Valentine's....in Cairo?

Oh Valentine’s Day, a special day dedicated for lovers to express their love for each other. Valentine’s cards, flowers, big red teddy bears with ‘I love you’ printed all over them are just a few examples of the traditional gifts given on Valentine’s. Apparently 1 billion Valentine’s cards are sent each year all over the world…. more than those sent during Christmas.
Having said this, I find that Valentine’s Day is surprisingly more popular in Cairo than in Atlanta. As I’m sitting here on Starbucks’ balcony, watching the busy city pass me by, I can’t help but notice everyone wearing red and happily celebrating Valentine’s. It seems as though the people of Cairo enjoy Valentine’s Day more than Americans as they are carrying their oversized gifts and walking hand in hand with their ‘special someone’. I am wondering if this is due to the enormous number of people here who are either in relationships or married.
I am somewhat shocked to see how certain aspects of the Western culture have found their way into Cairo, such as this holiday. In a place where so many ideals are criticized from our side of the world, signs of love and therefore its holiday appear to be universal and welcomed here. It’s actually quite nice when I stop to think about it, that no matter where you go or whom you meet, the ways we as people express our love to one another are the same. Maybe we’re not as different as we would like to think.

ANYWAYS.... I have been here for almost one month and still am having apartment issues, sorry to vent about this but it must be done! I have no hot water, heat, washing machine, the list goes on. I knew living here would be a change from some of the comforts of home, but I never imagined sacrificing warm showers. Enough of that, my new roomie Anna will be coming to work with me tomorrow yay! They are offering her a full time job there as my bossman's assistant. Hopefully she will accept, it's a pretty sweet deal with all the traveling involved. Hopefully I will be able to get in on some of it. They are going to Morocco in April for two weeks and I may be accompanying them because they MIGHT run into some Spanish speakers.
Well Happy Valentine's Day and just remember that lovers all over the world are celebrating along with you :)