Nature shock instead of culture shock

Since 1 month Düsseldorf has become the new place called home and I like it here. So easy to find things, GPS actually works and is not blocked by the military, shops are full of bargains for which you don’t have to bargain and last but not least you get everywhere – by bike…

Hence, no negative return culture shock to speak of, however it looks different for my body. It is suffering a severe nature shock and has reacted gravely to the newly regained fresh air.

Living four years in rather sandy areas and one year in an urban Megacity, with no considerable nature to speak of, I suffered a lot of health issues except one thing - hey fever.

Now in clean Germany, no dust and smoke cloud the fauna’s emissions of pollen, seeds and little flying sheep anymore (Cottonwood). They all entered my body and left quickly after in liquid form via nose and eyes. This has become worse and worse every day until I felt like I had a very strong influenza and could not stand it anymore and went to a doctor. He cut right to the chase and suggested Cortison – intravenous (translation: in the ass). This will kill the allergy after 3 days and I won’t have to worry anymore for the next months…Well, that was a good prospect, through an unexpected treatment though, and resistance seemed pointless. Now three days later. It has worked and I can actually see and breathe gain….

Financial crisis arrives or not?

It feels like a strange, way too peacefull vacuum. I am opening Egyptian newspapers, who are praising pages long, that Egypt's banks are completely secured against any risk of bankruptcy, that the strong decline in the stock market will not have any influence on the economy, as it represens such a small share of the financial market and that the great laws and reforms in the recent past made Egypt resilient against global influences.

Then afterwards, I am opening an international newspaper, and read about the bankruptcy of Iceland, about the threat of bankruptcy of so many banks in Europe, and crash after crash of the Japanese stock market, which necessarily will lead the country into recession. Some are even starting to compare the crisis with 1923 and that 16 years later we had a full fledged war going on...

So as a consequence I, as the end user, became suspicious and converted my money into Euro and took it out of the bank... exagerated decision? Lets see. But at least I can hold the money in my hands and dont just look at its digital form on my PC screen. Gives a re-assuring feeling after watching this viedo: http://www.eco-tube.com/v/KNOW/Money_Is_Debt.aspx

Now, only inflation, a natural disaster or humanity can destroy my life security....

Irony in the summer heat

Yes still in Cairo, or at least during the week, as the weekends have been always reserved for activities escaping a bit the heat and smog of the capital.

I want to talk a bit about the new traffic law that has been introduced in Egypt on August 01. Harsh penalties have been implemented for so many things that were normal here before. Driving into a one-way street, driving by night without light, parking in the second, third, or fourth row, not stopping on a red light and not having a first-aid kit - all these things are history now. It seems - on paper - pretty easy to end up in jail for one month, but in reality as everybody confirmed, they have actually only just increased the amount of bribe money you have to pay to the police officer, who stops you.

It sounds all so simple, just go around bribing people, and you have an easy live in Egypt. Me, however, I have not been able to give money to any traffic police so far, and am running for the 6th time after my lost driving license. So how does it work? When do they take it, and when not? Maybe bribing is not allowed for foreigners, maybe there is some kind of unwritten rule about that? Well, maybe I should defend myself now, and say that I find the system wrong, and I should not support it, and be an example. But then, who am I to judge when something is good or wrong in a country? This is not my home country, there are many voices emphasizing that foreigners are supposed to adapt to the new culture and "Do, when in Rome, as the Romans do". And not be the eternal colonialists!

Fine, but then, WHY is nobody accepting my bribe????

One disaster follows the next

Life in Cairo never gets boring. Currently its disaster time. After 2 weeks of intensive rain, the city drowns in water, traffic jams convert the city into one single car park and a thick mud layer covers the streets and pathwalks. I remember three days ago I needed to duplicate a key. The shop being only approximately 7oom away, it seemed like an exciting adventure tour. Jumping over filthy water holes, squeezing around muddy cars and fleeing from the black cold shower by the approaching high speed bus, I finally arrived at the shop. It was was completely encircled by water and I felt like Robinson Crusoe, having reached an island.

Then, since yesterday the underwater communication cable to Egypt is dammaged, which means that internet is down in the whole country. Only priority lines are maintained via another smaller cable and satellite, but it is very slow and now again I am not able to get any emails on my Outlook.

What else. Oh yeah, my cat suddenly starts exploring her territory and comes scaringly close to the street, but well, unless she gets killed its not yet a disaster I guess.

