I agree with these sentiments exactly. I think we are getting "SPRING BREAK MUST COME!" blues here at AUC. Two weeks left to go and I think I have worked harder today than I have in a while. I even took an accidental 2 hr. nap. I somehow managed to be super productive today. Good thing because on top of ridiculous Arabic homework, I have a paper due on Tuesday. I was proud of my Arabic accomplishments today. Translate poem from English-Arabic, translate an article on poetry Arabic-English...good times, or something like that.
Other than Arabic, I talked to my family for a long time, so that was good. I got to hear about basketball, prom dresses, and college options. I miss home a lot sometimes. I also decided to hand wash the scarves I bought yesterday because they smelled disgustingly of Cairo. When I got done rinsing them out in the bathroom sink, the sink was black. It was DISGUSTING. I think that is what my lungs will look like before I get home. No wonder that pollution makes me sick all the time. Some things I love about this city, other things I could definitely live without: car horns, verbal harassment, pollution, cats. (Sorry cat lovers, but Egyptian cats are frightening.)
Sorry it is so short, but I have very little to talk about. Update, I turned in my poem, who knows how it was. 2 weeks until Turkey with Ted and Mika :). 2 months until I come home :). That's all...Happy Sunday!
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
"You look like a constipated ostrich." -Me إ
Moral of the story, don't walk like Mika did tonight, and I won't call you a constipated ostrich. I went souvenir shopping tonight. I was actually fun and not overwhelming. I think I'm becoming an Egyptian. The first night I visited Khan al-Khalili, it was the first week I was here. I was terrified if you want to know the truth, and I got hassled at every booth. Tonight was very different. I am so surprised how I have become accustomed to the culture here. Also a group of 4 white girls, 2 of which have blond hair, somehow made it through without getting mistaken as tourists. My theory is we don't look scared anymore, we know how to ignore, and we aren't afraid to bargain. I got a bag for 30 Egyptian pounds that was originally priced 75 pounds. I got the majority of gifts for people for $40. I was proud. Oh, and I got a silver ring for myself because silver here is cheap.
I also learned tonight that when I don't look like a wide-eyed tourist, I'm Spanish. Now, don't be mistaken, this doesn't mean Hispanic (Justin), it means I'm from Spain. Repeatedly store owners would ask me in Spanish if I was from Spain. Sometimes I like to say yes, just to change it up a bit. Plus it helps me try and revive my Spanish skills. I think the funniest harassment I heard tonight was, "Come look in my store. Don't worry, I am already married, I just want your money." Also some things just don't work well. We kept recognizing how sexual some of their innocent comments sound. "Come in, I will show you my goods." But that is probably just our immaturity seeping through.
I am excited to have gifts for people now. If you are special, I probably have one for you. I hope your Saturdays were equally fun. Have fun Sundays too.
I also learned tonight that when I don't look like a wide-eyed tourist, I'm Spanish. Now, don't be mistaken, this doesn't mean Hispanic (Justin), it means I'm from Spain. Repeatedly store owners would ask me in Spanish if I was from Spain. Sometimes I like to say yes, just to change it up a bit. Plus it helps me try and revive my Spanish skills. I think the funniest harassment I heard tonight was, "Come look in my store. Don't worry, I am already married, I just want your money." Also some things just don't work well. We kept recognizing how sexual some of their innocent comments sound. "Come in, I will show you my goods." But that is probably just our immaturity seeping through.
I am excited to have gifts for people now. If you are special, I probably have one for you. I hope your Saturdays were equally fun. Have fun Sundays too.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
D-U-K-E!
Here we go Devils, Here we go! I'm trying to get pumped up for the game. I will have you know, I am setting my alarm for 3 am, so I can wake up to watch the game on CBS.com. If that is not dedication, I don't really know what is. I thought about painting my face blue, but my professor called me magnuna (crazy), so I realized it is not really appreciated around here. All I know is, if I wake up that early and Duke loses, I will cry. I think they have the decency to win for me, so I'm not worried.
In other news...IT IS THE WEEKEND!!!! At least for me anyways. Sorry for those of you who have to slave away for another day. I'm going to take this weekend easy. I think tonight I may go see a movie. Who knows? I might go shopping, but I don't have any money. I really just need groceries. I think that is what I will do. Then tomorrow is laundry and homework. I think we may go to the cave church this weekend for fun, but that will be on Saturday.
Not much has happened to me today. I had to give a presentation in Egyptian Arabic about a trip to the store. Not that exciting, I bought some eggs and bananas, etc. We also started practicing writing poems in my creative writing class. poetry=0 fun. I loved writing a short story, but I am not a poet. EEK! We have to write one and turn it in on Sunday. Wish me luck.
I don't think I have anything else. It has been a boring day. I hope yours are more exciting. Happy Thursday!
In other news...IT IS THE WEEKEND!!!! At least for me anyways. Sorry for those of you who have to slave away for another day. I'm going to take this weekend easy. I think tonight I may go see a movie. Who knows? I might go shopping, but I don't have any money. I really just need groceries. I think that is what I will do. Then tomorrow is laundry and homework. I think we may go to the cave church this weekend for fun, but that will be on Saturday.
Not much has happened to me today. I had to give a presentation in Egyptian Arabic about a trip to the store. Not that exciting, I bought some eggs and bananas, etc. We also started practicing writing poems in my creative writing class. poetry=0 fun. I loved writing a short story, but I am not a poet. EEK! We have to write one and turn it in on Sunday. Wish me luck.
I don't think I have anything else. It has been a boring day. I hope yours are more exciting. Happy Thursday!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
"Don't distract us with boring property, we want to talk about qadi adultery." -Professor Hanna
I first have to apologize for not being consistent about writing on here. I honestly have just been busy the past two evenings talking to my friends at Duke, my mom, and my boyfriend. I have no real excuse other than I am lame. I secondly have to explain to you that a qadi is a judge in the Islamic courts, and today in my marriage and family class we analyzed a case where two were involved in adultery with one woman. Very interesting topic and discussion as you can imagine.
