21 Things You'll Never Forget About Your Childhood Summers In Egypt

Dad, can I have LE 5 to buy Chipsy downstairs?

1. Learning how to drink soda really, really fast

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Most corner stores made you pay extra if you wanted to keep the glass bottle - so either drink it right there... or pay up!

2. Taking the Superjet to Alexandria

This was a slightly miserable experience but at least there was air condition and snacks. El Shamaidan, anyone?

3. Riding four-wheelers in the desert or on the beach at sunset... or even better, at night!

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4. Sneaking out to smoke shisha with your cousins.

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Smoking shisha as a teenage girl was definitely a no-no with my parents, but the times you could sneak out to do it was THE BEST feeling.

5. Sitting at the nady for hours

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Nearly every Egyptian family has a membership to the nady, or sports club, which gives you access to vast green lawns, gardens, football fields, playgrounds, tennis courts and swimming pools.

6. The first crunchy bite of freshly fried tamiya

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Egyptian tamiya - or falafel - has unbelievable flavor, texture and crispness.

7. Waking up to street vendors screaming "Halawaaaaa Teeeeennnnnn"

In Egypt, street vendors roll their carts up and down the streets selling various fruits and vegetables, and even tamiya mix or benzene. They call out the names of their goods to their potential customers in the high rise apartment buildings.

8. Taking naps

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Egypt is most alive at night, especially in the summer. So taking a nap in the afternoon = very important. Turn on the takiff (air condition), close the blinds and nap until 5 or 6. Then it's party time.

9. Kebab, lemon & pepper, and ketchup-flavored Chipsy

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These were the jam!

10. Being quiet in the taxi

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If the taxi driver hears your non-Egyptian accent he will charge 2x the price.

11. Getting really, really excited when there was anything in English on TV

Even if that meant watching The Sound of Music for the 10th time.

12. Having to walk up the staircase when the power (and elevator) was out.

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Most people live in high rise apartments in Egypt so this is truly a punishment. Our apartment was on the eleventh floor.

13. Getting to go to Hurghada or Sharm el Sheikh for a week or two

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The highlight of the summer! No seriously these places are gorgeous - the snorkeling & diving are world class.

14. Going to the Internet cafe

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To see if any of your friends were on instant messenger. They usually weren't because of the time difference.

15. Finding weird translations in menus, signs, etc.

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It never gets old!

16. Mo'men!

Kind of like the Wendy's/Taco Bell of Egypt. There were fajita sandwiches, Philly cheesesteaks, and my favorite - shish tawook sandwich!

17. The fact that you can get anything delivered

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I personally have never had KFC delivered to my doorstep but the idea of it was amazing.

18. Hearing the same summer hits over and over again

From Hamid El Shari's "Ainy" to Nancy Agram's "Ah w Nos" to that "Wawa" song - you CANNOT run away from Egypt's summer hits. Every. Single. Store. Will. Play. It.

19. Hanging out with a million cousins

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OK, maybe some of these people weren't *really* your cousins - but you did everything together. Walk around the mall, go to the club, play ping pong... sneak out for shisha. They were your summer besties!

20. Walking around and around and around the mall

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And check out cute boys :-O !!!

21. How welcoming, safe and vibrant Egypt was...

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... and still is in a lot of ways. But Egypt has no doubt changed a lot since I was a kid - and I will always hold the beautiful, amazing Misr I grew up with in my heart.