My Spanish teachers Alma and Aracely are bubbly, energetic, intelligent, and have been friends and coworkers for nearly a decade. Each day I have four hours and private lessons with Alma in the mornings and two hours of private lessons with Aracely in the afternoons. While the days can be long and grueling, their lighthearted nature and positivity help me push through on days when my brain can’t seem to function right.
Because my lessons are just me and teachers, we converse in Spanish the entire time. Of course, sometimes they explain new vocabulary or grammatical rules, but most often we are putting language into practice through conversations and discussions on a wide range of topics. Through these conversations I have come to learn more about my teachers as well as share aspects of my life with them. Through this process I have also come to understand their perceptions and stereotypes about Americans.
While my Spanish teachers have met a lot of Americans throughout the years who have come to take lessons at Maximo Nivel, those Americans all have the same thing in common: money to travel to Guatemala. In most conversations that we have about Guatemala and/or the U.S. it is clear that my teachers think that Americans are wealthier, more educated, and more individualistic than Guatemalans. While this stereotype certainly fits many Americans, particularly those who study at Maximo, as stereotypes always do, it fails to tell the full story. I also see why my teachers hold these beliefs and agree with some of their assertions. There are significant discrepancies in education, wealth, religion, culture, corruption, and economy between Guatemala and the U.S. however looking at the two in such black-and-white terms as one being “better” than the other (which is often the sense I receive from my teachers though it has never been explicitly said) misses the mark.
A auto stereotype I hold about Americans that has often been reaffirmed when I meet other Americans traveling abroad and/or connect with non-Americans is how ignorant we can be. A large part of this ignorance is influenced by the global reach and attention the U.S. draws that many other countries lack making them less represented in global/national media, news, and education. My experience in the Masters of Global Affairs program in which over 50% of students are international students, has revealed to me how much global awareness I lack and has pushed me to engage more intentionally as a global citizen. The SLA grant and my month in Guatemala has been a great way to practice being a global citizen and I am so grateful for the opportunity to increase my awareness of Guatemala through living with a host family, learning from local teachers, reading Guatemalan texts, visiting historical Mayan landmarks, trying local foods, and more.
Surprisingly, the biggest stereotype I’ve encountered about Americans is that we all love fast food and generally have bad dietary habits and health issues. The eating habits of Americans has been a conversation topic multiple times during dinner with my host mom as well as in class. I can understand this view given that there seem to be very few fast food places in Salamanca, and the ones that are here are American. I would agree that generally, Americans do eat more fast food than the rest of the world. However, this does not automatically mean we are all unhealthy or have overall unhealthy diets.
At the house I am staying at dinners are usually “international” plates. The international take on American food is limited to hamburgers and hot dogs. While it’s true Americans do eat hamburgers and hot dogs, I just wish these dishes didn’t have to be the defining hallmarks of American cuisine, which in reality consists of food from many different cultures and places. Growing up I ate my fair share of cereal, mac and cheese, and yes, hamburgers and hot dogs, but I also remember my family enjoying food like longaniza, pancit, lumpia, chicken adobo, and siapao just as much if not more than “typical American food.” While within my house there was a clear influence from the Filipino side of my family, living in Texas you’re also bound to get exposure to food that has been influenced by Mexico and Latin America.
While I am quick to point out stereotypes about American food, I also have to acknowledge that I had my own assumptions about Spanish food. I honestly thought it would be very similar to the Mexican and Latin American food I had tried in the past. Imagine my surprise when I heard we would be eating a tortilla for dinner and a plate that, to me, was more so reminiscent of a potato omelet was brought out (I’ll post a picture of a tortilla española below). Least to say, I haven’t found the food in Spain very similar to Mexican and Latin American food at all. This incorrect assumption probably came from the information I had about the colonial and language connection between Spain and Latin America.
