More pics from Cairo…check it out yo :D

SO, for my non-Facebook friends, I posted more pictures from my trip here in Egypt…if you’re bored check them out :D

ps. Sadaf….I know this isn’t exactly the “blob” you wanted…but I will try to update soon. :D :D

Weekend, Cont’d

Friday, I slept in and then just hung around working on homework. At 4 I went to a meeting for an organization I am in and then got back to the dorms around 6:30ish at which point I just kind of wasted time for an hour or so to go out to eat with some friends.

 

We ended up going to the Hard Rock Café which is in the Grand Hyatt hotel on the Nile River. I have to say, it was a big surreal—it didn’t feel like Cairo anymore. I’ve been to quite a few Westernized places since I’ve been in Cairo, but this was JUST LIKE AMERICA. There was no difference. Anyways, I have been missing Mexican food (J) so I got some of the best nachos ever! YUM. That was quite an interesting night too, because one of the guys we went with apparently told the waiters that it was one of our friend’s birthday—which totally embarrassed her.

 

The place was packed with foreigners, some of which were from China (I believe). Anyways, the waiter came over with an ENTIRE CAKE, which he said was compliments of the group of Chinese people. So, the girl who we pretended like it was her birthday got a free cake. It was quite the night—(side note: sorry if my story sounds very disorganized but one, I don’t want to use people’s names so that makes the stories a little bit confusing, and two I don’t really ever go back and edit these things, though I probably should).

 

After that my roommate and I stuck around downtown Cairo while everyone else went back. We were in a shopping mood J although luckily I didn’t really buy too much. Then I got the brilliant idea to call of one of the girls in my online journalism class that I know lives downtown, so we had an Egyptian friend to hang out with!!

 

We went to the Pottery Café and for the first time since I’ve been in Cairo I got some coffee—and now I think I’d addicted! Because right now I am writing from Euro Deli, which is another café in Cairo that ‘s just a couple of blocks away—and I was craving coffee and got some! Oh no, two days in a row of coffee! (Lol, if you don’t get it sorry it’s an inside joke with some of the people reading this, maybe not with others)

 

Anyways, after that we walked around and my Egyptian friend showed us the Jazeera club, a sports club, which I think we are going to go to next Saturday.

 

Finally my roommate and I decided to walk from downtown back the Zamalek dorms instead of taking a taxi like we usually do. It actually wasn’t that bad of a walk.

 

Now, it’s Saturday (the last day of my weekend) and I haven’t really done much. I’ve just been working on my research paper and other homework, though I haven’t had much progress. My 14-15 page research paper is on the country of Qatar and of all of the 10-12ish books I checked out from the library only TWO of them have a publication date after 2000!!! The books are so outdated that I don’t really want to use them for my research paper because the figures and statistics aren’t really accurate anymore…but I may have no choice!

 

Now, I’m at Euro Deli procrastinating working on my research paper. I turned my first section in two weeks ago and got an A on it—now my second section isn’t due until Thursday (which is in like four days) but the second section will definitely be more difficult to write than the first. L

 

I have all of my major tests, midterms and papers do in the next two weeks!!! So, I’m going to have to get my study on, and stop being so lazy LOL.

 

I can’t believe I’ve already been here two months and I haven’t really traveled outside of Cairo—Cairo is pretty huge and I’ve definitely been able to see lots of places, but still it would be nice to travel outside of Cairo.

OH PS. Last weekend I went to Tanis which is in the Nile Delta—I have two more albums of pictures that I posted to my “Pics from Cairo” page—or you can just click the two links below. OK, sorry for such a long note!!! 

Pictures from Tanis:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2203152&l=e3e56&id=9219330

 

More pictures from Tanis, and the second place that we went, which I forgot the name of EK

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2203252&l=53620&id=9219330

 

No. It’s As Simple as That.

So, I had a fun weekend. Thursday night I went out with a friend to dinner which was nice, and then ate some delicious ice cream at my favorite ice cream place in Zamalek. YUM. Then, I went to my room to chill out a bit—and later around 11 p.m. decided to go with some friends to a rugby bar/club.

 

It’s basically where all the international students go on a Thursday to get drunk and act like idiots. I usually don’t go, but I figure I could go once and if I didn’t like it then I wouldn’t have to go again. Anyways, before we left a huge group of like 10 people were over at a friends apartment getting drunk (of course I don’t drink so I just enjoyed watching them acting drunk—after all I am a people-watcher)

 

Anyways, as a side note, for all you young kiddos reading this it’s okay to not drink—it doesn’t make you “weird,” or “odd” or “strange” and at the same time, I’m not judging the people that do drink—it’s just a difference of preference.

 

Most of the people I was hanging out with know that I don’t drink so they are opened their vodka and popped open their wine bottles and didn’t bother me about not drinking. In fact, they didn’t even mention it. There were one or two people who didn’t know that I don’t drink and offered me some, but I just said “no thanks” or “no, I’m good” and khalas (another Arabic term, in this context meaning that’s it). No more talk about it.

 

So, the moral of the story is—it really is as simple as just saying no. Nobody bothered me about it.

 

OK, back to the real story. So after everyone was all drunk (excluding me) we took a taxi to Maadi for the party. By the time we got there it was about 1:15 a.m. and we found out from some people that the party was over! That long taxi ride was a waste! I heard that apparently there was a fight and the Egyptian police had to come and kick everyone out. So, that was my wild excitement for the night. Had we been there any earlier we would have probably encountered the Egyptian police, so I’m happy we got there when we did.

