"I went to the pyramids and left my torso at home." -Ben

So Ben decided to were a sand colored shirt today, and from far away he just blended in with the landscape. We laughed really hard at one picture because it looked like he just had a head and arms. As with all things in Egypt, today was an adventure. I don't know why I thought visiting the pyramids would be any different. I suppose I thought that tourists visit them all the time, today will be as if I just got to Egypt. WRONG!

When our taxi got close to the pyramids, a guy stopped us in traffic on the road. He "explained" to us that one of the gates to the pyramids was closed, but he knew how to get us in. It was easy to tell that he just wanted to serve as our guide to make a few bucks. We told our drive to move on and ignore the man, but he tried to open our doors for us to get out. As our taxi finally escaped, the man hopped on the back of our car! It was ridiculous! Our cab driver tried going fast, hitting speed bumps, and swerving, but the man was persistent and obviously very talented.

When we were almost to the pyramids, the traffic was barely moving, and the guy on our car started directing the cab driver. Instead of taking us to the pyramids, it led us to this mans tour place. CRAZY! However, the Americans were crazier...LOL! After some bargaining and some poor decisions on our part, we decided to partake in this tour on camel and horse. I know, don't get caught up in the stupidity of the decision, it turned out just fine. The best part was, the man told us to wait inside, he was going to show us a map...Some map!

At this point we are highly concerned, but we are in too deep now. We finally get on our animals. Two on horse, two on camel. My horse was named Strawberry, and the other horse was Michael Jackson, but wait, it gets better. One camel was Moses, the other was....MICHAEL JACKSON! When we realized this, Bethany laugh so hard I thought she was going to fall off the camel.

When we finally made it to the pyramids, after taking a very back route, our guide instructs us to get off and follow him. He started climbing one of the small pyramids! OMG! I'm pretty sure that is not ok, but we climbed anyway. I was at the top of a pyramid. I don't know how many people can say they did that, but I can. I guess after all our trouble, it was worth the adventure.

I did ride a camel. Just in time, because they took the horses out for a run. Bethany and Ben say it was one of the scariest moments of their lives. We all made it back alive luckily.

The pyramids were as spectacular as I imagined. I do not see how any human could produce such massive constructions out of granite boulders significantly larger than me. The Sphinx is cool too, but it's size gets downplayed because of the immensity of the structures surrounding it. Make sure you check out my pics by clicking the title of this blog. To really appreciate the size make sure you really look at the one with the caption about me being the dot. That really is me, you just can't tell.

I'm exhausted and have class tomorrow, so I'm going to catch some zzz. Have happy Sundays!

"What is your faculty here at AUC?" -Sally

I'm sure you are all wondering, who in the world is Sally. Sally is my new conversation partner. She is in the program here at AUC to improve her English, and they have paired up the participants in this program with Arabic students here for weekly conversation. I'm not sure how we are going to use both languages yet, but I'm excited 1) to have an Egyptian friend 2) to practice my Arabic in a non-judgmental zone. So yesterday we had an "orientation" meeting.

Sally is my partner. Her English is obviously better than my Arabic, but she still uses words that seem inappropriate in context, but I suppose have been taught to her for this purpose. I was so confused when she asked me what faculty I was in at AUC. After some questions, I determined that she was trying to ask what department or major. I think this will be beneficial for me obviously, but for her so I can explain better usages of words.

I only met with her for maybe 10 min. yesterday, but I'm pretty sure that I'm really going to like her. She noticed that we were both wearing purple and decided that it meant we would be instant friends. That is exactly something I would say, and I had already noticed the likeness in color. She did a research project on horoscopes apparently. She described my personality based on the fact that I was a Scorpio. I'm not going to lie, she was pretty much dead on.

The funniest part of our orientation was the first slide that was titled how to pronounce your partners name. LOL! They said to give examples like, "If your name is Sue, tell them it is pronounced like suit w/o the t." Mika and I laughed forever about this because if they can't pronounce Sue, how will they pronounce suit. Mika's partner's name is Loba (spelling is probably way off). Mika has decided to remember it because of earlobe. She is going to ask her if her nickname can me EarLoba...lol. Not really, I hope.

Well I have some homework to get done, so I can have a fun weekend. I'm actually going to see the pyramids. Expect pictures. Have a happy Thursday.

