Ma3salama Egypt!

Wow it has been ages since I last updated my blog, and for that I am deeply sorry! I actually stuck with it more than I thought at times, and I hope it has been fun for you guys to read. I am writing this post from my room back in Austin, Texas, USA, having arrived last night at midnight back home. So much has happened in the last few days that I doubt I can even express it in words, though I will try.

Saying Goodbye

The sun has set on my trip in Egypt. It has been the best experience of my life, hands down. I have met some amazing people along the way, made friends for life, and have grown personally as well... what more could one ask!?

After wrapping up my summer Arabic class at the American University in Cairo, my Egyptian brother Fouad invited me to the North Coast (Sahel) to stay with him and his wonderful family at the beach. We spent a few days lounging about, swimming, and having an incredible time.

I was so lucky to be their guest, and also got to spend my 23rd birthday with them :) What an incredible way to end my time in Egypt, I will truly miss my Egyptian family although I know I will be seeing them very soon...

After arriving back in Cairo, I began to pack and tie up my loose ends in Egypt. Gigi, a dear Egyptian friend born in America and raised in both Egypt and the US was amazingly supportive with her time, and helped me with packing and saying goodbyes. The evening before my departure Gigi, Dina, and Ahmed and I headed to Islamic Cairo for one last goodbye to Mo'ez Street, the most beautiful spot in Cairo. It was both heartwarming and sad to say goodbye to such a beautiful city.

On the morning of my flight Gigi, Ahmed, and Dina drove me the airport to say bye. These three (along with Fouad) have been some of my closest friends here in Egypt, and I will truly miss them. Their friendship was genuine, heartfelt, and supportive... While saying goodbye definitely sucked, I have a feeling I will be seeing my Egyptian friends soon :)

Traveling back home was probably the roughest time I've had traveling for a couple of reasons. Luckily I had great flights, one from Cairo to NYC, then a direct JetBlue flight from NY to Austin. After arriving in JFK Airport, Uncle Sam greeted me with a two hour wait in a special screening area, apparently reserved for those with nationalities such as Afghani, Iraqi, Pakistani, Egyptian, or white-boy-who-loves-Arabic-and-Middle-Eastern-Culture-a-bit-too-much-i. After being asked a couple of questions however I was let to go on my way, and I trudged through a couple of terminals to get on my JetBlue flight just in time. Nice airline by the way :)

Writing this from Austin is still somewhat surreal, and today my mother and I went out for a pastry and coffee in Dripping Springs (outside of Austin). It was a nice transition into what it will be like going downtown, but even there I was very overwhelmed by everything. I am literally at a loss for words. Maybe in a few days I will be able to articulate my feelings better.

With Love,

Eric

A Quick Update

Well folks, looks as if my time here in Egypt is coming to a close! I have extended my stay for a few months by enrolling in a summer Arabic course at AUC, and also recently found a nice place to live for the summer. I am in the middle of studying for finals, and have a test tomorrow and then another Wednesday. Then... MY SISTER ARRIVES!!! Shortly after a few expeditions with her my parents will arrive from Austin as well, and I'll do my best to show them the best that Egypt has to offer. I really can't wait to see the fam :)

Needless to say, I will have lots of pics up soon!

Eric

Spring Break in Rome!

Well, after a unwelcome return to classes after Winter Break, I enjoyed a nice trip in Rome, Italy for Spring Break. My friend David is studying there for his Masters Degree, so my trip presented a much needed break for both of us.

Traveling to Europe for the first time officially (true, Istanbul is at least HALF Europe) was an amazing experience, and I have to say that Rome is definitely up there in my top cities that I've visited. Upon arrival my luck streak of amazing weather continued, and we had two crystal clear days to wander the city on foot and take in all the sights (and sites!). I can't say how nice it was to get to spend time with David, whom I have missed dearly, and this was definitely the primary reason for the trip in the first place. He was the best host I could have asked for, and worked his butt off to get me a bed for free in his residence, and catered amazingly to the "broke-ness" of my current situation. THANK YOU DAVID!

That said, we spent the majority of our time walking around the city, seeing the multitude of ruins, ancient buildings, and endless "piazzas". Oh, and eating A LOT of gelato... I'm talkin' around 3 servings a day, thats 9 scoops :P

Needless to say the food was amazing, and I definitely enjoyed the different types of pizzas, cheeses, and other delicious goodness we encountered. I also realized that I can drink straight espresso! When made right that is. Since this was my first time to Europe, I was very thrown off by the "coffee bar" culture, where if one wants some caffein, he or she simply walks into essentially a table-less coffee bar, orders a shot of espresso, and gulps it down all in a matter of minutes. None of that girly fat-free soy milk, double shot latte with extra non-fat whip cream and a side of half and half stuff...

As always, some nice pictures always speak better than I :)

A little "laboritorio" we stumbled across in an alley.

Inside the Pantheon.

Friends for Life

Despite being in Rome, I couldn't seem to escape Egypt!

Rome from above. Our first day included at least 13 hours of walking the city!

Walking up for a look over the city.

