Oasis September 2019

Entertainment Welcome & Recreation to Oasis
Table of Contents
36
46
Every Month
7 Editor’s Note
9 Supporters
11 Welcome to CSA
13 Programs and
Services
15 Partner Vendors
17 Shopping
Columns
33 Diner's Delight
51 Reading Corner
60 Globe Trotters
73 Nutrition 101
81 Health 101
88 Puzzles
89 Mum & Baby
56
66
23 Events
25 Showroom
28 Travel Services and
Activities
40 REPS Gym
90 Community
Announcements
94 Calendar of Events
features
19 Nature Stories of Egypt
30 Green and Fashionable
36 Choosing the Right
School
46 All my Roads led to
Egypt
56 Telegram
66 This must be the Place
76 Self-Esteem and Teens
82 Financial Guide to
working Abroad
86 Art Education Matters
86
The articles and views expressed in this publication are entirely those of the authors and are not
endorsed by CSA.
September 19 CSA 7

Welcome to Oasis
Editorial Note
editorial note
Welcome to Oasis
Returning back to Egypt is even more exciting than going away on a break. Newcomers
will undoubtedly be amazed by the way various nationals and non-nationals appreciate
different cultures. For me, working on this issue has always been a delightful process and
brings various memories to the fore.
The issue brings insight, knowledge and inspiration for all the readers with varied taste.
Dominique Krayenbühl sheds a light on wild life of Egypt through her piece Nature Stories of Egypt. Mhairi Scott
shares some valuable advice in Choosing the right School. Supriya Chawla’s informative feature reveals the history
and places of relevance of Port Said in Globetrotters.
In addition to our usual bazaars and weekly events, CSA brings you Welcome Party on Friday, Sept 20 at CSA garden,
Maadi Food Fest on Friday, October 18 and our most sought after annual event Gold and Green Gala on Friday, Nov 22.
In order to remain updated, do not forget to grab a copy of Oasis.
Happy Reading!
Deepti Rana
Editor & Magazine Supervisor
Advertising
Editor & Magazine Supervisor
Deepti Rana
Advertising Coordinator
Anushka Rupani
Oasis magazine provides excellent advertising opportunities with premier exposure to
the expatriate community of Greater Cairo. Oasis is printed in 5000 FREE copies that are
distributed in high visibility locations such as embassies, cultural centers, multinational
companies, international schools, top of the line restaurants, coffee shops, medical
facilities, beauticians and book stores.
Information Designer
Claudia Dencker
Contributors
Amy Pugsley, Andrew Panillo,
Dominique Krayenbühl, Dr. Waala
Ghounim, Eman Abdelbakey, Kate
Tierney, Lynda Aune , Piyush Panwar,
Rita Maselli, Supriya Chawla, Trevor
Naylor, Umme Kulsum Zamena, Vibha
Das-Singh
Agouza/Dokki
Mohandeseen
6th of October
heliopolis
Zamalek
Garden City
New Cairo
Maadi
Printed by:
Distributed by:
ADVERTISING
Reservations
For more information about our
offers and packages, contact
2358 5284 / 010688 28537
oasis@livinginegypt.org.
Follow
1/8 page 9cm x 6cm
¼ page 9cm x 12,5cm
½ page horizontal 19cm x 12,5cm
½ page vertical 9cm x 26cm
Full page 21cm x 29,7cm + 3mm bleed
*Discount packages are available with online and onsite advertisement benefits.
Full page advertorial
21cm x 29,7cm + 3mm bleed
Full page front cover (fold-out)
19cm x 29,7cm + 3mm bleed
Full page front cover (inside)
21cm x 29,7cm + 3mm bleed
Ad artwork must be with resolution 300dpi/tiff format and can be submitted along
with any accompanying text via email at oasis@livinginegypt.org or on a CD/USB stick.
Acceptance of advertorials is at the discretion of CSA. CSA Advertising guidelines apply.
For more information about our offers and packages, contact our advertising coordinator:
2358 5284 / 010 688 28537 / oasis@livinginegypt.org.
@OasisMagazineEgypt for special announcements, extra content, and more!
September 19 CSA 9

Entertainment CSA & Recreation
Supporters
Thank you!
CSA offers a heartfelt “Thank You” to all our supporters. Your continued support allows us to offer events,
programs and services to expats living and working in Egypt. As a non-profit organization, we exist through
the support of the local business community and organizations. It is with these partnerships that CSA is able
to continue to grow and maintain our commitment to long-term services, as well as fulfill our obligation to
support numerous charities. Thank you for your support!
CSA Supporters
Support CSA and receive all the beneficial exposure!
Please email us at sponsors@livinginegypt.org or contact
Denden Alcantara at denden@livinginegypt.org. We look forward to establishing a fruitful collaboration with you.
September 19 CSA 11

Entertainment CSA & Recreation
Community
Welcome to CSA
CSA is the place to be. Located in the heart of Maadi, CSA has been the top destination for expatriates
since 1980. Our well-trained staff and volunteers strive to make you comfortable helping you to navigate this
confusing yet exciting city. Whether you are in need of a good cup of coffee, food, a great book, a perfect gift,
fitness routine, booking a tour or holiday, and a place for kids to play. CSA has it all and more!!!
Managing Director
Denden Alcantara
Communications
Department
Editor and Magazine Supervisor
Deepti Rana
Advertising Coordinator
Anushka Rupani
Information Designer
Claudia Dencker
Finance Department
Finance and Admin Associate
Marwa Zrelli Wahab
Finance Administrator
Svetlana Kirnasova
Cashier/Bookkeeper
Sukanya Ghosh
Fundraising Department
Business Development Manager
Riham R. El Mograby
Events Manager
Lama Al Hammuri
Media and Communications
Coordinator
Rana Kang
On-Site Services
Information Referral Specialist
Kristine Amphoux, Gladys Gondwe
PR Supervisor
Sara Salem
Village Charity Gifts Senior
Coordinator
Maha Salem
La Boutique Supervisor
Natalia Zadaionia
La Boutique Coordinator
Shaymaa Gouda
Bliss Spa Supervisor
Cecil Reyes
REPS Gym
Manager
Francesca D’Andrea
Fitness Supervisor
Kim Hampton
REPS Sales Representatives
Joseph Kenyi Mathew, Sheila
Del Rio
Programs Department
Programs Manager
Deliah Adham
Operations
Department
Operations Manager
Sherif Hamdy
Volunteers
Dominique Krayenbuhl, Hoda
Fahmy, Hala Mahmoud,
Ibrahim Kamel, Ina Chhabra,
Lina Amricani, Magda
Kassem Melten Gur, Maria
Elia, Michelle Bowen, Mona
ElEmary, Susan McDonough,
Urike Von Ruecke
Internet Service
Noor
www.noor.net
16700
01271552273
IT Services
Integrated Technology Services
www.its-egy.com
01007515123
Volunteer with CSA!
Be a part of our dynamic organization. Our
volunteering opportunities range from office work
to event organisation to public awareness raising.
Volunteering with us is an opportunity to develop new
skills and make new friends. For more information stop
by our front desk, email info@livinginegypt.org or call
01068828540.
Our Location: Villa 4, Road 21, Maadi
Directions to CSA in Arabic from the Autostrade/Corniche:
CSA Opening Hours
Sunday-Thursday 8.30am-7.00pm
Friday-Saturday 9.00am-3.00pm
Community Services Association, 4 Road 21, Maadi , Cairo, Tel: 23585284 / 23580754, Mob: 01068828540
www.livinginegypt.org livinginegypt
September 19 CSA 13

Entertainment CSA & Recreation
Community
Programs & Services
CSA offers a wide range of programs and services that aim to help you enjoy life in Egypt, discover more
about your new home, and ways to develop new skills.
Information & Referral Desk Programs Department Village Charity Gifts
We do our best to answer all your
questions about CSA and living in Egypt.
info@livinginegypt.org | 01068828540
Creative trips, tours, lifestyle and cooking
classes, and workshops that are exciting
for the whole family.
programs@livinginegypt.org
01068828539
Offering a range of Egyptian handicrafts,
souvenirs, artwork , jewelry and much
more that help sustain many charitable
organizations.
giftshop@livinginegypt.org
La Boutique
Buy & Sell. A place to sell and buy new
and good quality items that are no
longer needed.
laboutique@livinginegypt.org
Events
CSA’s signature event, the Green and
Gold Gala, Christmas Party, Welcome
Party, cultural events, monthly bazaars.....
events@livinginegypt.org | 01068828541
The Bookshelf
A much valued resource for newcomers
and veteran expats alike, The Bookshelf
is CSA’s community library.
The Showroom
Used by various weekly vendors to
bring you new and exciting trends in art,
fashion, furniture and more.
CSA's gym offering group classes for
adults and children, personal training
and nutrition consultations.
reps@livinginegypt.org | 01003829368
repsgymegypt, reps-gym.com
Practical language classes to help deal
with real life situations and communicate
in the most effective and appropriate way.
cls@livinginegypt.org | 0106 882 8539
Pamper yourself with signature
massages and rejuvenating facials with
our expert technicians.
bliss@livinginegypt.org | 01068828538
Oasis Magazine
Published 10 times a year, it is the prime
resource of information for expatriates
living in Egypt.
oasis@livinginegypt.org | 01068828537
OasisMagazineEgypt
Marketing Services
CSA offers an extensive marketing
platform to help you position and
promote your business.
advertise@livinginegypt.org
@livinginegypt
September 19 CSA 15

Entertainment CSA & Recreation
Community
Partner Vendors
We’ve partnered with various vendors in the community to bring our visitors top notch products and
services; all available on-site at CSA. Stop by and do some shopping, grab a coffee and buy some groceries.
Make sure you experience all that CSA has to offer.
Antwerpen Fine Jewelry
Sunday-Thursday, 9.00am-8.00pm
Saturday, 9.00am-5.00pm
Pamper yourself with Antwerpen’s
beautiful selection of gold, silver,
diamond and colored stone pieces.
www.antwerpenjewelry.com
Antwerpen-Fine-Jewelry|02-23585284
Gourmet Egypt
Daily, 9.00am-6.00pm
Enjoy quality products at great
value, sourced only by the finest
suppliers from around the world.
gourmetegypt | 19339
The AUC Bookstore
Sunday-Thursday, 9.00am-5.00pm
Saturday, 9.00am-3.00pm
An extensive selection of books, gift
ideas, and stationary.
AUCBookstores | 02-23584879
Nefertari
Daily, 9.00am-7.00pm
Proudly handmade in Egypt, Nefertari
and their new line Nefertari Baby offer
100% natural body care products that
are free from chemicals, coloring agents,
and artificial fragrances.
NefertariNaturalBodycare
sales@nefertaribodycare.com
Ethnica
Exclusive Pashminas &
Indian interiors
Daily, 9.00am-7.00pm
Exotic handcrafted Indian furniture,
ladies accessories, real pashmina shawls,
silk bedcovers, throws, and gift items.
ethnica.indian@yahoo.com|01273317991
The Medical Clinic
(By appointment) Saturday-Thursday
10.00am-2.00pm and 5.00pm-9.00pm
Friday (Only by appointment)
Prof. Islam Ezeldin Fahmy, MD, ABIM &
ABGM is American Board certified in
Internal Medicine & Geriatrics.
01015557551 | 0100534499 |
samrimd@hotmail.com
Bodyworx
Dr. Noaman Sideek, 0100-3103414
Bodyworxphysiotherapy
L’avenue
Sunday-Thursday, 9.00am-6.00pm
Friday-Saturday, 10.00am-5.00pm
Luxury gifts and homeware, including
luxury home linens, crystal, porcelain,
handmade glass, candles & more.
lavenue.eg | 01015407111
O ‘N’E Design
Sunday-Thursday, 11.00am-6.00pm
Friday (By appointment)
Saturday, 11.00am-4.00pm
Exclusively trendy fashion, home
accessories and jewelry from the
Mediterranean to Cairo.
onedesignsfashion | 01211667803
The Happy Place
Daily (according to classes schedule)
Where you make sugar coated memories.
thehappyplaceshop | 01011124007
thehappyplaceshop@gmail.com
The Nail Shop
Tuesday-Sunday, 10.00am-8.00pm
Ambience & expertise come together
bringing you the best in skin & nail luxury.
thenailshopegypt | 01000049423
thenailshopegypt@gmail.com
Leaven Artisan Bakery
A modern artisan bakery with a focus
on quality baked goods like sourdough
bread, pastries etc.
LeavenEG, 01013226384
www.leaveneg.com
Caffe Greco
Sunday-Thursday, 7.00am-7.00pm
Friday and Saturday, 8.00am-5.00pm
For the Best Coffee in Cairo, look no
further. Specialty drinks, pastries, and
sandwiches available.
Cafe Greco | 01222419405
Shiny White Dental Center
Saturday-Thursday, 10.00am-8.00pm
Achiever of the International Star award
(Gold). Provides high quality dental services.
Shiny.White.Dental.Center |
info@shinywhite-eg.com | 19416
Dr. Heba Hussein
Asst. Professor of Plastic Surgery
Laser and Plastic Surgery
+2 01223103480 / 0120448 8017
The LAB
Dr. Waffa Hawas M.D.
Sample collection and vaccination
thelab-eg.com | 0122-3181995
Please visit our website www.livinginegypt.org for more details.
September 19 CSA 17

Entertainment & CSA Recreation
Shopping
Gifts & Treats
CSA’s The Village Gift Shop & La Boutique provide our visitors with the opportunity to browse the best in
clothing, house wares, accessories, gift ideas, and trinkets. We also support local charities and NGOs all over
Egypt through product sales and donations. See what we have on offer this month!
A very warm welcome to everyone! The gift shop has
wide variety of handmade items created by our fabulous
vendors. The gift shop supports large number of charities
offering a wide selection of beautiful ethnic Egyptian
products with designs ranging from Pharaonic to Islamic
and Nubian. Most of the products are handmade.
It would take 13 years to drink the amount of water
needed to make one T-shirt and a pair of Jeans. Let us
make it Second Hand September. This can be done in
a stylish way by visiting LaBoutique. One can buy trendy,
chic stylish preowned clothes, shoes, bags, home-wares
and artifacts. There are also enough selections for those
who prefer brand new items.
Volunteer
The Village Gift Shop and
La Boutique are both run with
the help of CSA volunteers!
Thank you for all your help!
Gift Shop Opening Hours:
Sunday-Thursday 9.00am-5.00pm
Saturday 11.00am-6.00pm
La Boutique Opening Hours:
Sunday-Thursday 9.00am-4.00pm, Saturday 9.00am-2.00pm
Drop Offs:
Monday & Saturday 10.00am-2.00pm
September 19 CSA 19