"Isn't it funny how everything is interesting when you have something you don't want to do...even lint." -Jamese

I think fat Tuesday is not about Mardi Gras, it is not about pancakes, I say fat Tuesday is about procrastination. Here in Egypt, not many people recognize that tomorrow begins the Christian religious season, but on a campus full of students, we are to the point in the year when homework is the plague. Jamese in her procrastination loves to Google anything and everything, including pocket lent. I'm sure a couple of you are still thinking, sure this is natural, but it has nothing to do with fat Tuesday...that is still about pancakes. I'm here to let you know that I even caught my mother procrastinating today...and I thought I got that trait from my father.

So today I saw an oasis, a hint of green in the desert of Egypt. No, it wasn't a tree. No it wasn't even a desert bush. It was a John Deere sweatshirt...lol. In Crawford County, this is expected. At Duke, it is rare, but not crazy. In Egypt, I seriously did a double take. But there it was, bright green and yellow. The best part was, it was a HUGE sweatshirt on a tiny little girl. Now I'm sure it would be small on Justin, but it could have fit 2 of this girl in it easily. I just found that amusing, so I hope you enjoy it as well.

I'm tired, so I am going to make this short today, but I hope Tuesday for all of you is enjoyable.

"I hate rain...I LIKE CHOCOLATE!" -Mika

Mika has emotional highs and lows, sometimes almost simultaneously. However the most significant part of the quote is RAIN! It rained here today. Not just sporadic drops rain, but legitimate soak everything down rain. It is so weird. I thought I was in the desert. It has been sprinkling off and on since the first shower around 4 pm. For four hours we have had rainy weather. Last night I talked to Sarah Diehl, and she said, "Have a fun day tomorrow. Enjoy the sun." I replied, "Everyday." Little did we know sun is not ALWAYS a given in Cairo. Do not take it for granted.

I worked out today. We have a fabulous new gym. Of course it opened almost a month late, but the wait was worth it. All of the equipment is state of the art. There is also a trainer that walks around and tells you if you are doing something less effective. I was just riding the bike, so I didn't require his assistance. However, he did help the guy beside me on his crunches. I was pretty proud though. It was the first time I have worked out in...ok, so I can't remember. But I rode 5 mi. in 30 min. I didn't think that was too shabby for the first day. Hopefully I can do more each day. I didn't want to kill myself the first day. I would inevitably end up with the soreness syndrom that keeps you out of the gym for three days, and then you have to start back at square one.

As an alternative to visiting tourist attractions this weekend. My favorite professor, Ustaaz Doria, has invited the 5 people in her class to visit Arabic bookshops and cook dinner at her house. I am totally excited. She got a FedEx from UNC today...I really hope she takes the job. Well, I have serious homework to do for her class (like always). I hope you all are having great Mondays.

مقتل فرنسية وإصابة 17 بجروح في انفجار وسط القاهرة

I put my quote in Arabic to cut down on panic. So before you worry too much, just know I am safe and healthy. I debated whether or not to post this because I was afraid it would call attention to an event you may otherwise not hear about, but I decided it is better to hear from me first. Tonight there was a bombing in a tourist area of Islamic Cairo. They have arrested 2 suspects and safely detonated another bomb that was found. Reports still vary on the number injured/killed, but I am safe. Right now we have little information, but the university is taking a lot of precautions so don't panic. If you want news on the incident please visit english.aljazeera.net, because their news will be less biased and more reliable than cnn or bbc. I will link the title of this post to the web page. I miss you all.

That question accepts lines as an element of the natural order, which they always seemed to me, growing up in the US." -Jeff Howard

Lines in fact are not natural order. It is funny to watch the Americans (including me) become more adapted to the culture here. I will use standing in line (for anything) as an example. American way: Stand behind the person who got there before you. Wait patiently, unless it takes to long then you have options. 1) constantly look at watch and sigh a lot, 2)make friends with those around you, 3) get angry and make a scene. Egyptian way: blob up in front of desired destination. If you are large use brute force to get to the front. If you are tiny, use the weave and squeeze method. If Americans are waiting in line, laugh at there naivety and cut all of them. LOL!

One of the first things I had to do when I got here was get a student ID. The system was slow at best, and like most things here, you had to wait in line for up to 2 hrs. The Americans patiently sat in line, sharing stories of home and getting to know one another better. Egyptians bypassed the line, entered the processing room, and emerged 5 min. later with an ID. One month later at the cafeteria I am witnessing and participating in the American adaptation. I can squeeze and weave with the best of them, while my friend Zach has harnessed his brute force. If I am cutting you in line back in the states, I am apologizing in advanced...it is just the Egyptian in me.

