Attached to the average Egyptian are beliefs and convictions – a favorite football team, political affiliation, and the like. While the myriad of differences parallel the chaos that is Cairo, there is one place where everything is put aside for Egyptians of all doctrines: the koshk. A compact carryall of all essentials is a small kiosk that sits as a cultural staple for Egyptians. Branded with Pepsi and CocaCola logos, no rivalry or competition inhabits the koshk area. Rather, goods stacked to the ceiling and piles of boxes spilling out onto the streets – the koshk is a happy place. It is believed that the oldest koshk dates back to the 1930s, under the rule of King Fouad I and King Farouk. The term, ‘koshk,’ is derived from many origins, where in Persian the word ‘kushk,’ means a palace, while its Turkish origins, the kiöshk, means pavilion or palace. The French translation of ‘kiosque,’ means a small roofed stall that sells f newspapers, confectionery, and much more. Every corner in Egypt has a koshk – where streets have become synonymous with the vibrant element and the radiance to which people…