The best gelato I had while in Rome. "Old Bridge Gelateria" was its name I believe ... Look at the crazed look in David's eyes! He's gelato drunk I think...

The Roman Life.

View from the back of Palatino Hill.

The trip to Rome had many effects on me, and really changed my outlook on a few particular things in my life. Being abroad in Cairo for some reason had, whether due to the reputation it has abroad, or the region it is in, made me think that "I had seen it all." This is of course false, but going to Rome made me realize that I needed to see more. Maybe this is one of the dangers of traveling abroad; it is simply addicting for some of us! Secondly, I realize that I also will be traveling more upon graduation. I feel this is a necessity for me, for a few reasons. Traveling of course is a great experience to have, but it has many affects on those of us who keep an open mind and heart while doing it. I feel it keeps our egos in check, further opens our minds, and creates a deeper understanding for those different then us. As an international affairs major, it frightens me to think that other students like me have never stepped foot out of the United States...

Anyways, I am currently finishing up my semester here in Cairo, and can't help but wonder what the future holds for me. This experience has gone by so quickly, it really seems like yesterday that I was saying goodbye to my Mom and Dad in the Austin airport....

Until next time and with love,

Eric

Exciting Spring Break Adventures!

I will be leaving for Rome, Italy tomorrow to visit David "the Admiral" Robinson! I'm very excited to finally get to meet up with him, as he's been doing his graduate studies there for the past few months. We plan on staying in Rome for 5 days, exploring the city, and catching up. I particularly intend to study the food :)

Keep checking back for a picture-filled update!

Eric

Egypt... Part Two!

So my second semester here in Egypt has official began! While this is in no way a new development, this is my first blog entry since many new and exciting adventures. Last we met, Blake and Caitlin were here in Egypt, and we did some pretty amazing adventuring together. It was great to have them here, and I can't help but think how damn excited I am for my parents and sister to visit as well (hopefully in May/June!). I will definitely try to learn from my mistakes with Blake and Caitlin when showing my parents around... Taking those new to Egypt to a local, and very run-down bus stop to check out bus times to Dahab? Maybe not such a good idea. Instances like that aside, I hope that Blake and Caitlin will fondly look upon their trip to Egypt; I am not only extremely grateful that they came to visit me, but I really had a blast with them. Thanks guys!

After Blake and Caitlin left, I really just hung out a few days in Cairo, taking a break from playing host. I did not have any concrete plans for the rest of the break, but I knew that I needed to do something worth while with the rest of my time. I mulled over a few ideas, and after some consideration I decided to travel to....

TURKEY!

For those of you who didn't take any Islamic Art and Architecture classes (a must), this is the Blue Mosque, certainly one of the most prolific mosques in the world. I decided on Turkey for a couple of reasons. First of all, everybody I've spoken to about Turkey or traveling around the Middle East (I know I know saying Turkey is in the Middle East is a stretch) has said its an absolute must. It is also close enough to warrant a $450 round-trip flight from Cairo, a definite bonus as well! So about 5 days before my flight I booked the ticket, went to the local bookstore in Maadi, purchased a Lonely Planet: Turkey, and started doing my research on where to travel. I decided to follow this rough itinerary: Istanbul for a few days, then south to Selcuk (famous for well-preserved Byzantine ruins @ Ephesus) then up to central Anatolia and the town of Goreme (famous for its "fairy chimneys"), then back to Istanbul for my departure back to Cairo. Overall I had 9 days in Turkey and planned to do all of my traveling across the country by bus.

Upon arrival, "I knew I wasn't in Cairo anymore". Immediately upon stepping out of the airport I felt as though I were in Europe (even though I've never been) and was amazed by the efficiency, cleanliness, and speed of their tram and subway systems. For those of you that don't know, Turkey created their own new alphabet under their historical reformer Ataturk, and it is a latin alphabet-ish system (I's without dots, umlauts, and more!) which was quite confusing for me. This aside I managed to find my hostel, in which I stayed for my first 3 or so days of my trip. Bahaus Guesthouse is tucked away in Sultanahmet, the coolest part of Istanbul which is on the hillside between both the Blue Mosque and the Hayasofia. You really can't beat the location.

Istanbul is such an amazing city. It is extremely European feeling as I said, and is the only city in the world that actually spans two continents! I could literally go on for hours about my experiences, the people, and the food, but I'll save you the boredom. Basically, I hit all the hot touristy spots, and then some. Here are some highlights from my massive collection of pictures I returned with:

A lone traveler in the Hayasofia

Outside of Topkapi Palace, home to royal crowns and religious relics alike.

The Grand Bazaar. Completely covered, it offered welcomed respite from the snow outside.

From the inside of the Hayasofia (Hagia Sophia).