Yesterday and this morning have been uneventful and full of homework. I had some ants find a bread crumb and set up camp underneath my desk. They unfortunately met their Raid fate. I found out yesterday that I can drink a 2L bottle of water in a day, but it is not a good idea. It unfortunately ends in middle of the night adventures down the rickety ladder to the restroom, dangerous for both limb and bladder. I don't really have much exciting news, so have Happy Sundays.

"We are kinda like an Italian family." -aunt in my mentor's family

Yesterday I went to Friday lunch at my mentor's house. If you can imagine what it would be like to go to a Sunday lunch in the south, you could probably understand this lunch. There was so much fabulous food and so many family members. We all sat around the table speaking in Arabic, English, and French, mixing them all so everyone could understand. We had Egyptian, Lebanese, and Indian cuisine. It was really a lot of fun. I haven't eaten that much in a long time. Then they gave me dessert...lol.

Afterward, my mentor's son who is 20 took the intern, the other mentee, and me to a coffee shop. They smoked sheesha and we drank coffee. It was nice to finally talk to some Egyptians, even though they are part American and they speak better English than Arabic really. We found out that in the formal Arabic, I was in a higher level than one of the Egyptians. Of course, I couldn't speak to the common person fluently if my life depended on it. Well at least I wouldn't understand what they said back. I have found it best to use my formal Arabic with taxi drivers and let them respond in English. That way we both get to practice.

So today I have tons of homework, and I am going to go work out in our newly opened state of the art facilities today. I hope you have enjoyable days as well. Happy Saturday!

"Cairo-82 degrees and sand" -weather.com

My friends, that is how weather.com described the weather here. Not cloudy, sunny, rainy, just sand. I can't explain to you how appropriate that was. Sandstorms are zero fun. When I walked out of my dorm room I about blew away and my face was instantly covered by a beach. Apparently that was mild, so class wasn't canceled, but I am not looking forward to it getting worse. I guess at the end of winter each year, Cairo experiences a sandstorm for about a week, and then it rains for a day to calm the sand down. It is to signify the beginning of spring. I could do without the sand to tell you the truth. I can only describe the wind as scratchy. The sand settles and piles up in corners like really dry snow. It is all very interesting.

I am a little disappointed in you guys, because none of you have commented (for 2 days). When this happens I get paranoid that it is boring, and everyone has stopped reading. But in the case that you are still reading, I'm putting a guilt trip on you. Please answer my question? My blog feels insignificant today.

I must tell you a story that happened the night before we had a mouse. I was so worked up about the mouse, I forgot to tell you. (Background): In our rooms, our beds are lofted. It makes for more room, but for a dangerous ladder. But that is beside the point. All you need to know is, when the heat is on, it remains on top of the beds for the most part. You also need to know that our heater is not on a sensor, you just have to switch it on and off. (Story): Tuesday night, Jamese and I were doing homework and our heat randomly came on. We got excited thinking that maybe the sensor works now, because it was a little cold in our rooms. WRONG! After about an hour of it being on, we were beginning to sweat. I got up to turn it off, but it wasn't on sensor, it was just possessed. By this time it is about 1 am, so I venture out to our RESlife office to get assistance. They tell me no one will be available until 3 am. I said fine, have them knock on our door.

5am: I wake up sweating to death and dehydrated. I look over and Jamese has moved to sleeping on her desk (it is a very large desk). I travel back to RESlife, and they tell me that they came but we were asleep...duh! It was the middle of the night! I tell the guy it is 28 degrees celcius in my room, and someone MUST come fix it. He tells me 15 min. I am sitting at my desk by the window when I hear the faintest knock ever. By the time I got out of my chair and walked 7 ft. to my door, they were leaving. SERIOUSLY?! I caught them before they could escape in laziness again. The guy came in my room, flipped our switch 3 times, tried to convince me that it was off. I started getting really angry and yelled at him in Arabic that it wasn't, and it needed to be fixed. He responds, "Open the window." I wanted to throw something.

I finally got someone on day shift to care when I had a break from class at noon, so it is fine now. I was so mad! Open a window? Please. For those of you who don't want to do the math 28 degrees is 82.4. Mind you this is the temperature below the beds. Somethings here are too frustrating.