I don't really have any exciting news from the past couple of days except for my creative writing story was actually a hit with my peers. I felt a little proud, I'm not going to lie. It was really fun to read the different stories of my peers because it showed just how different we all are. It is also interesting to see what issues non-native speakers have in writing in English. I must admit, I was really impressed with their skills. I think some of the people in my class should help write the school newspaper here because the people who do don't live up to my classmates, at least from what I can tell. The other day the article was so bad in English, I opted to read it in Arabic. Of course then I had an added sense of accomplishment.
I may not have lots of exciting news, but I do have a couple of stories about the culture here. One hilarious, one that offended me. I think I will tell you what offended me first, so I can end on a happy note. Last night I got out of my late class at 8 pm. By then the campus is pretty deserted and I was walking back to the dorm by myself. A couple was approaching me, and as we passed the man was staring at me. First of all this was weird, not because a man was staring at me, because that happens to any woman on the streets of Cairo, but because it was on campus. On campus the Egyptians for the most part ignore the Americans or a select few treat you like normal students. But back to my story, the man was staring at me. Then he started singing, "I am a terrorist, I eat Americans." Then he growled. It was so strange and infuriating at the same time. I first of all hate that most Americans see Middle Easterners as all being terrorist. Second of all, I hate that this belief has caused a bad stigma for understanding Americans like me who have devoted time to better understand the culture. I really wanted to say, "Well I'm an American and I bomb them." However, I realize this isn't really what I believe in and it was highly inappropriate. Rage does crazy things to your mind.
My funny story is, I went to McDonalds to get a hot fudge sundae, which in Egypt are called a sundae with chocolate and have become my weakness in life. So I'm standing at the counter waiting in "line" and I notice that my cashier's name is Ahmed Ali. I was thinking what a standard Islamic/Arab name. I decided to check out the other name tags. Would you believe all 3 cashiers were named Ahmed. Ahmed Ali, Ahmed Zaki, and Ahmed Mudeer. It was so funny. If you are ever in Egypt, and want a hot fudge sundae on AUC's campus, just ask for Ahmed.
Anyways, I have to get to class now. Almost the weekend. Happy Wednesday!
I don't really have any exciting news from the past couple of days except for my creative writing story was actually a hit with my peers. I felt a little proud, I'm not going to lie. It was really fun to read the different stories of my peers because it showed just how different we all are. It is also interesting to see what issues non-native speakers have in writing in English. I must admit, I was really impressed with their skills. I think some of the people in my class should help write the school newspaper here because the people who do don't live up to my classmates, at least from what I can tell. The other day the article was so bad in English, I opted to read it in Arabic. Of course then I had an added sense of accomplishment.
I may not have lots of exciting news, but I do have a couple of stories about the culture here. One hilarious, one that offended me. I think I will tell you what offended me first, so I can end on a happy note. Last night I got out of my late class at 8 pm. By then the campus is pretty deserted and I was walking back to the dorm by myself. A couple was approaching me, and as we passed the man was staring at me. First of all this was weird, not because a man was staring at me, because that happens to any woman on the streets of Cairo, but because it was on campus. On campus the Egyptians for the most part ignore the Americans or a select few treat you like normal students. But back to my story, the man was staring at me. Then he started singing, "I am a terrorist, I eat Americans." Then he growled. It was so strange and infuriating at the same time. I first of all hate that most Americans see Middle Easterners as all being terrorist. Second of all, I hate that this belief has caused a bad stigma for understanding Americans like me who have devoted time to better understand the culture. I really wanted to say, "Well I'm an American and I bomb them." However, I realize this isn't really what I believe in and it was highly inappropriate. Rage does crazy things to your mind.
My funny story is, I went to McDonalds to get a hot fudge sundae, which in Egypt are called a sundae with chocolate and have become my weakness in life. So I'm standing at the counter waiting in "line" and I notice that my cashier's name is Ahmed Ali. I was thinking what a standard Islamic/Arab name. I decided to check out the other name tags. Would you believe all 3 cashiers were named Ahmed. Ahmed Ali, Ahmed Zaki, and Ahmed Mudeer. It was so funny. If you are ever in Egypt, and want a hot fudge sundae on AUC's campus, just ask for Ahmed.
Anyways, I have to get to class now. Almost the weekend. Happy Wednesday!
Monday, March 23, 2009
"What happens if you step on a sea urchin? Will you explode?" -Andrew
Nothing makes me frecklier (who cares if that is really a word) than a walk on a sunny mountain and two days at the beach. You should be proud of me though, I put on plenty of sunscreen. Two consecutive days in the Egyptian sun, and I wasn't a bit red. I'm sure some of my friends wish they could say the same. With the gorgeous sun, mountain, and sea, this weekend was FABULOUS! Check out my pictures linked to the title.
After we finished climbing Mt. Sinai, we visited St. Catherine monastery. St. Catherine is the oldest/longest functioning monastery. It also claims to be the home of the burning bush visited by God as a message to Moses. I don't know how valid this claim is, but that was one large, impressive plant. Next we hopped on a bus, and a 1 1/2 hour bus ride took us to the Red Sea.
Sadly I arrived at the sea severely dehydrated and incapable of enjoying the day. I spent my afternoon drinking lots of water and sleeping. But the next day made up for a lousy afternoon. Did you know that the Red Sea has perfectly clear blue water and the second best coral formations in the world. My friends and I swam about a half a mile out into the sea. When we looked down we saw a scary eel, some cool yellow and black fish, and a beautiful sting ray. It was so neat to see those things so far below us. I was especially glad the eel was far below us.
