Going past Dar Al Fouad Hospital on the microbus this morning, I saw a big blue sign near the parking lot with lots of arabic writing and underneath in big letters the words PEE LOW
I was somewhat surprised - maybe I misread it- so I texted my amigo who was going to be coming up the Mehwar a little later to check it out in case I was mistaken - she saw it too!
What does it mean? Anyone know?
(2) GIRL FROM SHUBRA
Please tell me what this means - it was said to me today on the bus - the money guy jokingly said the fare was $10 and I laughed and said "la, ginayn" and he joked to the other guy "something something Shubra" so I know he was saying I was a girl from Shubra. The last time I heard it said was on the train down to Luxor when 3 guys in my compartment said the italian girl was 'like a girl from Shubra'. I don't think its rude but if someone could clarify I would be truly grateful!!
Posts: 5593 | From: Egypt | Registered: Dec 2005
| IP: Logged |
2- A girl from shubra could mean that you, being a foreigner, know your way around and can't be fooled. Posts: 3219 | From: Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone. | Registered: Nov 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Shanta if you meant one pound then you should have said GENEH not GINAYN , Ginayn means gardens/parks Calling you girl from shubra than he meant that you are local girl and mainly from low class place, as Shubra should be considered , also those from Shubra normally talk in loud voice and use some body language...etc
Posts: 1373 | From: London | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I thought it might have been to mean - PEE LOW to mean below also, but it was at street level, and there was no below....
Posts: 1103 | From: 6th of October | Registered: Jun 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Go take a photo and put it up here so we can contemplate.. Posts: 3219 | From: Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone. | Registered: Nov 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
.... also those from Shubra normally talk in loud voice and use some body language...etc [/QB][/QUOTE] LOL I told you not to shout on the microbus, and wave your arms about. You must creep up to the driver and say, "Let me out!" Posts: 588 | From: an oasis near the pyramids | Registered: Oct 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Shanta: The words PEE LOW , was it in hand writing or was it offical sign writing? if it was hand writiing then it could mean what it says ,, if it was in the official painting then it could be misspelling
Posts: 1373 | From: London | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
Tall and tanned and young and lovely the girl from Ipanema goes walking and when she passes each man she passes goes Aaah!
When she moves it's like a samba that swings so cool and sways so gently that when she passes each man she passes goes Aaah!
Oh - but he watches so sadly How - can he tell her he loves her He - would just give his heart gladly
But each day when she walks to the sea She looks straight ahead not at he
Tall and tanned and young and lovely the girl from Ipanema goes walking and when she passes he smiles but she doesn't see no she doesn't see she just doesn't see...
This is a better one for you Shanta, be the girl from Ipanema!
Posts: 588 | From: an oasis near the pyramids | Registered: Oct 2005
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by south_london_male: Shanta if you meant one pound then you should have said GENEH not GINAYN , Ginayn means gardens/parks Calling you girl from shubra than he meant that you are local girl and mainly from low class place, as Shubra should be considered , also those from Shubra normally talk in loud voice and use some body language...etc
On the buses round here they say GNAYn for 2 guineas bus fare. When I first used to go on the buses I would pay my 2.25, then I would hear Egyptians getting on and heard "GNAY we roba" then I would watch and see them pay 2.25 so I knew I must be not hearing it right. Eventually my ears tuned in so I could here the n at the end. "GNAYn we roba"
Well I wasn't talking loud or using any body langugage coz we were well squashed in - I'll go with the 'local' bit though I'm all class, me
Re the sign it wasn't handwriting it was printed in big letters "PEE LOW". If I remember next time I go past I'll take a photo.
Posts: 5593 | From: Egypt | Registered: Dec 2005
| IP: Logged |
Tall and tan and young and handsome The boy from Ipanema goes walking And when he passes Each girl he passes goes - ah
When he walks He's like a samba That swings so cool and sways so gentle That when he passes each girl He passes goes - ah
Ooh, but I watch him so sadly How can I tell him I love him Yes I would give my heart gladly But each day When he walks to the sea He looks straight ahead, not at me
Tall, and tan, and young and handsome The boy from Ipanema goes walking And when he passes goes - ah
I smile - but he doesn't see (doesn't see) He just doesn't see, he never sees me
Posts: 5593 | From: Egypt | Registered: Dec 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
So it means Pee LOW.. means Pee under the sign not on the sign.. people ( speically in London like to PEE aganist the wall..) in Egypt men Pee on the ground and not high up The words were in English so it meant for none egyptian to direct them for the right way and style to PEE in the street..lol
Posts: 1373 | From: London | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by samaka: .... also those from Shubra normally talk in loud voice and use some body language...etc
LOL I told you not to shout on the microbus, and wave your arms about. You must creep up to the driver and say, "Let me out!"
