Just Another Day in Cairo

So, since I last wrote here’s what’s happened

 

We went to Khan al Khalily—at which I brought a really cute pair of shoes which I’m more than certain I paid twice as much as they were worth. The place was kind of depressing because of all of the people begging for you to buy something from them. I need to work on my bartering skills! I just don’t want to be rude—but I guess they are trying to gyp me so this is where I think Cairo will toughen me up!

 

Anyways, we also went to the mew AUC campus, which is literally in the middle of the desert. It is quite beautiful so it will be really nice to have class there. Again, I’m not really looking forward to the long bus ride there, but it will be nice. The bus ride for the first time was really interesting because I felt like I was able to see the real Cairo for a change.

 

Anyways, as for the social life here, I think I am still trying to adjust. For this past week it has just been the international students and just about all of them drink and smoke. You can’t go anywhere, even within the dorms without finding a person that smokes. I don’t mind it, but I’m starting to feel like I don’t have anything in common with most of the people that decided to come to AUC.

 

I mean, I feel like a lot of them came here for the night life—to party and just have a good time instead of learn about the culture. If you’re going to be like that, why no just study abroad in Europe. I’m sure some Middle Easterners already have a bad impression about Americans, so why add to that stereotype. Anyways, a lot of the people here I also feel are really unappreciative of the culture and like to complain a lot, as well as think they are “know-it-alls.” I understand, yes this is the Middle East, and yes things are different here, but why not try to embrace it and get used to it rather than complain.

 

I’m sick of hearing people complain instead of appreciating what they have! I feel like a lot of the students are privileged to be able to get this opportunity to study abroad, in Cairo of all places, but are just to spoiled, or ungrateful of what they have been given.

 

Maybe it’s just me. I’m so glad I’ve been given the opportunity to study here at AUC and get to live in Egypt for four months. I’ve been here almost a week and keep falling more and more in love with the place as each day passes. It truly is a remarkable place to live, and I’ve already learned to appreciate life more than I already do.

 

Anyways, besides that I’m a little sad that I don’t get to go on the trip to Alexandria. I’m kicking myself because I had money for the trip the first day to sign up for it, but was too lazy to sign up for it and now the spaces are full. Some friends and I are hoping to make a trip there on our own before school starts. The first day of classes are September 7, so I’ve got another week to enjoy before hitting the books.

 

Speaking of which, I’m only in two classes that I want to take! Hopefully I can try to switch out, but we’ll see. It’s kind of annoying, but I’m hoping that it can all work itself out, insha’Allah.

 

Oh, today we also went to the City Stars Mall which is the biggest mall I’ve ever been in. IT was HUGE! I bought an Arabic CD which is pretty good. It’s Amr Mostafa–in case anyone’s ever heard of him.

 

Anyways, that’s it for this blog. :]

Cairo: “I Want it Now”

Today, my day in Cairo was quite busy and hectic, but thankfully ended on a good note. I started off going to old AUC campus and basically walked all around getting all of the things I need to get done, done. I am a bit frustrated and mad about the classes I am in. And, as much as I would like to complain on here about all of the stuff that frustrates me about AUC, I think I’ll focus on the fun parts of my day.

 

After about 7 p.m. my day started getting good. Some friends and I took a stroll in Cairo down to the Nile River, which was quite relaxing, and a plus is that we didn’t get lost!

 

Then, we came back and found out about this Queen’s concert. Well, actually, It was an Egyptian (I think) band covering Queen songs. My roommate and I met up with another girl and headed off to the concert. I’m so glad that we were able to find the place, and decided to go to the concert, rather than go to dinner with a group of people were going to eat with earlier.

 

The concert was amazing, when I say amazing I mean. AH-MAZE-ING! It was not only my first Cairo concert, but my first “real” concert ever!

 

Anyways, this blog is shorter than the rest, but the Queen’s concert and dinner afterwards was basically the only highlight.

 

Tomorrow my roommate and I are thinking about going to the Egyptian museum, which should be loads of fun!

Egypt: Day Three

So, it’s my third day in Egypt and again it has been fantastic!

I was going to go sign up for a trip to Alexandria, Egypt and also hopefully get my Arabic course changed, but that didn’t end up happening. I woke up about nine and went in and out of sleep until 1:30. It was the first day that I got a TON of sleep. I don’t think I was jetlagged in the first place, but if I was I should be over it.

 

After waking up me and Christine, my roommate, went downstairs to hang out and get some online stuff done for a while. Then, we took a taxi to the old AUC campus and wanted to change classes/sign up for the Alexandria trip, but everyone from orientation had cleared out. So, by this point, around 6:30 we still hadn’t really eaten a meal so we walked over to Hardee’s and got some American food, which by the way was really yummy in my tummy.

 

We scarfed down our food and then waited to go on the horseback riding trip that we signed up for.

 

By the way, the taxi ride was good. I really enjoyed it as well.

 

Once we were finally on the bus, we took a look trip to Giza and went horseback riding, in the deserts and were able to see the Pyramids. It was all really nice and beautiful. From one side you see the city; the other, the pyramids.

 

We all saddled up on horses and took a long ride through the dimly, to not at all, lit desert. It was my first time on a horse, (sad considering I’m from Texas) and it was fantastic. We got the horses to ride and gallop fast.