Today I am going to lunch with my advisor. When I get back I hope to see some comments. Have a happy Friday!

"Apparently on my birthday I had a party that I wasn't invited to." Senna

The funniest story I heard all day was about this girl Sinna's birthday. (sidenote...I don't think I'm spelling her name correctly) Apparently her birthday was the first week we were here, and a rumor began about her party. The "party" was at Sequoia, and a great time was had by all, except for the birthday girl, because no one thought to invite her. I find it so amusing that a rumor can be so effective. LOL! I thought you might enjoy this little antecdote.

Another great story...we had a mouse in our room. I wasn't here for the action, but I will try to portray the events to you as best I can through second hand knowledge. Jamese discovered the mouse climbing her desk and headed toward the bed. What followed was a piercing scream awakening one of the girls on our hall and alerting the security guards. At first, the mouse was lost and Jamese proceeded to destroy her entire side of the room to find the interloper. Once out in the open, Bonita (girl from hall) trapped the mouse under the trashcan. The janitors disposed of it somehow. Sounds like the mouse was no bigger than a thumb. I'm glad it is out of our room, but I am sad for it.

One bonus from all of this, our room is now the cleanest it has been since we moved in. Now, I know you are all thinking it is my fault, but honestly it is not. Shreya, you would die if you saw how Jamese "organizes" her stuff.

On a different note, I need suggestions/reflections. If it weren't for the sudden mouse incident I would be lost as to what to write tonight. I can only whine about the amounts of Arabic homework I have so many times. What have I done that is interesting? What was, well, not so much? Please let me know. I figure you are the ones that have to read it...I'm just along for the ride. Happy Wednesday!

"weooweooweooweoo" -Doria, my Arabic professor

There is something so amusing about your respectable professor imitating police sirens in Arabic class. It was a really exciting start to a really great class...really (lol). When I entered class this morning, my professor approached me about going to Duke. Turns out she has a job offer at UNC. Now, I am against UNC, but I love this teacher and it would be super cool if she came back to w/me to N. Carolina. I am going to try and help her look for apartments if she accepts the job, so if anyone knows of anything, let me know. I talked to her after class about what it is like to live in NC, and about how I'm still a little intimidated about speaking in class, esp. about topics so intense. She is very encouraging...I love this woman.

On another note, Arabic is so over my head right now. I am just not ready to read about the Islamic movement in Arabic. Then you mix that in with the Egyptian dialect and I get so confused. The only positive is I find myself even thinking in Arabic...it is all so new. I need to rant a little bit though about the user-unfriendly nature of AUC. First of all, the library is only open until 9...2) you can't print 2-sided...3) food options are unhealthy...4) THE TABLES ALWAYS FLIP OVER!!! Okay, I'm done ranting.

The hardships don't really alter my opinion of the experience, but they certainly do make me appreciate/miss Duke. I hope my trivial complaints will help you all appreciate the little things. Happy Tuesday!

"You never say, 'Ahmed, how is your day going?' I always have to talk first." -Ahmed at Mercado Italiano

It is a sad, sad day when the guys at the restaurants begin recognizing you and striking up conversation. Ok, it is not necessarily a sad day, but rather hilarious. The guys at this particular restaurant like to flirt with my friend Mika and I (and I'm sure numerous others). The other day this other guy there told me I looked like an American actress (I never found out which one), and today I was scolded for not initiating conversation. Mika and I wonder if we flirt enough, will they start giving us free food? We think it might be worth a shot...lol (Justin, what happens in Cairo, stays in Cairo...j/k).

My life is quickly becoming consumed with Arabic. I'm not sure if that is good or bad, but I can tell you, it is HARD!!! Today we read an article about how Islam is not compatible with democracies. The teacher asked for my opinion. I don't even know my opinion in English, how am I supposed to communicate it in Arabic. Sheesh! I have found myself inserting random Arabic terms into my everyday conversation to create a confusing language I call Arabish. We joke in our class that we are not good enough to express ourselves in Arabic, but we are losing our English abilities as well.

Things are pretty good here these days though. I am not sick anymore, I got to talk to friends and family a lot yesterday, and tomorrow is hump day here. Things are looking up. I hope you all are having great Mondays, I am going to hit the sack. Goodnight!

