Merhaba Istanbul Turkey!

Some of you who have been following my Facebook may already know about my super cool New Year Eve gig in Turkey. But the story leading to it started back in November 2013. My fist visit to the beautiful city of Istanbul. 

I have always been wanting to visit Istanbul. Finally when my Sweden study aboard cousin asked me if I would like to meet her for a short trip in Istanbul. I really didn't have any reason to say no! 

Me and Sandy in Istanbul as Sultanas 

My cousin was traveling with 3 other 21 yr-old college students staying in mixed dorm hostel.  I then reached out to Lara, an American dancer in Istanbul.  She soon offered to rent me part of her flat in the heart of Istanbul. I couldn't be happier to stay with a local dancer in Istanbul. It's always interesting to see and learn belly dancing culture in another country. 

Turkish Visa

Upon arrival, based on the nationality you pay different fees with different visa conditions.  As an American you can purchase visa at airport for $20. It grants you multi entrees within 180 days after first entree as long as you don't stay over 90 days per period.

From Ataturk airport there are metros, or buses to take you right into the city center. Very convenient.

Istanbul is significantly cleaner than Cairo. Don't need to jump over random koshk (small stand that sells snacks/drinks or any household needed items), piles of trash and very friendly flies to walk on the streets.  Big plus. 

However, deodorant still hasn't made its popularity in both Turkey and Egypt! 

Lara came with her lovely smile and met me by the tram station.  I spent the next 4.5 days in Istanbul. Visited few famous tourist spots. What a beautiful city. Amazing food! 

I even managed to squeeze in a turkish bath experience.  After I did few research online.  I found this place called Kadirga on TripAdvisor and it seemed to have good reviews
A traditional turkish bath includes a deep scrub then a soap bubble massage.  They basically provide you a deep shower. Nowadays it's just popular among the tourists. Most Turkish ladies I spoke to dont visit the hamam.  
So.... my review about this Kadirga Turkish Bath - don't bother.  It was done by a not so friendly lady in her underwear.  The scrub was mediocre and the message, I was not sure if I actually got one.  I didn't even know when i finished, I kept waiting (hoping...) for something better.  It was definitely a very confusing and unsatisfying experience.  
And most importantly, I found a cockroach in the restroom....!!!   :o

Turkish people offer warm hospitality like the Egyptians. I sure felt so when I went with Lara to her weekend job. The restaurant owner brought tons of mezzas and my cup was never empty!!!  It was like the old golden days when I heard from my dance teacher how restaurants/night clubs used to treat their dancers. 

Last night in town Lara and I ventured out to an area by Taksim with tons of restaurants lining up with small live bands.  People were drinking their raki and dancing dabke. And you get to take picture with waiter that has huge Turkish mustache! 

As I was packing up and getting ready to go back to Cairo, Lara got a phone call inquiring her availability to work on a job over NYE. But she was leaving to the states for winter holidays she had to turn the job down and refer to other dancers. 

I jokingly said to Lara "Me!!!" Then Lara turned to me, and said "Hey! Are you serious? This might work!!"

Oh oh now we planted a seed in my head to dance to Istanbul!!!!

**To Be Continued**

Snow in Cairo?? Believe anything is possible!

No one will ever believe it but it happened!!!

Cairo has been extremely cold the past few days especially for a Southern California girl living in Cairo for the past 3 years! 

I have been freezing my a*s off. I even wore the gloves that my boss gave me to use in London.
Wearing what I had to keep myself warm, I felt absolutely ridiculous in Cairo. 

Just few days ago I was still making fun of my friend Bamboo having leather gloves and a thick coat for the winter. It's KARMA. I thought she was just crazy dreaming she is in Paris.
It's CAIRO that we are talking about. 

Then the unbelievable happened the morning of Dec 13! What's that outside of my window??? 

I know it's just hail. 

Then I started checking Facebook and found many media reporting snow found in Cairo. 

Twitter by AmrElGabry in New Cairo 

Then mountain Sinai Twitter by belharesya

Amazing!!

