Peace Train

Bullet to reality.

Back to Cairo.

Took the 2pm train from Sidi Gaber Station, as opposed to Ramel Station downtown where I debarked from, which is further from my hotel. Sidi Gaber, again, the only Westerner there. I arrived early, you never know in Egypt about schedules and traffic, rather go into my cautious Phileas Fogg mode than find myself stranded in Alex. So, crouched beside a pillar under the covered platform I sat and read, and did my homework for my Quranic Readings class. Then a woman on a bench with her husband, wearing a full black chador with only her eyes visible reached over and tapped me on the shoulder. She wanted to know what I was doing, as she saw I was writing in Arabic. From there began one of the most memorable and endearing conversations with a stranger I've ever had. She was most curious as to my class, if I thought "Islam was good," and if the "Quran was true and real." She seemed sincerely insecure as to the credibility I had in her religion, and was simply shocked I should be learning Arabic or the Quran. Her husband spoke decent English, and he was Egyptian, she was in fact from Medina, which explains the chador. Every now and again the husband had to translate, but fortunately Saudi dialect Arabic is the closest to pure Modern Standard. This woman, Mona, was so sweet, and so kind, but that's not saying enough, anyone can be sweet and kind, I suppose for her I don't know she had ever held a conversation with a Western woman. This was new ground for her. In the span of an hour as we sat, I felt like the world we seal women in chadors was ripped open. I mean, you see a woman in only black, eyes piercing through, she seems untouchable, doesn't she? Other worldly. Unapproachable? And I do think she was reserved, initially especially, but then she opened, she seemed to be smiling, but it wasn't a smile I could have seen anyhow. She began touching my arms and hands and thigh and it was as though she suddenly opened. Humanized.

Train ride was fine. Hailing a cab and honking through Cairo in the 104 degree heat made me realize the beauty of Alex. But, I am glad to be back into my routine here.