Odds and Ends 4
• I’m beginning to suspect that at least 90% of the men here are named Mohammed. In my cell phone, I have the numbers for three Mohammeds, whom I have re-named “Mohammed,” “Mo,” and “Hammed” so that I can keep them straight. And it’s not just difficult for me—the ubiquitous name seems to cause problems for Egyptians as well. More than once, when I’ve asked for a Mohammed, the response is “Which Mohammed?” But, despite the complications that arise, the name remains, for obvious reasons, extremely popular. On a film set recently, I met a young Egyptian extra whose character was pregnant. I touched her stuffed belly and jokingly asked, “What will his name be?” She thought about it for a moment, and then smiled and said, “Mohammed.” Being a fan of originality, I protested, and she budged a bit: “Ok, Yusef Mohammed.” Then I asked her what her last name was, so we could try out the baby’s full name. Her last name? Mohammed.• At my hotel, I saw a guy (whose name is Mohammed, incidentally) playing the “Arab” version of Mario Bros. It looks about the same as the one we play in the US, except Mario is dressed like a Saudi, with a long white robe and red-and-white checked head-covering.• Renters in Cairo enjoy the most unbelievable rights. (For once, I actually pity landlords.) As I understand it, until recently, a landlord was unable to evict an Egyptian family once they moved into a residence and also could not raise the rent. Ever. As a result, some people are renting apartments in posh Cairene neighborhoods for ridiculously low prices. For example, I met a man who pays 60 pounds a month (about $11) for his 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom apartment. Moreover, he claims that he only recently started paying 60 pounds after lengthy negotiations with his landlord– his family’s contract (signed years ago) says rent is 15 pounds a month.• Egyptians don’t distinguish between the sounds “P” and “B”– for instance, “pounds” is sometimes pronounced as “bounds.” This makes for entertaining English language menus that include dishes like “grilled lamp.”• Recently, at a shoe store, I was introduced to “Fulla,” a type of “Muslim Barbie” made by a Syrian toy company called NewBoy Toys. (Why don’t they ever test these English names with native speakers?) The store’s walls were covered with glittery pink and purple backpacks decorated with flowers, butterflies, hearts, and everything else that little girls love. And in the center of each was Barbie…no wait, make that Fulla in a black hijab. Pretty awesome. (Here’s a photo of Barbie and Fulla side by side. Seriously, does Barbie really need lingerie?) I wanted to buy the backpacks for my cousins in the US, but decided that their 2nd and 3rd grade classmates (or their teachers, for that matter) probably wouldn’t appreciate Fulla as much as I do. Shame.
Tags: Cairo, Egypt, Odds and Ends, RTW 07/08
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