 

Anyways, we headed back to the friends apartment and just sat and chilled out—listened to some music and talked. The guy lives above a grocery store, so when we finally decided to leave we went down and bought some snacks (aka cookies). Then, a Hardee’s fast-food place was on the way back to the dorms and half of our group (because we couldn’t all fit in one taxi) went there to get some food. So we stopped their for a while.

 

I have to say it was quite the experience. Since I’ve been here, I’ve been around more people in my whole entire life that were just completely wasted. I had never smelt so much alcohol; it was kind of gross smelling. But, (to add to the moral of the story) at the end of the day, even though I didn’t drink, I still had fun. Not sure if I’d do it again, just because the people were kind of wild, but who knows. It was okay for a one time experience if nothing else—I can’t live in a bubble and be oblivious to the world around me.

I wonder what mom’s reaction will be if she ever reads about my “wild night.” Though, I’m not sure she’ll care too much considering I didn’t drink.

 

Anyways, that was just the beginning of the weekend—I will shorten what I did the rest so my weekend in a new note, so it’s not like a million pages long! Lol

It’s All Relative

I love Egypt. I love Cairo. From the moment I set foot here it was clear that I would fall in love with this place. Sure, it has it’s downfalls; it’s chaotic moments. But, in the end, this place is amazing.

Tomorrow, I will have been here two weeks. I’m not sure if that’s enough time to say you love a place or not. Perhaps I haven’t had time to get tired of the place yet, but for now (powerful as a word it is) I love it here.

I feel like I’ve already learned so much about life- Egyptian lifestyle, Middle Eastern/African life and I’ve even learned a thing or two about the States.

There are some things that are universal; McDonalds, the mall, Facebook, cell phones. This place is swarming with American franchises; Pizza Hut, Radio Shack, Papa Johns, Chilli’s, Hardrock Cafe, etc., etc…The list could go on and on. It all reminds me how much we are all the same; no matter your race, religion, gender, etc..

Last week I was at a Pizza Hut sitting at a table across from a group of Egyptian girls. Just like typical American girls they pulled out their cellphones and took pictures of each other. They talked about their ringtones and I’m sure gossiped a bit too.

This scene could have taken place anywhere, but the fact that it was here in the Middle East; a place where many Americans would have never guessed this sort of thing to happen; a place where things appear to be so shaky, is just a bit ironic. We are all the same; we are all human, and we all enjoy and want the same things in life.

Also I’ve noticed people here, especially the Egyptians, to be very social people–hence; Facebook. It’s funny sitting here in the computer lab of my dorm for the American University in Cairo and seeing local Egyptians catching up with their friends via Facebook. Egyptians, typical young adults, commenting on their friends pages, looking at their pictures, “Facebook stalking” I might add. They’re just like us–I’m not sure who they and us are, Egyptian and Americans respectively? But, we are all the same.

Finally, at the City Stars mall in Cairo, Egypt my friend and I see none other than emo Egyptians and rocker Egyptians. Or, typical teenagers, that happen to be Egyptian, smittin with one another and causing havoc at the mall, going to the movies and just wanting to have a great time.

I wish every close-minded person could spend a night in Egypt. I’m sure they’d come to learn that we are all the same.

So…It’s Been A While.

In case you were wondering…I’m still here in Egypt, I just haven’t gotten around to updating my blog.

It’s Thursday afternoon and I’ve been sick, on and off, since Sunday evening. One word of advice for travellers to Egypt: “Don’t drink the water!” It’s true what they say-it’ll make you puke your guts out for days.

Besides feeling sicky and icky, I’ve been enjoying my stay and am happy that school hasn’t started yet because I don’t know what I would have done trying to go to class and being sick at the same time.

A few touristy things I missed/am missing while I was/am sick:
1. Going inside the Pyramids
2. The Citadel and Azhar Park
3. Going to Alexandria and seeing the famous Alexandria Biliotheca. (Which by the way my roomie is going on the trip so she will be gone for three days and I will be all lonely!)

Lucky for me I’ll be here for four months so I can plan trips with friends to go to these places. :]

Ah, there is so much I have to write and update you guys about my trip, but it’s been a long week and I don’t remember everything! Let’s see….Oh, I went to City Stars which is apparently the second largest mall in the world. I’m thinking, there’s a mall bigger than this? The place is HUGE!

Um…Man, I know there was a ton of stuff I was going to write, but I completely forgot it all. :[

I went to an Egyptian hospital which was quite the experience. It is nothing compared to an American hospital, but at the same time it wasn't really that bad.

What else? Oh, also my internet isn't working here so I've been having to go downstairs to the computer lab, and I don't want to upload my pictures onto their computers so I promise I will eventually put pictures on here. If you have a facebook, I have a couple of pictures on there. I think if you click these links you can see the pictures:

This one is just pictures from the plane on the way up.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2194363&l=d6c19&id=9219330

This one is pictures of my first day in Cairo.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2194503&l=ccc01&id=9219330

Annnnd, this one is pictures from when we went horseback riding in the desert and the the Queen concert.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2195133&l=7768b&id=9219330

So...school doesn't start until September 7 but for those who are wondering, these are the classes I am taking:

ALNG 109: Introduction to Colloquial Arabic
ANTH 312: People and Culture of the Middle East and North Africa
JRMC 360:Principles of Broadcast Journalism
JRMC441: Camera and Editing Workshop
JRMC 471: Online Journalism

OK, guess that's it for this blog. I will try and write more often and keep you guys updated! :]