"I go desert now. You want come with?" -our land cruiser driver

I know, I know...it is about time I posted for all of you to hear about my latest adventures in the Sahara, but you should all be happy to know that posting has been delayed due to an afternoon spent uploading pictures for your viewing pleasures. If every thing works as planned, clicking the title of today's post will take you to my photo slideshow. Please be jealous of the beauty, because it was totally fabulous!

After I woke up at 5:15 Friday morning to Mika and Kelsey banging on my door (we were supposed to leave at 5:30), we caught a cab and headed to the bus stop. The bus was surprisingly pleasant. I was tired enough to sleep for the majority of the 5 hours. The part I didn't sleep I read my book until it got too sad. The one rest stop on the way had 3 stalls, apparently I picked the only one with a real toilet, not a hole in the ground...lucky me! Of course this marked the end of all porcelain accommodations.

The guide and his crew met us at the bus stop with 3 land cruisers. I somehow ended up in the Land Cruiser with supplies duty...we stopped for food, we stopped to pray, we stopped for gas, and we changed guys in the passenger seat 3 times...lol. When we finally got on the road, we stopped at a small restaurant for lunch. A quick bite to eat and a cup of tea later, we headed out to the white desert. We drove bouncing around on a straight, endless paved road until suddenly we off-roaded it. It happened so fast the 2 guys in the back bounced to the front; it was hilarious.

For those of you who don't know, the Sahara desert was once under water, so beyond sand, there are miles and miles of eroding mountains and corals. The white desert is full of forms made of a substance that has to be chalk. In case you are wondering, in the one picture I am climbing on the chicken part of mushroom and chicken...lol. We found our camp just before sunset, and we all got to climb on different rocks to watch the colors fade from the sky. Later, with one pot and one kettle, the bedouin guides cooked the biggest, most wonderful meal ever of chicken, rice, and vegetables.

Campfires are essential in the desert. It gets COLD and FAST! I was amazed at how quickly the temperature can drop 20 degrees. The foxes took an interest in our camp, but they were harmless. We slept under the stars that were abundant...well, that doesn't even describe it. The moon was so bright, you could read or write w/o a flashlight. We rose with the sun, packed up camp, and headed to the black desert.

The black desert doesn't really have black sand. It is really a bunch of black volcanic rock covering the sand from past volcanic activity. There are no volcanoes now, or even traces beyond the rocks...it is just so hard to imagine what it was like. We also saw crystal mountain which is made of quartz. The most random part of our journey was when we visited this hot spring. A man jumped in with his approx. 1 1/2 year old son. When the son began crying, he handed the naked, wailing baby to a girl in our group...lol! Luckily the girl was more like a mother than a confused 20 yr. old. She cradled the boy until it was time for us to leave. It was precious and absurd at the same time.

We made it back all grumpy, tired, hungry, and cramped. Our 15 passenger van did not really accommodate 14 of us with all our bags. A 5 hr. journey followed by 2 hrs. of traffic in city does not bode well for those not showered who have been using sand as a toilet. But we made it back safe, and I saw some of the most beautiful sights in the world. I hope you enjoy the pics. Happy Sunday.

"I loved the line, 'the poplar and ash breathe' even though I have no idea what it means." -Girl in Creative Writing

So, I am sorry, I am being hassled, for good reason. It has been a crazy two days of homework, class, birthday parties, meeting advisers, and planning a trip to the desert. I feel like I have let you all down. It is especially bad because you had to keep looking at the article about Allison. I am not going to tell you about a person today because I have some exciting things to talk about, and I'm afraid it might be boring for you. Feedback please.

So my favorite class so far is my creative writing class. Today the professor read us a poem that describes a setting because we have to start creating settings. One of the lines referred to the silence of poplar and ash breathing. I of course was so excited by the mention of trees in my brown desert surroundings, but the Egyptians had no idea what a poplar or ash was. It is amazing what we learn from what we see. My last assignment in there was to take the plain descriptions of a shell and use them to describe something I am scared to talk about. I described failure as a shell in a poem. What an adventure!

Some exciting developments, I saw an Egyptian with braces. I mean, they all have nice teeth on AUC's campus, so I assumed, but seeing it was surprising. So far I have only seen one girl. It rained the other day...well more like a brief sprinkling. I could pretty much dodge the raindrops, but it was water. I got a mentor today, she is really nice. We talked for like 2 hrs. She introduced me to people, and told me about volunteer opportunities. I'm really excited.

