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This is where you stick random tidbits of information about yourself.
Age 23, living in sin in Twickenham with Cheesy
Likes
Movies
Books
Writing
Theatre
Hugs
Kittens
Chess
Scrabble (mostly beating Cheesy's butt)
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Dislikes
Vegetables
Arguments
Cleaning
Trashy TV
Pretensions
Public Transport
Pets
Rabbits-Bambi, Fern, Sooty, Pippa-all deceased
Dog-Sammy-deceased :(
Fish-CatFlap-recently (and finally!) deceased
Cat-Tiggy-still scratching
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Technically Rachel
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Tuesday, September 05, 2006
I finally saw a lizard today. Woohoo! So far this country seems to be made up entirely of kittens and birds that make miaow noises. And two spiders. (Dammit!) Oh and flies. Lots of frickin flies that like my face. Yuck.
Kittens are quite frustrating. They re tiny and adorable and cute, but wild and riddled with fleas and ringworm. So no picking up the cuddly wuddly thing. Rather against my nature.
Had an interesting but frustrating weekend. Made the initial mistake of walking to the Menara Gardens around midday. Half way there and Noel Coward’s “Mad Dogs & Englishman” was ringing in the back of my head. Too hot and all the trees are short arses in this country i.e. no shade. The other mistake I made as well was going by myself. It seems an Englishwoman alone in the streets is an immediate invitation to conversation. Only from men of course. On mopeds. Fun. Thankfully with most of them claiming only to speak English is a good deterrent. Walking back I ended up accompanied by two “students” (who knows?!) who were pleasant to chat with but they asked lots of questions and lost interest when I claimed to have a fiancée. Still wanted my frickin email though.
I suppose it’s something to get used to and to learn to deal with. To indicate that just cause I’m western doesn’t automatically mean I’m a slut looking for a good time. The last thing I want is to be rude and offend any locals who are just trying to be friendly and practice their English – but neither do I want to encourage any of them who might have less than wholesome motives. It’s a sinister friendliness that comes from strangers on the street – to reject it seems rude and well… Western. Something you want to fight. Most of them, particularly in the Medina, are trying to con you into shops or to find a way of getting money out of you. You have to learn to be firm and polite at the same time.
The realization that alone I would face constant interrogation was a depressing one. I had to wait for other co-workers to go to The Medina before I was willing to. I find when I’m with other men, I get no attention whatsoever. The beeline is made straight for the bloke and not as often. Alone I would get twice as many approaches. My first weekend I wasn’t willing to deal with that. As someone who loves roaming and wandering about by myself, this is torture. I know the longer I’m here the more I will get used to it – I will be able to walk confidently around the Medina and not let it bother me. Covering up I found didn’t make a huge amount of difference – it’s all about who you’re with.
But this is what being in a new culture is all about – adapting to its ways. You cannot fight a new culture, you can only find the best way to fit yourself within it.
9:50 am
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