Friday, March 02, 2007

About a boy

1 month before the trip –

C: Yo, Jenski, so I’m assuming our accommodation in Cairo is secured?
J: Yep, Alex hooked me up with his friend Kent in Cairo and we’ve been emailing each other. Sounds like a cool guy.

2 weeks before the trip –

C: Just checking, who are we staying with in Cairo again? Alex, right?
J: No, Kent. He’s Alex’s friend, but his name is Kent.
C: OK.

1 week before the trip –

C: So do you already have Clark’s address?
J: WTF is Clark?
C: Oh, sorry, Kent, I just keep thinking of Superman every time you mention Kent.

The day of taking off, on the plane –

C: Just to make sure, remind me what’s his name again?
J: Kent. Kent. Kent!!!
C: Make sure I get it right when we see him. For some reason I think it’ll be my lifetime problem to remember his name but I don’t want to screw our free accommodation.

Within AIESEC and its extended network I know quite a few people would be happy to host friend’s friends who even though you’ve never met before but at least you know you are somehow connected with. But –
- how many would be willing to pick up those strangers at 3AM from the airport?
- how many would give away your warm blanket at cold night in Egypt to guests coming from the Czech winter?
- how many would bother walk two clueless foreigners all the way to the railway station to hassle the ticket lady for deals he himself has never done before?
- how many would take the risk of bringing two hungry girls dying for good food to an American Soul Food night without assessing their devouring and party-wrecking-with-alcohol ability?

And above all these,

- how many would offer 3 camels instead of 2 for Claire?!

Thanks so much for everything, Kent. You are a champ. As we agreed, Prague has been determined. Inshaallah.
Kent
(Just in case you were wondering, the bottle at the bottom of this photo is Becherovka and in the plastic bottle is some quality Absinth, both from the Czech Republic. So I'm compliant with the picture posting rule. Yay)

4 comments:

kent said...

Awwwwww......

I take back my previous comment, China.

It was great fun doing all those things you mentioned. After all, becoming a Cairo master is not easy.

Muriel said...

Wow, did I really raise that nice a son?!?! Good work Kent!!!! You have made me proud!!

And Jenny, as they say, "It takes one to know one". It was very nice of you to take the time to say all those nice things.

Claire said...

Thanks for everything Clark, you're a real trooper...

Blanka said...

That is the most frightening picture of Kent I have ever witnessed. What has Egypt done to you my dear, sweet, nice Kent?? Or let me guess, it was the girls who corrupted you... I warned you. JJ. I concur with whatever they said (remember my visa stuff, yeah I should have put it like that)