduce the time spent in crowded settings if possible;
improve airflow in your living space by opening windows;
practise good health habits including adequate sleep, eating nutritious food, and keeping physically active.

What about using a mask? What does WHO recommend?

If you are not sick you do not have to wear a mask.

If you are caring for a sick person, you can wear a mask when you are in close contact with the ill person and dispose of it immediately after contact, and cleanse your hands thoroughly afterwards.

When and how to use a mask?

If you are sick and must travel or be around others, cover your mouth and nose.

Using a mask correctly in all situations is essential. Incorrect use actually increases the chance of spreading infection.

How do I know if I have influenza A(H1N1)?

You will not be able to tell the difference between seasonal flu and influenza A(H1N1) without medical help. Typical symptoms to watch for are similar to seasonal viruses and include fever, cough, headache, body aches, sore throat and runny nose. Only your medical practitioner and local health authority can confirm a case of influenza A(H1N1).

What should I do if I think I have the illness?

If you feel unwell, have high fever, cough or sore throat:

stay at home and keep away from work, school or crowds;
rest and take plenty of fluids;
cover your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing and, if using tissues, make sure you dispose of them carefully. Clean your hands immediately after with soap and water or cleanse them with an alcohol-based hand rub;
if you do not have a tissue close by when you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth as much as possible with the crook of your elbow;
use a mask to help you contain the spread of droplets when you are around others, but be sure to do so correctly;
inform family and friends about your illness and try to avoid contact with other people;
If possible, contact a health professional before traveling to a health facility to discuss whether a medical examination is necessary.

Should I take an antiviral now just in case I catch the new virus?

No. You should only take an antiviral, such as oseltamivir or zanamivir, if your health care provider advises you to do so. Individuals should not buy medicines to prevent or fight this new influenza without a prescription, and they should exercise caution in buying antivirals over the Internet.

Warning on purchase of antivirals without a prescription [pdf 35kb]

What about breastfeeding? Should I stop if I am ill?

No, not unless your health care provider advises it. Studies on other influenza infections show that breastfeeding is most likely protective for babies - it passes on helpful maternal immunities and lowers the risk of respiratory disease. Breastfeeding provides the best overall nutrition for babies and increases their defense factors to fight illness.

When should someone seek medical care?

A person should seek medical care if they experience shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, or if a fever continues more than three days. For parents with a young child who is ill, seek medical care if a child has fast or labored breathing, continuing fever or convulsions (seizures).

Supportive care at home - resting, drinking plenty of fluids and using a pain reliever for aches - is adequate for recovery in most cases. (A non-aspirin pain reliever should be used by children and young adults because of the risk of Reye's syndrome.)

Should I go to work if I have the flu but am feeling OK?

No. Whether you have influenza A(H1N1) or a seasonal influenza, you should stay home and away from work through the duration of your symptoms. This is a precaution that can protect your work colleagues and others.

Can I travel?

If you are feeling unwell or have symptoms of influenza, you should not travel. If you have any doubts about your health, you should check with your health care provider.

US Embassy Directive on H1N1 Flu in Egypt

2009-06-10T15:48:00.001+03:00

Date: June 09, 2009

To: The American Community

From: Embassy of the United States, Cairo

Subject: Warden Message dated June 09, 2009

This Warden Message alerts U.S. citizens to the latest information regarding human cases of 2009-H1N1 Influenza. The Egyptian Ministry of Health has reported eight confirmed cases of H1N1 virus in Egypt. Seven of these cases are students from the American University in Cairo, all resident in AUC's downtown Zamalek dormitory. AUC has suspended classes and campus activities through Sunday morning, June 14, 2009, and all residents of the Zamalek dormitory are currently in quarantine, are being tested, and will remain under observation for one week. Cairo airport has also instituted new health screening procedures and they can be found at http://egypt. usembassy. gov/consular/ pa060809. htm

The Embassy reminds U.S. citizens that most cases of influenza are not 2009-H1N1 Influenza. Any questions or concerns about influenza or other illnesses should be directed to a medical professional. Although the Embassy cannot provide medical advice or provide medical services to the public, a list of hospitals and doctors can be found on our website at http://egypt. usembassy. gov.

For further information about 2009-H1N1 Influenza, including steps you can take to stay healthy, please consult the Department of State information at http://travel. state.gov/ travel/cis_ pa_tw/pa/ pa_pandemic. html, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control website at http://www.cdc. gov/h1n1flu/ , the U.S. Government pandemic influenza website at http://www.pandemicflu.gov, and the World Health Organization website at http://www.who. int/csr/disease/ swineflu/ en/index. html. For additional travel safety information, please consult the State Department's website at http://www.travel. state.gov.

2 More H1N1 cases detected in Alexandria

2009-06-10T15:45:00.002+03:00

Supposedly 2 more people in Alexandria have tested positive for the H1N1 virus.

This is the link to the story in Arabic:
http://www.youm7.com/News.asp?NewsID=106984

and the English translation?
http://soberhigh.wordpress.com/2009/06/10/1252-10-h1n1/

Dangerous Driving in Cairo

2009-06-10T02:28:00.002+03:00

Anyone who has lived or visited CAiro, knows how dangerous the roads can be. But its sometimes difficult to explain how bad it is to folks back home.

Voila, BBC produces a video on the topic.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7904171.stm?lss

This will give the folks back home something to think about.

5 more H1N1 cases at AUC dorm

2009-06-09T14:36:00.002+03:00

After 2 students at AUC dorm in Zamalek were diagnosed with H1N1, all the students at the dorm were quarantined and checked for the virus.

5 new cases have been identified as stated in the Straits Times. The nationalities of these students hasn't been identified.

Maybe now is the time to start talking serious preventive measures. Like washing hands with soap and water and maintaining basic hygience.