My two favorite pictures!!

A routine day in the life of Me

I thought I would describe a day in my life so far here in Cairo, seeing as I haven't updated very often.

My day usually begins around 9 A.M. when I get up and get ready for work. After the alarm goes ff, I stretch, and begin to open my window. Every day, without fail, I get to stare at the Great Pyramids of Giza before my full on day of routines begin. Once my mind actually settles back to a state of normality, and I have had my shower, I proceed to catch a taxi into the city.

Giza is by metropolitan standards, a suburb. It is roughly a half an hour ride out from 'work' (play) and is usually quite pleasant. 4/5 times my Taxi won't try to rip me off (too badly i assume) but there are those days (like) today where they charge you a 'little bit extra' (3 times the price). when such a thing occurs, I politely (rudely) inform them of their mistake (tell them they are flat out wrong) and proceed to gently (forcefully) hand them the correct (still overpriced most likely) amount.

Work at the moment is a small cafe in an area called Zamalek. Along with Maadi, Zamalek is considered to be a world in its own, because the expat community tends to reside (seclude themselves) within. There I spend my days, usually from 11 A.M. until roughly 4-6 PM writing (on facebook), researching, and publishing articles for BikyaMasr. after this time period, I either find myself wandering the sprawling (crippling) metropolitan in search of current events (drama unfolding). At some point, someone (everyone) somewhere (everywhere) is doing something (awesome).

Because of Ramadan, people in Cairo become nocturnal (hungry, cranky and thirsty). Shops close around Iftar (thats 7 PM here Xiomara) and reopened once they have had their celebratory feast. any social gathering I have attended thus far, no matter how minute, and despite my best intentions of finally getting to bed early (1 am), I always end up being awake until well... Early (usually just before Suhoor, which is the meal before the sunrise).

Rinse, Repeat.


Truth be told my days are so full and hectic that the general structure remains somewhat the same, but the experiences vary wildly! Today for example, I attended my first meeting with a language exchange group. sadly I was the only foreigner there, which meant that by and large we spoke in English mainly. on the plus side however, i learnt a great deal more about Islam, Ramadan and what has been happening here during the revolution.

Most of the people there were university graduates; Egyptians graduating from med school, engineers, chemical engineers, commerce and business majors etc. One of my friends from the meeting works with an NGO here in Cairo, providing plumbing, electricity, food and medicine, housing and emotional support. Once my schedule is fully sorted out in regards to work, I will be working with the NGO if possible, volunteering with the homeless kids at least once a week.

the other day, I met this British girl who scored me an interview with her company. it is an English teaching company and it means I will finally be making some bank! I have also had the pleasure of keeping company with an Egyptian girl who happens to know everyone and everything (wild exaggeration I am sure, but she knows a lot!). we spent a good 2-3 days walking around town, attending an Egyptian reggae concert, a Sufi performance, a wicked party and overall just amazing times.

the Expat community here is quite tight knit. everybody seems to know somebody you know, and they all do amazing things here (be it studying at AUC, free-lance journalists, doctors, teachers, you name it). and no matter how much we all may hate Cairo at one point or another, I can say for certainty that we all call this home.


over and out

Quick catch-up!

Cairo so far

Cairo grew on me from day one. Everything I have seen so far are just a plethora of different experiences I have never imagined. I won’t romanticise Cairo because Cairo is far from perfect, but to say that it isn’t a world class city would be a bold faced lie.

Cairo is such a big city, and my experiences have been limited to Zamalek, Abul Hole, and Tahrir which means obviously that I can’t speak for the entire city from personal experience, but I have seen the massive contrast between wealth and poverty. In fact I live in an arguably impoverished neighbourhood. I have been ripped off by taxi drivers, smooth talked by scent merchants, hassled by police and army on check points, bothered by beggars, dealt with fasting, dodged rubbish and the list goes on... but I have also been welcomed to the country, mistaken for an Egyptian (alot), met so many different types of people, been presented with so much opportunity... it’s been great!

As it stands now, I have met so many different and interesting people. Egyptians that study seem to have a certain drive to achieve, and they all do in some ways. As of last night I have taken on board maybe another 2-4 projects (none of which shall be named until I am certain I do it, so as not to disappoint) and hopefully 20-40 new friends.

