And it's a Long Day, Livin’ in Reseda

Living in Cairo has meant countless dinner parties and nights passed with guitar playing, and me belting out the wrong words while everyone around me is three-part harmonizing to sing a-long songs. My first month here, I got it into my head that we needed to sing Tom Petty’s “Free Falling.” It is the first song every college guy who’s teaching himself to play guitar learns because it’s so simple. I thought it would be a breeze.

Dody tried and failed to master the 3-chords, Ziyad had never heard it and couldn’t get the right tempo. We tried for a half hour before we gave up.

My second week here, I was lucky enough to meet Dody and Ziyad. They were the first to take me on adventures, mock me for thinking I wouldn’t let Cairo drama claim me and are counted among the few who really looked out for me. They’ve been the most under-appreciated friends I’ve had here. Friends I took for granted. Friends who I missed out on too often. Ziyad left in fall, and I missed him, Dody is leaving in a few days, and he too will be missed.

I’ve always been shy about telling people how much of an impact they had on me. But I want to tell someone about them, so I’m telling you. I count the two of them amongst the most important discoveries I have made in Cairo. I still ask Dody questions when I need to put things in perspective, and I think about all the long train and bus rides spent trying to explain to Ziyad American dating terms. Knowing them has made me a better person, and for that I am grateful.

Last night was my final dinner party with these friends, we stayed up singing until 4 am, and I swear this time I was hitting the right notes and everything about the night felt like my world felt eight months ago. It was a really good feeling.

We tried and nailed "Free falling," I guess that's as good of a sign as an it's time to leave.