I just ran into a cultural wall for which I’ve long braced myself. My non-English-speaking housekeeper and I have begun commiserating over a few of life’s little woes. So of course she asks me, in Arabic, what religion I am. I lied and said I was Christian. My parents are Christian -- not very religious ones, at that -- but I really don’t consider myself much of anything. That’s a concept I fear that the average Egyptian would have difficulty understanding, but I had to say something. She didn’t know the English word “Christian” (it’s masihi in Egyptian Arabic, so I just learned), so I drew a cross, which really made me feel like I was lying. Then she got it, and proceeded to recommended a church I should go to. At least that’s what I divined, and she confirmed it by saying yes when I made a praying gesture. I replied, “Me not.”