Disclaimer: this article is actually written by an Alexandrian with a sense of humor. Please don’t take offense.
Everyone who was born on Cairene soil spots an Alexandrian as if they were born with a radar for it. The difference in dialect is usually the first thing that rats them out, but there are a bunch of other traits that give them away as well. Since it’s travel season, we’ve compiled a list of Alexandria-unique traits to easily spot when an Alexandrian fish is out of the sea.
1. AAH instead of EEH
Adding an AAH sound where cairenes usually add an EEH sound is one of the most distinguishable traits. Nazalto yet?
2. Heat and crowd fascination
Alexandrians are a relatively small community, and hence the crowded streets and bustling roads of Cairo will always fascinate an Alexandrian. The heat also comes as a shock, since the city-by-the-sea residents are used to the light sea breeze; one that is nonexistent in Cairo.
3. Wherever you go, I go
They only travel in numbers. The legend says their powers are strongest when they huddle; so you’ll never find one Alexandrian by themselves away from home. If you do, please guide them home.
4. You can take me out of the sea, but you can’t take the sea out of me
Their one and only true love after fish is the sea. They’ve been programmed since childhood to not stray too far and hence, you’ll always find them ready and packed to head back to any coastal city.
5. Spinning in circles
Alexandria’s city map is more or less a straight line. Cairo’s, on the other hand, is an intricate set of overlapping routes and bridges that can keep any Alexandrian spinning in circles for days. They can never really get the hang of Cairo’s streets.
6. No koshk for me
Hanging out by a Kiosk is a Cairene tradition that every male child grew up to. Alexandrians didn’t get that memo, though. They would rather hang out at a green area like Montaza, or perhaps Roshdy’s Omarat El Zobbat.