 

Once we hit our destination, I took some pictures with the pyramids, horses and camels, but sadly my camera died!! I say it’s just another excuse to have to go again. The ride back was also fantastic; though of course as a first timer it took a while to get used to. Like everyone else, I kept on getting my legs squished in between the racing horses as well as  bouncing really high up and down my horse. I do anticipate being a bit sore tomorrow, but it was worth it.

 

There were quite a few times that my feet came out of the little thing you put your feet in (I know, I know, I don’t know what it’s called and I should) where I would lean to one side, but thankfully I didn’t fall.

 

Anyways, throughout the trip we were told not to give them baksheesh, a tip, but of course they kept asking for it. I felt rude for it, but the AUC people said they were already paying them, and their tip.

 

Anyways, my tour guide was a little too friendly, and desperate for baksheesh and afterwards and came up to the closed bus asking for Sarah looking angrily sad, asking for baksheesh. Of course, I ignored him and started looking the other way. This was my first encounter of someone really asking for a tip, and I was able to say no. J

 

 

Anyways, that reminds me that yesterday Christine and I went down to an art store and met some really friendly old guys that work there. I don’t know if I’m just being naïve, but I think they were really nice, in a not creepy way, and have decided that that will be the place I go to practice Arabic.

 

The guys were nice, asking if we liked Obama—they really seemed to have a genuine interest in what is best for America, and said they liked Obama if he was good for America. We also talked about Bush a little and said that most people in America don’t really even like him. He said something to the effect of, Bush was good for four years, but maybe not for eight.

 

Anyways, I want to go there again. It was the first time being in Cairo that the people we were buying stuff from carried on a conversation with us as well, instead of just selling us our products and letting us leave.

 

Anyways, I feel like there is so much more I can say about my trip here, but its late here and I feel like I’ve repeated a lot of my stories.

 

But basically, I’m having a blast. I don’t understand why people wouldn’t want to visit the Middle East. I know I am only in Cairo, which has been quite Europeanized, but the parts outside of Cairo that I have seen have seemed nice and enjoyable as well.

 

So, that’s all for this blog—let you know what happens tomorrow! (Hopefully time will permit).

(p.s. not edited=random)

Egypt: Day Two

I’ve only been in Egypt for a couple of days, but they were packed with all sorts of events that it feels like forever—I love it!

 

I would have to say that one thing I am not too fond of is the fact that I don’t plan on going anywhere by myself. Here I am, my second day in Cairo without a cell phone (which by the way I plan on buying on here) and I’ve got to find someone that wants to do the same stuff as me so I can go out.

 

I’m not extremely independent, but I do enjoy having my space and just going out by myself, but for the next four months, that appears to be out of the question. But, so far everything travel-wise has been great. Luckily my roomie and I have been wanting to do the same things, so it’s all been working out. Last night we went out to this cute little cafe and I must say the mango juice was fantastic. It was literally like eating a mango, minus all of the effort.

 

We also went on a Felluca boat ride yesterday, which was pretty sweet. I’m actually living on an island, called Zamalek, on the Nile River. So, everyday on my way to class I will be crossing the Nile.

 

Anyways, today we had orientation which was nice. We got a huge map of Cairo, and all sorts of other useful information including a bus tour of Cairo–which was really just a bus ride and not really a tour, but enjoyable nonetheless.

 

I’m hoping tomorrow I can catch up on sleep though. I got four hours yesterday and five today. I’m just making sure I don’t nap so I can be tired around midnight or so.

 

As far as school goes, I am glad that we are not starting classes until September 7, because that will give me time to get situated and find my way around town.

 

Here’s a short post for now—I’ll write more later.

My First…Cairo Adventures

So, my first moments in Cairo were quite the adventure! I was a little annoyed but now that I am some-what settled, it’s all good.

 

Our flight finally landed around 1 a.m-ish and then we had to wait in line forever to get our passports checked. And then pick up luggage, the usual—but of course I had more luggage than hands so that was a little difficult.

 

But anyway, to spare the details a group of about 14 people got on a bus provided by AUC and we made our way to the Zamalek dorms around 3:20 a.m. And we waited forever to finally get our bags checked in.

 

I was the only brown person and I think just about everyone that works for AUC, plus I was the only person that people kept on asking if I needed a taxi. It was all fun though.

 

Around 4-ish I finally found out who my roommate is and we are living on the fifth floor which is nice. We were burning HOT, and thirsty and I was looking everywhere for a way to call mi madre so she wouldn’t get worried! Finally I thought I’d try the internet for a change, and BAM we’ve got wireless so I texted weenie and Sadafie My comp. still goes nuts-o every once and a while, but it’s all good.

 

We’re still thirsty and it’s 5:30 am so we can’t really go out and buy drinks, or phone cards so we’re planning on waking up…or just staying up until 8 or 9 and getting some real foodies and drinks since we don’t really want to use the water here and get sick.

 

Anyways, I’m sad because I took some pictures so far about my trip here and my computer isn’t even recognizing my memory card!!! L But I will try and get pictures up eventually!!! Especially of Stan the man. J

 

And now, I am going to e-mail some people’s and maybe sleep, maybe not???

 

p.s. I was totally multi-tasking while I was writing this blog so it’s very scatter-brained. :-D