I definitely want to go back and snorkel. Or maybe I will try to get SCUBA certified. They actually have legit programs here for significantly cheaper than the states. We will see. Anyways, I hope you enjoy the photos. I may have more stories for you tomorrow. Happy Sunday.
After we finished climbing Mt. Sinai, we visited St. Catherine monastery. St. Catherine is the oldest/longest functioning monastery. It also claims to be the home of the burning bush visited by God as a message to Moses. I don't know how valid this claim is, but that was one large, impressive plant. Next we hopped on a bus, and a 1 1/2 hour bus ride took us to the Red Sea.
Sadly I arrived at the sea severely dehydrated and incapable of enjoying the day. I spent my afternoon drinking lots of water and sleeping. But the next day made up for a lousy afternoon. Did you know that the Red Sea has perfectly clear blue water and the second best coral formations in the world. My friends and I swam about a half a mile out into the sea. When we looked down we saw a scary eel, some cool yellow and black fish, and a beautiful sting ray. It was so neat to see those things so far below us. I was especially glad the eel was far below us.
I definitely want to go back and snorkel. Or maybe I will try to get SCUBA certified. They actually have legit programs here for significantly cheaper than the states. We will see. Anyways, I hope you enjoy the photos. I may have more stories for you tomorrow. Happy Sunday.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
"I need 2 camels, one for me and one for my bottle of water." -Senna
I am sorry to report that I do not have time to give you the full summary of my amazing weekend, or time to upload my pictures. I have an Arabic exam at 8:30 in the morning, followed by a peer editing for my 10 page short-story. I promise to have a full recap of my trip tomorrow, accompanied by beautiful scenery. For now I will tell you about the most physically trying thing I have ever done...climb a mountain in 2 hours.
Our bus started an hour late on Wed. night. Actually not surprising because it is Egypt, but it also caused problems for us when we got to Mt. Sinai. You climb Mt. Sinai at night, mainly because the Egyptian sun is too powerful to make climbing comfortable during the day. The 3-4 hour hike begins around 1-1:30 am, and you arrive at the summit at 5-5:30 to experience sunrise atop this biblical peak. Our bus arrived at Mt. Sinai at approx. 3:17. Factor in bathroom pit stop, hiring guide, and gathering group, and the sixteen of us started up the mountain at 3:27.
The "leader" of our group decided it was possible for us to make it up the mountain in order to see the sunrise. Can I just tell you, WE RAN UP THE MOUNTAIN. Now, it wasn't really a run because it is a mountain, but the parts of the trail that were relatively level, I was literally jogging, and upset, and about to pass out really. Only about 3 people in our group were enjoying the idea of booking it up the mountain for sunrise, the other 13 of us struggled to keep up in order to have a guide. Now I am the first to admit, I'm not in the best shape, but I would say I am in the best shape now that I have been since cheerleading. I really thought that I was going to faint at one point.
Once the sun started coming up and I could see the top, I got a second wind, I hurried with the rest to the top...so I thought. Just when you think you can go no higher, you are faced with about a zillion stairs! The stairs about did me in. With below freezing temperature, thin air, and exhausted legs, I think I took about 10 stairs and had to break for the entire rest of the ascent. EXHAUSTING! The only retribution was the spectacular view of sunrise and reveling in the fact that I climbed the mountain faster than most people can boast. On the trip down the mountain, our tour guide told me he has never had a group climb the mountain so fast. He was tired and impressed, so I decided not to feel bad about the fact that I about had to hire a camel to get me to the top. My legs were shaking about 2 hrs. after...lol.
Our bus started an hour late on Wed. night. Actually not surprising because it is Egypt, but it also caused problems for us when we got to Mt. Sinai. You climb Mt. Sinai at night, mainly because the Egyptian sun is too powerful to make climbing comfortable during the day. The 3-4 hour hike begins around 1-1:30 am, and you arrive at the summit at 5-5:30 to experience sunrise atop this biblical peak. Our bus arrived at Mt. Sinai at approx. 3:17. Factor in bathroom pit stop, hiring guide, and gathering group, and the sixteen of us started up the mountain at 3:27.
The "leader" of our group decided it was possible for us to make it up the mountain in order to see the sunrise. Can I just tell you, WE RAN UP THE MOUNTAIN. Now, it wasn't really a run because it is a mountain, but the parts of the trail that were relatively level, I was literally jogging, and upset, and about to pass out really. Only about 3 people in our group were enjoying the idea of booking it up the mountain for sunrise, the other 13 of us struggled to keep up in order to have a guide. Now I am the first to admit, I'm not in the best shape, but I would say I am in the best shape now that I have been since cheerleading. I really thought that I was going to faint at one point.
Once the sun started coming up and I could see the top, I got a second wind, I hurried with the rest to the top...so I thought. Just when you think you can go no higher, you are faced with about a zillion stairs! The stairs about did me in. With below freezing temperature, thin air, and exhausted legs, I think I took about 10 stairs and had to break for the entire rest of the ascent. EXHAUSTING! The only retribution was the spectacular view of sunrise and reveling in the fact that I climbed the mountain faster than most people can boast. On the trip down the mountain, our tour guide told me he has never had a group climb the mountain so fast. He was tired and impressed, so I decided not to feel bad about the fact that I about had to hire a camel to get me to the top. My legs were shaking about 2 hrs. after...lol.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
"How much snot can fit in your head at once before it explodes?" -Sarah Alice
I'm sorry to report, nothing exciting has happened in my life today. And along with Sarah Alice and half of the campus, I have a seriously stuffy nose. Of course it is the kinda stuffy that will suddenly change to runny at the most inconvenient/embarrassing times. For example, I'm working out...runny nose. Ordering dinner...runny nose. GROSS! I think it is because of the weather. Fun fact, it was warmer today in Indiana than in Cairo.