By Dominique Krayenbühl
When Sherif Baha El Din says "there's
an interesting story here", he may
have in mind, a community of a
couple of hundred geckos living and
breeding on an isolated outcrop in
the open desert that never venture
more than a few hundred meters
from their rock. The story speaks of a
time when there was higher rainfall,
and this place in the Egyptian desert
was connected by trees to the
broader world. The trees died but
the gecko microcosm kept life going
here for thousands of years. And then
uninformed people come who see
in the boulder a mere construction
material, they quarry it and there
goes that story.
Beginning from his youthful interest
in wildlife, Baha El Din has become a
major figure of nature conservation
in Egypt. He participated in
designing and assessing Egypt's
protected areas to help nature
communities in the desert and in
other biomes survive in a world
under intense human pressure. He is
also the author of a number of books
on wildlife, including "A Guide to
Reptiles & Amphibians of Egypt".
Baha El Din's own story starts in
Ras Ghareb, a small town on the
Red Sea where he was born and
spent his childhood. With nothing
much happening there, he had the
leisure to discover wildlife. "For some
reason”, he says, “I became obsessed
with tortoises and snakes." He found
very few reptiles but started to
notice birds. In his father's library was
20 September 19 CSA
a book describing 50 English birds,
but many were not present in Egypt.
When the family moved to Cairo, he
acquired a guide of Egyptian birds
in Arabic. He would carry this heavy
sparsely illustrated volume with him
together with a pair of old binoculars
to look at birds. He would try to
identify them by piecing together
his observations: "It's less than 5cm,
it has a thin beak, it's grey here, it's
green here. I think it's probably that
bird." He comments, "I often say that I
invented bird-watching on my own".
On one of his visits to the Cairo book
fair in search of nature books, he
discovered a comprehensive English
bird guide. At the end of it were
useful addresses including the Royal
Society for the Protection of Birds
(RSPB) in the United Kingdom. He
wrote to them and one day received
a letter asking if he could accompany
a couple of English ornithologists on
a visit to Egypt. He led them to his
favorite bird-watching spots around
Cairo. They went to El-Shams Club,
but also to an area where canals
carrying Cairo's sewage to the desert
had created a vast and lush jungle
of casuarina and eucalyptus trees
hosting lots of birds. This outing
was a breakthrough in Baha El Din's
budding career as a naturalist as he
discovered the existence of fellow
bird-watchers.
In his early twenties, he co-authored
"Common Birds of Egypt" with
Bertel Bruun, a Danish-American
ornithologist. He produced the
Arabic text and the illustrations.
He remembers with amazement,
"I sat drawing and drawing quickly
full time for a couple of months".
First published in 1982, the book
is still in print today in a revised
version. In 1983, Baha El Din
founded the Ornithological Society
of Egypt with a group of Egyptian
naturalists. By then he had linked
up with the International Council
for Bird Protection, now BirdLife
International, and had also started
getting involved in national and
international monitoring activities.
Then came the really big event in his
life when he met Mindy Rosenzweig,
an American-born ornithologist, in
Egypt to set up an educational center
at Cairo's Giza Zoo. "Mindy and I
got together to write a book about
where to watch birds in Egypt," he
recounts. They married and teamed
up as Egyptian wildlife researchers
and activists, carrying out extensive
fieldwork and published in scientific
journals. However, they never
finished the bird site guide. As Baha
El Din explains , "Every time you find
a site and you describe it, in a year
or two it's gone, it's destroyed, the
map has changed." And so Baha El
Din shifted his focus from species
to habitats, which have their stories
too. One of them is about the oolitic
ridge that formed a very special
landscape between Alexandria
and Marsa Matrouh. It was made
of sand and seashells geologically
compressed into a permanent dune
where rare plants and lizards lived,
and migratory birds could rest. Then
developers cut it to make white
www.livinginegypt.org

Environment
Wild Life
bricks and built holiday villages over
it. Although books list it among
Egypt's ecosystems, it is gone along
with its fauna and flora. Unlike
wetlands that can regenerate fairly
quickly given the right conditions,
this special formation which evolved
over hundreds of thousands of years
is not going to come back.
Some fascinating stories survive like
the lichen forests that grow along an
extensive band north of the Qattara
Depression. Baha El Din narrates
how these lichens are very well
developed thanks to plentiful dew
from the Mediterranean, sun, and a
good limestone substrate. Billions
of white desert snails graze them,
coloring the whole desert in white.
It's an interesting ecosystem because
the lichens grow on dead snail
shells whose calcium they ingest
and then living snails eat them. The
snails act like little sources of water,
which they supply to lizards, rodents,
foxes, and birds that eat them. Baha
El Din warns, "Something like this
can disappear very easily through
quarrying, off-track driving, and land
development".
If you know the stories, he says,
you feel the pain when they are
destroyed. There
are still not
enough people
who accept that
we are part of the
ecology of Earth,
he continues,
but Nature is very
powerful and can
reclaim things.
The price of doing
things badly will be paid by this
generation or the next. Hopefully, we
will learn and take responsibility.
Baha El Din is currently president of
the non-governmental organization
Nature Conservation Egypt that
he co-founded in 2005. He is also
involved with training Egyptian bird
monitoring teams in connection
with energy infrastructures. This
provides work to local people who
may also join the conservation
movement. On a personal note, Baha
El Din says that he was very lucky to
have this enthusiasm for wildlife
because it structured his own life
and helped him get out of his shell
to meet people with similar interests.
"You want to just go, do things,
and find this bird". He wishes every
child, indeed everyone, to have this
passion for something which "drives
you to just focus on what you want
to do".
Dominique Krayenbühl has worked for
programs within the United Nations
Environment Programme and the
Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency
and is presently active in an Egyptian
nature conservation NGO. For article
sources see articlesourcesdk.blogspot.
com.eg
September 19 CSA 21

Entertainment & Recreation
CSA Events
September
CSA Events
CSA offers several events throughout the month, with the goal of bringing our community together! All
events are free, unless it is a ticketed event. Email events@livinginegypt.org or call 01068828541 for more
details. Here is what we have on offer this month, join us for shopping, art, fun & yummy eats!
Cook’s Day Off
Sundays and Thursdays
9.00am-2.00pm
Farmers Market
Thursdays
10.00am-2.00pm
At CSA’s Farmers Market, one will find organic and
locally-grown vegetables, fruits and herbs. It’s also the
perfect way to fulfill weekly shopping needs of bread,
wine, and cheese while avoiding the frozen food section
of supermarkets.
For those days when you just don’t have the energy
to cook, we can provide a reprieve with homemade,
authentic cuisine from Egypt, India, Italy, Lebanon, China
and Thailand. These specialties are cooked with care and
love for you and your family.
art
Sunday, September 1 - 19
Personal art collection.
Sale as owner leaving Egypt.
Thai Buffet
Wednesday, September 11
12.00pm
Exhibition
Looking for a friendly place to stop in
for lunch? Drop by with your friends for
a traditional Thai meal. With harmony as its base, dishes
in the Thai buffet are prepared with fragrant Asian spices
and herbs that will tantalize your taste buds. Don’t forget
to mark your calendar because it’s only once a month
and each menu is different.
CSA Book Fair
Thursday, September 12
9.00am-4.00pm
CSA Book Fair provides a great opportunity for you and
your children to find books that are not easily available.
You can explore hundreds of quality books in every prices
range for varied interests and reading levels. You’ll find
exclusive and affordable editions of the most popular
books sold in retail stores. Better not miss and regret later.
Exhibition
Chevrolet Equinox
Sunday, September 8 –
Saturday, September 21
Welcome Party
Friday,September 13
11.00am-9.00pm
In order to welcome the
new comers to Egypt from
all over the world and thank
the existing community, CSA is delighted to welcome
everyone on September 20, 2019. It’s a great opportunity
for everyone to get a peep in to all that CSA has to, and
meet our amazing team and enjoy free snacks. Perfect
combination of Dine, Dance, Discover!
Garden Bazaar
Thursday, September 26
9.00am-4.00pm
Calling everyone! Shop ‘till you drop! Lots of new vendors
await you with a great selection of items to choose from
including clothes, accessories, arts and crafts.
September 19 CSA 25

Entertainment CSA & Recreation
Showroom
Shopping & Gifts
At CSA, we offer a space annexed off our main reception that houses different artists, vendors, and designers
on a rotating basis. Artwork, furniture, clothing, jewelry, and much more can be found in our showroom from
week to week. Call 01068828541 for bookings.
September 15-September 28
Khan Touloun
The name would sound familiar to all CSA regulars. Khan
Toulon had been associated with CSA for many years
fulfilling the needs of gifts items, souvenir, and other
beautiful pieces. At Khan Toulon showroom, you will
be able to find high quality Egyptian handmade crafts
including glass items Hand-woven shawls, pottery,
embroidered leather bags, purses, trays, and costars.
September 22-September 28
MIM
MiM finds pride and joy in reviving the Egyptian heritage
and tradition of hand prints techniques and skills using
hand based processes. We love the vibrations of Nature
and colors.
September 29-October 5
El Patio Furniture and Home Accessories
by Lamia Hassanein
View exceptionally crafted textiles on Egyptian cotton, linen, and toile.
Gaze on El Patio’s custom made furniture, including sofas, tables, beds,
chairs and curtains, as well as re-upholstery.
September 19 CSA 27

CSA now offers the following services!!
● Transportation
Vans, Mini Vans and Shuttle buses to and from anywhere in Egypt
● Airport meet and assist service.
● Nile Cruise all around the year
● Desert Safari Oasis and Eco lodges
● Hotel bookings
To utilize these trustworthy and high standard services, please contact
our dedicated team on programs@livinginegypt or 0223585284

Entertainment & CSA Recreation Activities
Get Involved
CSA scheduled
local trips for
the month
Medieval Cairo walking tour
Monday, September 9
9.00am-2.30pm
Manastra Local Market for tailored
furniture
Thursday, September 12
9.00am-2.00pm
Dahshur – the Inside of the bent
pyramid and Ka Pyramid
Lunch in a countryside restaurant
Wednesday, September 25
9.00am-2.30pm
Manial Palace, Om Koulthoum
Museum and Gold Island with Nile
Taxi
Monday, September 30
9.00am-2.30pm
CULINARY DELIGHTS
We offer a wide range of cooking classes
in a relaxed and friendly environment.
Our classes are designed for anyone
who loves trying out new flavors in good
company. Cooking classes are usually
held on-site with instructors teaching
you the preparation of authentic
dishes. Of course, this includes you
sampling the prepared dishes! We also
arrange classes at special venues with
professional chefs to brush up on basic
cooking skills, experience new cuisines,
and learn advanced culinary techniques.
Indian cooking and Lunch - The
delicious art of cooking street food
Wednesday, September 11
10.00am-1.00pm
Abdeen Palace Museum and the
Museum of Islamic fine arts
Thursday, September 19
9.00am-2.30pm
Egyptian Museum of Antiquities and
Lunch on the Nile at the Yacht Club
Saturday, September 21
9.00am-2.30pm
Lifestyle
Akhenaton, the Rebel Pharaoh
Free Talk
Monday, September 16
12.00pm-2.00pm
Book your private Tour with CSA
If you have guests visiting this summer or just want a special trip for yourself
and a few friends, we can still book a private tour for you. Choose between half
and full day tours and we will provide you with the needed transportation and
a professional tour guide. All of our guides are very reliable, highly informative
and carefully selected. For further information please contact the Programs
Department.
Overnight and long weekend Tailor made trips
We create a unique itinerary where every part of the trip suits your style, taste,
and budget. It makes your trips and tours around Egypt easy, fun and stress-free.
Tell us what you would like to do and where you would like to go, our programs
department will prepare an itinerary exactly the way you want.
Egyptian cooking and Dinner
(Evening)
Monday, September 23
6.00pm-8.30pm
Private Cooking
Classes
Prepare and cook a 3 course meal
of your choice and learn about
local and imported ingredients
used in addition to culinary
techniques! Lessons include a trip
to the grocery store, selecting the
freshest ingredients for your dishes,
and learning about its origin along
the way. Fun and informative!
Next, you will cook and prepare
a complete meal, discovering all
the secret methods used by our
professional chefs. Your meal will
be served in the CSA garden, where
you can savor the fruits of your labor
paired with a glass of local wine.
To book your personalized cooking
class, please select your date at least
one week ahead. Bring a friend or
two and make it a fun night out!
For further details, please contact our dedicated team on programs@livinginegypt or 0223585284.
DISCLAIMERS AND NOTES: • All tours and activities are subject to cancellation if a minimum number of bookings is not
obtained. In this unfortunate case, a full refund is given. • Cancellations by customers must be made 3 working days prior
to the trip or activity. A receipt is required for a refund. • Transportation and guides to historical sites are provided.
September 19 CSA 31

By Amy Pugsley
Egypt is well known for its rich
history; when expats arrive there
is a lot to learn about the Cairo of
today and how it dramatically differs
from the Cairo of history textbooks.
The modern land of the pharaohs is
much different and comes with its
own set of challenges. After living
here for only a few days it becomes
apparent that the issue of the
environment is one that desperately
needs to be addressed. From the lack
of recycling facilities to the rampant
littering, there are many things that
can drive eco-warriors Luckily, Egypt
is full of amazing entrepreneurs and
bright minds that are invested in
creating a greener Egypt.
32 September 19 CSA
Dalia Abdou is an applied art student
at GUC who is using her creative spirit
to help protect the environment
through her new company. Quila
tote bags are a sleek way to skip the
plastic while making a bold fashion
statement. The bags are designed
by Abdou and feature fun MENA
inspired designs that hold true to
her Egyptian roots but blend in
bright colors bringing a modern flair
to the prints. Right now, the totes
are a simple way to avoid plastic
but Abdou has big plans for her
company. In the near future, her plan
is to expand her range of tote bag
sizes, increase the number of prints
available as well as partner with
local grocery stores to make Quila
bags more accessible. With time
Quila bags will become a stylish and
convenient shopping companion
and a step towards a greener earth.
www.livinginegypt.org

Lifestyle
Fashion
Why did you start Quila? The
state of our environment has been
drastically changing for the worse
over the course of the last few years.
I’ve been following protests and
movements in favor of a greener and
safer earth which got me thinking
about how we lack many of these
practices and policies in the MENA
region. I’ve been trying to help
in any way I can, from using local
environment-friendly brands to
trying my best to reduce my personal
waste. Eco-friendly brands are
becoming trendy in Egypt lately, but
I noticed that there’s a gap between
necessities and luxuries. Quila is the
next step in my journey to helping
the environment.
Do you think Cairenes can
overcome their addiction to
plastic? I feel that people who are
still using plastic are just unaware of
its serious consequences and that
the plastic they use has an effect
on themselves just as it does on the
environment. So maybe, they just
need the right guidance. There’s
another group of people who know
that plastic is harmful but just haven’t
found a way to handle their groceries
without it. From that angle, I can
personally say that supermarkets
should guide shoppers and provide
them with other alternatives to
plastic.
What other steps can people take
to reduce, reuse, recycle? It’s easier
than you think! Just because you
want to go green doesn’t mean you
have to lose your personal style. I
wanted to introduce a simple brand
that would simultaneously promote
a green movement. Quila tote bags
come in a variety of designs to suit
anyone’s taste— especially young
people. This way, people can start
saving the environment in an easy,
affordable and fashionable way. It’s
an easy change in an individual’s
lifestyle that has a huge impact on
our environment.
How do you choose your designs?
Are they primarily Egypt-centric,
MENA-centric, or Globally
inspired? My designs are mainly
inspired by the Egyptian culture.
Ever since I was young, I always
thought of how weird it is that
Egyptian’s adapt to global trends so
quickly; Egyptians have a tendency
to believe that anything foreign is
with no doubt better than the local.
My current bag collection features a
range of urban, vintage and Bedouin
prints all intertwined with a modern
twist. This way I stick to patterns and
concepts that represent Egyptian
culture with pops of bright modern
colors.
How can people buy Quila bags?
People can buy a Quila online
through Instagram or at a store called
The Space. I’m planning to broaden
this by displaying my products in
other stores across the city and on
other online platforms.
Easy Tips to Go Green Today
1. Skip the single-use plastic—
reusable bags are a great start
2. Say no to straws—invest in a metal
straw
3. Shorten your shower—save water
and time
4. Skip the imports—buy local
products
5. Meat-free Mondays—skip meat
one day a week
Amy Pugsley is a Canadian
international development specialist
and educator living in Cairo.
September 19 CSA 33