According to Wikipedia  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User%253AMaxcrc/Countries_without_snowfalls

Cairo experienced its last snowfalls in January 1639 and 10 January 1855! 185 years ago! 

Wow the last 3 years living in Egypt I have seen 2 revolutions, 3 presidents, and now snow in 158 years. 

Snow fell today in Cairo, believe anything is possible! 

Time to get ice cream in the outfit. Yalla we are ready 

Dancing on the Nile: Never Give Up on Your Dreams Part 2

Finally after FULL two days, it’s finally my performance debut on the Nile cruise.

Friday has been a typical demonstration day in Cairo since Jan 2011.  The demonstration on the Friday before my scheduled performance got so out of control, the boat had to cancel Luna’s performance.   So the plan for me to visit and talk to the band was also cancelled.

I guess there was no better definition than "improvisation" to describe my performance that night.

To dance to a live band is really a tricky thing, especially as a western dancer, you rarely get any opportunity to practice with an oriental live band.  The tabala (the Arabic drum) can break or make you!

 

BonBon dancing to Nile Group Live Band 2011

By chance, I had a wonderful Photojournalist from Spain, Maysun, who was writing about dancers in Cairo, decided to follow me that night.  She started taking pictures of me while I was getting ready.  I truly felt like a super star….while I was sitting on my little plastic chair

putting my make up on. ;) 

I was worried about the possible demonstration, so I forced my whole support team to leave early to make sure we wouldn’t be late.  At the end, we arrived a whole 1.5 hours prior to the show?! The staff didn’t even know what to do with me…. It was really against Egyptian nature. 

Before starting the show, the staff came to communicate how the show will go on.  We talked to the band, had “some” idea regarding the music.  There was a photographer.  He would take me around the audiences during my 1^st set to take pictures with them.  I just needed to follow his lead. 

While I was waiting for the boat to sail, there entered an Egyptian wedding party!  I was so excited.  Even though, it was a bit unconventional in the western world to take your wedding to a public place with strangers around. But for them, it’s a fancy setting on the Nile.  

Side not: In Cairo, there are many wedding parties happening nightly over the bridge on Nile River.  

Kasr El Nile Bridge in Cairo.  Photo by Joseph Hill Joseph Hill

So for this family, this is a pretty fancy option, paying $25 to $35 a person to have a nice buffet on the Nile.  Most of the families wouldn’t be able to afford that. 

As we were getting a mixed audiences (some foreigners and some Egyptians) on the boat, the photographer came to tell me; during the photo shoots don’t go close to the Egyptians table.   Sometimes they can get really upset and be aggressive with the dancer….  He further explained, some of them may come to see belly dancing, but they are also fully aware this is a sin (to see half naked dancers), so they don’t want to leave any evidence.  Plus in most Middle Eastern societies, belly dancing is a low class occupation.  If you were from a good class family, you would get enough education not to dispose your body to earn a living. 

The irony: there was also a group of Filipino tourists. 

Opening with the fan veil and a two-piece costume, I thought fan veil is fitting to my Asian descent. Haha  After the taking photos around, the people from the Egyptian wedding party started getting up.  First the bride and groom, then all the women… they just walked out!  Apparently they were upset with a belly dancer's presence??? No one explained to them its a Nile cruise with belly dancing show before they came on the boat??!  

On the other hand, the Filipino group never stopped giving me smiles and support.  At the end, they even came to the table asked me where I was from and "according to them", the BEST Asian dancer they have ever seen.  <3 

I also had two little Egyptian kids were dazzled by my shinning galabeya. 

The little girl just kept getting closer and closer until the other little boy got knocked over by me.  Ops!

Anyways, I couldn’t ask for a more interesting night!!

Watch for the video clip of my performance that night:

http://youtu.be/CgvecAcAkls

Thanks LUNA!!! 

MISSION COMPLETED.  :)

Dancing on the Nile: Never Give Up on Your Dreams Part 1

As you may already know, I gave up my comfortable life in beautiful California to come live in Egypt for belly dancing.

WHAT? CRAZY?  Yes!! I know.  

