A short conversation between me and an Egyptian officer at Cairo Airport. He glances at my passport and then …
Officer: Your nationality?
Me: I’m British
Officer: Your original nationality?
Me: British
Officer: (getting angry) No your original?
Me: (Thinking ‘what?’) I’m British
Officer: Your parents nationality?
Me: British ( And why is this relevant?)
Officer: Your grandparents?
Me: BRITISH
Officer: NO your original?
Me: (Aah I get it – I give up) Indian
Officer: Khalaas
…
Born and Bred in Britian, why can’t I be British? Is it because my skin isn’t white, or is it because I am a Muslim? I don’t act, dress, talk like and Indian and yes, I do cook mostly Indian food but come on, my favourite meal is fish fingers, chips, mushpeas and beans!
…
And then as we are leaving the airport this guy comes up to us, ‘What’s your nationality?’ … `Ermm we are British’ … With anger he then says: ’Me got American Passport but me Egyptian’ with an ironic smile. People like that are just best ignored.
Thus from now on, my husband just says we are from India, at least it gives us 5x cheaper rates 
. Huh.
July 10, 2007 at 1:13 pm
Kanjoos.
There is an exception; you’re a Kanjoos.
July 11, 2007 at 10:33 pm
Wa iyyaki aydhan
BTW my teacher said there are two words, jins and jinsiyyah. Jinsiyyah is nationality and Jins is origin.
July 19, 2007 at 10:23 am
I get the same story all the time….
BTW…there is no reason for the officer to be asking you your “jins” origin…..he’s only doing that out of morbid curiousity. Since I speak the language….I can’t stand the questions they start asking….
July 19, 2007 at 8:53 pm
I don’t understand Egyptians. Or maybe it’s just Cairo(ians) …?
My teacher and his wife are from the qaryah (village) and they are very nice unlike the ahl al-qaahirah. Maybe I just need to meet more Cairo(ians). I don’t know!