Bye-bye

Hello hello. Goodbye, bye-bye, later, hasta la pasta, see you later, adios, ma'asalama, ciao! A despedida**, a farewell is something we say every day when we hang up the phone, close the door or leave a place a business. Here in Egypt, they have a special way of saying goodbye.

I should back up and let you know what "goodbye" is in Arabic. It is Ma'asalama. That is the best transliteration I know how to spell.

So, the unique way they say "Goodbye" on the phone . . . . how to put it? They don't quit. The goodbye-ing doesn't stop. And sometimes they do say, "bye-bye." A combination of it all. I was just on the phone with the Orbitz satellite guy and he didn't quit.

me: "Alright, ma'asalama."
him: Ma'asalama, bye-bye
me: bye
him: okay, bye-bye. bye-bye
me: ma'asalama
him: ma'asalama, okay, bye-bye, bye-bye

Onandonandonandon. After 4 years, you would think I'd get used to it. Nope. It still cracks me up! I can overhear my housekeeper's cell phone conversations and her trying to get off the phone with her sister, son, or pharmacist.

ReRe: Okay, bye-bye, bye-bye, yalla ma'asalama, bye-bye, okay, bye-bye.

And you just hang up. Mid-ma'asalama. The only way to get off the phone is just to hang up. You aren't offending them, it's just the way to say goodbye. Okay, bye-bye, adios, ciao, aurevoir, auf-wiederzein, domo arigato (mr. roboto) cheers, you can quit reading, see you later alligator, really, I won't be offended, goodbye, bye-bye, see you later . . . .




**isn't it frustrating when something is just better described in another language? Despedida or to despedir is a word to describe saying goodbye. I guess you could call it the equivalent of farewell. "He bade them a sorrowful farewell." also fitting in the category: semaforo, insha'allah, jalas But this is all good fodder for another post.