And last but not least, its freaking freezing cold. I have already isolated all windows, bought thick socks and pullovers, but I am still shivering all day. (Imagine, they still switch on the AC in the office!!!) Luckily I am subscribed to a Health Club that provides a 24/7 HOT jaccuzi bath. Now, I should maybe get a water resistant PC and phone and then you know where to find me:)...

Happy Nikolaus

I am getting into a Christmas feeling today, as it is the last day of the week, Nikolaus in Germany, and the whole weekend will be marked by christly activities. Tomorrow a Christmas Bazaar @ the Swiss Club, after a Gloegg Party aka Christmas Party in Swedish Style. Saturday, there is a Christmas Market in one of the big hotels. Apparently this is THE place to be, if you are Christmas Fan. All embassies are selling tickets or 'invitations' if you manage to get through the security. However, on Saturday I might be Christmas tired and rather set off to the desert and get a full load of nothingness, silence and emptiness. Desert became my favourite place and I am stocking up on books about this vast ocean full of potential adventures.

Here a picture of one of the many pyramids on the lesser known spots around Sakkara. A beduin is leading towards the treasures. Sakkara is one entry into the desert and does not show off with big sand dunes, but rather rocky surfaces.

Well, now I slipped away from the subject of Christmas. In any case I realize, how different it is celebrated in Europe. Every country has quiet different customs. Nikolaus in Ireland is celebrated only on the 8th, in the Netherlands Nikolaus is the actual Christmas as I know it from Germany, with presents and all. In Germany, the custom goes that you should clean your shoes on the 5th evening and put them in front of the door. Overnight Nikolaus is coming and based on your effort you get the appropriate reward. In the traditional sense this meant, that blinking shoes would earn a golden shoe brush and dirty shoes only a black shoe brush. These days it is adapted in to a lot of sweets or very few/no sweets... very educational:). Unfortunately, in France this custom is unknown and you just put up a pair of socks, which will be filled. In the UK, these socks come to day light only on the 25th...

Well, and in Egypt: Officially, the whole Christmas thing is only celebrated by the Coptic Community, and that only on the 7th of January. For some reason the 25th is off however, and then again the 7th.... Not that I had a problem with that:).

Egypt Business Network up and kicking.

The Egypt Business Network was initiated by Mohammed Alborno via the online business community Xing. Mohammed recently asked me to be Co-moderator and Organizer of events for this Group. We have currently around 200 members from big international and local companies inside and outside Egypt. In order to make the Network more powerful and create personal relationships - in an otherwise virtual group - the first ever offline meeting will take place next week. I am very curious, where this activity will lead as I have observed a similar Xing group in Dubai that has developed during one year into a huge business community exchange portal, with great sponsorship, big events and loads of interesting activities. The initial organizer there even seems to work fulltime now, as a Regional Manager for this community. Well, not that I am aspiring anything in this direction, but it will be certainly a refreshing addition to the life in Cairo.

If you like to join the group, please visit: https://www.xing.com/net/egypt/

In case you are not member in Xing, let me know and I can invite you.

From the Cairo Airport Lounge

Today I realized that I have pretty much achieved what I often dreamed of during my studies - and that already at the age of 24.... Well, this makes me thoughtfull.


Waiting at the Cairo Airport Lounge, drinking free coffee, a company laptop and -phone in front of me, flying off to Algeria to run some Workshops alone on behalf of my team. And so on it goes... having worked already in so many countries, met so many interesting people as well as the only one I love, had fantastic adventures, and even found a small cat that gives the little bit of extra joy to life....


I guess its time to reflect on all this, put it in perspective.

In what kind of time are we living? Its the age of ever new technology, changing our lives. I could just take a photo with my mobile camera, send it to the pc via bluetooth and then upload it the same second so that everybody with access to the internet is able to see it...and here we talk about some billion people. Also its the age of global ways of working, you need to be connected around the world to do business. Along comes the 'new found' mobile worker, who personifies the office, wherever s/he's coordinates are located. And in this picture of the ideal, super flexible, cosmopolitain employee... we need to fit..... so maybe, the dreams from University seemed so far away, because 6 years ago...life led a slightly different pace. These days, it does not take decades anymore for life styles to change, for corporate mentalities to be overhauled. Maybe what I am experiencing right now, is just a normal professional life, nothing too exotic to be over-excited about?