You Know You're in Cairo When...

Just the inaugural post in what's sure to be a long-running series.

• You look both ways when crossing a divided highway because no one drives on the correct side of the road anyway.
• Your 6th graders' Arabic handwriting exams at the Egyptian Ministry are cancelled 3o minutes before they were set to begin... without explanation, of course.
  
• A man and a child are grabbing at you as you walk down the sidewalk and you simultaneously avoid the grasp of each with nary a glance in the direction of either.
• You buy 2.5 lbs. of the most delicious strawberries you've ever tasted for $1.
• A simple smile and "How are you?" makes you wonderful Egyptian friends who do wonderful things for you (ie: make a last minute classroom set of copies or locate a hammer for your by-the-seat-of-your-pants science demo)