Entertainment & Recreation
Lifestyle
Recipes
Restaurant reviews, world cuisine, and recipes to taste …
Bringing you a feast of flavor monthly
Few easy, delicious and quick to make
recipes!!
Rice Crisper
Ingredients:
• Crisp rice 250 gm
• White marshmallow 150 gm
• Butter 1 tbsp.
• Sprinkles for decoration
Procedure: • Put 1 tbsp.
butter in a nonstick pan. Melt the butter on low
flame. • Add the marshmallow to the pan and stir
until melts. Make sure that flame stays low. • Take off
the pan from stove and mix the crispy rice as quickly
as possible. • Spread the crispy rice mix on square or
rectangle service dish.Press with your hand to make
it even. Spread the sprinkles over the rice crisper.
• Cut it out according to your choice while it is still
warm.
Banana Bread
Ingredients: • Flour 1 ½ cup • Eggs
2 • Sugar ¾-1 cup • Melted butter
/ oil ½ cup • Baking soda 1 tsp
• Vanilla essence 1 tsp • Salt ½
tsp • Medium banana 2 mashed
• Sour cream ½ cup • Toasted
walnut ½ cup (optional)
Procedure: Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Mix flour, baking
soda, salt and set aside. Beat melted butter/oil with sugar
until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat properly until
everything is combined well. Add vanilla and dry ingredients
and mix well. Fold sour cream and mashed banana. If you want
to add walnut, you can add them at the end. Mix well. Pour
the batter into a greased bread pan and bake for one hour or
toothpick comes out clean.
Fish Finger
Ingredients: • Fish fillet ½ kg
(cut into finger size) • Lemon
juice 2 tsp • Black pepper crushed
½ tsp or according to your taste
• Salt to taste • Eggs beaten 2
• Flour ½ cup • Breadcrumbs-1
cup • Seasoning for breadcrumbs
(optional) • Garlic powder, chili
powder, and dried cilantro
Procedure: Marinate the fish with salt, lemon juice, and
crushed black pepper at least for half an hour.
Put flour, beaten eggs and breadcrumb in three separate
bowls. Season the breadcrumb with seasoning mix. Now
roll the fish on the flour, dip in the egg and finally roll on the
breadcrumb. Do the same with rest of the fish. Keep in the
refrigerator for half an hour. You can bake the fish finger at
200 degrees in the lower rack of the oven by drizzling some
oil over the fish fingers. You have to flip the fish finger to
make sure that they are golden all over.
You can shallow fry or deep fry
them too.
Corn Salad
Ingredients: • Corn 1 can
(drained) • Cucumber 1
medium (diced) • Red bell
pepper 1 medium (diced)
• Green onion 3-4 (chopped)
• Green chili ½ chopped (optional)
Dressing: • Mustard paste 2 tsp • Olive oil 1
tbsp • Lemon juice 1 tsp • Honey 1 tsp • Fried
cumin powder 1 tsp • Salt to taste
Process: Prepare the dressing by mixing
all the wet ingredients. Wash and cut all
the vegetables. Drain the corn. Put all the
vegetables in the dressing and mix well. Keep
it in the refrigerator. Take the salad out from
the refrigerator half an hour before you serve.
Originally from Bangladesh, Umme Kulsum Zamena enjoys cooking, reading and traveling.
She has a very positive attitude and likes to help anyone in need.
September 19 CSA 35

By Mhairi Scott
Choosing the right school for your
child can be a daunting experience
here in Egypt, especially if you are
from a country where a school is
allocated, according to where you
live. Education is a good business
to get into here in Egypt, and as a
result, there are a large number of
schools that vary greatly in terms
of management, curriculum, and
standards.
Some parents arrive in Egypt with
great employment contracts in place
that supply funding for dependents’
education. However, this isn’t true for
the majority of expats. This means
that they arrive and have to start
looking for a school that not only
fits their budgets but also meets
their standards. Inevitably, they
choose between Language Schools
and International Schools, the latter
being the popular choice for a
number of reasons.
Language Schools vs International
Schools
Language Schools are those which
are not internationally accredited,
but which teach in English. You will
find that the fees for these schools
are low, making them the choice for
people who don’t earn high salaries
but still want their child to be taught
in English. The downside of these
schools is that they often don’t work
on a fixed curriculum, but rather a
mash-up of different books. The
38 September 19 CSA
majority of staff at Language Schools
are either Egyptian or unqualified
foreigners. This doesn’t mean they
will be terrible at their jobs, but if
qualifications are something you’re
looking for then this might not be
the right choice for you.
International Schools here in Egypt
are those that are accredited from
abroad. They may be accredited by
Cambridge International or BSO
(British Schools Overseas), or various
other accreditation bodies, meaning
they are inspected regularly to ensure
they uphold international standards.
Regardless, you will find some
differences between International
Schools here and schools in your
native country. Fees for international
schools are much higher. For your
money, you usually get a higher
standard of accountability in addition
to more qualified teachers.
Admission Process
Admission at schools in Egypt is
normally a three-step process. Firstly,
your child will be asked to do an
admissions exam, or if in foundation
stage, a teacher will sit with your
child to see what he/she can do
academically. The next step will be a
student interview, where your child
will meet administrators and be
asked some general questions about
school and friends etc, and finally
the parent interview. To progress
to these stages of admission, an
admission fee is usually paid which is
non-refundable.
Schools like to do an interview
with parents to find out if you are a
family that they think will be a good
addition to their school. They look
at everything from the way you are
dressed, to your manners, and will
ask questions about your home life
and relationship with your child.
Essentially, they want to make sure
that you are not a family who will
cause trouble, but one which shares
their ethos and view of Education.
This isn’t only an interview for them
though, as this gives you a chance
to ask questions before enrolling
your child. Check out the list below
to see what questions you should be
asking at your interview.
The Curriculum
Schools may advertise that they
are using a curriculum like the
Cambridge International Curriculum
or the American Curriculum, but
these frameworks do not cover all
subjects. It is important to ask which
curriculum they use for subjects that
are not English, Math and Science,
as although some schools do
follow a set curriculum, some
do not.
www.livinginegypt.org

Number of students in each class
Class size is an important issue here,
as schools are essentially businesses
and they will often cram as many
students into a class as they can.
Schools will have a maximum
number of students per class in
their policy. New schools may say
they have 16 in a class, but you will
find that as the school grows, the
numbers go up. Finding out their
policy is important, even if class sizes
are currently small.
Teacher Qualifications
In an international school, you
can expect staff to be qualified.
For foreign teachers, this means
licensing in their country of origin.
Nevertheless, degrees in education
are also counted as qualified. For
Egyptian staff, a degree in education
or a
teaching diploma counts as qualified.
Teachers who hold TEFL certification
are qualified to teach English as a
second language, but not to be
class teachers. This can be a deciding
factor for parents, but not something
I was ever asked as a school principal.
No private lesson policy
This may seem like a strange question,
but it’s common for teachers here to
run a side-business as private tutors.
This can have a negative effect on
learning, as they will sometimes
underperform in class to
encourage parents to
seek them out
for extra
help. A
Culture
Living in Egypt
good international school is one that
has a policy that prevents this from
happening. Going to school should
be enough for your child to succeed,
and any additional support should
be offered through the school.
Being upfront
You must tell the school if your child
has a medical condition or allergy,
and ask how they will handle it.
I’ve been surprised over the years
at how many schools did not have
an effective system in place to deal
with emergencies. If your child may
need extra care, make sure to
ask if it’s available before
enrolment.
Not sure where to
start? Ask fellow
expats who have
been through the
process before,
and get active on
Facebook groups.
If you have a school
in mind, contact
them early, as some
admissions open in
October/November for the
following year. Navigating
school admissions in Egypt
can be a bit tedious but there
are certainly a lot of options
available and it is possible to
find a school that both you
and your child will be happy
with.
Mhairi Scott is from the UK
and has been living in
Egypt for 12 years. She is a
former school Principal
and creator of the
education blog
'Better Educate
Than Never'.
September 19 CSA 39

Entertainment & Recreation REPS Gym
Welcome to REPS
• increase your strength and muscle mass • reduce your fat
• improve Your stamina, flexibility & overall fitness • rehabilitate
REPS Services
Classes for
Adults & Children
REPS offers a variety of fitness, dance and
sports classes for adults and children. Whether
you love to shake and groove to upbeat music,
work up a sweat with weights, or lengthen and
tone in a peaceful space, we’ve got you covered
with our qualified and passionate instructors.
JOIN REPS TODAY!
REPS Gym offers various membership options that give you access
to the gym and our group fitness classes and suit all your needs.
Sponsored by
Inquire at front desk for more information on our different packages.
We also offer a free 3 consecutive day pass for our facilities.
CSA Value Card BENEFITS
If you are a CSA Value Card holders, you're entitled to the following
benefits from REPS Gym:
• A complimentary Spinning® and Pilates class with the purchase of
a 12 class group fitness class card.
• A complimentary group fitness class and one walk-in class at REPS
Fitness Center when you purchase a package of 10 Spinning or
Pilates classes.
Personal Training
Our personal trainers Kim
and Bahaa know which
fitness regimen is the
most effective and fun
for YOU! Struggling to
motivate yourself? Not
seeing the results you want? Let us help!
Annual memberships include 2 free sessions
and 6 month memberships include 1 session.
• Two group fitness classes and one walk-in class when you purchase
a package of 20 Spinning or Pilates classes.
CLASS SCHEDULES AND BOOKINGS
To know about Reps schedules and to choose your favorite classes,
please log on to www.reps-gym.com. To ensure your spot for
Spinning, Pilates, TRX, Yoga, please pre-reserve at REPS front desk or
contact 01003829368.
For more information: REPS Gym front desk, 2nd Floor, #4, Road 21, Maadi,
REPS Gym: 0100 382 9368, www.reps-gym.com, repsgymegypt
REPS Gym opens early! Opening Hours: Sunday-Thursday 7.00am-9.00pm, Friday & Saturday 8.00am-9.00pm
*Members can enjoy self-service between 6.00am-7.00am and 9.00pm-9.30pm. Gym members must show their gym card at the CSA security gate.
September 19 CSA 43

Entertainment & RecreationREPS Gym
September News
HIIT WORKOUTS
Burn & Shape, Body Blast
circuit training, Tabata, Total
Body workout are all high
energy workouts to improve
cardiovascular health, burn fat
and increasing muscle.
Dance Classes
Keep fit while you have fun! REPS offers a lot
of dance classes like Belly dance, Cuban
dance, Latin mix, Shake & Tone, Zumba.
Low impact workouts
It’s easy to fall into a trap of going extra-hard on your first
day back to make up for lost time. Take it easy on your first
few workouts! Body Balance, Barre, Gentle strength,
Pilates and TRX are the safest and most effective way to
get back in your fitness routine to transform your body with
low impact exercises to improve core strength, flexibility,
muscle tone, body balance, spinal support.
Kids Classes
REPS is simply the best place to keep your children moving and active. Children participate in energizing fitness
games, no competitive gymnastics, fun dance, kids fit, Muay Thai, and Street Tennis.
Register for any classes at the REPS Gym front desk.
For more information drop by the REPS Gym front desk or call 010 0382 9368
Please note that for all Pre-Paid Classes (Adults and Children), if we do not have any paid bookings before the class then we cannot guarantee
that the class shall take place. Up-to-date schedules and booking facilities are available at www.repsfc.com/schedule
44 September 19 CSA
www.livinginegypt.org

Entertainment & Recreation REPS Gym
Annex News
A “supplement” to your fitness needs …
Below are just some of the classes we offer in the REPS Annex.
Spinning®
Pilates
Yoga
TRX®
TOTAL BARRE TM
Improve your
cardiovascular
health and
condition your
body through flat
roads, hills,
valleys, and
mixed terrain.
Mat foundation
is an introduction
to great posture
and functional
training. Classes
on offer include
Power Pilates, Mat
Challenge, and
more.
Unwind and enjoy
a yoga class in
a harmonious
and tranquil
environment that
will wash away the
stress of your day.
A branded
suspension training
class developed by
the US Navy Seals
will help to tone
and strengthen your
body from head
to toe.
Lengthen and
strengthen your
body in either a
foundation class or
boot camp varieties.
SPECIAL OFFER
NEW
RESERVE NOW!
You can reserve in advance to ensure your spot and the
running of the classes.
REPS members get 20% off on Spinning, plates and
pilates TRX packages. Annex clients get 20% off on
1 year gym membership.
For any assistance in booking or scheduling call our front desk at REPS Gym: 0100 382 9368 from 7.00am-9.00pm.
www.reps-gym.com, repsgymegypt
September 19 CSA 45

By Rita Maselli
My first memories of myself in the
small, mountain town of Pietracatella,
Italy, were that of a perfectly happy
young girl growing up in the shade
of its olive groves and vineyards,
playing tag among its poppies.
Spoiled by my grandfather and
my fun-loving Aunt Nina, I wanted
nothing more. But at the age of six,
my mother dragged me, my feet
kicking out in all directions, across
the gangplank of a ship that would
take us to Canada to join a father that
I didn’t even remember.
Fast forward many years, and I see
myself as a young woman standing
proudly in my graduation gown
at McGill University, remembering
how much I had hated having to
learn English when I first arrived in
Canada and even worse, the dreaded
French language. But in grade 10,
I met Sonia, an Egyptian girl from
Alexandria who spoke no English
but did speak French. And so we
48 September 19 CSA
became best friends. Although I had
always been an avid reader of history
and especially Egyptian civilization,
through Sonia’s family I came not
only to love the French language
but to become acquainted with all
things Egyptian. Even as I put away
that diploma, I remember dreaming
of becoming a famous writer.
But, I had fallen in love with a
passionate, intelligent young college
student who spoke French and was
from Haiti. After earning some travel
money, I set off for Haiti and remained
there with him for many good years.
I began my career as an English
Literature teacher and eventually
became the director of a well-known,
international American School. And I
started a family: a son and daughter,
both interestingly enough delivered
by Egyptian doctors in Montreal.
Even though Haiti had become the
home of my heart, I still seemed to
find no time for writing or painting.
And besides, I would tell myself,
“Everyone in Haiti seems to be
an artist.” and “I’m doing so much
writing in my job that I have nothing
left to say.” But my happy life ended,
as the many years of political coups,
economic crises and natural disasters
took their toll on my spirit. Torn by
grief at a separation that I did not
want, I decided nevertheless, to leave
a country that I passionately loved.
During my last year there, I poured
out my sadness into numerous
journals.
In Miami, I was made to feel
welcome by my loved ones, and I
kept busy. But the question, “Now
what?” haunted me. I spent many
months, soul searching and writing
about what I had abandoned. And
then it happened. I was offered a job
In Saudi Arabia. “No, thank you”, I said.
And so they offered me a job In Cairo.
“Tell me more,” I replied as I thought
of Cleopatra, of Marc Anthony, of
the pyramids, the mummies and
all the mysteries discovered in the
www.livinginegypt.org