I finally started my internship with Bikya Masr (www.bikyamasr.com) , and I am looking for a place to study Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I must have spent two hours wandering around lost after work yesterday simply for the sake of walking, and found myself in familiar territory. Like any other city, you cant get lost when you try to do so because eventually you find your way back to civilization at some point.

I urge every European to travel the world and to see some of the Middle East. Stay long enough and you will be surprised to see how many misconceptions regarding Islam you carry subconsciously. The good and bad are found in every race and religion. And in every society there are polar opposites, creating an amazing contrast. Culture is something so fluid, every person that is a part of a society will influence change in the culture.

FYI

its 6:30 AM here, and for the third night in a row I haven't slept before 4-5 AM. We have spent the whole night having awesome conversations both with locals and expats. The feeling is indescribable, except to point out that it is unforgettable. The bonds that are created, the plans that are formed, the opportunities that arise... You won't find anything like it!!! And here I am, waiting for my mid-day interview fr a job, whilst being both extremely tired and inebriated. oh well, all will go as planned.. Inshallah

Cairo Intro

I have been here for three days now, and every day has brought something new and amazing to the plate. The best way to describe how I feel, is to think back of the time when I was a child. Everything is new, exciting. in many ways I am a baby here. Everything is different from the way I have lived; the food, the heat, the traffic, the customs, the language, the people, the lifestyle... three year olds here have a better chance of communicating and making their way around than I do. It is truly an indescribable city and the things I have seen have certainly changed me in some ways.

yet by saying that, to virtually everybody I have met here, this is normal. They don't have the same sense of euphoria and wonder that I have. not surprising obviously, as this is their home, and many of them have lived here their whole lives. I am sure the initial glamour wears off fast enough, but looking through the veil as I have over the last two nights, life is something that is always in motion, and so worth it.

Dubai

So here I am in Dubai, I am so exhausted! Ramadhan has started, which means No smoking, Eating, or Drinking in public. My flight was cancelled and Emirates put me up in their hotel for free along with breakfast and lunch. I TRIED to fast, but I almost passed out of heat exhaustion. The food I believe I could do without eventually, with practice, discipline etc... But water... No way no how.

Dubai has been an interesting experience. I am super weary of offending people and especially here where I am quite out of my league. I have had plenty of experience dealing with Muslims before, but there has never been such a big barrier. For once I am out of MY zone, then there is the language, culture, law... It's not that I am scared in any way, it is that I am afraid of offending somebody simply by trying to be polite. A Muslim woman wearing a full Hijab got into an elevator by herself, and I was not sure I should get in the elevator. Ultimately I pretended to be fully busy and the elevator closed. When in doubt I guess...

oops last call for my flight!!! ciao!

Ooooooh the frustration!!

I have finally left Indonesia, so much has happened that I feel like I should sum them up in brief paragraphs:

Firstly, the Jodie O'Shea Orphanage is an amazing place, they have over 50 children at this point with the youngest being one month old (born there) and the oldest being twenty. many of these kids are abandoned by their parents because they simply could not afford to take care of them, but certain cases show just how evil people can be. the one month old baby they currently have there was dropped off by the mother. The father left the family when he found out his baby would be a girl, and so the mother decided to give it up for adoption. two days before she gave birth she came to stay at the orphanage, and as soon as the child was born and she was fit to walk, she left. Stories such as these truly illustrate the tragedy of the situation for many children in Indonesia, and around the world. Discarding unwanted children based on gender is not an uncommon practice in Asia and parts of Africa. the two biggest things they are lacking are steady volunteers (people who can physically be there with the children a set number of days and hours per week to play and bond with them) and Milk. Aries, a local Muslim woman who spends her day wanting the unwanted tells me it takes roughly 25 liters of milk every time they want to feed the kids calcium. Whilst she would like to give them milk every day, at this point in time she says they can only afford to do so twice a week at best, and many of these kids are very young and in need of vitamins and calcium.


