My first time was okay, despite what I'd been told. It was more of a schlep than anything else. Hot and crowded. Go to counter, unfriendly woman tells me to make photocopies of passport. Down I go. I return. She wants photocopies of another page too. Down I go again. I return. She sends me to stamp counter. I return. She tells me to come back in 10 days.
10 days later it's busy and I'm squashed in a throng of people. I'm told to return after two hours. Two hours later I'm stuck once again in a sticky mess of humans. I have to wait forever, because all the ladies are on a tea and chat break.
But it's ok, because the woman standing behind me strikes up a conversation, and she's South African! A white middle-aged woman who converted to Islam. So we had a lovely chat.
On my second visit over 2 years later, I knew the drill, went early to avoid the crowds and had all the necessary photocopies. The lady tells me I need an 8LE stamp. Off I go to stamp counter. Return. Wrong stamp. I need two stamps which amount to 8LE. One 5LE & one 3LE stamp. Off I go to stamp counter again. It's now crowded, and I'm at a disadvantage due to height. Finally I manage to get to the front, but men behind me just reach over. When the stamp-man looks my way, he refuses to change the stamp. Fine. I'll just buy the right stamps. He ignores me, and doesn't serve me. I'm frustrated and angry. Tears roll down my cheeks. A woman standing next to me notices, brings it to his attention. I'm embarrassed and don't want anybody to notice. But his demeanour changes. He apologises, is all smiles, and promptly exchanges the stamp.
Subsequent visits pass without incident. I advise newbies on what to do, & they report uneventful Mugammah experiences. The best time to go is 8:30am. Friends and I once went at 8am (opening time) but had to wait for an hour while the staff settled in, and the women had their morning tea.
But we all still regard it as a schlep. The dreadful women who work there make it so.
Thankfully, I no longer have to experience that. I now have Press Centre privileges. Yay! Last week I went straight to the PC office at the Mugammah, with a letter from the main PC. I sat in an air-conditioned office in comfort, while the paperwork was done. When I was asked for money for the stamps, I stood up, thinking I have to go to the stamp counter. I was looked at strangely. No more of that for me!
Saaleha lived in Egypt for a few months in 2010.
Her delightful Mugammah account
http://saaleha.com/2010/03/13/in-the-maws-of-mugamma/
In response to Saal's post, I haven't had to fill in my 'original nationality'. Which is South African tab3aan.
Wonderfully written. And what a headache you went through!
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