I am traveling to more fun places this weekend, so you probably won't hear from me again until Sat. Good new is, I think these pictures might be the best yet. Unfortunately, I have 3 classes, an oral midterm, and a short essay standing between me and 9 pm. tomorrow. I believe that school is overrated. Study abroad isn't about the lessons I learn in the classrooms, it is about the experiences I'm having. I wish I had it in me to not care, but that is so not me.
I'm sorry this is so short, but my life was very boring today and I have a big day tomorrow. Hopefully I will have internet somewhere while I'm gone, but if not, I will talk to you Saturday. Happy Tuesday!
I am traveling to more fun places this weekend, so you probably won't hear from me again until Sat. Good new is, I think these pictures might be the best yet. Unfortunately, I have 3 classes, an oral midterm, and a short essay standing between me and 9 pm. tomorrow. I believe that school is overrated. Study abroad isn't about the lessons I learn in the classrooms, it is about the experiences I'm having. I wish I had it in me to not care, but that is so not me.
I'm sorry this is so short, but my life was very boring today and I have a big day tomorrow. Hopefully I will have internet somewhere while I'm gone, but if not, I will talk to you Saturday. Happy Tuesday!
Monday, March 16, 2009
"I would like to offer you a place in Exodus' summer 2009 intern program" -Samantha Briggs from Exodus
YAY! This is what I woke up to this morning. I had an e-mail saying I have been offered the internship I really wanted. This is great news, but... Why is there always a but? Anyways, I can only take this internship if I find a cheap place to live, so please keep it in your prayers. If you know of any options, I will gladly take ideas on top of prayers. I really want to take this opportunity because I think it may help give me an idea about what I want to do with my life.
In other news, I got a package from my family. I LOVE MAIL! Easter candy and a puzzle book was more than enough to get me distracted, fat, and perfectly happy. I got a new supply of my favorite pens, and my dad added his own special gift. He thought since we have had a mouse problem in our dorms, I could use a mouse trap. It was pretty hilarious, because the mouse trap was even declared on the customs tag on the envelope.
Some things in Egypt just don't make sense at all. Today, I had one of those experiences. I tried to call my friend to see where I was supposed to meet her, when I got a recording in Arabic. I was quickly transferred to a man, who was speaking to me in Arabic. Too bad it was Egyptian Arabic, and I had no idea. So, I used my resources. I asked a random girl on campus to help me. Turns out my phone company wanted conformation of who I was. I could understand if I had a contact, but I purchased a phone, I buy minutes, I really have no serious ties to the phone company. They asked my name, my birthday...whatever, fine. Then they wanted my passport number. Are they crazy?! 1) I don't carry my passport around w/me. 2) I will not give out that type of info to a random man on the phone. It was an argument, and I may or may not be able to use the phone again, we will see. Crazy, pointless Egypt. You would think at some point I would stop being surprised.
I'm so excited about March Madness! I have created a bracket named Race for the Camel. You should join it on ESPN.com. The password is Egypt. The winner gets an Egyptian Camel. Happy Monday!
In other news, I got a package from my family. I LOVE MAIL! Easter candy and a puzzle book was more than enough to get me distracted, fat, and perfectly happy. I got a new supply of my favorite pens, and my dad added his own special gift. He thought since we have had a mouse problem in our dorms, I could use a mouse trap. It was pretty hilarious, because the mouse trap was even declared on the customs tag on the envelope.
Some things in Egypt just don't make sense at all. Today, I had one of those experiences. I tried to call my friend to see where I was supposed to meet her, when I got a recording in Arabic. I was quickly transferred to a man, who was speaking to me in Arabic. Too bad it was Egyptian Arabic, and I had no idea. So, I used my resources. I asked a random girl on campus to help me. Turns out my phone company wanted conformation of who I was. I could understand if I had a contact, but I purchased a phone, I buy minutes, I really have no serious ties to the phone company. They asked my name, my birthday...whatever, fine. Then they wanted my passport number. Are they crazy?! 1) I don't carry my passport around w/me. 2) I will not give out that type of info to a random man on the phone. It was an argument, and I may or may not be able to use the phone again, we will see. Crazy, pointless Egypt. You would think at some point I would stop being surprised.
I'm so excited about March Madness! I have created a bracket named Race for the Camel. You should join it on ESPN.com. The password is Egypt. The winner gets an Egyptian Camel. Happy Monday!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
"Here, I will show you." -another well-meaning Egyptian
Well, get really excited! Why you ask. Well duh, you get to read two posts in one day. HAHA! Sometimes I wonder about my own capabilities. I'm sorry my post was absent for so long. I wrote it last night, but I was a failure at actually making it available to my trusty readers. Please accept my deepest apologies.
Today has been pretty good. I am becoming more and more aware of how incapable I am in the Arabic language. I'm actually quite proficient at reading, listening comprehension, and writing, but when it comes to speaking you would think I was a two year old. Who knew I would ever have trouble having things to say. I can't decide if it is because I am bad at speaking, or if I am too self-conscious and nervous. Not to mention, today I was reading an article, and this word kept coming up over and over again. I had no idea what it meant, so I asked one of my Egyptian friends. She told me the meaning, but then she asked me in shock, "Why are you reading something so difficult?" Trust me, I ask myself this everyday. I'm seriously beginning to wonder why I have learned Arabic. I feel like my skills are too good, but not good enough.