Travel
Around the World
countless books that I had devoured
on Ancient Egypt.
On arriving, I had a hard time
controlling my excitement at the
extent of the cultural differences
between the West and Egypt. I
exploited my passion so that I
learned to write and paint regularly.
But after a year of dealing with a
work environment that weighed on
me, a nagging voice deep inside
seemed to be telling me: “Right
country, wrong job.” And I listened to
it. I finished my contract, took a year
off to think and explore and decided
to leave my old career but stay in
Egypt. It was time for a big change. I
put all of my energy into establishing
myself in the corporate world as a
management consultant, a trainer, a
speaker, as well as a business coach.
I bought a flat, adopted a cat that of
course, I named Cleopatra, and in
time Egypt became my fourth home.
For many years, happy and busy, I
wrote very little and painted even
less. But my story does not end here.
I was plagued by a sense of guilt
at abandoning my dreams. Could
I finally wake up that Renaissance
woman that I hoped was still asleep
inside me? In 2015, an unexpected,
personal challenge taxed me to
the core, leaving me bruised and
questioning everything. Egypt
happened to be both the cause of
my pain and my escape from it. It
was the right time to dig deep into
my feelings. Hopefully, I could break
free from what was stopping me
from discovering my true artistic
potential. And so finally with much
focus and hard work, my artistic
careers began to take shape. I willed
them into being.
Since the summer of 2014, I have
written the novel “Nina” inspired by
my aunt and “Memoirs of Haiti”, a
collection of short stories, poems,
and reflections in tribute to my
many years there. Currently, I’m
working on a poetry collection and
writing regularly for a magazine.
I plan for my next novel to be set
in Cairo. In December 2017, I was
honored to be selected as one of
25 artists to participate in the 10th
Annual 2017 Luxor International
Painting Symposium sponsored
by the Egyptian Ministry of Arts
and Culture. In September 2018, I
showed my body of paintings in a
Solo Art Exhibition entitled: “Many
Sides of Me”.
This country has not always been
kind to her. I have suffered my share
of personal dramas and economic
challenges. But in this space called
Egypt, I have found boundless
inspiration in its glorious past but
also the courage not to be limited
by it. I have been comforted by an
endless faith in its future and in my
own future. But most of all I have
come to develop a daily appreciation
for the gifts the present offers us. I do
my best to live in the moment, to
appreciate all that Egypt has to offer
every day.
Maybe this might sound a little
“corny”. And you might be wondering
if I now think that I will live happily
ever after? YES … I do believe that
I will. Because I have found out that
happiness is an intellectual choice
that I must make every day. In my
time here, I have discovered that
dreams do come true and that you,
and only you, are their architect and
their keeper. I owe Egypt with all its
art, its natural beauty, its history, and
its promise for future greatness, a
great debt of gratitude.
Shokrun Gidan El Masr!
With a PHD in Change Management
and an MA in Leadership, Rita has spent
most of her professional career working
in the international market. Rita moved
to Egypt in 2003 and considers herself
a modern Renaissance woman and
an unapologetic feminist. She writes
fiction, non-fiction and poetry.
September 19 CSA 49

Entertainment
Books
By Trevor Naylor
Welcome back to Egypt..or just welcome should you be adapting to Cairo as your new home away from home. Reading
Corner provides a few ideas each month of books to read which are available locally in stores and represent the best in
international publishing. This month we looking at topics which may help you understand the culture of the country
and region you are in today.
Treasures of Ancient Egypt by Nigel Fletcher-Jones is a new book which offers a great value
read or gift as a highly illustrated hardback volume. The Great Pyramid and Sphinx, the Valley of
the Kings, the Colossi of Memnon, the plaster bust of Nefertiti, the gold mask of Tutankhamun,
the rock-cut temples at Abu Simbel, and the Rosetta Stone all are immediately recognizable.
Treasures of Ancient Egypt tells the tale of many of these familiar places and riches alongside
many which are less familiar, but just as spectacular framed by a lively and highly readable
account of Egypt's history from around 3000 BC to the death of Queen
Cleopatra in 30 BC. This book is an ideal source of information.
The Long-Lost Secret Diary of the World's Worst Egyptian Tomb Hunter provides a children’s
read on the same topic of Egypt's ancient past. This book of hilarious fictional diaries put us
inside the heads of hapless figures from Egypt's history. Ahmed is an apprentice photographer
in Egypt who becomes involved in Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon's hunt for the final resting
place of the boy pharaoh Tutankhamun and his treasures. Will Ahmed help the team to uncover
Tutankhamun's tomb? And will he fall victim to the tomb s supposed curse? Come to think of it,
given all the disasters he keeps causing, is he cursed already?
Don't Panic, I'm Islamic: Words and Pictures on How to Stop Worrying and Learn to Love
the Alien Next Door is a new bestseller set to debunk many of the misnomers about Muslim life.
Commissioned in response to the US travel ban, Don’t Panic, I’m Islamic includes cartoons, graffiti,
photography, coloring in pages, memoir, short stories and more by 34 contributors from around
the world. Provocative and at times laugh-out-loud funny, these subversive
pieces are an explosion of expression, creativity, and color that will make
you happy to know that all people are really the same.
Bazaar: Vibrant vegetarian and plant-based recipes from the Middle East is a new cookbook
by the now-famous cookery writer Sabrina Ghayour. Bazaar is a colorful, flavorful and satisfying
celebration of vegetable dishes, designed to suit every occasion and every palate. The magic
of this cookbook is that you won't feel like anything is missing, with regional dishes using local
ingredients and full of easy-to-achieve flavors and depth that would win over even the most
die-hard carnivore.
The AUC Press Berlitz Picture Dictionary Arabic is a vital new reference work being published
this month, for every one of all ages living in Egypt. With over 2,000 essential words and phrases,
this stylish, pocket-sized Arabic picture dictionary from Berlitz's trusted language experts makes
communicating quick and easy. Content conveniently organized into twelve thematic units
(General Vocabulary, People, Home, and Housekeeping, School, Work, Food and Drink, Travel
and Leisure, Health, Sport, Nature, Shopping and Services, and Culture and Media) Each word is
accompanied by a translation, a simple phonetic transcription, and a color picture, allowing for
swift communication and comprehension.
Once again welcome to Cairo, and remember your local bookstore is your best resource.
Trevor Naylor is Associate Director of Sales and marketing at the AUC Press. He has worked in global publishing for over 35
years and is the author of Cairo - Inside Out.
September 19 CSA 53

54 September 19 CSA
www.livinginegypt.org

By Piyush Panwar
Lying down in my parents’ bed last night, I recalled how at
the age of 20 I had once gone incommunicado for several
months…I guess I was preoccupied with the stuff that 20
something boys busied themselves with in those days.
Getting not a peep from me, out of sheer desperation my
father sent me a telegram. I went to retrieve it from the
Head Post Office in the pouring rain at 9 PM. It read `Wire
Your Welfare’.
Try to Google `telegram’ and the top ten searches you
get are of a messenger app (Telegram) that is particularly
popular in some countries. Well, in pre-Google days of
the 1960s and 1970s a `telegram’ meant something very
different. A reasonably `faster` means of communication
during the snail mail era, it was often delivered within 24
hours if both parties were lucky enough to be living in
big cities like Bombay or Delhi. But the time it took the
Department of Post and Telegraph (DoPT) to deliver a
telegram depended on the remoteness of the receiver
from the nearest telegraph office (of course, not counting
how far the sender had to walk, cycle or hitch a ride to
send it in the first place).
While it was also meant to communicate good news
(cathartic expression of glee like `Dolly engaged to GM’,
of satisfaction like `Dimple delivered a baby boy’, or of
gratitude (sometimes good-riddance) like `Piyush got a
job’. More often than not a telegram was a harbinger of
doom. If you heard a hard knock at the door (since most
people didn’t have a doorbell in those days, or if they had
one there was a high chance it wouldn’t work because
there was no power) followed by a shout `Telegram for
Mr. X’ by the postman. It would in the least bit set all
alarm bells ringing in the person's head, if not completely
overwhelm him with its prospect of being a veritable
death knell. Mothers in the middle of cooking would drop
a ladle or a tong with a twang; fathers if they happened
to be home would fold up the newspaper and stand up
to brace themselves for whatever was going to hit them,
children if they were old enough to grasp the gravity of
the situation would stop dead in their tracks staring first
at the door and then at their parents with an expression
of `what next’ on their faces.
As the telegram (or wire as it was called in some places)
tariff was based on the number of words in the message,
to keep matters simple for largely illiterate masses,
the DoPT, had come up with a list of 20 odd
standard messages. If you needed to
congratulate someone for passing an
exam or finding a mate, you had to just
write down `Number 4’ or `Number
12’ in the body of the message. If the
receiver was lucky, the telegram
would read `Congratulations, on
your success in the exam’ or
`Congratulations, on your
wedding’ else it would
just read `Number
4’ or `Number 12’.
Beginners and
uninitiated
58 September 19 CSA
www.livinginegypt.org

Culture
History
would scratch their heads, but the pros
would acknowledge it with a smile, a frown
or a cry as the number demanded. A number
was assigned to all conceivable occasions
inviting emotions of happiness, sadness,
pride, and satisfaction. Early in your life, there
was always a risk of terribly mixing things up
to the receiver’s huge embarrassment,
annoyance or shock, but by the time
you were in your late teens you
had pretty much mastered this
Code of Hammurabi.
Parents highly appreciated
if you showed a talent for
brevity by communicating
important messages
clearly, but briefly, thus
saving them their hard
earned money. My
father once patted
my back when as
a teenager I had
composed a telegram:
Deepa Ill Pox Suspected.
Only four words. The
money thus saved could
be spent on my sister’s care.
Being stingy and clever
with words guaranteed
no success, as ultimately
everything depended
on the clerk who would
type out your message
on the ticker tape. And
Murphy’s Law reigned
supreme there. On
another posting, my
father was allotted a newly constructed government
house, which being a newly constructed government
house had its challenges in design. The bunch of keys
for the house weighed a kilo. I thought of an ingenious
way of hiding the bunch inside the body of our rickety air
cooler that I was sure even the thieves would give a miss.
Thus carried only one key to the main door with me. That
day, I was going back to my University town which was
a four hour bus ride, an eight hour train journey followed
by another five-hour bus ride. My folks, living far away
from any big town, decided to come with me to the train
junction. Before boarding the train I put the house key
in my mom’s purse, but completely forgot to inform her
about the rest of the bunch residing in the cooler.
The following day I woke up with this horrifying
realization of having left my family locked out in the cold.
With the keys hidden in the cooler, they had no way of
getting back in the warm comfort of their home. We had
no phone at either end and a postal mail would take at
least a week if we were all lucky. I ran to the nearest post
office huffing and panting to send a telegram to my dad:
Keys In Cooler. As luck would have it, he received it as
'Keys In Collar'.
All the educated people of that sleepy little town
gathered at our neighbors’, who as Good Samaritans
had taken in my folks in their hour of need. They tried to
decipher my cryptic message: Keys could be in a pocket,
a pouch or a purse. How in the good lord’s name could
a bunch of keys be left in a collar? Well, after a couple of
hours of futile decryption my father gave up and resorted
to taking the services of a professional locksmith, an exconvict
(lock-picker), whose son’s life he had saved.
Simple life and times made these simple stories.
Piyush Panwar is a geologist by profession working in the oil
industry. Piyush has lived in India, Sudan, and Malaysia and
writes about life in general.
September 19 CSA 59

60 September 19 CSA
www.livinginegypt.org

By Supriya Chawla
A good destination for a day
or weekend in Port Said on the
Mediterranean coast. There are some
beaches for swimming and along
some of the original city streets and
in Port Fuad, across the canal, there
are some fine old British residences
with long wooden balconies giving
the town a European atmosphere.
The city was founded by Said Pasha
in 1860 and its livelihood was and
still is bound up with the canal
and its administration. During the
1920's it became an international
trade center and shipping agents,
banks, hotels, and companies
whose activities were that of serving
the ships transporting goods and
passengers were established. In
1976 Port Said was declared a free
port. The exemption of customs for
the goods imported from all parts of
the world has made it an additional
attraction for visitors. The shopping
arcades sell marvelous imported
products. Among other items, one
can find imported chick clothes and
household goods. Recently there are
far- Eastern oriental crafts and dishes
and this year there are also quality
items from low-cost Turkey. In the
62 September 19 CSA
past, Egyptians ordinarily had to pay
a small amount for customs on items
taken out of the city. Foreigners did
not have to. In any case, custom duty
was extremely low and purchases
were still a bargain.
Driving in Port Said is easy, but one
must observe one-way signs. My
advice is to leave the car parked at
the shopping arcade on the Cornish
road, called Atef El Sadat St. This is
a wide street and can be reached
by driving straight through the city
as one comes in. It can be further
recognized by the beautiful El Slam
Mosque, Hotel Helnan, the shopping
arcade, and a famous fish restaurant,
Named Abu Esam. From there you
may take a taxi to the Tourist Office.
The very helpful staff will give you
a map of the town and any other
information required to find your
way around. The Tourist Office is
on Palestine Street, a street lining
the canal and near the Sues Canal
Authority building. On the same
street, there are a couple of excellent
stores for linen and kitchenware. The
main shopping areas are El Nahda, El
Gish, Salah El-Din, and Saad Zagloul
Streets. However, if you wish to
stroll through street after street that
is lined with stalls, and shop in an
oriental souk fashion for local and
imported goods, go the El Nahda
Street first. Most destinations can
easily be reached on foot. However,
for the souk, you want to be fresh
when you start as it covers quite a
big area.
When leaving Port, Said, Egyptians
ordinarily had to pay a small amount
for customs duty on items taken out
of the city. Foreigners may or may not
have to, depending on the customs
officer's discretion, and purchases
were still a bargain as compared to
identical purchases in Cairo.
Other things to see or do in Port
Said area for one, of course, is the
Port itself with its huge ships and
tankers, lining up to pass through
the northern entrance of the Suez
Canal.
Port Said National Museum is in a
good new building on Palestine
Street. Open Saturday to Thursday
from 9 am to 4 pm. The museum
houses mummies, and exquisite
faience shroud and painted coffin,
Ptolemaic funerary masks, Islamic
tiles, and mashrabiya, Coptic textiles.
i.e. a tunic adorned with images the
Apostles, and the coach used by
www.livinginegypt.org

Travel
Inside Egypt
Khedive Ismail during the canal's
inauguration ceremonies. Next to
the museum is another Fahsinal
shopping mall and opposite the
floating restaurant, featuring oriental
and European cuisine. The Military
Museum on 23rd street is open from
8 am to 3 pm.
Port Fuad, located on the eastern
side of the Suez Canal and thus in
Asia. This suburb was founded in
1920. It is a quiet residential area
with vast areas of greenery. It also
features a beautiful mosque, which
can be seen from the other side of
the Canal. A ferry goes every few
minutes back and forth and will take
your car to either side. Passengers
from outside the city pay a very
small amount for the crossing. Local
passengers do not have to pay.
There are several fine hotels, ranging
from 1* to 5* classifications. If you
feel you want to pamper yourself
and splurge, my suggestion is that
you have your travel agent here
in Cairo make the reservations for
you. Something most people are
not aware of is that when you go to
a hotel and ask for a room, you are
given, what is called in the tourist
industry a 'rack rate'
The rack rate is an internationally
published rate. However, your travel
agent may have a special deal with a
hotel in the city of your destination
and thus reduce your cost. Talk to
CSA's programs department for
valuable advice.
In order to get to Port Said, the
easiest way is to take the direction
towards Heliopolis and follow the
sign to the airport. On fly-over (just
before the airport) is a fork, turn left
and follow the sign to Ismailiya/Port
Said. At next crossing, turn right
(circumventing the mesh fenced
airport field). Keep going along this
fence and after about 3.2 km turn
left and then the next crossing right.
You are now on the desert toll road
to Ismailiya. There are plenty of signs
to follow. To get lost from here is
almost impossible. The distance from
Cairo is 220 km.
Have a nice trip and don't forget to
take your passport along and wear
comfortable shoes!
Supriya Chawla worked at CSA for 9
years before retiring. She is a former
librarian and tour organizer. She now
enjoys her retirement in the scenic
beauty of the Fayoum Oasis.
September 19 CSA 63

