"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!