14

Football.

Look up the stories around Egypt's recent win, and you'll see every facet of sports mania you are used to hearing about, and maybe more.

The energy on the streets kept me up until 3 or 4 a.m. and woke me up this morning. Forget that Egypt needs to win one more match to make the world cup. You would have guessed that last night they won the whole thing.

It was crazy.

I spent the greater part of the day in the older part of Cairo, a lot closer to the site where the game would be played that same night. The people were cool, and the markets were fairly empty. But the energy was there.

I don't know if it was my Egypt football shirt, or the fact that I knew to say, 'God willing, three,' in Arabic (Egypt needed to win by three to qualify automatically for the World Cup) but nonetheless people loved to see me. Then they wanted to sell me stuff. I don't know which was driving them more, but I'm guessing I was a financial opportunity that made them smile just a tad more...even if I didn't buy much.

I left downtown at a reasonable hour, making sure I was long away from any public craziness. I was in the Twin Cities when they won the Series, and I've seen what mobs can do.

In my quaint little suburb of Maadi, who knew that the honking and chanting would last into the wee hours of the morning? It was wild.

And now, with one more win, Egypt will make the World Cup, South Africa, 2010

I'm also pleasantly surprised to hear that students might be returning to school long before I expected. Just when I start to think I've got things figured out, I am proved wrong. I read there was another swine flu related death in Cairo yesterday. I've read that the expected number of infections is in the millions for Egypt, as high as maybe seven million people.

And I know (as I've said before) that discretion here is the better part of valor. I also know that your health is sometimes all you have, especially in a country where many people have so little. (Speaking only in terms of monetary wealth - the culture is certainly very rich in other ways.)

But just when I thought it would be a long time, I am now understanding it will be soon. one more day off, and apparently the students return on Tuesday, after taking a break for precaution against spreading the flu.

So, one more day of internet based education, and we get back to business.

Sorry about the rambling nature of this post. I'm falling asleep in my chair, but wanted to send it today. Maybe I'll get some horn free honking sleep tonight! (isa - in sha'Allah)