A word about being a woman in Cairo

So far I've written entries for friends and family to be able to keep up with my activities and experiences, but today I am in the mood to rant.  I'm usually pretty adaptable in most situations, but I must say I feel rather frustrated at the propositions I am subject to everyday on the streets.  This is a familiar phenomenon, as the men in Karachi are really not all that different from here, and I am generally very good at ignoring people when I want to, but now that I've been here over a month, I feel somewhat fed up.  Sometimes I dread having to wait for a taxi outside of the AUC campus, or even the short walk to the dance studio or the supermarket around the corner from my house.  I can feel the lustful gazes and usually I just look down and hasten my stride but sometimes I just feel annoyed at such behavior, and a bit disappointed.  I am not naive enough to expect that Muslim men would actually lower their gaze, but just a bit of respect would be nice.  On the other hand, I am very impressed with the power and authority that women have managed to attain in this country.

I found a kind cab driver who offered to pick me up and drop me off from school everyday.  He knows a bit of English, mainly from watching movies, and likes to practice with me during the drive, though I try to force him back into speaking arabic so that I can have some practice as well!  Needless to say, we manage to understand each other and he does not constantly stare at me from his rearview mirror!

A word about being a woman in Cairo