Next on the list is the ACBEP, now changed to the CBEP. the change is simply aesthetic, according to my notary adding 'Amed' to the title would severely limit the work we could do in the future, should we ever choose to move on. Also I am officially not allowed to start a Yayasan in Bali because I don't have a Kitas, and so I must leave the commencement of the project in the hands of those who can. The Notary will still be dealing with me directly, and I will still be consulting with the boys, but as far as being a founder, I need to sit this one out. And to be honest it does not bother me at all. This project isn't about inflating one's ego or acquiring fame, so it doesn't matter


Thirdly, I would like to address all you foreigners who travel to Bali, here is a word of warning... don't be an idiot. The amount of debauchery evident in places like Kuta puts all of you and your countries to shame. the drink driving, no helmets, disrespect to locals and customs, the littering, the drugs, the overall humiliation you bring not only on yourself but on this beautiful island... It has to stop at some point. 1,000 people every year die because of vehicle related accidents in Bali, 450 of which are caused by motorbikes. You get drunk, drive without your helmet, speed down Kuta narrowly avoiding the rest of the traffic (a feat you neither dare perform back home, nor do you possess the skill to do so safely in Bali), bribe cops when caught and then have the audacity to think yourselves innocent when you are caught for drugs? Puuuuhhhhhlease!

Last few days in Bali!!

So I am in my final stretch here in Bali before I arrive in Egypt! life here has been so good, it has  really opened my eyes. I have spent nights n the beach staring at the stars, I have thought a lot about life and what it is I want to do. I have a meeting with a notary on Thursday to discuss how the Amed Children's Basic Education Program will be set up, what needs to be done to make it a legitimate, functioning entity. also today I have managed to set up an encounter with the Jodie O'Shea orphanage so my mother and I can see what it is we can do to help out the children here.

People have been calling me delusional, or too optimistic, so I want to take this opportunity to explain something to everyone who comes across this blog:

You are delusional if you believe that you can't make a difference in the world. Sure, I won't cure cancer. Sure I wont unify the Middle East. Sure, I wont save the planet by myself. But I tell ya, whatever I do, so long as I work towards the betterment of society (that's EVERYONE, not a certain group alone) then I will have contributed a trillion times more than those who don't. Do you ever wonder why the world around you looks bleak and crazy? It's because we are all too fatalistic to realize that we all have a duty to improve the quality of our lives and those around us, as well as the natural environment. We can make all the difference to one or two people, and the more people we help, the more people will be able to help others. so g out there, save a life, plant a tree, teach a child, educate your community, help your neighbor.

Luiz, Over and Out

And now for something more serious

So far it has been four days since I arrived in Bali and my Indonesian has surely trebled! I forgot so much when I left, and I have a lot more to learn before I can actually say with pride: Saya Orang Bali! These four days have been bliss; I went to the Blue Ocean beach and within a half hour two of my good friends showed up, I went clubbing and met some new people, been eating all the food I love, and the list goes on! Maybe I should start at the beginning...

My cousin Lisa is here from the states and loving it. I arrived 1 AM on the 11^th and was up and ready to go by 9 AM next morning. I spent the day on the beach with friends, ate my routine bungkus, showed my cousin around for a bit and then hit town with some friends. The next day was pretty similar; great dinner with those I love, beach, and decided to do a last minute trip with friends to the island of Nusa Penida the very next morning. My god what a cool trip!

Firstly we met up early and took the ferry over from Sanur to Nusa Lembongan, and then we had to rent out a smaller boat to take us to Penida. Once there we rented motorbikes and made our way around parts of the island. we were on a quest to find a waterfall, and in the process we found a service track that ran along the outside of a cliff face. From this track you could see the beautiful and crystal clear ocean filled with manta rays! We had dinner in what seemed to be one of the two Warungs (which makes sense considering that its 99.99% locals). And managed to score cheap arak.

Day two was snorkelling, followed by a lazy day around the hotel. And this is where it gets amazing! The local who helped us sort out our boat ride, bikes, hotel etc.. invited me back to his house for a coffee. I spent a few hours with him as he showed me the island and told me a lot about Nusa Penida and Bali in general I never knew, like the seaweed prices (Rp. 2,500/ Kilo), Price of land, and overall how many people still support Soehartos ‘presidency.’