Yes but on the microbus you CANT (and half the time on the ordinary bus you can't either because the gangway is jampacked) you HAVE to shout if you want to get off!
By the way people its a great way of learning to sound confident in protoArabic - shouting from the back of the bus when you need it to stop - and in case you don't believe me, its a technique I learnt on my CELTA course (teaching English) to help shy speakers get more confident! - we were supposed to play background music very quietly while they were speaking and gradually make it louder and louder until they had to shout to be heard.
Posts: 5593 | From: Egypt | Registered: Dec 2005
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by south_london_male: Calling you girl from shubra than he meant that you are local girl and mainly from low class place, as Shubra should be considered , also those from Shubra normally talk in loud voice and use some body language...etc
If A Certain Friend (Female Very Handy With A Drill ) is reading this - you lived in Shubra for ages - what do you think? Posts: 5593 | From: Egypt | Registered: Dec 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Well I never lived in Shubra in my life and hardly even been there ( only used to visit St Trais - have you been to the famous church there!! if not then you should do-,, any way I can imagine what sort of style the people from Shubra can be , I have dealt with some in real life in my old days and I have to say they are different from the rest of Egypt , Cairo or at least from Maadi where I grew up and used to live
Posts: 1373 | From: London | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Dalida was from Shubra if it makes a difference, Cairo's people have changed ever since the wealth has fallen upon the riffraffs, you'll find the offspring of a butcher from Bulak or Imbaba going to the AUC and graduating with high honors or a famous bellydancer's daughter enrolled at the British International School in Zamalek, while her mother couldn't read or write Arabic, and so on,these people now live in Zayed or 5th. settlement in palaces and huge villas , drive S class and 4 wheel drives like crazy, so nobody is classy in Egypt, from what we see nowadays.
Posts: 3219 | From: Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone. | Registered: Nov 2005
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by south_london_male: Calling you girl from shubra than he meant that you are local girl and mainly from low class place, as Shubra should be considered , also those from Shubra normally talk in loud voice and use some body language...etc
I have met and worked with lots of people from Shubra. Neither of them was low class, or talked loudly and with excessive body language.
Posts: 2803 | Registered: Feb 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
I had to look up Dalida because I hadn't heard of her before.
DZ would you say that the Egyptian Class system is beginning to go the same way as the British one did - with the apparent rise of the meritocracy (though of course nepotism and the "old boys network" still play a big role in certain areas of British life!)
Posts: 5593 | From: Egypt | Registered: Dec 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
LOL VB that makes sense - but I just went flying past on the microbus so didn't notice outlines of missing letters Posts: 5593 | From: Egypt | Registered: Dec 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I still think you should do the samba when you are getting off the microbus, which reminds me that damn song 'Girl from Ipanema' is going round in my head now!
Posts: 588 | From: an oasis near the pyramids | Registered: Oct 2005
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by VanillaBullshit: It means Speed Low without the S or D, notice the outlines of the missing letters Bags.
Classic ROFL
And Shanta I have been using Ana min Shubra for years in all sorts of situations and it always gets a laugh! yes it means you are a real local
Posts: 3809 | From: Paradise | Registered: Mar 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
SQ Egypt was the paradise of foreigners till the early 60's..nothing to be compared with this mess we're seeing around us.
Posts: 3219 | From: Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone. | Registered: Nov 2005
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Shanta Qadeama: LOL VB that makes sense - but I just went flying past on the microbus so didn't notice outlines of missing letters
The microtorture I was in parked in front of MUST Uni for a bit so I was treated to around 15 minutes of lullery.
I guess 'Slow Down' was too ambiguous.
Posts: 2404 | Registered: May 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
Shanta ; you have not heard of Dalida before!!!! this is really shocking for me !! did not you hear HELWA YA BALADI SONG? she was not native egyptian any way and she moved to France where she became one of the idols there ,, Shubra was a community which so many Greek and ARMAN people use to live ,, and main reason for them that Shubra was Christian Geto in Egypt ( not sure about the formal stats now .. but till 80s Shubra was dominated by christians ) and if you know Simon the singer she is from Shubra as well.. any way DALIA: Shubra has many types of locals,, ones were wealth upper class ones , but the majority were representing the lower middle class/ or lower class , and those you can find them in the old B&W egyptian movies.. they are called in arabic WELAD ELBALAD ,, it means they have good values in life and they are the ones who give you good protection if you were female or forigners..etc using loud voice or body language is not something against them,, it is the way the deal in their daily life and it does mean they are low class in bad way ,, same you can talk about those from Alexandria,, the women there in BAHARY area as ANFOUSHY..etc can swear ,, use arms and fingers in talking ,,,etc that does not mean they are bad ,, but they are different from the rest of the egyptian,, When some one call him self in Egypt that I am from Shubra ( despite he is not ) that he means he is SAY3 ( in arabic ) that he can deal with situations and you can not make a fun of him..etc well you have to live Egypt and not just live in Egypt to understand the egyptian culture if you were not egyptian
Posts: 1373 | From: London | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I think in Egypt low class means something different to UK. It more like our working class or salt of the earth people.