LOGIC?  What??  How can I let that stop me? ;)

So I ended up in the mist of revolution

But revolution or not, to dance in Cairo there are “few” requirements

Looks and Looks!

You need to be curvy, sexy, and preferably pale skin.  Hair color doesn’t really matter!  

Dance skills?   Great if you got them, but seriously I don’t think it matters as much as the look.  

Just my option and hey! all my dancer friends in Cairo are beautiful and having dance skills!!  :)

As described above, an average size Asian girl like me doesn’t really “fit” into these criteria.  I danced few times, but my “exotic” look didn’t really take me very far. 

I settled and eventually took an executive assistant job in a fashion company to pay for the bills.  Being a starving artist isn’t as much fun when you really have to starve!

Finally my friend Luna who is a very popular talented American dancer here in Cairo, called me on a Thursday night

Luna:  “Hey Bonnie, what are you doing this Sat?”

Me: “Hm, not sure yet, why?”

I thought it might be another costume modelling gigs

Luna: “I got a wedding on Saturday so I can’t dance on the boat that night.  Do you want to dance on the boat for me?”

Me: “….. Can I call you back after 30 mins?”  

hmmm, because I needed to check my super “busy” schedule so I wouldn’t sound too desperate?

Luna: “Sure!”

REALLY??  I get to dance on a Nile Cruise!!  Literally dancing ON NILE with Egyptian live band!! 

So for Saturday night, this was what I needed to prepare for:

A usual routine on a cruise, you have to dance two sets.  

First set you will dance oriental with about 3 songs.  After that, you get about 15 mins break while Tanoura dancers entertaining the guests you will change into something folkloric.  You have the choices of Alexandria Maleya, Saidi and Baladi.  At the end, finale with a drum solo.

You will dance about total of 30 to 40 minutes.  

Phew, lots of work.  And I only had 2 DAYS!!!

I didn’t even have enough time to freak up.  I just had to reply on my last minute procrastination skills and Egyptian “inshallah” (if God willing) attitude. 

To be continued

Sexuality

In Egypt, men and women have clear separated roles and expectations.  

It’s obvious that men have so much more freedom in the society.  

A good woman would cover herself to avoid any attention and indecency.  

As a good man, you can wear anything you like!  Tight jeans and shirts don't even make you gay  :) 

If you are a man, how you dress doesn't determine your decency.   If a woman shows off her skin or hair, she is asking for harassment.  Because you simply just can’t control a man’s sexual desire, so as a woman, you are responsible to behave yourself.   Wow, talking about taking responsibilities! 

Recently a promotion for Ladies Night Out in Cairo, it stated:

“Ladies’ Night seems unfair!  How about Men’s Night?  Oh Right, That’s Every Night in Cairo.”  

Ha.  Couldn't have said it better! 

However among the same gender, they are extremely comfortable with their sexuality. One of my many initial cultural shocks includes seeing many men walking around holding hands.  My very first gig in Egypt, I had the privilege dancing for a Ladies Night.  The event was exclusive to women only.  No photographies or videos were allowed.  I was surprised how Egyptian women were dancing and dressing sexually in front of each other.  They definitely have given "letting the hair down" a whole new meaning!   

Myth or Truth: Egypt is cheap to live!

If you don’t live in Egypt, you probably think this is a cheap country to live.  I once saw a post on a popular expat forum asking people’s options regarding how much is enough to live in Cairo.  Lots of people jumped in and posted their answers.  One of my favorites was “Sky is the limit.”   Haha.  And it is so true!

According to payscale.com updated in April, 2012, annual salary for Bachelor of Business Administration in Egypt can start as low as 19,784LE.  That is asking a college graduate to live with 1,650LE (equivalent of $275) a month.  And many Egyptians can’t even make $100 a month!  You may argue the cost of living in Egypt is so much lower than other places in the world.  But is it really so?

The country is suffering tremendously from inflation.  Many people are struggling to make their ends meet.  It is common that many young adults can’t afford getting married simply they just can’t afford housing on their own.  Base on the cost of living and average income, for many Egyptians, 1LE is like Americans’ $1 or more.  For example, 9LE for one liter of milk is like spending $9 to buy a liter of milk in America.  30LE for 5kg of rice is comparable spending $30 for 5kg of rice in America. 