It was so lovely, Bli Haris is a muslim, married to a Hindu woman, and they have two beautiful kids. Upn greeting his daughter she grabbed my hand and placed her forehead ever so lightly on it, recognising my position as an elder member in that household. I was so moved by it (and now I feel old!). After coffee he took me to buy fish, which his wife prepared for us, along with her own sambal sauce and rice. At the end of it all the hardest thing was to get him to accept a gift from me. it probably took 4 minutes of smiling, 1 minute of insisting and another 2 minutes of pleading for him to take my money.

“it costs me one million Rupiah per year to send one of my children to school” he told me. “Many families have upwards of four children, and that makes it hard for most of them to afford schooling. We stay together as a family, we work hard because we hope one day our children won’t have to.” The tip I gave him; 100,000 Rupiah is roughly 12 USD, a tenth of what he needs to send his child to school that year. “The seaweed prices are low but we have no choice. They then sell it for Rp. 10,000+ to Japan mainly for cosmetics products and food.” I mentioned problems I heard of elsewhere from friends; that the fishermen in Amed haven’t set sail in three months, causing them to go bankrupt. These fishermen live off their hauls, and their boats are simple. They leave every morning before the sun rises and is back by nine or ten in the morning with that day’s catch. “Fishermen today (Amed) can’t find enough to even feed themselves, their livelihoods are being taken away from them by the larger commercial fishing vessels which have been spotted in the area. They overfish the migration routes of many local fish, leaving very few alive. As a result many fishermen have tried their luck elsewhere, finding jobs far away from home or renting out boats to the few tourists in the area.”

The thought of this made me sick. I understand haggling is a ‘sport’ f sorts, where you walk away with a bargain, but really, do we need to scrape off another Rp. 25,000 (10 Kilos of seaweed picked, dried, processed, packed, shipped) off an already cheap as hell pair of sunglasses? Do we do that back home? Are we REALLY being ripped off when we pay triple the local price for a ferry? Can we REALLY compare our $10/hour salaries with their $10 a day??? Who the hell are WE to impose our standards, demean them to the position of porch monkeys, so we can go out, get drunk, do drugs and leave behind a massive ecological footprint?

Even worse are those of us who live here, who enjoy these benefits day to day, who live like kings and have so much. Do WE not owe it to this place to do what we can, to help??? It is here and now that I call on those of you who live/have lived here to do what you can. Last year my good friend Luca de Coney said it perfectly: “What is $100 to us? A night out? New clothes? Jewellery? It’s nothing!” All it is, is a minor, temporary absence of unnecessary luxury goods. To these people, it is one year of schooling for their children. If I put $100 USD per month towards a schooling project, I can put in principle 24 kids per year through school!! Between 4 of us that’s nearly 100 kids (and that includes supplies and the like) so I am taking this opportunity to call on all of you, to tug on your moral strings. It is our moral duty as humans to help those around us. I am hereby announcing the commencement of my Project: The Amed Children’s Basic Education Program. All credit to the idea goes to Luca de Coney and Rhys Gondosapoetro, you guys are great! I hope to work with you on this

The Last Mile

So here I am in Perth, my final day. In twelve hours I will be boarding my plane to Indonesia!! This will be the final leg of my journey to Egypt!

So I left behind Sydney, and it was an amazing time. Sydney is a big city, when compared to Auckland and Perth. There is always something to do, no matter what time of the day or night it is. maybe it is the outsider's glamour, but I felt it is a city you would never get bored in. As is customary for me, I forgot some things there, and didn't get the chance to say hello/goodbye to everybody i wanted. Nevertheless, I spent 3 days with a smile on my face, I practiced Yoga, I walked every day, I picked up rubbish of beaches and walkways... T'was a good week :)

and then there was Perth.... truth be told i haven't really done much here. I came to see my brother, dogs and to relax. plus Perth is a bit of a hole in my opinion...

oh well, wider pastures in 12 hours!

Off the Grid

I decided to go off the grid for a bit whilst in Newcastle. I am here visiting a friend from when I first moved to Sydney. Newcastle is amazing, it’s nice and quiet, and the beach here is awesome! As I write this I am on a beach having a fresh juice and watching the surf. There is something special about Australia, specifically New South Wales, which I just love. I am staying with my friend Paige Haggerston, a beautiful, young and talented woman who has always been so kind and welcoming to me.