Another good story that gives a window into the personality of Egyptians: Today we had to get our cards reactivated, for who knows what reason, but without it, we were locked out. Anyways, we went to the office where we originally activated our cards, only to discover the office had moved. The guy now occupying the office had no idea where we needed to go, so he sent us to Leila. Once we finally found Leila's office, we were met with a receptionist, and he informed us Leila had just stepped out. We told him our issue and he thought for a moment and said follow me. We went on a 2nd wild goose chase out to a silver box beside a door that looked like a doorstop to me. The man swiped our cards, the light flashed red, and he said done. LOL! Egyptians want so badly to be able to help, they will make up any story or actions to get the job "done." The rule when asking directions in Cairo, ask at least 3 people and take the consensus. They will tell you any number of directions, even if they have never heard of the place.
Well, it is time for me to sleep. Good news, the few trees we have are blooming and beautiful! Happy Sunday! GO DUKE!!!!!!!
Today has been pretty good. I am becoming more and more aware of how incapable I am in the Arabic language. I'm actually quite proficient at reading, listening comprehension, and writing, but when it comes to speaking you would think I was a two year old. Who knew I would ever have trouble having things to say. I can't decide if it is because I am bad at speaking, or if I am too self-conscious and nervous. Not to mention, today I was reading an article, and this word kept coming up over and over again. I had no idea what it meant, so I asked one of my Egyptian friends. She told me the meaning, but then she asked me in shock, "Why are you reading something so difficult?" Trust me, I ask myself this everyday. I'm seriously beginning to wonder why I have learned Arabic. I feel like my skills are too good, but not good enough.
Another good story that gives a window into the personality of Egyptians: Today we had to get our cards reactivated, for who knows what reason, but without it, we were locked out. Anyways, we went to the office where we originally activated our cards, only to discover the office had moved. The guy now occupying the office had no idea where we needed to go, so he sent us to Leila. Once we finally found Leila's office, we were met with a receptionist, and he informed us Leila had just stepped out. We told him our issue and he thought for a moment and said follow me. We went on a 2nd wild goose chase out to a silver box beside a door that looked like a doorstop to me. The man swiped our cards, the light flashed red, and he said done. LOL! Egyptians want so badly to be able to help, they will make up any story or actions to get the job "done." The rule when asking directions in Cairo, ask at least 3 people and take the consensus. They will tell you any number of directions, even if they have never heard of the place.
Well, it is time for me to sleep. Good news, the few trees we have are blooming and beautiful! Happy Sunday! GO DUKE!!!!!!!
"You're annoying." -Andrew Tadros
(Author's note: I apologize. I thought I posted this last night, but it turns out I just saved it.)
Can you believe it?! Andrew said I was annoying! Why would anyone say such a thing. Well really, he said it because I was insisting on paying him back the equivalent of $5. This also happened to be at the end of our day long trip in the streets of Cairo exploring architecture and Coptic Cairo, so he was easily annoyed. It was really cool to see Coptic Cairo with a Coptic Christian. He taught me a lot of things about the structure of the church. It is very similar to the Catholic church in many respects. It was neat to hear about fellow Christians nothing like myself.
The coolest thing I learned was about the altars. There were two or three altars in every church we visited. I found out it is because Copts and their altars have to fast before partaking of the elements. If a church has more than one service a day, there has to be more than one altar so each one has "fasted." So many different customs, but we are all following the same God. It is funny how humans can create differences in such unity.
Before we went to Coptic Cairo, we went on his class field trip to various mosques, palace remnants, etc. I liked listening to the teacher's background on the history and looking at the cool sights. I tended to tune out when she started talking about the architecture though. I mean, I don't have to take a test on it or find it particularly interesting. I liked looking at architecture, but i don't feel the need to know about the history of it. I hope you enjoy my pictures from the day. Just click the title. Happy Saturday!
Can you believe it?! Andrew said I was annoying! Why would anyone say such a thing. Well really, he said it because I was insisting on paying him back the equivalent of $5. This also happened to be at the end of our day long trip in the streets of Cairo exploring architecture and Coptic Cairo, so he was easily annoyed. It was really cool to see Coptic Cairo with a Coptic Christian. He taught me a lot of things about the structure of the church. It is very similar to the Catholic church in many respects. It was neat to hear about fellow Christians nothing like myself.
The coolest thing I learned was about the altars. There were two or three altars in every church we visited. I found out it is because Copts and their altars have to fast before partaking of the elements. If a church has more than one service a day, there has to be more than one altar so each one has "fasted." So many different customs, but we are all following the same God. It is funny how humans can create differences in such unity.
Before we went to Coptic Cairo, we went on his class field trip to various mosques, palace remnants, etc. I liked listening to the teacher's background on the history and looking at the cool sights. I tended to tune out when she started talking about the architecture though. I mean, I don't have to take a test on it or find it particularly interesting. I liked looking at architecture, but i don't feel the need to know about the history of it. I hope you enjoy my pictures from the day. Just click the title. Happy Saturday!
Saturday, March 14, 2009
"You know what I'm sayin'" -donkey man
My quote really has nothing to do with my life in Egypt, but it made me laugh when Taniesha was talking about it. I'm sorry I haven't been frequent with my postings, but this week was actually crazy. Luckily I have been able to spend my day doing absolutely nothing. FABULOUS! I promise to make up for it by providing you more pictures of fun explorations tomorrow. I'm headed to Coptic Cairo for the day, so I will surely have some good stories for you.
I haven't been posting, but my life has been surprisingly boring. It has been homework, homework, homework. Yesterday I went to my professor's house again. By the way, I forgot to tell you, but she took the job at UNC...fun. She doesn't know it yet, but I think that means we can't be friends. Anyways, we spent our evening giving presentations and because of them, we spoke about the death penalty, the Palestinian crisis, Jesus, an Iranian painter, and the UN security council. It was an interesting blend of controversial topics. Not really your average over tea kind of conversation.
Really that is all that has happened in my life. Oh, I think you should know, I am writing my next short story for my class on my summer in the factory. My professor is really excited about it. We will see how it goes. Maybe it will be the first chapter (I have written) in my book about my life. Ok, time for bed. More fun stories to come tomorrow. Happy Friday!