Stay tuned for more posts! A video about some sites in Salamanca, el convento de las dueñas y el convento de San Esteban is soon to come:)
Right to left: Tortilla española, typical breakfast, churros con chocolate, and tapas. Me encanta comida:)
This Thursday was my last day at the Academy, and I took my final exam and said my goodbyes. After that, I had all of Friday and then traveled Saturday at 4:00 AM, so basically Friday was my last day. And to be honest, it was one of the best days here. I think to do it justice I will have to detail it all through means of a schedule.
First stop of the day: The Ful cart.
Ful is a hearty fava bean dish that is a common breakfast in Egypt, and to begin the day, I went with my uncle and cousin, and we walked to a cart close to my apartment and ate breakfast there. People normally eat ful alongside good hear pita bread and sometimes eggs, with onions as well. A really quintessential start to my last day in Cairo.
Second Stop: The New Capital. Al3assima Alidarraya is the new capital of Cairo. Currently it is just a couple years old, and the president, President ElSisi has begun moving all of the governmental buildings there, and the plan seems to be that people will begin to live there in the next two years. Now, it is pretty empty, but you can see how quickly the capital is building and it is really an incredible experience to witness history in the making.
In the new capital, we visited the new Orthodox Church Cathedral, which is the largest church in the Middle East. What was incredible about this visit in particular was that the Cathedral is still not completely finished, they are still painting all of the icons inside it. So, there is sill tons of scaffolding up, and my family and I were the only people in the church. We were ableto meet and talk with the artist as ell, which was an incredible experience. Also, in the new capital, I saw the new Iconic Tower, which is the tallest building in the continent of Africa, and next to it we drove through the banking and governmental districts. The city is so modern and cutting-edge that it almost has a dystopian feel to it. Below are some pictures showing it, with the first one being the entry gates into the city.
Third Stop: Old Cairo (Masr al Adeema)
To end the day, I visited Old Cairo, also known as Islamic Cairo, which is characterized by some of the most historic parts of the city. It is a heavily religious district, home to many ancient mosques and churches alike, and I was able to visit both. First, we visited an old monastery that we prayed in together. Then, we took this little open air taxi called a “Tok-Tok” to another church, the Church of Mari Gergis, St. George. There I saw St. George’s quarters and even his cell where he was tortured. Finally, we took the Tok-Tok again to a mosque, and my little cousin and I went in to have a look. This was the first time in my life to visit a mosque, as I am not muslim, and it was a very interesting experience.
Overall, I feel like this is the best way to finish my time in Egypt. Within the same day I was able to marvel at both the new age Cairo with all of its development and advancements, and then I was able to appreciate the beautiful Old Cairo with all of its chronicled and rich history. Egypt is truly a gem of the world, characterized by both modernity and antiquity, and I have been able to experience this first-hand this summer. My time in Egypt has really been a life-changing experience, one where I was able to contextualize much of my youth, and even much of who I am as a person. These two months stimulated growth not only in my language, but also in many virtues and other facets of my life, particularly bonds with my family that could never have strengthened like this otherwise. This day showed me a reflection of my life, I should be proud of my heritage, and also excited for all of the incredible possibilities that my future holds, just like how Cairo seems to be growing as well.
Sign-off and Shukran (Thank You)
I want to thank many people for this incredible summer. Firstly, the CSLC and the SLA grant. Everyone in the CSLC has been of tremendous help during this journey, particularly in getting Cairo as my location. I am the only ND student here in Cairo, and am the first student since 2011 to be in Egypt. I worked hard to get this location approved by the University, and I am proud that I kept pushing, and I want to thank everyone at the CSLC for their constant support, particularly Dr. Blad-Miller and Ms. Mary Davis. Secondly, I want to thank the Arabic department and my professors, for they fostered in me the flame of learning this beautiful language, and encouraged my pursuit of summer study through recommendations and such. Thank you Professor Bualuan and Professor Bronson for everything. I am extremely proud to represent both Notre Dame and the Arabic department in Egypt for the first time in 12 years, truly an honor whose worth I realize fully now. And finally, and most importantly, thank you to my family in the States, and particularly my family in Egypt. To my grandma, Teta Hoda thank you. Also to my cousins Youssef and Nada, My aunts Mona and Lola, and uncles Amir and Raja, thank you all for making this the best summer of my life and reminding me what a strong net and loving family God blessed me with. I love you all more than you will ever know and more than you can imagine. I will see you all very soon, mark my words.
