Saturday 21 August 2010

Cairo Article

The following article was written upon request for El Dustour newspaper:

Cairo

I look down a lot in this country. And I've managed to fix my eyes on a steady nowhere point, somewhere alatool. My journeys to and from engagements are unsmiled and I worry about frown lines; which seems like a double concern. If words from others were truth then I must be a million litres of eshta and a bears' heaven of 3asal. Sometimes I want to stroll, be aimless, glance about me - but I know if I do so that men will be there; in my vista. Sometimes I think it would be lovely to sit on a bench or patch of grass but being Solo is just a loser's Internet name and doesn't exist here. I am now at such a proficiency level of Poker Face I could give tutorials. I have even ignored my own dates. Subjected to sonic assaults from horn honking kerb crawling car drivers and followed at the speed of darkness; a good mood can quickly turn.

After eight months in this country I now notice how tight some bint's pants are. I stare at crotches along with the men. I spot a Maqsum rhythm on a petulant higab girl as she walks down the street. I consider bare calves to be risqué unless it's Zamalek and then who knows I might even smoke on the street.

I have never known so many people ask me if I was married; it even beats the interest from the Greek grandmothers of Ancient Corinth in my fallen youth surged hobo days.

In a NOW city, nostalgia has a paradoxical high altar. 'Wahashteny!', 'I AM WAITING FOR U' (Caps Lock intended). SMS and FB, systems of denial to available meetings. Sex is lusted over but post ejaculation the space is haram filled. When somebody says they are liberal here it is a byword for 'I'll fuck you but I'll marry my cousin'.

I love Cairo. Oh, the L word. Did I mean it? I have a relationship with Cairo that has been beyond the torrid affairs and heartbreak of being a paradigm that some Egyptian male cannot fit into his culturally programmed unconscious. I'm still here. I'm still here drinking Stella in Horreya, I'm still here eating fuul in Kazazz, I'm still here sipping tea at Takei3ba, I'm still here careering in taxis through this dirty, beautiful, crazy city, I'm still here getting sweaty on the Metro, I'm still here beyond repetition of a phrase and unlike the sentence construction I'm not yet worn out. Cairo is at the casino table with me and we are playing our cards pretty even handed.

I'm like Mr Magoo, seeing smiles in the lion's den or maybe there just aren't any real Big Cats, or the jinns are playing tricks. Who knows, it's 1 am and I'm drinkingand as long as this town is good to me I'll keep on its arm.

YES and YES

Hello Beautiful People!

Well, another stretch of time has elapsed since my last post. I have truly stepped into the time paradigm of Cairo and life is as busy as ever. It is hard to describe how it feels timewise to live here and I have tried in previous posts; but essentially one becomes caught up entirely in Cairo. Even if 'nothing' is happening, it is as if everything is happening. My body clock is completely different from England; I go to be late and get up late. I don't go out in the daytime that much but when I do I am always enthralled by the daytime life.

I thought Ramadan would be quiet but I have been running a new course at Diwan, a monologue and short play course privately and also a novel writing workshop as well as my own writing and social situations. I have also been having a rather wild month of satiation.. contrary to the Ramadan situation..

I am now in the process of preparing several new courses to run at Diwan, Darb 1718 and a residential course at Sobek Lodge, Fayoum. And continuing with private students working on their own novels, monologues, plays and other writing.

Arts Residency Cairo is still hosting Marte Kjoell, the dancer. Marte and I make 'affirmations upon the altar' - otherwise recognised as the sofa and so much of what we affirm becomes true. Marte is finally able to practise dance again after a long time healing her foot and so she is shimmying around the studio and kitchen - elhamdulilah :-)

We have been having various 'house pet' situations; the continuation of the ants (which we are OK about), our balcony cat (which we like), a gekko (which we loved but he left us two days ago) and some ughhhhhhh... cockroaches (to whom I wrote a letter requesting them to vacate).

Near future news.... a wonderful, wonderful friend and life coach from England, Susan Vanhinsbergh is due to arrive here next week. So you can expect some details of out of Cairo trips.. maybe even Ethiopia.. Later in the autumn we will be saying hello to several international artists and writers; details to be posted soon.

I have been truly happy to have spent some time these last weeks in the presence of Mamoun Eltlib and Mazin Mustafa; two Sudanese writers of prominence.

Aywa to Cairo, aywa to Life :-))

Monday 2 August 2010

Understanding Venus and Mars in Your Life

4 session course - 2 hours per session
Starting 8th August
7pm to 9pm
(times can be changed during Ramadan)

Women only

Cost: LE 800
at
Massar Lodge,
15B, Road 198, Ground Floor
Degla, Maadi

Course Location, registration & payment at Massar Lodge
Phone: 025175727 or mobile 0109608012

* * *
Venus and Mars are two major planets that affect our relationships and our 'will to act'.
Venus, the goddess of love, reveals much about the way we approach relationships, romance, and love. Learning about Venus can go a long way towards understanding relationships.

The placement of Mars in a natal chart reveals what motivates and energizes individuals, how they express their drive, what they want, and how they go about getting what they want.

* * *

The Course

We will explore the dynamic of these important planets in our lives and how we can empower ourselves through working with their energy.

The sessions will use discussion, guided pathworking (meditation) and various creative mediums and we will also look at several mythological archetypes from various cultures; goddesses such as Aphrodite, Athena and gods such as Aries that can aid us in our understanding.

Places are limited to 10 people and each person will receive a natal chart so that we can look at the individual placement of their Venus and Mars in order to work with it.

* * *

The Facilitator

Linda Cleary is a poet - writer – performer – artist currently running adult creative writing courses in Cairo as well as developing her poetry, writing and performance work.

She began working with theatre as a transformational tool in '89 where she assisted with facilitating a creative writing and psycho-drama course. She then went on to train in '91 at Manchester Polytechnic in Recreational Arts in the Community. This enabled her to successfully set up and run a variety of community courses in creative writing and also theatre; working in Holland, Australia, Spain, UK and the prestigious JAMU academy of performing arts & music in Czech Republic.

Linda has many years of experience working with astrological and archetypal subjects, meditation and spiritual development.