This weekend I'm headed to the desert. The white, black, and crystal deserts to explore! I attached the link to our guide's website. We have been referred by a friend, so he is legit. I must be prepared to use the bathroom behind sand dunes and sleep under the starry sky, but I have decided it is a small price to pay to experience such an amazing part of God's creation. I will take lots of pictures! I won't be able to give you updates while I'm gone. So look for a mass update on Sunday. I miss you all! Have great weekends. Don't spend too much time mourning Duke's loss. I'm sad too, but life moves on.

"You are missing the point, Allison." -Professor Nelly Hanah

Today, I am sorry to say, but you get to meet Allison. She is an unfortunate character that has arrogantly shoved her way into the lives of all students in ARIC 323 Marriage and Family in the Middle East. I think I have mentioned her before (the girl that talks down to everyone, even the professor), but after my class yesterday, I feel it is necessary to describe to you this young woman who grades on my nerves. I have tried hard not to let her get to me, but yesterday, I failed miserably.

First thing you should know, she is as white as I am, speaks with an accent that sounds like she grew up in Michigan but has spent enough time away to conceal her accent for the most part, and she has this irritating laugh that follows most things she says in 3 raspy bursts. hahaha...ALWAYS 3! Second thing you need to know, she wears a veil, only not like Middle Eastern girls wear the veil, wrapped around to cover the neck as well. No, she wears it tight around her head, draped long in the back like a silk ponytail. I think this girl has an identity crisis.

I am sorry if this offends anyone or sounds too awful, but this girl conducts herself using all my classroom pet peeves. I think her performance in class yesterday will serve as a window into why I have become so annoyed with this individual. The professor asks if the class has ever heard the term Oriental Despotism, she raises her hand. She proceeds to use large words that seem to relate to the terms, but when put together really just serve as words, not necessarily descriptions. To an untrained ear, she sounds extremely intelligent, but to a student who spends her time at a university where most everyone is smarter than her and knows how to speak intelligently, this girl makes no sense! The professor looks at her and says, "I think you are missing the point, Allison. At least I don't really know what you are talking about." OMG! I wanted to laugh out loud, but then I felt ashamed for wanting to laugh at someone else's humiliation. She responded promptly, as if she were offended, with, "Well, that's how I would describe it."

I HATE when students pretend to be smarter than their professors who have been studying the topic for sometimes longer than the student has been alive. In this instance, I don't think that is too far off. I am going to have to spend the majority of this class not calling Allison out on the "facts" (or reality as she refers to it) that she misguidedly portrays. I agree with most of what she says, except for she always says it as if it is the only right answer and only she knows it. UGH!

Ok, enough venting. Other than that, yesterday was mainly full of homework. I spent literally 6 1/2 hours doing Arabic homework yesterday. Fun, fun! But so far, today (besides being cold) has been very pleasant. I hope you all will wake up and have happy Tuesdays as well.

"The father of my child better be in there seeing what I have to go through for that baby!" -Kelsey

The quote is completely irrelevant to the day really, but it was the hardest I laughed yesterday. I said I wasn't going to make it a habit to post in the morning rather than the night, but I realize I can make it a habit. It is my blog and I can write on it whenever I want. I think the main reason this is better for me is because by the time my homework is done and the adventures have ended, I'm so exhausted, I can't put my best effort into writing a blog. So for quality and convenience purposes, you will have to wait to read my blog in the morning with your coffee rather than before you go to bed with your cookies you snuck out of the kitchen.

Since my week days are becoming more and more monotonous, I have decided to start adding the characters of my daily life into my blog. I think you should know the people I know, even if you have never met them. I should probably start by telling you about the people I have become closest to in Egypt, but I have never really been one to do what I should but rather what I want. Since I have already established a trend today of making up my own rules, I am going to start by telling you about my Arabic professor.

She is a beautiful Egyptian woman, probably in her late forties, but smiles like she is 14. She speaks beautiful فصحة (Standard Arabic), but her Egyptian habits of making the "j" sound like a "g" sneak in every once in a while. Half the time in class none of us 5 students understand what she is saying, but she finds a way to explain it, and we love the class anyway. She tries so hard to keep it interesting. Today we had to listen to a piece about the beach, instead of just making us listen, she brought in seashells and model boats to decorate the table in front of us to put us in the mood, as she puts it. Her kindness is overwhelming, yesterday she bought Mika another orange juice, because her's was tragically lost to the always collapsing tables of AUC. I don't know if I'm great at speaking Arabic, but she makes me feel confident.