64 September 19 CSA
www.livinginegypt.org

By Vibha Das-Singh
You know this is what I did when
I took a break from the daily grind
last summer. I wrote and wrote,
and wrote. Here, I am sharing a few
excerpts from my last summer's
diary entries, circa 2018: I was lying
down on warm sand, somewhere
on the coast of hope, dreams and
wild imaginations. A salty breeze was
caressing my bare back and I was
fervently pouring down my thoughts
on the crisp white pages of an orange
cover diary, which was a farewell gift
from a very dear friend who lived in
Cairo, Egypt..... My thoughts touched
the memory of Kishore Da (I am a
self-confessed Bollywood freak) who
sang, "Musafir hoon yaaron...." (I am
a traveler, friends...) and it was Anais
Nin who said, "We travel, some of
us forever, to see other states, other
lives, other souls". In my solitude, as
I set out to discover the unknown of
late never has this felt truer.
Lately, my soul mate (let’s call him
L), returning from work has been
sharing his deep desire to sell
everything, get good exchange
rate as Aussie dollar is even stronger
than the US dollar and go to India.
He wants to grow a beard, leave our
son with maternal grandparents for
a while and go backpacking around
India with me. He wants to write and
work in the slums of India, do social
and community development work.
He reveals that he is fed up of this
68 September 19 CSA
www.livinginegypt.org

high flying, jet-setting, high-pressure,
ministers galore lifestyle. He literally
wants to break free, do something
drastic and have a sea change
in order to add some meaning
to the meaningless existence of
consumerism, daily grind, rat race,
etc".
Always known L as a bit of an
eccentric, oddball, highly principled,
strong and scary type but then the
thought of giving it all up does scare
me too, especially when you have a
kid. But then life’s never been boring
with Scorpion L, he has always given
me the flights of my life and I trust
him. When I met him, he was this
young writer, a philosophy graduate
who was just so different from the
rest of the crowd and that's why I fell
head over heels in love with him and
married. But the big question is...Do I
have the courage to give it all up and
go for the unknown with him???
Culture
Psychology
Are we destined to be nomads for
life? Constantly seduced by what
is unattainable, mysterious and
exotic in our minds? It's an exciting
thought but scary too. Our dreams
often say more about us than we
would ever like anyone to know. I
am sure you will all agree with me
when I say that sometimes, at least
a few times, in our dreams and in
our imaginations, we have all tried
to explore new paths, a new city, a
new love, a new everything, even a
new ‘us', a totally new life....to some
extent. We have all spun fantasies
and have tried to live them up,
despite not knowing our directions
or even our end destinations at all.
We are people who when fear of
the unknown stare us in the face, we
look back at it boldly with wide eyes
and ask, “Could you be any more
fascinating?” Not only this, the crucial
lesson and experience we all share is
that when you move away you can
be yourself, you can be someone
else; you can be who you want to be.
In that desire to be unmasked comes
a certain sense of freedom. This is the
great power of any journey. When
elsewhere becomes here. When we
are forced to navigate for ourselves.
When we are forced to feel alive and
our senses are heightened. When
our dreams come close to reality and
we feel happy, fulfilled, challenged,
confused, dazed, peaceful, restless,
euphoric, ecstatic....all at once. May
the dream never end.
I dedicate this with love and respect
to us all - to the wanderers and
the searchers in us all. We are not
there yet but almost.... which is, of
course, each and every one of us.
Personally, I love the brightness, the
boldness, the newness of no fixed
plan and an itinerary that is loose at
best. Destinations unknown, people
unmet, places unseen. Play the great
explorer; take off and touch down.
Go on friends, live a little...
Let’s get lost!!!
Back to the daily grind in Canberra
after a sabbatical of three years in
Cairo, Vibha is working full time in all
spheres of her life trying to find bits
of happiness and magical moments.
You can visit her blog http:///www.
vibhadassingh.com
September 19 CSA 69

Entertainment & Recreation
Health & Wellness
Nutrition
ACNE AND DIET
By Dr. Waala Ghounim
Acne is one of the most common
dermatological conditions, affecting
millions of people worldwide. It
is generally accepted that excess
skin oil, hormones, bacteria are the
major contributing factors for acne.
But could the diet play a role in the
occurrence of acne? The current
status of the relation between diet
and acne is unclear and under debate.
On one hand, the American Academy
of Dermatology (AAD) published
recommendations in 2007 suggesting
that caloric restriction has no benefit
in the treatment of acne and that
there is insufficient evidence to link
the consumption of certain “food
enemies” to acne. On the other hand,
recent clinical studies have suggested
a rather close relationship between
diet and acne!
Let us start from the beginning and,
in particular, from the founder of
modern medicine, Hippocrates. One
of his main principles and teachings
was “Let food be your medicine,
and let medicine be your food.” It is
well known that both oral and local
administrations of retinoids are the
most efficacious current therapies
for acne. Retinoids are potentially
derived from the metabolism of
vitamin A, which is essential for skin’s
health. Vitamin A deficiency causes
night blindness) but also dramatically
affects skin biology.
Dry skin, dry hair and broken fingernails
are among the first manifestations
of vitamin A deficiency. This nutrient,
which is stored in the liver, is found
also in the skin, particularly in the
oil glands. Let us also not forget
that most dermatologists nowadays
recommend ingestion of retinoids
with fatty foods as they are absorbed
better with parallel intake of
vegetable oils. Therefore, how could
the possibility that diet has no effect
on acne could be ruled out, especially
when diet influences the absorbance
of a nutrient, its metabolites, and a
drug that affects mitigation of that
disease! Maybe acne cannot be
cured with nutrition, but diet could
certainly influence the status of the
disease. Perhaps food does not cause
or eradicate the disease, but certainly,
it could ameliorate or worsen its
severity.
Could Diet Affect Acne Status?
Western diets are often deficient
in the longer-chain omega-3 fatty
acids. Epidemiological studies
demonstrated that increasing the
intake of omega-3 fatty acids through
a diet rich in seafood results in
lower rates of inflammatory disease
and hence, the absence of acne.
There are also studies claiming that
sebum production is increased by
the consumption of dietary fat or
carbohydrates and that variations in
carbohydrates could also influence
sebum composition.
It has been reported
that people living in
the Kitavan Islands
(off the coast of Papua
New Guinea) and the
Aché hunter-gathers of
Paraguay do not suffer
from acne and that it
is associated with their
low-glycemic diet,
consisting mainly of fresh
vegetables, fruits, and
lean proteins. One study
found a valid association
between high-glycemicindex
foods and longer acne duration,
whereas two controlled trials
associated low-glycemic-index diet
with reduced acne risk. In addition,
several studies had reported on how
caloric restriction can alter sebum
composition. However, we do not
know if this could relate directly to the
pathological condition of acne!
We need to understand why people
in indigenous societies do not
experience acne and, in contrast,
the widespread presence of acne
throughout modern Western society.
Is diet the sole reason, or are other
lifestyle and environmental conditions,
such as stress, sun exposure, and air
pollution, important? To prevent acne
by dietary manipulation may not be
possible. To date, research has not
proved that diet causes acne. It has
provided evidence, though, that diet
influences acne to a degree that is still
difficult to quantify.
Dr Walaa Ghounim is a Sports Medicine
Specialist who got her Master’s degree
from the University of Glasgow, UK. Feel
free to contact her regarding this article
via e-mail: walaa.ghounim@gmail.com
September 19 CSA 75

Egypt is a land of beautiful deserts, mesmerizing national parks, lakes and the Nile.
Cairo undoubtedly can be called mini Egypt as it provides pretty much everything that
the whole country has to offer. Here is some relevant information about the city.
GOLF COURSES
Universities
American University in Cairo (AUC)
+20226151000, www.aucegypt.edu/
German University in Cairo (GUC)
+20227589990, www.guc.edu.eg/
Katameya Dunes
Road 90, 5th District, New Cairo
Katameya Heights
New Cairo City (Fifth District),
Ring Road, Cairo
Mirage City
Ring Road- Mirage City,
Heliopolis, Cairo
Gezira Golf Club
Gezira Sporting Club, Cairo
Dreamland
Alwahat Road, Giza Governorate
NATURE AND PARKS
Al Azhar Park
Darassa Hill, Cairo, Egypt
+20 2 2510 3868
Gabalaya Park and
Aquarium
El Gabalaya St,
Al Gabalayah, Zamalek,
Giza Governorate, Cairo
+20 10 9159 3825
British University in Egypt (BUE)
+20226890000, www.bue.edu.eg/
Cairo University
+20235676105, http://cu.edu.eg/Home
Modern Sciences & Arts University (MSA)
+20238371517
www.msa.edu.eg/msauniversity/
WEEKEND DESTINATIONS
Fayoum
Desert safari, mountains climbing, hiking
and trekking, sand boarding, camping,
ancient monuments, and lakes.
Alexandria
Sightseeing, stroll on the promenade,
the Mediterranean Sea, beautiful royal
gardens.
The North Coast
Blue beaches, white sand
Ain Al-Sokhna
Beaches, Mountain views and Fishing
Ras Sudr
Kite surfing
76 September 19 CSA
www.livinginegypt.org

Entertainment & Recreation
Lifestyle
Egypt
SHOPPING
Cairo Festival City Mall
Ring Road, Al-Futtaim Property, Taha
Hussein Axis, 5th Settlement
16761
City Stars Mall
City Stars Heliopolis, 2Aly Rashed Street,
Cairo
Mall of Arabia Cairo
Mehwer 26th July,6th of October City,
Juhaynah Square, Cairo
+20238260200
Mall of Egypt
Giza- Al Wahat Al Baharia, Giza
+20102444 4482
HOSPITALS
As-Salam Hospital
3, Syria St., El Mohandessin, Giza.
info@alsalamhospital.org
+20233030502
Andalusia
Address: 7 Assem Ibn Thabet St,
Heliopolis.
medical.tourism@andalusiagroup.net
+201222530632
Dar Al Fouad
Gameat Al Azhar, Nasr City, Cairo
email@daralfouad.org
16370, +20238274799
MOBILE SERVICES
Noor
City Stars Complex, Star Capital 5
Omar Ibn El Khatab St.,
Heliopolis, Cairo
info@noor.net
16700
+ 20227702260
IMPORTANT TELEPHONE NUMBERS
Public Transportation Services
Cairo Airport Term 1: +22265-5000/3333/3413/14/15
Cairo Terminal 2 : +22 265-2029/2222/2436
Cairo Airport Information: +22 2635-0270/0260
Railway Information: +2225753555
Emergency Numbers
Ambulance: 123
Heliopolis: 634-4327, Maadi: 525-3873, Giza: 561-5551,
Tahrir: 577-0230, Ramsis: 577-0406/577-0365/577-0123,
Cairo Alex Road: 045-551309
Police: 122
Emergency Police: 122
Traffic Police: 128
Tourist police: 126
Fire Brigade: 180
Heliopolis: 633-0954,
Maadi: 525-3873,
Giza: 761-0259/761-0258/761-0257,
Tahrir: 391-5289.391-0115/391-1727 Ext.: 271
Public Utility Services
Electricity Emergency: 121
Natural Gas: 129
Water: 575-0059/575-7416
Relocation Services
United Sons
18 C Road 198, Maadi, Cairo
unitedsons@hotmail.com
+20227544974
September 19 CSA 77

By Lynda Aune
Steve's mind wanders as he does his homework.
"I'm never going to do well on this history test,"
he thinks. "My dad's right, I'm just like him — I'll
never amount to much." Distracted, he looks
down and thinks how skinny his legs are. "Ugh,"
he says to himself. "I bet the football coach won't
even let me try out when he sees what a wimp I
am." Julio is studying for the same history test as
Steve, and he's also not too fond of the subject.
But that's where the similarity ends. Julio has a
completely different outlook. He's more likely
to think, "OK, history again, what a pain. Thank
goodness I'm acing the subject I really love —
math." Although Julio is shorter and skinnier
than Steve but he thinks, "I may be skinny, but
I can really run. I'd be a good addition to the
football team."
We all have a mental picture of ourselves, how
we look, what we're good at, and what our
weaknesses might be. We develop this picture
over time, starting as very young kids. The term
self-image is used to refer to a person's mental
picture of themselves. A lot of our self-image
is based on interactions we have with other
people and our life experiences. This mental
picture (our self-image) contributes to our selfesteem.
Self-esteem is all about how much we
feel valued, loved, accepted, by others — and
how much we value, love, and accept ourselves.
People with healthy self-esteem are able to feel
good about themselves, appreciate their own
worth, and take pride in their abilities, skills, and
accomplishments. People with low self-esteem
may feel as if no one will like them or accept
them or that they can't do well in anything.
78 September 19 CSA
www.livinginegypt.org

