I am about to leave my second homeland and this is the second to last entry I will have to document my experiences here. For awhile I have been longing and yearning for the finer things in life, the luxuries that are so readily available in America and not in Egypt (I’d be a liar if I said Taco Bell and Wal-Mart were not on the list). However, as I near my June departure date, every last piece of me wants to hold on to my journey here and … well, stay longer. In the past few days I have been taking mental notes of the things I will miss about Egypt. Here goes (in no particular order):

• Butchers on every corner of the street … there’s just something about seeing huge, skinned carcasses hanging upside down wherever I go. While I have always been a little disgusted by this, I must say I will miss it.

• Traffic/car rides. I have a love-hate relationship with the traffic in Cairo. While bumper to bumper traffic can be really frustrating, and near death traffic experiences can be SCARY, I am going to miss the adrenaline rush of hopping in a cab to downtown … or anywhere else in Cairo.

• Donkeys. While the majority of people use cars to transport themselves from place to place, a select few from much poorer socioeconomic classes do use donkeys, horses, and sometimes camels. I also love being in a very crowded and traffic congested area and having to stop to let a herd of sheep pass.

• Pyramids. Hello, they’re amazing. And large. And in charge.

• The Nile. Nothing beats dinner at a nice restaurant on a boat on the Nile River – the longest river in the world, and what was once the hub for one of the most ancient and powerful civilizations in the world (and in my opinion – the coolest!).

• Soccer. 

• The food. I mean everything, ranging from salad dishes (zabadi, hommus, baba ghanoush), to stuffed grape leaves, to fattah, to kofta, to Um Ali, Roz bil labin …. just everything. Though my mom and dad are both very capable of making these dishes just as good (and often better), begging them to cook for me takes too much effort.

• Good ol’ Egyptian hospitality – if you ever go to an Egyptian family’s house you will always be offered lots to eat and drink. Prepare to eat … A LOT.

• Delivery. Everywhere in Egypt delivers. Everywhere. And this is wonderful because I do not have a car in Egypt which makes carrying groceries home a pain in the butt. But not really, because I just have them delivered!

• Music. The amazing beats of Egyptian pop music such as Tamer Hosny, Mohamed Hamaki, and Amr Diab make me want to shake my hips like Shakira! Except I look ridiculous doing this and Shakira does not. 

• The Cairo Opera House. I love dressing up to go to the ballet! It makes me feel important.

• Tahrir Square. Tahrir Square is located in downtown Cairo and is the site for parliament, Mogamma (a large government building that is used for a variety of purposes such as visas and passports), The Egyptian Museum, and The American University in Cairo’s old campus (which reminds me of my days as a study abroad student. The memories …). It’s always crowded and lively and to me is very symbolic of my life in Cairo.

• Bargaining. I’m not very good at it but I like to get my sass on in Arabic. 

• Arabic. I have surprised myself with my ability to communicate in Arabic, hold a conversation, and understand the majority of what is being said around me. I hope this does not fade when I move back to the US.

• Fresh fruit and produce. I have to adjust to eating only what is in season (or else it will be impossible to find or cost an arm and a leg), but in season fruits and veggies are delicious … AND CHEAP! They far surpass fruits and veggies bought in the US in cost, flavor, and freshness!

• The gorgeous beaches. The Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea are spectacular. Beautiful. Gorgeous. Just amazing.

Certainly this list does not fully encompass every single thing I will miss about Egypt – that’s near impossible to put in words – but it’s a nice start.

However, one thing I will really miss about Egypt is the fact that the way of life here and the people here are often daily reminders of how privileged I am. How lucky I am to have a home and food, and to live a life that is relatively easy. In a country where the majority of people are living on less than a dollar a day, it is near impossible to forget how truly blessed I am. America has spoiled me, it’s true.

Living in Egypt helps me stay grounded and reminds me of the important things in life. When I watch my bowab (doorman) and his family on a day to day basis, living in a makeshift room under our building with not even the most basic of amenities, and knowing that he struggles day to day to provide for his family, yet he still smiles, it makes the problems in my life disappear. I don’t know what real struggles are.

I am blessed — and this is one of the most important lessons I will take with me in my years to come, an invaluable lesson from my journey in Egypt.

Karema Eldahan is a Middlesboro native living in Egypt. She shares this experience through her monthly column.