I haven't been posting, but my life has been surprisingly boring. It has been homework, homework, homework. Yesterday I went to my professor's house again. By the way, I forgot to tell you, but she took the job at UNC...fun. She doesn't know it yet, but I think that means we can't be friends. Anyways, we spent our evening giving presentations and because of them, we spoke about the death penalty, the Palestinian crisis, Jesus, an Iranian painter, and the UN security council. It was an interesting blend of controversial topics. Not really your average over tea kind of conversation.
Really that is all that has happened in my life. Oh, I think you should know, I am writing my next short story for my class on my summer in the factory. My professor is really excited about it. We will see how it goes. Maybe it will be the first chapter (I have written) in my book about my life. Ok, time for bed. More fun stories to come tomorrow. Happy Friday!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
"When did study abroad include homework?" -Zach
Can I just tell you that I am exhausted. I am sorry for the absence of posts, but since I have returned from Luxor, I am swamped with a Duke load of work. I have two different Arabic presentations tomorrow, so I'm pretty stressed and am using this short post as a procrastination tool. I figured I should let everyone know how I'm doing before I get concerned e-mails. My friend Zach goes to Princeton, and while a lot of other students have been surprised at the amount of work, other than my one Arabic class, life here has been easy sailing for those of us that go to ridiculous colleges. I don't know if it was the weekend away that knocked me off track or if this is my equivalent of a midterm week, but it's pretty crazy. I suppose I should get back to work. Hopefully I will have some exciting stories for you tomorrow, when it is finally the WEEKEND! Happy Wednesday.
Monday, March 9, 2009
"Hello, baksheesh" -children on the street
I have returned from my travels to prepare for another week of school...lame! I'm beginning to realize that I am learning more from my travels here than from actual class and have decided who needs school. Unfortunately, I don't believe quitting is an option, so mom, dad, don't burst a brain vein, I'm still doing homework. But I really did have a great time and learned a lot about Ancient Egypt, and about myself in some instances.
I think I will start by telling you the bad part of my trip, so we can get over it and focus on the good stuff. Yesterday we decided to sleep in because we had a really late night and no set plans for the day. After we woke up, showered, and got breakfast, it was 11 am and we set off on the 3 block trek to the train station. Because Luxor's traffic doesn't even come close to comparing to Cairo it was pretty uneventful except for the average hoot from some random guy about spice girls or something else unoriginal. It was sweltering hot, so we arrived at the train station sweating and regretting our showers.
We went to the window and asked for 4 tickets to Cairo on the 9:30 pm. train. (sidenote: we had visited the train station the night before to get tickets and were told we had to purchase same day only) The man says, "Two only." We thought he misunderstood us, but it turns out he only had two seats left! We were of course frustrated, and after arguing and seeking the help of the tourist police, we were forced to settle on riding a bus. OMG!!! Never, ever again! I had less room than on a plane, the bathroom was out of order or something so we had to stop every 5 feet at bathrooms that were holes in the ground and smelled worse than a bad nursing home, and the BLARED Arab movies at 1 am. 14 hours of my life in a moving torture chamber. This may be a little dramatic, but it really was miserable.
On happier notes, the rest of the trip was amazing. I will have to admit, I didn't enjoy it as much as the first day there, but I still got to see some really neat stuff (those are very academic terms). Our second day in Luxor was spent touring various tombs in the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens. Some of them are so well preserved with vibrant original color. It was pretty amazing. I also thought it was pretty cool because some of the tombs had Coptic inscriptions where the Copts hid in them to avoid persecution. It was interesting to see the different types of pictures they would use for the walls. Although, I must admit, after so many tombs, they begin to look the same. We also went to another temple and the Colossi of Memnon.
The last day after our bus/train fiasco we had less time than we anticipated because the bus left 3 hours earlier. We decided to take the day off and relax by the pool. The other girls tanned while I freckled, but it was very relaxing. Plus our rooftop pool had a gorgeous view of the Nile River. I hope you all can enjoy my photos that are linked to the title of the blog. I have to get to work, but happy Monday.
I think I will start by telling you the bad part of my trip, so we can get over it and focus on the good stuff. Yesterday we decided to sleep in because we had a really late night and no set plans for the day. After we woke up, showered, and got breakfast, it was 11 am and we set off on the 3 block trek to the train station. Because Luxor's traffic doesn't even come close to comparing to Cairo it was pretty uneventful except for the average hoot from some random guy about spice girls or something else unoriginal. It was sweltering hot, so we arrived at the train station sweating and regretting our showers.
We went to the window and asked for 4 tickets to Cairo on the 9:30 pm. train. (sidenote: we had visited the train station the night before to get tickets and were told we had to purchase same day only) The man says, "Two only." We thought he misunderstood us, but it turns out he only had two seats left! We were of course frustrated, and after arguing and seeking the help of the tourist police, we were forced to settle on riding a bus. OMG!!! Never, ever again! I had less room than on a plane, the bathroom was out of order or something so we had to stop every 5 feet at bathrooms that were holes in the ground and smelled worse than a bad nursing home, and the BLARED Arab movies at 1 am. 14 hours of my life in a moving torture chamber. This may be a little dramatic, but it really was miserable.
On happier notes, the rest of the trip was amazing. I will have to admit, I didn't enjoy it as much as the first day there, but I still got to see some really neat stuff (those are very academic terms). Our second day in Luxor was spent touring various tombs in the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens. Some of them are so well preserved with vibrant original color. It was pretty amazing. I also thought it was pretty cool because some of the tombs had Coptic inscriptions where the Copts hid in them to avoid persecution. It was interesting to see the different types of pictures they would use for the walls. Although, I must admit, after so many tombs, they begin to look the same. We also went to another temple and the Colossi of Memnon.