We all experience problems with selfesteem
at certain times in our lives
especially during our teens when
we're figuring out who we are and
where we fit in the world. The good
news is that, because everyone's
self-image changes over time, selfesteem
too. So if you feel that your
self-esteem isn't all it could be, you
can improve it.
Self-Esteem Problems
Before a person can overcome
problems and build healthy selfesteem,
it helps to know what might
cause those problems in the first
place. There are two in particular;
how others see or treat us and how
we see ourselves.
Parents, teachers, and other authority
figures influence the ideas we
develop about ourselves. If parents
spend more time criticizing than
praising a child, it can be harder for a
child to develop a good self-esteem.
Because teens are still forming their
own values and beliefs, it's easy
to build self-image around what a
parent, coach, or other person says.
But criticism doesn't have to come
from other people. Like Steve in the
story above, some teens also have an
"inner critic," a voice inside that seems
to find fault with everything they do.
People sometimes unintentionally
model their inner voice after a critical
parent or someone else whose
opinion is important to them. Some
people get so used to their inner
critic being there that they don't
even notice when they're putting
themselves down. Retrain “Your Inner
Critic” you can control that inner
voice that puts you down or tells
you not to bother trying something
because you’re sure to fail. Decide
that your inner voice will only give
you constructive feedback from now
on.
When your inner voice starts putting
you down, you must counter those
comments with positive or neutral
ones.
• Replace "I'm fat" with "I exercise
and eat right."
• Replace "I bombed on that test;
I'm just stupid" with "I'm smart and
I can do better. I'll ask for help if I
don't understand something next
time."
• Make a habit of complimenting
yourself: "I'm good at math ... I'm
really funny sometimes ... My hair
looks just right today." Don't worry
that you'll become conceited.
Because we all have a habit of
focusing on the negative, these
thoughts tend to just balance
things out a bit.
• At the end of the day, think about
three things that were good about
the day. Maybe you heard an
old favorite song on the radio, or
polished off a good book under
the shade or knew the right answer
in class. It's a rare day that doesn't
supply us with something that
makes us happy — the hard part is
being aware of that something.
Unrealistic expectations can also
affect a person's self-esteem. People
have an image of who they want to
be (or who they think they should
be). Everyone's image of the ideal
person is different. People who see
themselves as having the qualities
they admire usually have high selfesteem.
Steps to Improving Self-Esteem
Here are some steps to start
empowering yourself:
Try to stop thinking negative
thoughts about yourself. Start
focusing on positive aspects of
yourself. When you catch yourself
being too critical, counter it by saying
something positive about yourself.
Each day, write down three things
about yourself that you admire.
Aim for accomplishments rather
than perfection. Some people
become paralyzed by perfection.
Instead of holding yourself back with
thoughts like, "I won't audition for
Health and Wellness
Wellness
the play until I lose 10 pounds," think
about the enjoyment you will get
and go for it.
View mistakes as learning
opportunities. Accept that you will
make mistakes because everyone
does. Mistakes are part of learning.
Remind yourself that a person's
talents are constantly developing,
and everyone excels at different
things. This is what makes people
interesting.
Try new things. Experiment with
different activities that will help you
get in touch with your talents. Then
take pride in new skills you develop.
Recognize what you can change
and what you can't. If you realize
that you're unhappy with something
about yourself that you can change,
then start today. If it's something you
can't change (like your height), then
start to work toward loving yourself
the way you are.
Set goals. Think about what you'd
like to accomplish and make a plan
to achieve it. Stick with your plan and
keep track of your progress.
Take pride in your opinions and
ideas. Don't be afraid to voice them.
Make a contribution. Tutor a
classmate who's having trouble,
help clean up your neighborhood,
participate in a walkathon for a good
cause, or volunteer your time in
some other way. Feelings like you're
making a difference and your help is
valued can do wonders to your selfesteem.
Exercise! You'll relieve stress, and be
healthier and happier.
Have fun. Enjoy spending time with
the people you care about and doing
the things you love. Relax and have a
good time — and avoid putting your
life on hold.
Lynda Aune B.Sc. A.O.C.D For an
appointment or information, call
01014150070 or email programs@
livinginegypt.org
September 19 CSA 79

Entertainment CSA & Recreation
Showroom
Shopping & Gifts
At CSA, we offer a space annexed off our main reception that houses different artists, vendors, and designers
on a rotating basis. Artwork, furniture, clothing, jewelry, and much more can be found in our showroom from
week to week. Call 01068828541 for bookings.
The Showroom
A space for your creative retail idea
Reserve The Showroom and popularize your exciting brands!!
Gain access to a huge community by organizing the product events, business events and flash sales.
Contact lama@livinginegypt.org, events@livinginegypt.org for bookings
September 19 CSA 81

82 September 19 CSA
www.livinginegypt.org

Entertainment & Recreation Family
Well being
Health
By Dr. Tamer Eissa MD
Our environment has a great impact
on our health and can affect our
physical as well as psychological
health. A healthy human being
only thrives in a clean surrounding.
Therefore, we need to be mindful
of the place we spend our time in,
be it our workplace or home. The
pollution in various forms can have
many major adverse impacts on our
health.
Air pollution caused by car
exhaustions and industrial fumes
is high in the volumes of carbon
monoxide and carbon dioxide
which can cause lung diseases. A
long period of inhaling the polluted
air can cause permanent damage
to our lungs, affect our eyes and
skin discoloration and allergies. This
is the reason why many developed
countries are shifting towards clean
energy for vehicles and electricity
like electric cars. They are also trying
to decrease industrial fumes by
putting strict regulations. Different
kinds of filters are used besides the
location of the factories.
Also, in many cities and especially
here in Cairo we have a big
sound pollution. Noise above the
permitted decibels can cause major
mental disorders let alone anguish,
irritation, headache and difficulty in
concentration. People with minor
heart issues are advised to stay away
even from loud music as it has a
disastrous effect on the heart. We
all as a community must try to limit
noise pollution and use strict laws to
enforce that. Soundproof windows
and doors are a solution if you do not
live in a peaceful vicinity.
Also, visual pollution is another
form of environmental pollution,
diminished green landscapes and
disorganized buildings are major
problems in many cities. It is one
of the biggest causes of stress
and mood swings. We should all
as community try to implement
different strategies to increase green
areas and fix disorganized buildings
and sights to improve our visual
environment. Both sound and visual
pollutions affect our wellbeing and
increase the level of stress which
adversely affect our wellness. We
should work on protecting our
parks and architecture. We can even
schedule to plant one tree per month
and encourage others to do it too.
Polluted water can be the host for
many deadly diseases as bilharzias
and cholera in human. Not only
this, polluted water has high levels
of chemicals and elements that can
cause chronic kidney diseases. Bad
habits and practices of dumping
waste products in water sources
such as the Nile are the main causes
of water pollution. We should be
aware that we all as human beings
are the main source of polluting our
environment and that ultimately
pollution will affect our health.
Cutting trees to use their woods,
using plastic containers and bags
and improper disposal of them,
dumping waste products in water
sources or in the street are some
forms of practices that pollute our
environment
Dr Tamer MD, FACOG is an American
Board Certified OB/GYN and Fellow
of the American Congress of OB/GYN.
After practicing OB/GYN in NY for 6
years Dr Tamer has moved to Cairo
recently.
September 19 CSA 83

By Andrew Panillo
As the world becomes more
globalized and traveling to
distant places has become widely
accessible. However, while these
new opportunities can often be
quite exciting and rewarding, they
all still require a large amount of
preparation. Many expatriates tend
to overlook the financial planning
process for their overseas adventure.
In addition to creating a well thought
out budget for the trip, there are
many other essential details that will
need to be accounted for. By making
an effort to assure that your finances
are well-kept, you will be able to
have the life-changing experience
that you’re hoping for.
Recognizing your initial expenses
Depending on where in the world
you are traveling to, you may actually
be able to save money while living
abroad if you can keep your expenses
under control. Regardless, there are
still, some paramount expenses to
be prepared for:
• Board, food, daily travel, and
other daily expenses (use a cost
of living calculator and compare
your destination to your current
location)
84 September 19 CSA
• Getting to your final destination
(travel points and rewards will be
quite helpful)
• Passport, visas, and other
necessary documents
• Travel insurance
• A “safety net” that can be used for
unexpected expenses
Preparing your bank accounts
Even once you have created a
financial plan for working abroad,
you will also need to make sure that
your money is actually accessible.
Many banks have arrangements with
partner banks in other countries,
which is why it will be important to
confirm the global reach of the one
you currently use. When comparing
possible foreign bank accounts,
there are several important details
that you should pay attention to:
• Location and number of branches
abroad
• Location of ATMs (and associated
costs)
• Account type (checking, savings,
money market, etc.)
• Foreign transaction fees
• Currency exchange services
• All relevant fees
Transferring your money to another
bank account may sometimes have
fees attached. By working with a
bank that has operations in both
countries, you will have one less
thing to worry about when preparing
for your adventure abroad.
Evaluating your wallet
Now that you have your budget and
your bank setup out of the way, the
next thing you will need to evaluate
is the items you are carrying in your
wallet. It is important to recognize
the cards and payment options
you already own prior to traveling
because some cards could have
foreign transaction fees or other
negative financial implications
when used overseas. Do a thorough
look at the cards you already have
and research any new ones you
should get for your travel endeavor.
Fortunately, there are many quality
travel credit cards available for you to
choose from. Though the card that
is right for you will largely depend
on your personal preferences, you
should keep an eye out for these key
features:
• Cards that earn you travel points
(especially desirable if you’ll be
moving around often)
• Cards that offer travel-related
www.livinginegypt.org

Lifestyle
Living in Egypt
perks (hotels, better seats on
plans, restaurant discounts, etc.)
• Lack of foreign transaction fees
It will also be important to make
sure that if your card or identity is
stolen while abroad, you will have a
reasonable recovery plan in place.
Before your flight leaves, notify your
card-issuers, coordinate all automatic
payments, install your bank’s app on
your smartphone, and check to make
sure that everything is secure. You
may also want to consider getting
some traveler’s checks or, at the very
least, having a reasonable amount
of currency in the denomination of
your final destination.
Pay attention to exchange rates
It will be important for you to
pay attention to exchange rates.
Exchange rates are constantly
changing. As your departure date
continues to approach, it will be a
good idea to monitor changes in the
exchange rate and make the actual
exchange at an appropriate point.
Purchasing travel insurance
In order to protect yourself from the
risk of the unknown, you will likely
need to purchase travel insurance.
The cost of traveler’s insurance will
vary depending on your provider, the
things that are covered, the length of
coverage needed, and the countries
that you will be visiting. All things
considered, travel insurance is a fairly
comprehensive form of insurance
that is likely available for much less
than you’d initially assume.
Expenses that travel insurance
typically covers:
• Injuries or sickness that occur
while you are abroad
• Unforeseen costs such as broken,
lost, or stolen items
• Reimbursements for certain
cancellations
• Travel costs in the event that your
plans change
• Expenses that travel insurance
most likely will not cover:
• Injuries or sickness that emerge
due to a pre-existing condition
• Losses on flights earned through
frequent flyer miles, promotional
contest, or other similar situations
• Injuries or financial losses that
come from high-risk activities
(sky-diving, scuba-diving, etc.)
• Other types of “preventable” losses
In order to know your exact
exposure to risk, you should read
the fine print before committing to
any policies. Travel insurance can be
highly customizable—costs will vary
depending on how many types of
coverage you hope to include.
Other things to consider
Once you have a rough financial plan
for your trip, there will just be a few
essential details that you will want
to be aware of. For your financial and
legal security, for example, you will
need to be sure of foreign tax status.
For eg, United States citizens can
be protected from double taxation
while living abroad. Variables that
can influence your tax situation
will include the company you are
working for, your intended length of
stay, the existence of a work visa, and
various others.
Lastly, it is important to be aware
of scams. Tourists are prime targets
for scams abroad. Do your research
ahead of time before booking any
extracurricular trips, and always
trust your gut. Common scamming
techniques include pick-pocketing,
asking for money upfront with the
promise of returning later, using
children (often as a distraction) to
sell products, unverified currency
exchanges, and many others.
The bottom line
As you can see, there are many
important financial considerations
to take into account when preparing
for an extended trip abroad. There
are many events you will simply not
be able to plan for, but keeping these
three things in mind will be quite
helpful:
1. Plan for as many details in advance
as you possibly can.
2. Be conservative when estimating
future expenses and sources of
income.
3. Be prepared for some things to
go wrong—this will prevent
instances of financial turmoil from
causing your trip to fall apart.
With these crucial pieces of advice,
you are one step closer to embarking
on what may be the trip of a lifetime.
By preparing yourself financially, you
will gain the freedom needed to
enjoy it.
Andrew Panillo: https://www.bankrate.
com/personal-finance
September 19 CSA 85

86 September 19 CSA
www.livinginegypt.org

By Eman Abdelbakey
For decades now, teachers and specifically art teachers have been talking
about the importance of art education and its impact on a child’s future and
career options. The impacts of art education go far beyond just the skills of
drawing and painting, motor skills and dexterity. Here are ten reasons why art
education is important and how it can impact your child’s future
Art inspires creativity and creative thinking. This might seem like a no
brainer, but creativity and creative thinking, which are highly encouraged in
the art room, are very important skills to pave the way for innovative thinking.
In an art class, children are encouraged to express themselves and to think
outside the box. They express their individuality in their artwork. These skills
will eventually set them apart in the professional world.
Art encourages collaboration and teamwork. In an art class, children
learn the values of teamwork as they work side by side with other children,
sometimes towards a common goal; finish a collaborative piece or a mural.
This teaches them how to communicate effectively with others, how to be
flexible when necessary and that no matter how small their contribution
might seem, it’s valuable and makes a difference. These are the skills that they
will need in any field of work they embark on in their future.
Art inspires and instills confidence in the students. The art room provides
a safe environment for students to be able to express themselves freely
without the hesitation of being judged. In this setting, students build their
self-confidence, where shy students are encouraged to participate and
become vocal about their opinions and their artworks. Also, seeing their
own skill level improve instills confidence in them. The more confident the
students become, the more likely they are to take risks and step out of their
comfort zone and try new things.
Art encourages tolerance of others. Art provides a unique opportunity for
children to learn about other cultures as well as their own. Learning about
people and events from different cultures teaches students to appreciate the
difference that helps them become more tolerant and empathetic. According
to a study published by education week; “Students’ awareness of different
people, places, and ideas through art helps them appreciate and accept the
differences they find in the broader world.''
Art teaches kindness and empathy. An art class can teach students about
kindness and accepting criticism. During an art class, not only can the teacher
walk around and give constructive criticism to students on how to improve
their work, but students too help each other by giving peer feedback. While
doing so, students learn how to be kind but honest at the same time. The
student giving the criticism learns how to be kind to his peers, but also how
to be constructive and helpful. Meanwhile, the student receiving the criticism
learns that we all make mistakes and to accept help and criticism from other
so that s/he can grow into a better artist.
Art develops presentation and communication skills. The peer-review
sessions not only teach empathy but also instill confidence in the students as
they learn to speak publicly. In an art class, each student is encouraged to give
their opinions on their fellow students’ work. They learn to overcome shyness
knowing that they can defend their point of view. The presenter is aware that
he/she can make a mistake that can be mocked by peers.
Art encourages critical thinking and decision making. In an art class,
88 September 19 CSA
www.livinginegypt.org

Family
Kids
children learn how to put together different elements to create their
artwork. They are encouraged to think ahead about their composition
and practice their problem-solving skills to create sound artwork.
Thinking ahead about their work encourages the students to think
critically. Viewing and discussing famous artworks or even their own also
encourages the students to be critical and to form and voice opinions.
They learn how to express an opinion that is based on careful thought
and consideration of facts rather than just saying they like or dislike an
artwork. It encourages the students to form an opinion and defend it
using logic and facts, all of which are important parts of thinking critically
about a subject
Art teaches success through failure. An important lesson that children
learn in art is how to fail. When a child is tasked with drawing using a
pencil, they can and will keep erasing their mistakes, seeking perfection
in their artwork. While being able to erase a mistake is not a problem in
itself, it teaches students to seek perfection, and it doesn’t allow them
to fail and learn to work with mistakes. Mistakes are a part of life and the
earlier a student can learn how to work with them and turn them into
a success, the better off they’ll be in their lives and futures. Something
as simple as asking a child to draw with a marker instead of a pencil will
make the child learn to slow down, think about what they want to do
first then proceed with the task at hand. When they make a mistake, they
know that it can’t be erased; their creativity will help them work with the
said mistake. They will seek to learn by failing and seeing what comes
out of their failures and mistakes, how they can still be successful and
creative
Art teaches perseverance. The art is all about skills that are developed
and nurtured over time. Patience is an important value that all students
learn in an art class. We start the year with simple, easy projects to get
students excited about art and to gauge their skill level. But as the year
progresses, the lessons get more challenging to help the students
develop their skills. With more challenging work, the students will need
to slow down, take their time, going through multiple steps to finish an
artwork. The time and the steps it takes to finish an artwork teach the
students to be patient and that a job well done takes time and effort,
just like everything else in life. The more challenging the artwork, the
more time, effort and patience the student will have to exert, and the
more satisfied, successful and confident they will feel when they see the
final results. Another way they will learn is when they see the difference
in their work from the beginning of the year to the end of the year and
know that all their practice and work has paid off and their skills have
grown and developed tremendously.
Art is linked to improved academic performance. According to
a report by Americans for the Arts; young people who participate
regularly in the arts (three hours a day on three days each week through
one full year) are four times more likely to be recognized for academic
achievement, to participate in a math and science fair or to win an award
for writing an essay or poem than children who do not participate.
As parents, you are always thinking about the best ways to nurture and
raise your children so they can be successful individuals in their lives. One
way to help nurture empathy, patience, kindness, creativity, fearlessness,
and independence in children is through art. While not every child will
grow up to be a president, CEO, or a manager, it doesn’t mean they can’t
be leaders in whatever field they choose. Art instills the values every
child needs to be successful in life and it’s our job to teach them how
to become a positive influence on everyone around them no matter
what position they’re in. Instilling these values in our students will be
integral to their growth and success as individuals and as members of
the community around them
Eman Abdelbakey, the founder of Smart Art, an art school in Maadi, is
a graduate of the American University in Cairo. She's a painter who has
participated in several groups and solo exhibitions. She enjoys writing too.
September 19 CSA 89