People call me naive, but there is nothing wrong in seeing the best in people. And it’s because of that trusting and loving nature in individuals that I can even be here, enjoying the company of people I love. Without the kindness found in hearts of people such as Paige and her family, the world would be a nasty place indeed. Fitting then, that here I am, planning to interview Paige for my latest blog project.

I have decided to start a blog, inspired by my good friend Xiomara, to document my travels (obviously). During one of our frequent online conversations, I shared a fear I have; that this world is in need of heroes. We live in an age riddled with violence, mistrust and preconceived notions of right and wrong. We are told who we are, what we must do, who we have to become... we are encouraged to think for ourselves within pre-set boundaries, but true freedom of the mind and body are limited. Success is measured in capital wealth and end goals. It’s not about whom you ARE, it’s about where you FIT in society. In light of this I wanted to write a book, to document all those amazing people in the world that refuse to conform within anybody’s expectations but their own. They can work within the system, or without. They can be rich or poor, moral or no. They are meant to inspire us, titans of our world; those that have recognised the maze we all traverse day to day, and have either come to understand this maze and move through it thus at their own leisure, and those that refuse to accept the boundaries set before them, traversing through walls as if they never existed.

And so we spoke for hours. The end result was an idea for a blog. Since that night the idea has grown, taken shape and life. What I want to get out of this project is a positive, hopeful perspective on the future. I want to show the world that anything is possible if your mind and body is focused, and your efforts are directed properly. This new blog which I hope will be up and running by next month will hopefully come to be a source of inspiration for the younger generations, showing us we are truly the masters of our own lives and the architects of our success. I cannot take credit for this alone. Working with me are two of my closest friends, people that have helped shape my mind over the last few years; my friends, my mentors, my family. Xiomara Hurni-Craston will be operating from Israel and Daniel Mackisack from Cairo with me. Between the three of us there is nothing we cannot achieve and the same can be said of you.

Intro

quite a few people have been asking me this, and so i should probably write it up.

Why am i doing this?

the last six months have been hard. food lost flavor, life lost taste. i was bored, broke, tired... i couldnt focus on any task other than the mundane and automated; video games, dishes, sleep...

i spent my days reading very little, playing lots of video games, smoking a pack a day and dreaming of something better. then my friend Daniel came back from Egypt and told me all about it! thats when i decided, it was time for me to get the hell outa dodge, and recharge my spirits.

to understand why it seems like a great idea you need to understand how i think. firstly, I grew up surrounded by religions. hindu, catholics, muslims, bhuddists etc... i lived in Indonesia for a great portion of my life, and i love it dearly. there is something about strife that has always attracted me. i feel a great sense of compassion for those that go through real problems, life threatening problems. and i have always felt that it was my duty (as it is everyones duty) to make the world a better place, and to truly understand other peoples suffering. the opportunities presented in Egypt are just too important to pass up right now. on top of a new country, life and culture, it is also an amazing chance for me to hone my writing skills, maybe work as a freelance journalist or writer, gain the life experiences i always wanted and make a difference.

so there it is, my reason for the sudden change. i expect everyone to kick me into action if i start to falter!!

and so it begins

And so it begins. I have left behind Auckland, my old life and all those amazing people i met along the way there. although I am sad to leave them behind, I look forward to seeing those friends i left behind when I left Sydney! only fitting that is my first stop.


Sydney

This is my second day here, everything I loved about this city is still here. The huge sprawling metropolis, the cultural mesh. Today I sat in the bus, two women in front of me were chatting away in Portuguese, a family of Indonesians were telling off their children, and a young Dutch backpacking couple sat behind me arguing the particulars of their next trip. Behind them sat some Spanish speaking tourists and some Germans. from what i could gather, they had met the night before in a drunken stupor and seemed to have made an awesome connection.

I met up with my friend Anaja, whose parents run a Brazilian restaurant. needless to stay i am stuffing my face with all sorts of treats! We spent the day cruising the city and seeing the sights, which was awesome! Now I am off to the city to a live band performance. I am looking forward to my week here!!


Luiz, Out.


p.s. I figure this would make for an interesting experience: leave a comment with an idea of what it is you think I should do whenever I post something. the best/craziest/coolest idea will be tried out i promise (so long as it doesn't mean I get shot/arrested/killed needlesly