Footballers (aka soccer players)

Football, known as soccer in the States, has a huge following over here. While talking to my insider source, Tiserra (the nice 70 year old philapina who cleans our room), I learned that there are 4 football teams staying at the Hilton right now. Today I saw one of the teams in their matching orange jerseys grouped together on the main floor. They told me they were from Ghana. Then after lunch, I was about to enter my room when I heard, "Hey!" I turned and smiled at the three footballers wearing red jersey's. Then the conversation went like this.

me: "Oh, hi."

player 1: "Speak English?"

me: "Yes."

player 1: "From...where from?"

me: "The USA. Where are you from."

player 2: "Egypt."

me: "Are you here playing soccer, football?"

player 2: "Egypt, Cairo."

me: "Do you play football?"

players 1,2,3: "Yes!"

player 1: "Picture?"

me: "Okay, sure."

Player 1 then takes a picture of player 2 with his arm around my shoulder. Then he takes another photo of player 3 with his arm on my shoulder. Player 1 then hands off the camera and stands next to me while putting his hand securely around my waste and angling his body snugly into mine. That was the longest 3 seconds of my life as I waited for the camera to click. Um...AWKWARD!!! This petite teen is getting fresh with me! Yikers.

me: "Okay, bye!"

player 1: "Name, what name?"

me: "Catherine."

player 1: "Cautrin."

me: Bye." (while walking back to my door)

All three players then smiled while pointing to their room door, which I just realize is next to mine. I smile back politely, walk into the room, and burst out laughing.

Teenage boys ae the same all over the world. But I have heard, and now learned, that the males in Egypt are especially forward with foreign women. So if you're ever in Cairo, look out!