Entertainment & RecreationFamily
Puzzles
Word Search - School
Find and circle all of the School words that are hidden in the
grid. The words may be hidden in any direction.
CHALKBOARD
CLASSROOM
CLOCK
DESK
DETENTION
GYMNASIUM
HALLWAY
INCINERATOR
JANITOR
LIBRARY
LOCKER
LUNCHROOM
NURSE
PRINCIPAL
SCHOOLYARD
SECRETARY
STUDENT
TEACHER
Sudoku Place numbers from 1-9 in each empty box so each column, row, and bold box contain numbers 1-9
Intermediate
7 8 9 3 5 1 2 6 4
1 2 3 6 4 8 7 5 9
4 5 6 7 9 2 1 3 8
6 9 8 4 1 3 5 7 2
2 3 1 5 7 9 4 8 6
5 7 4 2 8 6 9 1 3
8 1 5 9 6 4 3 2 7
9 6 2 1 3 7 8 4 5
3 4 7 8 2 5 6 9 1
Challenging
7 8 4 6 3 9 2 1 5
3 5 2 1 7 8 9 4 6
6 9 1 2 4 5 7 8 3
8 7 5 3 9 1 6 2 4
9 1 3 4 2 6 5 7 8
2 4 6 5 8 7 1 3 9
4 2 9 7 5 3 8 6 1
5 6 7 8 1 4 3 9 2
1 3 8 9 6 2 4 5 7
Answers
7 8 9 3 5 1 2 6 4
1 2 3 6 4 8 7 5 9
4 5 6 7 9 2 1 3 8
6 9 8 4 1 3 5 7 2
2 3 1 5 7 9 4 8 6
5 7 4 2 8 6 9 1 3
8 1 5 9 6 4 3 2 7
9 6 2 1 3 7 8 4 5
3 4 7 8 2 5 6 9 1
7 8 4 6 3 9 2 1 5
3 5 2 1 7 8 9 4 6
6 9 1 2 4 5 7 8 3
8 7 5 3 9 1 6 2 4
9 1 3 4 2 6 5 7 8
2 4 6 5 8 7 1 3 9
4 2 9 7 5 3 8 6 1
5 6 7 8 1 4 3 9 2
1 3 8 9 6 2 4 5 7
90 September 19 CSA
www.livinginegypt.org

family
Parenting
Moving a family with kids to Cairo
Moving abroad with young kids is exhausting as well as exhilarating
experience. When my daughter -- now six -- was ten weeks old, we packed
her up with all our belongings for our second move to the Middle East.
This time, we were thrilled to return to a familiar region…Egypt. Having
just wrapped up a demanding job, I imagined it would be a piece of cake.
Right? Uh, not exactly.
What I misjudged the most was the time it would take to feel fully operational
and settled. In the early, bewildering days of arriving in Cairo this summer
with a newborn, what I learned was that this is not the time for perfection.
In a new place, life’s simplest fundamentals have to be reestablished. When
moving overseas with children, the early goal is contentedness. Perfection
and efficiencies take time. Meanwhile, strive for relative confidence and
presence of mind as you absorb and enjoy your vibrant new environs
before you call it home.
The following practical resources emerged for us.
Time In. Balancing your children’s needs with immediate demands is an
undeniable challenge. However, intentional time together pays tremendous
dividends as they, too, are facing significant change. Your mindful presence
sets an important tone. Taking a child out for an exploratory walk and
chatting about what you see is a practical way of forging time together
while also expanding knowledge of your new surroundings. Sitting on the
rug and playing a game with my kindergartener or going for that extra
book with my toddler has produced a notable degree of comfort in my
kids. Balancing the cultivation of friendships with quiet time at home with
familiar people has worked wonders for their as well as our mental state.
Beat the heat with kids. Egypt’s summer heat and fewer playgrounds
mean less time outdoors burning energy with gross motor activities. In
our first housebound days and weeks without a private garden, we got
creative and loosened restrictions by permitting scooters in the house,
putting mattresses on the floor to jump between. Encourage dance parties
and building obstacle courses. Some friends invested in a mini-trampoline.
Morning and evenings are best for getting out during these hotter months.
Determine walkability. Not all roads are pedestrian-friendly, and young
walkers and strollers compound that challenge. Sometimes, the most direct
route is not the most maneuverable. Explore alternate routes and side
streets; I was shocked by how much irritability this eliminates. Generally,
avoid roundabouts on foot.
Cairo’s world of food delivery. Otlob, Gourmet Europe, and Instacart
are just a few apps that have been lifesavers. Groceries at your door go a
long way to ease your mind without a car, and meal delivery allows you to
explore local eateries (and get dinner served) without having to navigate
your way.
Accept help. Ask questions and allow your community to be generous.
Friends appeared at our door with a suitcase of toys their kids had selected
to loan us until our belongings arrived. Both the toys and kindness were
invaluable gifts. Rides to the grocery store and willingness to field minuscule
questions have provided both practical support and a sense of community.
We live in the age of crowdsourcing and I can't think of a more powerful
time to use it than navigating a foreign country. For those already settled in
Cairo, spending little time supporting newcomers is a tangible, invaluable
way of enriching your community.
Mum &
Baby
Kate Tierney is an American
expat in Ma’adi and mama
of two. This is her third time
living in the Middle East and
second move abroad with
young kids.
The Mum & Baby Group
meets in Maadi periodically
for discussion and playtime.
Please check their Facebook
group for updates and
information:
maadimumandbaby
September 19 CSA 91

SPORTS
CAIRO AMERICAN SOFT BALL LEAGUE We have both Men’s
and Women’s teams to join or bring your own! We have a children’s
playground as well as food and beverages available. Games are in the
evenings and on Fridays. For more information please contact: Ways
and Means Mgr Suzy Werner at Werner.Suzy@gmail.com or Chairmen
Monte Davis at mdavis@g-cacegypt.com or Rodney Stephens at
Rodney.Stephens@bp.com.
CAIRO CYCLISTS CLUB (CCC) Organized road rides occur every
Friday at 6:30 AM leaving from the front gate of CAC. A typical road
ride will consist of 5 to 15 riders and cover distances of 40 to more
than 100 km. Skill level is divided to three groups CCC1, CCC2 and
CCC3, each of them teaming up for the ride, and all groups meeting
together at the finish line in CSA for refreshments. Extraordinary
rides are organized a few times a year. Visit us in http://cairocyclists.
wordpress.com.
CAIRO HASH HOUSE HARRIERS (CH3) We meet every Friday
afternoons for fun interesting runs and walks in the desert areas
around the city. A typical run is 9 kilometers in length with a 4
kilometer walk for the more sensible. Physical fitness is not essential
but a sense of humor is mandatory. CH3 is family oriented club,
leashed dogs and even children are welcome. You can catch a ride
from our meeting point is in front of the ACE club in Midan Victoria.
For more information call Lurpak on 01092442570, email cairohash@
yahoo.com or visit www.cairohash.com.
CAIRO RUGBY Training on Tuesdays from 7.00pm-9.00pm at club
7SC by Victoria College. For more information contact: Eric Bousot
01227017219 (Senior Men’s team), Bina Jensen-Millan 01006769800
(Senior Women’s team), Guilhem Roger 01222104587 or Terry Barnes
01097344556 (Junior division). Beginners and experienced players
welcome.
MAADI RUNNERS Maadi Runners meet for long runs early Friday
mornings in front of the CAC main gate. Runners of all abilities are
welcome. For more details contact Mohsen Alashmoni at Mohsen.
maadirunners@gmail.com
RADIO AUTO CLUB OF EGYPT Race is a club which promotes the
building and racing of radio controlled cars. Races are held twice a
month at Victory Field on an outdoor track. For more information call
John Klingler at 01001690402 or send him an email at jeklingler@
hotmail.com or check the website, www.racegypt.org
SOCIAL AND INTERNATIONAL GROUPS
6TH OCTOBER INTERNATIONAL GROUP FOR WOMEN, MEN AND
FAMILIES Coffee mornings, cocktail evenings, special events and day
tours. For more information please contact Sarah Nicola at sarah@
ladyegypt.com or 01222633712
AFRO-ASIAN WOMEN’S GROUP Ours is a socio-cultural, non-profit
organization of ladies representing Asia, Africa and Egypt. It is also a
socio-civic association aimed at giving aid and is involved in charity.
For more information please contact Sarra 01001267671, Mahsit
0111104659.
AUTISM Autism rates have been rising throughout the world in recent
years. In the US, the current Autism ratio is 1:91 in children. Many
Egyptian societies are there to offer support to autistic children and
their families. If you have an autistic child and would like to talk about
it contact Reem Samy 0100-6369473 or email rima_miro@hotmail.com
Caire Accueil (FRENCH SPEAKING GROUP) Our monthly coffees
are held every 3rd Sunday morning of each month at the following
address: 33 road 15 in Maadi. We also have coffees morning in
Katameya. For any information, you can email: caireaccueil@hotmail.
com or visit our website www.caireaccueil.com
Cairo Chinese Speaking Women’s Association Cairo
Chinese Speaking Women’s Association is an energetic and dynamic
group committed to promoting Chinese cultural awareness and
appreciation through community services, charities and cultural
activities such as Chinese language courses, Chinese cooking class,
martial arts, mahjong, business networking and organize cultural
exchange tour to China. For more information Tel: 01206202999,
Email:2549709148@qq.com
FINNS IN EGYPT ASSOCIATION (SEFE) Open to all Finnish-speaking
expatriates in Egypt. For more information, please go to www.
finnsinegypt.org
French Abroad Network (UFE) Nonprofit organization
supporting childwood associations in Cairo (orphans and young
people). Meeting held permanently in the UFE’s house (every morning,
road 14 in Maadi). Coffee and networking, every first Thursday of
each month in the garden of the house. Multiple cultural activities
92 September 19 CSA
and entertainments (body workout, English conversation) proposed
to all nationalities speaking French. Please contact UFE secretariat:
01062104334 / ufe.egypte@gmail.com or website: www.ufe.org
HELIOPOLIS WOMEN’S COFFEE MORNING Meets every
Wednesday. Contact Ans ‘Noordermeer’ langeans@hotmail.com or call
01025506344.
ITALIANS IN EGYPT GROUP Italians in Egypt host a monthly coffee
morning every Sunday. For more information please contact: Faiza
Frigido 01222163463 or email info@giegypt.net or visit www.giegypt.net
Maadi Chamber Orchestra Attention all current and one-time
string players! Dust down that violin, polish up your cello, dig out
your viola and come and join us in music making. We are a group of
adult and student players who meet weekly at CAC and are keen to
welcome new members. We have a varied repertoire from classical
to modern. For more information please email Sarah Pierce at
sarahinutah@hotmail.com.
MBA INTERNATIONAL LADIES We usually meet every second
Tuesday of the month for Coffee and Refreshments. Please join us to
learn more about our activities which include book club, bridge, golf,
knit and natter, mah-jong and scrabble. We also enjoy mornings out
with coffee, lunch and visits to places of interest in and around Cairo.
For more information please email us at mba.maadi.2014@gmail.com
MUM & BABY GROUP Mondays 10:30am-12:30pm (0-11 months).
Cost 30LE at the door. Mum & Baby Group is a great way to meet other
mothers who are going through, or have been through the same
experiences as you. Use this time to chat, ask questions, play with your
baby and interact with others. This is not a childcare facility, so babies
must be accompanied by a parent at all times. Expectant mothers are
welcome to join. Join our Facebook group ‘maadimumandbaby’.
NVICINEMA NVICinema screens mostly Egyptian, Belgian and Dutch
films with English subtitles at the Netherlands-Flemish Institute of
Cairo (NVIC), Zamalek. Weekly lectures on Thursdays at 6.00pm and
film evenings on Sundays at 7.00pm. Free Entrance. Visit: http://
institutes.leiden.edu/nvic/
OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS IN CAIRO Do you have a problem
with food? Are your problems with eating too much (or too little)
affecting your life? Maybe Overeaters Anonymous can help. For more
information visit www.oa.org.
SOUTH AFRICANS IN EGYPT email: sainegypt@gmail.com, tel: Tania:
01277701756
SPANISH SPEAKING LADIES GROUP Meetings take place on the
first Tuesday of the month. For details please contact Rosa America on
0100- 1071181 or visit our Facebook page
www.facebook.com/ CDHHCairo2011Y2012
THE INDIAN WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION, ANNAPOORNA It has
been functioning in Cairo since 1976. The monthly meetings take
place on the second Wednesday of every month. All women who are
Indians/Indian origin/married to Indians are invited to join this very
special organization. To get in touch with us please send an email
to our group site annapoorna-club@googlegroups.com or call our
President Urvashi Mehta at 01225413434 or our treasurer Renuka at
01003309229
THE TREE LOVERS ASSOCIATION (TLA) The Tree Lovers Association
is an environmental NGO focusing on nature conversation and
propagation. Tree Lovers Association invites all nature lovers to discover
Maadi by getting to know its trees. Join us on our 36 annual Tree Walk
Friday May 4th 2018 at 9.30am.. For more information email: zeitouns@
gmail.com
TOASTMASTERS Toastmasters can help you improve your public
speaking and leadership skills. There you practice delivering speeches,
receiving and giving constructive feedback, time management and
leading meetings. For more information about Cairo Professional
Toastmasters Club, visit http://cairotoastmasters.org or contact Ahmed
Samir on 01019586501/ ahmedsamir.tm@gmail.com or Mohamed
Zamzam on 01005249195/ zamzam._.mohamed@hotmail.com.
TURKISH SPEAKING LADIES COFFEE MORNING Meets every
month, open to all Nationalities (Turkish Speaking). For more
information please contact Nidal El Beheiry at kahireturkcegrubu@
yahoo.com
WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF CAIRO Welcome all English speaking
women. For information a schedule of events please contact the WA
Center at 11 Yehia Ibrahim St., Zamalek, Cairo Tele: 27364187, mobile
01006319888. Or email WAC@intouch.com
WOMEN’S GROUP FOR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, CAIRO
The Women’s Group now meets on the full moon each month.
We use the energy of the full moon for illumination. We discuss
www.livinginegypt.org