Interesting SLM that you compare Anfoushy to Shobra. I love Anfoushy area but to me its very different people to Shobra but that may just be because of the trades they are founded on.
Posts: 3809 | From: Paradise | Registered: Mar 2003
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by south_london_male: well you have to live Egypt and not just live in Egypt to understand the egyptian culture if you were not egyptian
Thank you for the lecture. But what made you think I wasn't aware of those things?
Btw ... mentioning in every other post that you used to live in Maadi, and the area in London where you live, makes it apparent you want to appear more *upper class* then you actually are.
Or maybe it's just something I, as a non-Egyptian, can't relate to. Posts: 2803 | Registered: Feb 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Shanta, my favorite sign of all time was one I saw walking along a very narrow path from Khan el Khalel to the cornishe (before the tunnel) and in a tiny space in between an open shop front and the busy road was a handwritten sign in english
"NO BARK"
Like the tourist-fresh-off-the-boat I was, I looked around for some sort of a guard-dog type of a canine.
Kept walking.
*minutes later, picture the cartoon lightbulb above my head reading... "wait, was that no park, as in No Parking"???*
posted
You are welcome Dalia.. any time for any lecture for you ,, any way I did not say you were not aware of that ,,despite I addressed the beginning of the lecture for you , but I was talking in general for all the none egyptian,, I was not aware any way that you were not egyptian ,, as I hardly give notice to what you say so never noticed your origin before .. any way seem that you are carefully reading all my posts ,, and yes I am proud to be from Maadi ,, but did not say that I am upper class ,, well I am not lower one any way , and upper class /lower class any way means in Egypt some different to Europe as Penny noted ,, but any way you just proved to me that Dalia that you are not aware of the meanings of the class issue in Egypt , as foreigner as you just declared to me .. by the way this is not a lecture unless you think any way have different opinion to you that he lectures you,, and by the way I live in South London as I declare and as my Id says ,, and I believe that does not make upper class in London I think when I used to be for so long in EC1 area ,, that would made me more upper class than I am now any way ,, the whole thing that in Egypt /cairo some areas as different from the others ,, and people of certain areas behaving different from those who live in another area ,, and that what the egyptian call Upper class or lower class.. rather than being rich or poor
Posts: 1373 | From: London | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
There's absolutely nothing "Upper class" about living in south London....many crappy districts there!!! And there are a lot of very "low-class" people living in Clerkenwell, or any other part of EC1..... it's mostly offices anyway!!!
Posts: 4238 | From: USA | Registered: Jul 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
what's funny about the english, south_london_male is that the upper class have no idea how to distiguish between the various economic strata that gather upon the mecca outside of the arab world that is edgeware road
Posts: 2182 | Registered: Oct 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
Sure mamasue there is no upper class in south London and that what I meant ,, I meant if I was trying to say that I am upper class then I would never mention that I live in south London in that case ,, and regarding EC1 area the majority there are not low class at all. I used to live in Rosbery Avenue and there is no offices by the way there ,, may be Amnesty International and one or 2 more offices ,, but it is residential area
Posts: 1373 | From: London | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by ExptinCAI: what's funny about the english, south_london_male is that the upper class have no idea how to distiguish between the various economic strata that gather upon the mecca outside of the arab world that is edgeware road
That reminds me of something that used to puzzle me, I had no idea why so many of my Arab students came from the Edgeware Road in London, I thought it was remarkable until someone told me that all upper-class or successful Arab people live in that district. Posts: 588 | From: an oasis near the pyramids | Registered: Oct 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
guess this is the place to say we passed a nice little shop yesterday, Berfume Balace
-------------------- If you don't learn from your mistakes, there's no sense making them. Posts: 15090 | From: http://www.egyptalk.com/forum/ | Registered: Jul 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I remember laughing to myself the first time I went to the Egyptian consulate's office in London and found it just a few streets behind Harrods. Now that is a truly upper class area
Only the best for our Egyptian friends Posts: 3809 | From: Paradise | Registered: Mar 2003
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by ExptinCAI: Shanta, my favorite sign of all time was one I saw walking along a very narrow path from Khan el Khalel to the cornishe (before the tunnel) and in a tiny space in between an open shop front and the busy road was a handwritten sign in english
"NO BARK"
Like the tourist-fresh-off-the-boat I was, I looked around for some sort of a guard-dog type of a canine.
Kept walking.
