"Sorry, I can't....I have a gala...."

A few of you have been giving me a hard time about having a driver and people who do things for me all the time, and say that I'm turning into a princess.......welllllll the following is just going to add some more fuel to the fire, so enjoy.....

Last night I went to a fund-raising gala/charity ball at the British Embassy-- the guy who is in charge of my running club was organizing it, so we were all encouraged to attend. I wasn't planning to go since I don't really know the group that well (read: I haven't been running much lately! Bad, bad bad!) but he convinced me that I should come as his guest, as it would look good for "the cause" (a burn centre in a small town in Upper Egypt) to have a nice "Canadian business woman" there with him (aka, he needed some arm candy). I agreed since I've never been to an embassy party and also, because it was kind of cool to say to my co-workers "oh sorry, I can't go out on Friday, I have a gala at the embassy.."

Before I continue, you need the backstory: So, In Cairo, they have these society magazines that exist for the sole purpose of photographically documenting the social events of Cairo's upper echelon (maybe they have them in Canada too, but obviously I don't belong to the correct echelon!)- at every event there are tons of photographers- who take pictures of everything you do and then ask you to write down your name afterwards-- it's actually sort of annoying....... well, I didn't see it, but our favourite server in the restaurant we go to for lunch every day said she saw my picture in one of these magazines from the Valentine's Day party I went to when I first got here.

Anyway, yesterday I was about to head out the door for the gala and then I realized that, OMG, horror of horrors........I was wearing the same dress I wore to the V-day party!!!!!!!! ( I KNOW!!!! can you IMAGINE!!??) Obviously, I did the only thing I could under the circumstances (and what any of you would have done!) - my heart racing, I threw open the closet, frantically looking for something else to wear.... after what felt like hours, I finally spotted it, the pink and black sleeveless number with the uneven hem.. it wasn't ideal... the trim on the dress was coral, and my nail polish was more of a fuchsia, but what could I do??!! Desperate times call for desperate measures and this was clearly an emergency!! I quickly tore off the other dress, changed my earrings, necklace, shoes, and pashmina and pulled it on, my fingers fumbling with the zipper, still shaky from the adrenaline racing through my body!! Whew, crisis averted...If I'd been photographed in the same dress twice, it would have been social suicide- I wouldn't have been able to show my face for the rest of the season. ;)

Anyway, after that harrowing ordeal, we arrived at the embassy a bit early because my "date" had to give a briefing to the Young Rotarians (I know!) who would be selling raffle tickets, so I looked around the embassy garden-- the place was beautiful- it's right in the heart of cairo, but the grass and high walls make you feel like you're somewhere else entirely (England, perhaps!?). I knew I would be sitting at the ambassador's table, but somehow I actually ended up sitting right beside him and across from the president of Vodafone's Egyptian operation. They were both really nice and we had a good time talking about the "old country" (okay, we actually talked about the hotel and cell phone industries...). Despite having to dance with a series of really sweaty, old men, who all wanted to dance a little too close for comfort, I actually had a good time and I think I held my own pretty well- not bad from a girl from "some island" in Canada... ;)

According to my new countdown widget, I will be in BC in.....25 days, 3 hours and 39 minutes....can't wait to see you all then!

xoxo C