The last day after our bus/train fiasco we had less time than we anticipated because the bus left 3 hours earlier. We decided to take the day off and relax by the pool. The other girls tanned while I freckled, but it was very relaxing. Plus our rooftop pool had a gorgeous view of the Nile River. I hope you all can enjoy my photos that are linked to the title of the blog. I have to get to work, but happy Monday.
Friday, March 6, 2009
"Leave me ALONE!" -Me
Luxor is fabulous minus one feature, the hasslers. We took a train overnight from Cairo to Luxor, and we ended up in Luxor at around 5:30 am. As soon as we got off the train, bleary-eyed and sleep deprived, it began. A man was in my face trying to tell me about the hotel he had for only 40 pounds. I tried politely explaining to him that I already had a hotel. Even though he was speaking to me in English, I used Arabic to get my point across. If Egyptians win anything, it is the persistent award. He followed me through the train station, repeatedly asking me and trying to direct me. Finally, in my frustration, I yelled at him. I was half asleep and don't really remember it that well, but apparently it was in a strange mix of English and Arabic and the most hilarious event of the day.
The guy who runs the hostel we are staying in picked us up at the train station, and brought us back to drop off our stuff. He is really nice and helpful, not to mention his hostel is ridiculously cheap. We then rented bikes from our hostel and headed to Karnak Temple. I still cannot fathom how people buitl these things. It was so spectacular. You will have to wait for pictures until I get back, but you should be prepared to be amazed. The only downside is it was overrun with scantily clad Europeans.
After we were completely exhausted from wondering the vast temple, we decided to head down the Nile to find some lunch. 4 boys, the oldest of which couldn't have been over 11 surrounded our bikes and tried to hop on, pull us back and push us off. Normally this would not be intimidating, seeing as even I was significantly bigger than the biggest one, but we were all on these really crappy bikes. Mine didn't even have functioning breaks, so I repeatedly ran into the boy cutting me off.
We then got rid of them and stopped at the mumification museum. It had some really cool artifacts, but the one room size was not really worth my five dollars. We finally got some lunch and headed back to our hotel, on our way back Kelsey fell off her bike in the middle of the road, a taxi pulled up next to me and asked if I needed a cab (keep in mind, I'm riding a bike), and then a small child ran out in front of my bike that had no brakes. Have no fear, no one died in the making of this blog, and only Kelsey came home with a scratch. We took a quick nap and headed back to the Nile.
We took a falouka ride to a small island, called Banana Island. It was Egyptian agriculture at its best. Our guide took us all around this remote village that I'm sure few tourists ever get to see. All the children said hello and then asked for money. Then we got back on our boat and sailed around until sunset. We finished up our night by visiting the Luxor temple, another spectacular excavated sight. It was cool to see it at night with all the lights on.
After such a long day, I need some serious sleep. I hope your days are turning out to be entertaining as well. Miss you all. Happy Friday!
The guy who runs the hostel we are staying in picked us up at the train station, and brought us back to drop off our stuff. He is really nice and helpful, not to mention his hostel is ridiculously cheap. We then rented bikes from our hostel and headed to Karnak Temple. I still cannot fathom how people buitl these things. It was so spectacular. You will have to wait for pictures until I get back, but you should be prepared to be amazed. The only downside is it was overrun with scantily clad Europeans.
After we were completely exhausted from wondering the vast temple, we decided to head down the Nile to find some lunch. 4 boys, the oldest of which couldn't have been over 11 surrounded our bikes and tried to hop on, pull us back and push us off. Normally this would not be intimidating, seeing as even I was significantly bigger than the biggest one, but we were all on these really crappy bikes. Mine didn't even have functioning breaks, so I repeatedly ran into the boy cutting me off.
We then got rid of them and stopped at the mumification museum. It had some really cool artifacts, but the one room size was not really worth my five dollars. We finally got some lunch and headed back to our hotel, on our way back Kelsey fell off her bike in the middle of the road, a taxi pulled up next to me and asked if I needed a cab (keep in mind, I'm riding a bike), and then a small child ran out in front of my bike that had no brakes. Have no fear, no one died in the making of this blog, and only Kelsey came home with a scratch. We took a quick nap and headed back to the Nile.
We took a falouka ride to a small island, called Banana Island. It was Egyptian agriculture at its best. Our guide took us all around this remote village that I'm sure few tourists ever get to see. All the children said hello and then asked for money. Then we got back on our boat and sailed around until sunset. We finished up our night by visiting the Luxor temple, another spectacular excavated sight. It was cool to see it at night with all the lights on.
After such a long day, I need some serious sleep. I hope your days are turning out to be entertaining as well. Miss you all. Happy Friday!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
"I will pick you up at the train, don't worry it is free." -hostel owner
Sometimes I love living in Egypt. Well, this evening didn't really start out like that, so I guess I should start from the beginning. This weekend I am going to Luxor and Aswan, the land of the pharaohs. My friends and I had to go to the train station to get tickets. We thought the tickets were supposed to be 40 Egyptian pounds $8, but instead they have raised the price to 165 EP because of increased security after the bombing. I suppose I shouldn't complain about a 12 hr. trip for $33, but it was just significantly more than I expected. Good news is we got our tickets, and I'm sure I will have plenty stories to share with you and pictures of course.
Because I am going on this trip, you won't get an update until Monday. One of the benefits of living in a Muslim country is the benefits of Muslim holidays. Monday is the celebration of Prophet Muhammad's birth. We have successfully convinced our Arabic professor to switch our class to Thursday, so I am taking the long weekend!
I have better news than a fun trip. Our guide books recommended a hostel. I called him up, for a room for the 4 of us it is 35 EP a night. This means I will be staying in a place for literally less than $2! Then he asks me what train I'm coming in on. He is going to pick us up from the station for free! AMAZING! I love living life like a college student, cheap and adventurous.
