Job Discussion Forums

[veiledsentiments]

So... theinquiringmind... you decided on AUC instead of AUB?

VS

[theinquiringmind]

I took Olympic Airlines. Originally I was going to fly Egyptair. Egyptair no longer allows cats in the cabin. They JUST changed their policy; ignore what it says on their website.

I took Stinky (my cat) in the cabin with me. I personally would never put her in the cargo area; I've just heard too many horror stories about pets getting frozen or whatever because someone forgets to heat or pressurize the cargo hold.

I went out of JFK; it was a long flight, but I took her out of her carrier a couple of times on the plane. No one cared.

The closest thing to a problem I have had so far is when one of the managers of the hotel I'm staying at said I wasn't allowed to have a cat in my room. Luckily, I had saved the email the sales manager had sent confirming my reservation saying it was OK to have her. I showed him the email (and a $20 bill) and that settled that. I think he just wanted a little baksheesh.

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[theinquiringmind]

Yes, VS. I guess you were right about the unrest. Right after I applied, all that stuff in the Palestinian refugee camps started. I heard through friends of friends that they were starting to have Americans travel in buses under escorts. What fun is that? I'm used to being alone and traveling alone. (Except, of course, for Stinky.)

Besides, I've always wanted to see the Pyramids.

[veiledsentiments]

And there is so much more. AUC runs regular day trips and weekends to Pharoanic and Islamic sites with the best guides - most free unless you overnight somewhere. I went to some of the ancient sites with Dr Kent Weeks. Also the American Research Center is nearby and they often arrange tours with their resident Egyptologists like Dr Mark Lehner. Their charges are nominal.

Good Luck finding a flat...

VS

[Bebsi]

I abslutely agree with Spiral78, dogs are wonderful but MUST be kept in check and disciplined. As with children, this must be done from an early age. Dogs, like humans, are very much social beings, and they WANT to be socialised. A disciplined (and cared for, of course) dog is a happy one.

I strongly susupect that in the Arab world, many people treat their dogs as they tend to treat their children. They mean the very best, and shower the object of their affection with lots of love - most commendable in itself, of course - and genuinely believe that showing real love is to be as liberal, and to show as little restraint, as possible. The 'cruel-to-be-kind' principle doesn't seem to be fully understood, in many cases.

You can see it with many children in Gulf countries, and as dog ownership becomes more acceptable and indeed desirable, I think we can expect to see quite a few undisciplined dogs, whose owners think they are showing real love for their pets by giving them free rein.

I used to have a Doberman, Kramer who was lovely, a real gentleman. OK, he had a habit of collapsing through the door in a flurry of noise, like his namesake in Sienfeld.

He also loved to chase cats. This rather unfortunate habit was cured one evening when he chased Gatsby (also dearly beloved, and now also deceased) onto a high windowsill. The feline belligerent decided at that point that pro-active self-defence tactics were required, for better or worse, and he promptly executed his new policy by digging a claw into Kramer's nose. The canine character in the drama immediately withdrew from the field instigated a ten-lap-of-the-garden marathon, yelping and squealing, and for some obscure reason, subsequently never bothered Gatsby again!! I think he made the connection between the action of one creature and common species behaviour in a given situation, because forever after, cats were welcome to enter our garden with impunity and a large degree of canine indifference.

[spiral78]

Bebsi's point about teaching discipline along with love and care to children, not just dogs, is an important one - and it's not just in the Arab world where parents often don't realize this!

Dogs and children...social, intelligent, and innocently unaware of the need to respect others around them. It's a taught/learned skill.

Oh, and, by the way, the pet cabin on LARGE jets is automatically pressurized and temperature-controlled. But on smaller jets, you have to ensure that the pilot is aware an animal is on board. It's not the cargo space - it's the space just under the pilots. This is the quietest ride in the whole plane. Yeah, I'm always nervous about putting our dog in the plane, and we unfortunately have to do this up to six or eight times per year these days for international flights. He can go with us for shorter flights in the cabin, but nine-eleven hours is too long. Anyway, so far 28 trips across the Atlantic and no problems. He's never nervous at the airport. Just me!