There is a saying in Arabic that translates to, “He who drinks from the Nile must return to it.” I have drunk from the Nile, and I have a feeling that Egypt and Cairo lies in my future, and I pray that I return soon.
In my time here in the Mother of the World (ام الدنيا) I have had the pleasure to try some of the best food on the planet, some things for the first time in my life, and others were all-time familiar favorites. This list will identify and briefly explain my top picks during my time. This is not in any particular order, but if one of the items is a particular favorite, I’ll note it in my description.
Qahwa Turkie (Turkish Coffee)
Ironically, one of my favorite foods/ drinks here isn’t even Egyptian in origin, rather it is turkish. Characterized by notes of cardamom and being like a double-esspresso’s older, more mature brother, I normally made myself one cup every day at school, using a special pot called a Kanaka and I would put it on the hot plate. The process took about 8 minutes, which fit perfectly in my 10 minute breaks. Making it with a head of foam (وش) is an art that I eagerly tried to learn by listening attentively to the advice of my professors and some of the other employees. By the end, I was much better at making consistently delicious cups.
Shay (tea)
Like the coffee, shay was an integral part of my time in Egypt. You can truly drink it any time of the day, and I could easily drink two or three cups in a day. I add a little bit of splenda to mine, and keep the bag in it, sip and enjoy.
Teen Shoki
Teen Shoki is prickly pear, a fruit that grows on cacti, and is in season only during the summer. I got lucky! It is delicious, and you can get around 3 of them for 10 guinea, equivalent to about 30 cents USD. This picture shows the most common place to get Teen SHoki, in the street! Here I am with my father where we bought and ate some Teen Shoki and also some Dora (corn) which will be featured later in this list! The fruit in Egypt is next to none, and I really ate tons of it during my time.
Abu Tarek Koshary
Koshary is one of the national dishes of Egypt, and the best place in the world to get it is a restaurant called Abu Tarek. Everyone in Egypt has tried this restaurant and loves it. Now what is koshary? Basically it is a dish combining two types of rice, chickpeas, lentils, lemon, tomato sauce, garlic vinegar, and then you top it off with fried onions. Such a hearty dish, one that I really dream about here, and on top o that, super affordable as well.
Wara2 Enab
Wara2 Enab is grape leaves, and they are stuffed with rice and ground beef then tightly wrapped and steamed. They are only reserved for special occasions because of how time-consuming they are to make, but I really love them.
Manga
The second fruit of the list! Manga, or Mango in English, is one of the best deserts in Egypt. I tried dozens of different types of mangos, and my favorite was one called Saddequa, a very big, sweet and succulent mango that I loved to eat. I normally ate at least one mango a day.
3seer Asab
This is sugar cane juice, and to be honest, it may be my absolute favorite thing on this list. I drank this often in the streets, and absolutely loved it every time. It is so refreshing and I always finish it in less than a minute. Such an incredible item that characterizes my time in Egypt for sure.
Lib soury
Lib soury is sunflower seeds, and in Cairo there are whole stores dedicated to selling roasted seeds. My favorite one was called Noor 3la Noor, and it was a 10 minute walk from my apartment, so I went often and would by a ¼ kilo bag and then it would last for a couple of days between me and my family. I love sunflower seeds.
Tarb
Tarb is basically kofta which is ground beef wrapped with a piece of fat. Super unhealthy, and I only ate it once during my time, but delicious for sure. It had to go on the list because this was the first time I tried something like it.