Just a small portrait of one person affecting my life here in Egypt. I don't have much else except to ask if anyone knows how to diminish the swelling of mosquito bites. I have one on each cheek and one on my right earlobe :(. I'm constantly afraid people think I have HUGE pimples. They are itching constantly, but don't worry I have one on my leg I can scratch when the others itch. Oh well, Have happy Mondays!

"What are they trying to do, starve us." -Mika

So today was lock down. It wouldn't have been so bad, except they didn't have any way for us to get food. Seriously, all day, how did they expect us to eat. Luckily the resourceful people of the group had snacks and we all scavenged what we could find. I think next they are going to come in and interrogate us. At least that is what we imagine happens when they try to break people down, lock them in a confined space, refuse them nourishment, and then grill them for details. Of course, they are not really going to interrogate us, but for those of us used to 3 meals a day, today was close to torture. I guess yet again it reminds me how blessed I really am.

The lock down was good for getting work done. I have accomplished a lot today. I even did some searches for an internship. My boyfriend Justin has helped by trying to get me a job close to him for the summer, and he found a great organization that helps resettle refugees in Indianapolis. I have sent them an e-mail inquiring about opportunities. I realize that the job seems like something I would really enjoy, so I have searched for other organizations. I found possible internships in Aurora, Illinois, Decatur, Georgia, and Washington D.C. But I absolutely have my fingers crossed for Indy. And don't worry, it is not just for Justin, I love spending the summers close to home. I miss Indiana too much when I'm gone for a semester, I can't imagine being gone a year.

I am feeling slightly better today, but I don't know if it is because of the continual drugs I am feeding into my body, or if I'm actually better. Hopefully I'm actually better. Well, tomorrow is a school day, I should be getting my beauty sleep. And because Duke eked it out today, we can all have happier dreams. Happy Saturday!

"You sound like an alien." -Max

Folks, I'm so sorry. This is not going to become a habit, me waiting until the next day to write you, but I was really, really sick last night. I got back here at around 10 with a fever and a very achy body. This is all following the fact that I have no voice at all. The Americans think I sound like an alien, and the Egyptians laugh at me. I think they are trying to decide if I always sound like that. Mika had to order my food for me, I was hoping the waiter thought I was deaf instead of incapable. Anyways, this is going to be short, just know I am taking preemptive drugs for my fever, and I am not going anywhere today. I hope the warm weather is finally hitting Indiana. Go soak up the sun. Happy Saturday!

I can do all things, through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

First I have to apologize to the readers that were missing my blog last night. It was a really late night here, and I thought my writing skills may improve with some rest.

This has been my favorite Bible verse since I had to memorize it in Bible school, but since my time in Egypt, I have come to understand it in a new light. Everything is more difficult here: going to the store, riding in a car, even breathing as smoke and pollution fill your lungs every time you inhale. While things are so much more difficult, I realize that I have survived, only losing my voice. Every moment of success feels like a gold medal. I have learned that all small tasks deserve the praise and glory of God.

Last night I was really blessed by God's opportunities. I came here specifically to do research on the Coptic Christians. As of yet, I haven't started my research, but on the bus last night I talked to a guy that is here from Orange County, California. Turns out most of his family lives in Cairo, and they are Coptic Christians...YAY! What a revelation! Okay, well I need to get food. Happy Thursday/Friday!

see below for quote

Once again i said my goodbyes
To those i love most
My heart feels that familiar pain
As i long for hope
Cause this road is hard
When i feel so far
-BarlowGirl, "Here's My Life"

I don't think this song is literally talking about a physical journey far from home, but that's how I hear it tonight. For the first time since I have left home, I truly feel homesick. It probably has something to do with the fact that I'm also physically sick for the first time today. My stomach hates something I ate, and my throat and nose hate the dry, dusty, polluted air. Between the sore throat, nose bleeds, and...well...you know, it is one of those days that you just want your mom to take care of you.