In other news, our Arabic test was impossible and we all are positive we failed. I'm on the search for a very cheap place to stay for the summer in Indy. If you know of anyone that needs a summer roommate or doesn't mind a squater, please let me know. I think that is all for now. Talk to you on Monday. Happy Wednesday!
Because I am going on this trip, you won't get an update until Monday. One of the benefits of living in a Muslim country is the benefits of Muslim holidays. Monday is the celebration of Prophet Muhammad's birth. We have successfully convinced our Arabic professor to switch our class to Thursday, so I am taking the long weekend!
I have better news than a fun trip. Our guide books recommended a hostel. I called him up, for a room for the 4 of us it is 35 EP a night. This means I will be staying in a place for literally less than $2! Then he asks me what train I'm coming in on. He is going to pick us up from the station for free! AMAZING! I love living life like a college student, cheap and adventurous.
In other news, our Arabic test was impossible and we all are positive we failed. I'm on the search for a very cheap place to stay for the summer in Indy. If you know of anyone that needs a summer roommate or doesn't mind a squater, please let me know. I think that is all for now. Talk to you on Monday. Happy Wednesday!
Monday, March 2, 2009
"SNOW DAY!" -Like every single Duke facebook status...ugh!
IT IS NOT FAIR! Sure, Duke gets snow (twice) while I'm gone, and one day it cancels class...seriously. I love snow. I would say it wouldn't be so bad, but Cairo is not sunny, it is not warm, it has not been a pleasant day. I'm SO jealous. I am really missing Duke today because of it. Not to mention Brock informed me that I was missing the best day ever. I'm not encouraged to feel happy about my absence at all. I would have rather had a, "Be glad you aren't here, the weather is terrible." Sigh!
Some days it is just really hard to be away. Today definitely classifies as one of those days. However, on a higher note, I have good news. I have solidified an "interview" with the internship I wanted in Indianapolis. I say "interview" because being overseas makes these kinds of things difficult. The lady e-mailed me a list of questions and asked me to answer them in 3 pages or less. This seems easy enough except one of them is, "Tell me about the cross cultural experiences you have had, what you have learned from it, and of that what will you be able to apply as an intern/volunteer?" I could fill up 3 pages with this answer alone. I'm debating, should I tell them about the man with a knife, or the man who rode on our taxi? LOL!
I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much for this internship, but I can't help it. I feel like I'm perfect for this job and that it is perfect for me. She even told me I would be working with a number of their programs, so I wouldn't have to be doing the same thing everyday. And that is a great thing for me, because I get bored pretty easily. In fact I'm even getting bored of the Arabic language. Sad day.
Well I need some rest so I will have energy for another day. Happy Monday, happy snow day!
Some days it is just really hard to be away. Today definitely classifies as one of those days. However, on a higher note, I have good news. I have solidified an "interview" with the internship I wanted in Indianapolis. I say "interview" because being overseas makes these kinds of things difficult. The lady e-mailed me a list of questions and asked me to answer them in 3 pages or less. This seems easy enough except one of them is, "Tell me about the cross cultural experiences you have had, what you have learned from it, and of that what will you be able to apply as an intern/volunteer?" I could fill up 3 pages with this answer alone. I'm debating, should I tell them about the man with a knife, or the man who rode on our taxi? LOL!
I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much for this internship, but I can't help it. I feel like I'm perfect for this job and that it is perfect for me. She even told me I would be working with a number of their programs, so I wouldn't have to be doing the same thing everyday. And that is a great thing for me, because I get bored pretty easily. In fact I'm even getting bored of the Arabic language. Sad day.
Well I need some rest so I will have energy for another day. Happy Monday, happy snow day!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
"Sandra, what Korea are you from?" -Doria
Just so you know, Sandra is American...Korean-American, but she grew up in New York City. The thing about Egyptians is, even the most intellectual have little political tact when it comes to talking about nationalities of East Asia. Thursday our class was invited to spend the evening having dinner with our professor in her apartment. We decided to make stir fry. Even though all of us could cook better than Sandra, our professor insisted that Sandra make the stir fry because she was Asian.
Fortunately, Sandra made a good stir fry and dinner was a success. Our professors Iraqi friend came, and his British friend. Even though we all spoke English better than Arabic, we had to speak Arabic the whole time. For 5 hours we chatted about films, destiny, war, Egypt. You name it, we talked about it. My brain hurt! Afterward, I found it very difficult to speak English. I found myself forgetting my own language. Sometimes I think I need to get out of this country.
I really am starting to get used to life here. It is funny how even the strangest things seem more normal. Even speaking in Arabic for five hours seemed normal. What isn't normal is the weather here. 55 degrees feels like 35 and it is raining. I didn't even bring umbrella! This is not what I signed up for. Please somebody remind me of this wish for warm weather when I am complaining of the heat. Well, I think that is all for now. Happy Sunday!
Fortunately, Sandra made a good stir fry and dinner was a success. Our professors Iraqi friend came, and his British friend. Even though we all spoke English better than Arabic, we had to speak Arabic the whole time. For 5 hours we chatted about films, destiny, war, Egypt. You name it, we talked about it. My brain hurt! Afterward, I found it very difficult to speak English. I found myself forgetting my own language. Sometimes I think I need to get out of this country.
I really am starting to get used to life here. It is funny how even the strangest things seem more normal. Even speaking in Arabic for five hours seemed normal. What isn't normal is the weather here. 55 degrees feels like 35 and it is raining. I didn't even bring umbrella! This is not what I signed up for. Please somebody remind me of this wish for warm weather when I am complaining of the heat. Well, I think that is all for now. Happy Sunday!
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