Ful
Ful! This is possibly the most popular Egyptian dish of them all. A classic, hearty breakfast consisting of fava beans, corn hoil, cumin, salt, pepper, lemon,and onions, you can eat this in the morning in the street, or you can make it at home. Pictured below is when myself and my uncle and cousin went one morning to a ful cart in the street and enjoyed the iconic meal with some pita bread. Delicious and nostalgic for me for sure.
Roz bil laban bil qshta
Roz bil laban is a dessert that is basically rice pudding, and what makes it special in Egypt is that it is traditionally eaten with a cube of qshta on top, which is cream. This was one of my favorite desserts, and also one of the first times I tried qshta, which really enriched the dish as a whole. So tasty.
Feteer Mesheltet
Feteer is a common type of pastry bread that is made of layers of dough and ghee, and then you eat it with condiments, either molasses and tahini for the sweet version, or cheese and tomatoes for the salty version. It is a classical Egyptian breakfast, and is decadent, but very heavy for sure.
3eish balady
3eish balady is the most common type of pita bread in Egypt, and you can find it on every single table with every meal. I bought this regheef (loaf) for 1.5 guinea, equivalent to about 4 cents, and it was delicious, fresh from the oven. There are ovens all over the place, and my grandmother always stocked from a particular one whose taste was the best bread I’ve eaten in my life.
Molkhaiya
Molokhaiya is a green stew/soup made from a certain leaf that grows in Egypt. It is a savoury, kind of slimy dish that is served typically over rice and with chicken and vinegar and onions. This is one of my favorites for sure, an all-time classic that is extremely nostalgic for me. You can also eat it with the 3eish balady.
Tamar (dates)
Tamar is dates in Arabic, and the best type is one called Tamar Soccary from a shop called Abu Auf. This translates to sugar dates, and I would buy a box about every two weeks for my grandmother, who loves dates. We would eat one or two every day together, and they remind me of her now. I love dates because of my grandma.
Shawarma
Shawarma is one o the most well-known arabic dishes in the world, and it is amazing. In egypt, there are many restaurants that specialize in it, but my favorite is a place called Abu Haidar, and from there you can get the shawarma a few ways. Firstly, you can pick between chicken and beef, I always pick beef. Then, you can pick the type of bread. The more traditional type in Egypt is a kaiser roll, but I prefer to get it on 3ish soury, which is Syrian pita bread that is super thin. The sandwich normally consists of the meat, then tahini and pickled carrots or onions. Such an awesome lunch.
Mumbar
Mumbar is a well-known sausage that is basically the intestine of the animal stuffed with rice and meat and then cooked thoroughly. The texture of the skin is very snappy and this is one of the best things to eat in Egypt. I love Mumbar tons.
Hamam Mahshi
Hamam Mahshi is stuffed pigeon, one of the meals that is reserved only for special occasions because it is very difficult to prepare. The meat is dark and tender, and the stuffing is this cracked barley mixture called fereek. I ate it only once during my visit, and it was cooked by my cousin’s Grandma, Aunt Suzie, and it was one of the best hamam mahshi I have eaten in my life. Every time we used to visit Egypt in my childhood, my grandmother would make this for us, and I love it dearly.
Kawar3a
Kawar3a is one of the newerthings I tried on this list, it is beef trotters. It is super gelatinous, and heavy, and I enjoyed it but it’s definitely an acquired taste. NOrmally you eat it either in a soup or on rice with red sauce like this.
Dora
Dora is corn sold in the street. They normally prepare it on a grill and it is an awesome snack to grab on the go. It is super affordable too. There are two types, the white corn and yellow corn, with the yellow corn being sweeter and a little more expensive.
Koshk
Now, this isn’t really a food, moreso a concept in Egypt called a koshk. It is a little open-air market filled with quick snacks like cold drinks and bags of chips, and I love it tons. There is a big koshk culture in Cairo, and you can find one on nearly every corner. I normally get water from these and maybe even a bag of spicy chips if I’m feeling like it.
Overall, the food in Egypt is like no other,and I was able to really enjoy trying new things and eating other things that hold great memories for me. I hope this list gives you an idea of the culture from a slightly different angle!