Of course it might have something to do with the fact that while I'm enjoying my time here, I still have yet to become friends with an Egyptian. So much for fully experiencing the culture. As I sit here in the middle of the desert, making more and more American friends, I'm beginning to wonder how to become a part of the culture I came to experience. I'm sure I am overreacting because I haven't even been here 2 weeks yet. But making friends with the Egyptians here has proved very difficult. Tonight we had a welcoming party, the music was so loud you could hardly speak to anyone, and the room was self-segregated. I just don't know how to approach a group of 10, standing in a circle, speaking in Arabic, and introduce myself. It still is way to intimidating.

It may also have something to do with the fact that I talked to a couple of my friends today. They all talked about how they missed me. I miss them all too. I think the hardest part is realizing all the memories I'm not going to be a part of when I get back.

Now, I don't want you all to worry too much. I have dealt with homesickness many times before, and I know it passes like most emotions. I still really like my classes here, and I feel like I really am learning Arabic now. You would think with 5 semesters prior to coming here I would be well on my way, but this is the first time I've ever believed I could actually speak the language. I find myself thinking in Arabic after class in normal conversation. It is all very exciting. I hope you are all enjoying the winter weather of the states, tomorrow promises to be sunny and 83. Happy Wednesday!

"I've never felt so noticeable in my entire life." -My creative writing professor

This sentence, I have decided, perfectly defines how I have been feeling here in Egypt. While I am loving it here so far, and I am so excited to get to experience all of these new things, there are certain things about being here that I find most annoying. #1) I'm pretty sure everyone is staring at me. When I'm out on the street I know everyone is staring at me because they all comment on me or try to strike up a conversation. On campus, I don't think everyone stares at me, but I am very aware of how much I stand out. Of course I'm not the only white girl on campus, but I feel so self-conscious.

I'm thinking I will get used to this attention, but there are a few things that I will never get used to. #2) All of the smoking. Everything constantly smells like tobacco...blah! #3) All systems are unreliable. Will the bus come? Does the taxi know where he is going? Did they lose my form...again?

Other things I just find ironic. #4) Why do I get lectured about conserving water, but they insist on washing all the walkways everyday. #5) Why do you cover your head, but wear leggings and a long shirt. I can't see your hair, but all of your curves. It is all very interesting. I think I will just leave you to think about that. Happy Tuesday!

"Kicking cans and holding hands." -Megan

So my friends Kelsey and Mika decided that this is a good definition of the Egyptian culture. LOL! It may just be because we are delirious and think anything that rhymes is clever. But, then again, holding hands is something I have really noticed here. The amount of affection displayed here is very different from what I experienced in Saudi Arabia. While I didn't expect Egyptians to adhere to the crazy strictness of complete separation necessary in Saudi, I didn't really expect to see the openness of relationships here.

However, displays of affection are not only common between a couple, but greetings between friends are full of love. Cheek to cheek kisses are common, even between men, and today we saw two policemen walking down the street holding hands. Judging by the stigma placed on homosexuality, I doubt that they would be walking around in the open.

Today has been better than yesterday. I have decided I love my Arabic class, and that is saying a lot because Arabic was miserable for me last semester. I have a class on marriage in historical middle east, and the professor was really great. I'm super excited about the class, except for that girl. You guys know the girl that thinks she knows so much she can even talk down to the professor. The one who talks just to hear her own voice. She may ruin this class for me...God give me patience.

I'm sad that I missed what has been called the best game in a while. I miss you all. Happy Monday.

"You are pioneers here, so you are going to have to suffer some setbacks along the way." -referring to our housing

Today was the first day of classes at AUC. For those of you wondering, yes we do have classes on Sunday. The Muslim holy day is Friday, so our weekend is Friday and Saturday. Also for those of you that have asked, the weather here is very mild right now. highs around 70 and lows in the 50's. Those temperatures seem much colder here than they do with humidity...I can vouch for that. It won't get hot until April and May.

The first day of classes was pretty uneventful. I was able to find and attend both of my classes. I think they will be ok, but I already have an Arabic assignment. I could definitely do w/o the homework. I hated wandering around so lost today. I didn't know any of the students that are on campus. With the international contingent making up less than 20% of campus population, I was in a mob of strangers for most of the day. I didn't know where my classes were either. I felt like a freshman all over again. I am hoping that a week of newness will be enough to get this out of my system. I want my confidence back.

I'm sad that all of you are preparing to watch the Super Bowl, and I'm preparing to sleep, but I guess 4 mos. in Egypt is a decent trade off. I miss all of you. Go Cardinals! Happy Sunday.