The 40 minute bus ride was a luxury compared to the hot and bumpy taxi rides to which we were accustomed. Not only was there air-conditioning, but we were spared from the many questions usually asked by curious drivers. Our teacher had made sure we caught one of the safer and more comfortable city run buses.

In Cairo, people don’t use street signs

It was around sunset, the time where the sun was just in front of us and seemed at its brightest. My classmate and I were on our way to our Arabic teacher’s house in Shobra, one of the poorest areas in Cairo, Egypt. We were watching for signs on the road carefully, because in Cairo, people don’t use street signs.

Upon realizing that we had reached the place our teacher had described, we ran to the front of the bus. She had been waiting for us for over an hour. We had an interesting way of communicating with our teacher. She spoke to us in perfect classical Arabic, while we struggled to come up with even half-coherent sentences. Luckily, it didn’t matter what we said because she had a way of understanding exactly what we wanted to say before we even opened our mouths.

“There is light in our street because of your visit”

“There is light in our street because of your visit,” stated our teacher. She noted that our visit was a rare occasion. My friend and I couldn’t help but notice the many curious glances we kept getting from people on the streets. We walked all the way to her apartment, arm in arm.

We entered the small building and went up the dark and cramped stairwell. There was barely enough space for a bed, much less room for a family of four to sleep. Their living room and kitchen was in the same room. When I asked where her father was, I was told he was down the hall behind a curtain, resting. He had had a stroke a few years ago and was completely paralyzed on one side of his body. This was why my teacher worked from 7 in the morning until 7 at night, yet was still unable to adequately cover the expenses of a doctor.

My friend and I sat on their bed awkwardly, completely unfamiliar with the rules and norms that governed visits in Cairo and utterly humbled by our simple surroundings. Her mother then began to serve dinner. We were overwhelmed by the amount of food she laid out in front of us. She brought out all kinds of dishes- an Egyptian-style pasta dish, bread, salad, baked chicken, pickles, curried eggplants, and a veggie dish. We might have been unfamiliar to the customs of the culture, but we did know that meat and food was a luxury for many. They encouraged us to eat everything and asked for nothing in return except our solemn promise to return soon.

Their hospitality and generosity inspired me and continues to motivate me until today to give to others.