Entertainment Community Announcements
& Recreation
All Around Town
the astrological trends of the day, and do a group meditation as
well as setting an intention for ourselves. Our purpose in gathering
is for our own spiritual growth but we come together to assist
each other in our journey. For more information contact Leslie at
womensgroupforhealth@yahoo.com
WOW - WOMEN OF THE WORLD We are a diverse group of women
with one thing in common - a strong interest in new people and
unique experiences! Our activities include: coffee morning meetings,
out-to-lunch day trips and holiday parties, special interest groups
(Canasta, Bunko, crafts...), travel opportunities and evening social
events. Join the fun! Expand YOUR world with WOW! For more
information email us at wowcairo@gmail.com.
CHARITIES, VOLUNTEERING AND SUPPORT GROUPS
AA IN CAIRO AA meetings schedule - Women’s meeting: Sunday,
5:45-6:45, 8A;Road 10 Maadi, Monday 7:30-8:30 pm, Tuesday 6-7 pm,
Wednesday 7:30-8:30 pm, Thursday 7:45-8:45pm Kasr El Maadi Hospital
Corniche. Friday 2-3 pm, St. Joseph’s Church Zamalek. For more
information check www.aaegypt.org on meetings in other parts of
Egypt, Al-Anon contacts and AA contacts.
African Hope Learning Centre An English Speaking school for
Refugees in Maadi needs help with volunteers. All sorts of possibilities
from tutoring to running special programs to mentoring teachers or
fundraising. No previous experience necessary, just a willingness to
help. Please contact africanhopelc@gmail.com. More information is
available on our website (www.africanhopelc.com).
BETTER WORLD FOUNDATION We are a local NGO that helps
empower Egyptian youth to impact their communities through intercultural
exchange and education. We are in need of native foreign
language speakers volunteers. For further information please visit the
website http://www.bwngo.org/ or email info@bwngo.org
CARITAS - EGYPT THE “OASIS OF HOPE” CENTER Our center
provides free counseling and rehabilitative services to drug addicts
through the assistance of a dedicated professional team. If anyone
is interested in volunteering or is qualified professionally in drug
addiction/rehabilitation issues and would like to offer their services,
visit our website www.caritas-egypt.org or email us at cariteg@link.net.
Egyptian Advance Society for Persons with Autism and
Other Disabilities The Egyptian Advance Society for Persons with
Autism and Other Disabilities, is looking for enthusiastic volunteers to
help in the daily program, the Saturday Recreational Club, and a variety
of areas for our Autism Awareness Month activities and events. We also
need volunteers who enjoy being creative and working with the public.
Block 14 Marshall Ahmed Ismael St., New Cairo 5th Settlement Nergess
Services Area, Beside Capital School, E-mail: contactus@advance-society.
org, www.advance-society.org, Mobile: +202/ 01068809234, Whatsapp:
+202/ 01006080788
EMRO The Egyptian Mau Rescue Organization - This is a non profit,
charitable, animal organization rescuing indigenous native spotted
Mau cats, and offering these for local and international adoptions.
Please help through adoption, donations, sponsorship or volunteering
of time. EMRO Office & Veterinary Clinic - Villa 11, El Togarayeen City, El
Mokattam, Cairo. Tel: 25076946 or 01507157525 www.emaurescue.org
- info@emaurescue.org
FRIENDS OF CHILDREN WITH CANCER The wards for the poorest
of the poor have beds for 80 children from all over Egypt who look
forward to our visits. We offer them time, comfort, encouragement,
and gifts we can provide. Items needed for donations are coloring
books, crayons, notebooks & pens, flight bags, playing cards, baseball
caps, stuffed animals, bubbles, small trucks or cars, dolls, or anything
that is appropriate for children from 1-18 years of age. Please contact
Susie 01222105835 or 2358-5627.
HADARET SAKKARA Our organization helps the numerous child
rubbish collectors we often see sifting through Cairo’s streets. There is
an economic pressure on these children to work rather than to attend
school regularly. We are looking for volunteers to teach or to prepare
food and also for donations of any kind. For more information please
contact Dr Luciano Verdoscia 01227782305, email luver56@hotmail.com
I.A.F. Information for partners of foreign nationality. I.A.F. supplies
information for women who wish to marry or are married to
Egyptian men. I.A.F. answers questions on family rights, visas, working
permits, marriage contracts and marriage, safety for children and
immigration, hate and racism, women and sexual discrimination etc.
Address: 2-4 Ludolfusstrasse 60487 Frankfurt a.M. Germany Telphone:
0497075087/7075088
RESALET NOUR ALA NOUR NGO We are a non profitable
organization that helps the underprivileged all over Egypt and our
work is based fully on donations. For more information about what we
do visit www.rn3n.org or call 01228602602.
S.P.A.R.E Society for the Protection of Animal Rights in Egypt
(S.P.A.R.E.) is a charitable organization dedicated to improving the
lives of animals in Egypt through education and awareness. While
we no longer operate an animal shelter, we are happy to offer advice
to fellow animal lovers as well as provide medical care to strays and
owned animals. For more information contact Amina Abaza (0122 316
2913) www.sparelives.org
THE JOINT RELIEF MINISTRY (JRM) We offer cleaner, baby sitter,
domestic helper, a program striving to assist refugees and displaced
people in Cairo to meet the challenges of life here. We have a basic
skill training program equipping people for domestic help. Please call
Amira- 27364836 or 27364837
VISIT CHILDREN WITH CANCER If anyone would like to join a group
of ladies and bring a smile to those children in hospital for cancer
treatment, then please join us on Thursday mornings leaving Maadi at
9.00am returning around 12.30pm. There are 25 children in the ward
aged from babies to 18. We need 25 juices, some small gifts, soft toys,
cards, puzzles, caps and toiletries for boys and girls. Transport from Maadi
provided. For further details please contact Jane on 01002760003.
RELIGIOUS SERVICES
HELIOPOLIS COMMUNITY CHURCH An International and
Interdenominational English language church where people from
over 25 countries meet to worship. Located at St Michael’s Anglican
Church, 10 Seti St, our weekly worship service starts at 9am (including
children’s classes). Seti ST (City St) is just off Baghdad St in Korba,
Heliopolis. For more information, please call +02 2414-2409, email to
hccCairo@gmail.com or visit our website www.hccCairo.com.
Holy Family Roman Catholic Church in Maadi 55 Road 15,
Maadi, Egypt. Tel.: 2358-2004. Weekend Masses: Friday: 9 am (English
with Tagalog hymns), 7 pm (English/Korean). Saturday: 10:30am
(Italian in chapel), 5:30pm (English), 6:45pm (French). Sunday: 8:00 am
(French), 11:00 am (Sudanese), 5:00 pm (Spanish), 6:15 pm (English).
MAADI COMMUNITY CHURCH An oasis for refuge and renewal.....
where the nations gather for worship. Over 40 different countries
and many denominations come to together on the weekend at the
corner of Port Said & Rd 17 on the grounds of St. John the Baptist
Church. Come join us Fridays from 2:30-4:00pm (Africa Live) and from
5:00-6:15pm Visit our website (www.maadichurch.com) for more
information. You can also contact us by phone at 23592755 or by
email at reception@maadichurch.net.
ST. ANDREW’S UNITED CHURCH OF CAIRO St. Andrew’s is
an international, interdenominational congregation in the heart
of Cairo. We invite you to join us for worship and fellowship on
Fridays at 10:00 AM (year-round). If interested in volunteering with
refugees and displaced persons at StARS, please call (02)25759451.
For more information, please call 01276666843, email pastor@
standrewschurchcairo.com, or visit www.standrewschurchcairo.com. St.
Andrew’s is located above the Nasser Metro station at 38, 26 July Street.
SAINT MARY’S COPTIC ORTHODOX CHURCH Our church carries
out lots of charity work please come and give us a hand Coptic
Orthodox Holy Mass in English. Saint Mary’s Coptic Orthodox Church
(Ard El Golf, Heliopolis, Shams Iddeen Il Zahabi Street), 8.00 am to 9.30
am (Communion served to Orthodox). Followed by Bible Study in
English, third Saturday of Each Month. All are Welcome! Please bring
others! Snacks and Drinks served. For more information contact Father
Youssef (Phone & Text: 01223476343, Email: morgantour@hotmail.com
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS (LDS)
holds services on Fridays at 9:00AM in Maadi #21 Road 17. For more
information please call 01000767392
THE CHURCH OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST, MAADI We are “A
Spiritual home away from home” -- a welcoming international Church
with three congregations in the Anglican tradition. Come to an
English–speaking service at 10 AM Fridays with Nursery and Church
School; or, our Contemplative Prayer service with beautiful Taizé music
on Thursdays at 6.30 PM (Sept. to May). We offer Home Groups, youth
groups, and courses on exploring the Christian faith. Call Rev. Michael
Dobson on +20 127 0220993 or email stjohnsmaadicairo@gmail.com.
We are at the corner of Road 17 and Port Said Rd in Maadi. Website:
www.maadichurch.org and Facebook.
The above is for informational purposes only. CSA accepts no liability for any of the services advertised throughout the
magazine. For changes or additions to Community Announcements please contact editor@livinginegypt.org
September 19 CSA 93

VALUE CARD
Working Together to Serve You Better
Apply now and start enjoying 60+
benefits & discounts* from select partners!
15% discount on food and
beverage, Pastry Store, weekend
rooms nights, Day Use, laundry
and dry cleaning services
15% discount oon OAK Grill and
Kamala (excluding alcohol) and
on Spa treatments
Upgrade (upon availability),
15% discount on the room rates
and laundry services and free
welcome drink, Tea & Coffee
maker, fruit platter and daily
water bottle
VIP Treatment with Express
Check-in, VIP Welcome Drink and
in-room Fruit Basket, upgrade to
next room category (upon hotel
availability) and 10% discount on
Limousine transfer, Spa treatment
and the Diving Center
Upgrade (upon availability), 15%
discount on room rates and
laundry services, free welcome
drink, fruit platter and daily water
bottle and free entrance of Aqua
Park
15% discount on Royal Club
rooms, Romanov and on Resense
Spa treatments and 10%
discount on Deluxe rooms and
at Lucca, Yana Thai & Bab Al Qasr
Levantine Restaurants
30% discount in all DHL locations
Maadi Branch
20% discount on Travel Insurance
and 10% discount on Car, Personal
Accident and Home Insurance
10% discount on outpatient
consultations & emergency
services, all in patient &
outpatient services (excluding
some services and offers) and
ICU accommodation
20% discount on the total bill
(with exceptions) for card holders
and their dependents
20% discount on food & soft
drinks valid starting noon till
midnight
20% discount on outpatient
consultations, labs and imaging
services and accommodation
in case of medical or surgical
interventions
10% discount on food and
beverage and 5% discount on
delivery orders over LE700
20% discount on all breakfast and
main menu items
15% discount on all
maintenance services
10% discount on all services
15% discount on imported
products (Accessories and
Furniture) and 25% discount on
locally manufactured products
15% Discount in the restaurant
15% discount on local
move and 5% discount on
international move
10% discount on all services
20% discount every first
Saturday of the month
10% discount for groups of 4+
12% discount for walk-in customers
15% discount on all services
except for the vaccines
30% discount on room rates
* Card holders have to show their valid CSA value card to get the discount.
* Details, contact information, Terms & Conditions and taxing information on the offers are available at http://valuecard.livinginegypt.org/

20% discount on all catering
services
5% discount on all services
10% discount on body shaping
cavitation and radio frequency
(RF) services
10% discount on all services
15% discount on all services
10% discount on all menu items
10% discount on fabrics,
furniture making and upholstery
20% discount on all menu items
10% discount on online shopping
for www.amenmisr.com
10% discount on classes and
events (except private services or
courses by outside partners)
20% discount for expats and
10% discount for Egyptians on
lab tests in the Maadi (Road 9)
branch
15% discount on Ariaf’s
products and 5% discount on all
other products
10% discount on all the lab tests
that cost less than LE500
10% discount on all purchases
above LE500
15% discount on all services
10% discount on select procedures,
consultations and programs
7% discount on the Best
Available Rate.
2 complimentary tickets with the
first purchase from the Nile Taxi app
5% Discount on all Greek
designers
10% discount on all products
10% discount on all services
10% discount on services
30% discount on postgraduate
degrees and professional courses
10% Discount on car rentals
with a driver and airport transfers
in addition to a free day rental
after completing 7 days of rental
Free consultation and 10%
discount on all procedures
5% discount on products
25% discounts on the green fees
15% discount on purchases above
LE1000 and two complimentary
jewelry maintenances
20% discount on the
commission for any rental,
buying, resale services and 0%
commission on new projects
20% discount on all services
Advertising
Upgrade to A4 size ads and
1 extra week on 1 month at
the CSA Bulletin Board and an
additional 50 flyers for flyers
service at CSA Reception
Complimentary Spinning and
Pilates class credit on purchasing
a Group Fitness class card, one
complimentary Group Fitness
class and one walk-in on 10
Spinning or Pilates packages and
two Group Fitness classes and
one walk-in on 20 Spinning or
Pilates packages
5% discount on classes
Programs
Discount occasionally once
minimum is achieved
5% discount for purchases
above LE1000
5% discount on massages
Interested in offering benefits to our value card holders? Email valuecard@livinginegypt.org
To apply and learn more, visit the CSA front desk or go to http://valuecard.livinginegypt.org/
Sponsored by
CSA - Community Services Association, #4 Road 21 Maadi Cairo, Tel: +20 (02) 23585284 / 23580754 www.livinginegypt.org

SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
Cook's Day Off
9.00am-2.00pm
Art Exhibition
Personal Art Collection
1 2
3
Cook's Day Off
9.00am-2.00pm
Chevrolet Equinox exhibition
Medieval Cairo walking tour
9.00am-2.0pm
8 9
10
Cook's Day Off
9.00am-2.00pm
Showroom
Khan Touloun
Akhenaton, the Rebel Pharaoh
Free Talk
12.00pm-2.00pm
15 16
17
Cook's Day Off
9.00am-2.00pm
Showroom
MIM
Egyptian cooking and Dinner
(Evening)
6.00pm-8.30pm
22 23
24
Cook's Day Off
9.00am-2.00pm
Showroom
El Patio Furniture and Home Accessories
Manial Palace, Om Koulthoum
Museum and Gold Island with
Nile Taxi
9.00am-2.30pm
29
30

Entertainment & CSA Recreation
Calendar
September 2019
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
Friday / Saturday
6
Cook's Day Off
9.00am-2.00pm
Farmers Market
10.00am-2.00pm
Thai Buffet
12.00pm
4 5
Cook's Day Off 9.00am-2.00pm
Farmers Market 10.00am-2.00pm
13
Welcome Party
1.00pm-9.00pm
7
Indian cooking and Lunch- The
delicious art of cooking street food
10.00am-1.00pm
CSA Book Fair 9.00am-4.00pm
Manastra Local Market for tailored
furniture 9.00am-2.00pm
11 12
Cook's Day Off 9.00am-2.00pm
20
14
Dahshur – the Inside of the bent
pyramid and Ka Pyramid
Lunch at countryside restaurant
9.00am-2.30pm
Farmers Market 10.00am-2.00pm
Abdeen Palace Museum and the Museum
of Islamic fine arts
9.00am-2.30pm
18 19
27
Cook's Day Off
9.00am-2.00pm
Farmers Market
10.00am-2.00pm
Garden Bazaar
9.00am-4.00pm
25 26
Egyptian Museum
of Antiquities and
Lunch on the
Nile at the Yacht Club
9.00am–2.30pm
21
28
CSA Events
Trips/Tours
Arts/Lifestyle
Cooking