*minutes later, picture the cartoon lightbulb above my head reading... "wait, was that no park, as in No Parking"???*
:-)
It was on the menu of one of the coffee shops offering "free barking" for their customers Posts: 33 | From: Cairo, Egypt | Registered: Dec 2002
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Shanta Qadeama: (1) PEE LOW
Going past Dar Al Fouad Hospital on the microbus this morning, I saw a big blue sign near the parking lot with lots of arabic writing and underneath in big letters the words PEE LOW
I was somewhat surprised - maybe I misread it- so I texted my amigo who was going to be coming up the Mehwar a little later to check it out in case I was mistaken - she saw it too!
What does it mean? Anyone know?
It was originally printed "Spee Dlow" and someone sprayed the S and D or scratched them off of the board so it became pee low. I took a picture of the original sign
Posts: 33 | From: Cairo, Egypt | Registered: Dec 2002
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by south_london_male: any way seem that you are carefully reading all my posts ,,
Of course. Like Ayisha, I am stalking you.
quote:Originally posted by south_london_male: but any way you just proved to me that Dalia that you are not aware of the meanings of the class issue in Egypt , as foreigner as you just declared to me ..
Not sure what in my post "proved" to you that I'm not aware of the class issue.
Anyway, as a foreigner you don't have to stick to this system, and that's a good thing imo.
quote:Originally posted by Ayisha: guess this is the place to say we passed a nice little shop yesterday, Berfume Balace
I've seen a Parper Shop the other day. Posts: 2803 | Registered: Feb 2007
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by south_london_male: Shanta if you meant one pound then you should have said GENEH not GINAYN , Ginayn means gardens/parks Calling you girl from shubra than he meant that you are local girl and mainly from low class place, as Shubra should be considered , also those from Shubra normally talk in loud voice and use some body language...etc
could PEE LOW mean FEE LOW, for parking. Meaning it won't cost you to park there, well at least not as much as it would to die there (apparantly that's been happening at a higher rate than average over there)
As for Shubra Girl, what SLM is saying is what I've often thought was the perception of Shubra Girls. I have to say though, I'm not a Cairian, so don't have first hand experience with that. My understanding was always that Shubra Girl in Egypt is somewhat the counterpart of Essex Girl in the UK (without the promiscuity, I think)
Posts: 444 | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
I always thought that it was the boy or guy, rather than girl, from Ipanema. But for some reason I seem to remember it was by Petula Clark, an alien singer. Can't remember which planet she was from, maybe the hideous hair planet, but then those were the seventies, she could be forgiven (and more importantly forgotten!)
Posts: 444 | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
RN - there is 'the girl from Ipanema' song and also 'the boy from Ipanema' - I think Noel Coward might have sung 'the boy' but I also saw it by a number of other female singers eg Ella Fitzgerald on YouTube.
Posts: 5593 | From: Egypt | Registered: Dec 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Get out your white stiletto heeled shoes Shanta and run for the bus , I just read the bit about "Essex girl"
Posts: 588 | From: an oasis near the pyramids | Registered: Oct 2005
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Shanta Qadeama: RN - there is 'the girl from Ipanema' song and also 'the boy from Ipanema' - I think Noel Coward might have sung 'the boy' but I also saw it by a number of other female singers eg Ella Fitzgerald on YouTube.
Thanks for the clarification, you might want to provide further clarfication. what's so special about Ipanema that everybody's singing about it's boys and girls, lol.
Posts: 444 | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by samaka: Get out your white stiletto heeled shoes Shanta and run for the bus , I just read the bit about "Essex girl"
Goodness me, I'm terribly sorry. I hadn't realised that some people might be from Essex around here. Another classic case of fingers acting before brain, I'm mean typing btw. I didn't mean to insult anybody, I was just mentioning it as an English stereotype that would help to bring the notion of a Shubra Girl to the Brits around here.
OK, I'll stand like a toten pole, and you can dish the dirt at me. Repentance, here I come.
Posts: 444 | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I haven't got any white stilletos. Anyway, all my stilletos are in a box in my parents garage seeing as I can't actually walk in any of them
With my boat feet (10 UK, 12 US) and being starved of attractive shoes and having to wear mens shoes to school as a kid - I have a high-heeled shoe fetish on the rare occasions I find any to fit
I miss my FM shoe collection. In my youth when I was slim, I used to have this boyfriend for about 6 weeks who was a slim, gorgeous blond stockbroker, 6ft4" and in my FM shoes and mini dress I was about 6ft2". We used to love posing around together even though he was a fascist pig and a complete retard.
Posts: 5593 | From: Egypt | Registered: Dec 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I asked my colleagues about the Shubra comment today OB and they told me it was an insult and they were calling you common and low class.
I was also then told not to talk about it at work as a colleague of mine originates from there Who I have to say is rather charming and lovely So it could be a stigma thing like we have in the UK...
I can think of at least two other Essex girls on here Posts: 11097 | From: Cairo | Registered: May 2008
| IP: Logged |
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Cool]](cool.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic