This is David. I met David on the bus from Cairo to St. Katherine’s. His father (who is a bus mechanic in Cairo) and he were traveling to St. Katherine’s for the night as well, to climb a different mountain and just get away for the weekend. Out of any Egyptian in Cairo I met, David spoke the best English; he is 14 years old, full of wit and such a smart young man.
We spoke on the way to St. Katherine’s and then we hung out while we were waiting for our respective buses (his to Cairo, mine to Dahab) yesterday. We talked about green cards, visas, America, how he wants to be a medical doctor and study in the US, love, Egypt culture, marriage and dating (he currently has a girlfriend, but he doesn’t want to get married because “if you get married, you will get a headache, yes most definitely!â€) and a host of other things. He gave me his phone number, his father’s mobile number, his address and hopes that I will find him when I come back to Cairo. I hope I will. He makes many friends with traveling Americans – he said his last friend was a biology scientist from the states.
This is why I love traveling – meeting people from the country I am in. I wish I knew Arabic right now and could carry on more basic conversation with others, but I’ve still met some really wonderful people so far. Thanks for letting me be your friend, David.