In Egypt, the places you go depending on your social class and financial ability.  Most of the decent restaurants enforce minimum charge from 75LE to 150LE per person to ensure they have the clienteles that they want.  Sometimes dining at a nice café next to the Nile River, a small bottle of water can cost up to 10LE.  Now think of all these costs in the US dollars.  They do sound outrageous, don’t they?   

After living in Cairo for over a year now, I found many of the things in Egypt cost exactly or even more than I would pay in the United States.  Of course, it’s also because I prefer to live under a certain condition.  I cannot live in a flat without hot water or washing machine (even though it’s almost an unavoidable problem in Egypt).  With 40% import tax that Egyptian government enforces to encourage people using Egyptian made goods, if I ever want anything that’s familiar to me from back home, I am looking at an extremely high price tag.  For example, Listerine Mouth Wash from my beloved Target (how I miss it sooo), a 1.5Lt is about $5.99, and here I would have to pay $15 while the average salary is at least 6 or 7 times less than in the States.  Also with long history of tourism in Egypt, local Egyptians are also costumed charging foreigners higher prices, because they all assume you must have Dollars or Euros.  Foreigners = $$$.  And, yes, compare to most of Egyptians, we really do have much more buying power.   

So yes, sky is the limit!  You can live with 1LE foul sandwiches daily (like $1 bean taco) or you can drink an espresso for 20LE by the Nile, if only if you have the luxury to choose. 

Moral of the story – NO Egypt is not cheap to live!  So either have lots of money with you or just come for a relaxing vacation and enjoy some nice coffee and shisha by the Nile J

Happy 1 Year Anniversary with Egypt... the beginning of a pryramidise journey

A year ago today, I arrived Cairo Airport holding a return ticket departing after two weeks.   But I knew my life wouldn't be the same anymore.   I would no longer have a job to return to.  I would no longer be getting a bi-weekly paycheck to cover my expenses. 

Before I landed Cairo Airport, I was an experienced Revenue Manager at a well-established international hotel chain in the United States.  For many years, as a Revenue Manager, I was busy dealing with numbers, forecasting, calculating and explaining the downturns of the hospitality market.   

As much as I felt blessed having a stable job, I was unsatisfied. 

Therefore, whenever I wasn’t busy killing my brain cells, I had a different identity.   I was a belly dancer with my sparkling fairy alike costumes flying through life. 

I started nurturing the idea of moving to Egypt to expand on belly dancing and cultural exploring but the fear of uncertainties was talking sense in my head.  It wasn’t an easy to change so I decided just to travel for a 10-day long belly dance festival.  After I purchased the ticket for the duration of two weeks, immediately I realized I made a mistake.   I wanted to take a chance.  I wanted a change.  I wanted to break my routine.  I wanted to break my unsatisfying life.   

My heart started imaging the journey.   

The possibilities finally overcame my fear.   I walked to my boss’s office and told him my decision.  He was shock.  He asked me, “are you sure you don’t want to just go and see if you would even like it?”  Yes, but I knew if I keep the job, then for sure I would feel the “need” or “comfort” to return.   

My mom was crying on our way to the airport.  Mom always knew, even I showed her my return ticket telling her that I was only going for two weeks.  She knew… her crazy daughter was about to throw her life away and start a new one... 

So exactly year ago, I came, with a return ticket due home after two weeks. And of course i didn’t go home after two weeks.  I didn’t know anyone.  I didn’t speak any Arabic besides "shokuran" (thank you).  I didn’t find a place to stay until the day before I was supposed to take off.  I called the airline the day of, claiming I was too sick to travel...  (yeah according to my mom, I was sick in the head! so i wasn’t really lying) 

During this past year, Egypt and I both had revolution.  It definitely has been difficult to adjust.   Maybe things will get worse before it can get better.  Taking a leap of faith is an learning path.  Most importantly, we didn’t go on our lives wondering if we could have made the difference in our lives...!

And story continues....