Bad attitude

I've been in a bad mood about Egypt recently. I have had little tolerance for the annoying little things that happen that are a part of living in another culture. I know this is a form of culture shock that ebbs and flows. But right now I am in the middle of it.

First, we had an annoying experience on our otherwise fantastic beach trip to Ain Sokhna on the Red Sea coast with our friends. The hotel staff on three separate occasions made annoying little "behind our back but right in front of us" comments about the composition of our family. First it was the ubiquitous and exaggerated "Izzay??" (meaning How?!?!) by the front desk staff while gawking and pointing at Maya. Then later a gardener shouted: "Where'd they get that black girl from?" And at dinner a member of the waitstaff said: "It's not natural" while pointing at Maya.

We are used to the comments by Egyptians. We get them all the time. And I am used to being in that bizarre world where people think they can talk in Arabic in front of me because I look western and I won't understand, but then I do understand. But to have it come from staff at a very nice 4-star hotel when I was trying to take a vacation. Well, it was too much.

When we checked out of the hotel, we asked to speak to the manager to make a complaint. But they refused to get the manager, claiming the manager was on vacation. When we complained to the assistant deputy front desk manager, he just didn't seem to see the problem. Didn't apologise. Nothing. Well, some of the other front desk clerks were smirking under their breath, and the guy did offer to let us write a formal complaint which he assured us he would give to the manager. Yeah right! We didn't bother.

It makes me sad because, other than the generally rude and intolerant staff at the hotel, we had such a nice time at the beach, which is only a 90ish minute drive from Cairo. Clearly we will not be staying at this particular hotel again. There is another hotel in the same compound, although I think the two are somehow connected. Maybe we will try the other hotel next time, and hope it is better. Although I may warn them in advance that I expect their staff to keep the comments about our family to themselves.

OK, but this is not the only annoyance we have had recently. Another is that Maya got an easel for her birthday. It is a nice wood easel that is made in Egypt. The same day we gave it to her, Maya tipped it over and one of the two top hinges fell off. When I looked at it I saw that the side of the hinge that fell off had been glued on, but not secured by screw like the other hinge. It seemed that during assembly, the workers had run out of screws, so just decided to glue the other hinge. Why?!?!?! That is just so frustrating.

And when we ordered the bouncy castle for Maya's birthday, we carefully selected it out of a catalogue. We wanted a bouncy with a slide and a tunnel, and the one we picked looked really bright and cheery. What came was a totally different, and pretty grungy, bouncy castle. Not the end of the world. But just, well, annoying. And then there was this crazy party the other night that I called the police on.

The thing is, these things happen in Egypt. And normally I just go with the flow and don't get bothered by it. But recently this kind of stuff has been really getting to me, and little things have been bothering me (like the stupid bouncy castle thing which is really just silly to complain about). I guess I know I could be affected by culture shock just like anyone else. But we've been in the region for 8 consecutive years, plus more years as students before that. I had thought that I should really be over this kind of stuff. But somehow, it is bothering me now. I think it is time for a vacation!!