From Istanbul I moved on to Selcuk, a slightly dull town which is home to one of the best preserved Roman ruin cities in the world called Ephesus. I stayed a night, enjoyed the ruins, then promptly moved on... Here are some pictures from the ruins:

The ruins above Selcuk

Amphitheater at Ephesus

Beautiful :)

Leaving Seljuk and and the ancient ruins of Ephesus behind I headed to Goreme, a land of so-called "fairy-chimneys" and one of Turkey's hotspots during tourism season. I should mention that there is virtually no winter tourism season in Turkey, so I was one of the few travelers throughout many of my travels. I arrived in sleepy Goreme around 4am (it had just snowed) and booked it to the nearest hostel I could find. I ended up staying in Goreme for a couple of days, and it was definitely one of the highlights of my trip. The atmosphere is just surreal, and the inhabitants could not have been nicer. The manager of my hostel was the supplier of endless entertainment, and him and the chef made me meals and shisha to boot! It continued to snow during my stay in Goreme, which only added to the feeling that I was staying in a winter wonderland... Enough talking, you have to see to believe:

View from the Goreme Open Air Museum. This place had been inhabited by Christians back in the day, and churches and hermitages were carved out of the bare stone walls!

One of the stellar breakfasts from the hostel

Definitely two of the cutest stray pooches I've seen! They put the Cairo street dogs to shame :(

My last day in Goreme it cleared up. What a spectacular place!

I left Goreme slightly ready to return to the big city of Istanbul, and even a bit more ready to return to the warmth of Cairo. Overall the weather on my trip had been pretty cold, rainy, and snowy. I took the bus back to Istanbul (about 9 hrs), and returned to my hostel in Sultanahmet. The last activity of note I partook in before returning to Cairo was something that involved a hairy Turk, buckets of water, and a hot shower... That's right, I went to a Turkish Hamam!

Also known as a Turkish Bath, I have to say that this is an experience that I highly recommend to any of you that might be planning on traveling to Turkey. Despite the horrifying description above, the experience was quite relaxing, and honestly just what I needed. It's something like a spa treatment, but more of what I'd call a manly one. No mani-pedis here boys!

http://brookfarmgeneralstore.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/cagaloglu-hamam2.jpg

After finally getting the spa treatment I deserved, I was ready to head back to the dirty, chaotic, but ever-enchanting Um Al-Dunia, or mother of the world.

I was welcomed back to Cairo with 70+ degree weather, and of course a 100 pound cab-ride from the airport. Alas, my cries of "ana mish khawaga" (I'm not a foreigner) were to no avail.

With love,

Eric

The Greatest Blog Entry in the World!

Well I'm not sure if I can live up to the title of this post, but I feel that I owe it to my family and friends since I have not updated in so long! Anyways, here goes...

I am currently sitting at a cafe near my new residence in a neighborhood called Maaid in Cairo. It is a very nice area with a wide array of Egyptians, expat workers, teachers, and students. You may ask why are you living there!?
Basically as the year wound down, I realized that I did not have a place to live because the hostel/dorms here at AUC decide to kick all the students out at the end of the year, or charge per night if one decides to stay on. This fact, combined with Blake and Caitlin coming from the States to visit, and with the fact that a couple of other friends needed an apartment upon their return to Cairo made me decide to rent a place. It has definitely been an experience renting from a landlady who speaks ZERO English, and I have to admit I have had to administer the help of a couple of friends for translation!

So we must begin with the end of the semester:
I made it!!! I have never really felt like I might not make it through a semester, but this one was definitely pushing it. It's not that my classes were too hard, but it really is a different system over here and it took me awhile to get used to the changes. I did okay academically, and am happy with B's and A's considering I took 18 credits...
The last week of finals was pretty intense, and I managed to get the flu the last night before my International Law final. It was pretty bad because I had decided not to sleep the night before the exam, and had drank one-too-many red bulls. I ended up taking the exam in a feverish state with shivers and lack of feeling from the 4 Ibuprofens I took. Not good!

I thankfully managed to get better right as Blake and Caitlin arrived, having moved into the new apartment literally minutes before leaving for the airport. My friend Rana went with me to the airport to pick Blake and Caitlin up, and we spent the next few days touring around Cairo visiting different sites. I had been looking forward to their trip for quite some time, and I can't say how amazing it was to have a piece of home come all the way over here. What good friends! My goal was to show them a comprehensive view of Egypt, and I have to admit that I definitely failed sometimes in understanding the culture shock that comes from being thrown into a place like Cairo. It really is WAY different from America, and I have definitely become very comfortable here; Blake and Caitlin might argue too comfortable. We had a tentative schedule that consisted of staying in Cairo for a few days, then going to the beach-side town of Dahab, then coming back to Cairo for a day and also squeezing Alexandria in a day as well. Around Cairo one of the highlights was definitely The Citadel, which I had never visited before. Here is a picture of the beautiful mosque, modeled after the Blue Mosque in Istanbul:
It was really fun seeing this mosque in particular because it is constructed very differently from the other mosques I had seen throughout the year on various field trips (al-Haakim, al-Azhar, etc). The inside has fantastically colored and decorated domes, a huge chandelier, and is covered with Qur'anic verses and inscriptions. Awe-inspiring to say the least!

I also took them to the my favorite part of Cairo, Islamic Cairo, which is home to al-Azhar Mosque, along with the great Khan al-Khalili. Blake and Caitlin were definitely in shock when I took them the the world-famous Fashawi's, a cafe in the heart of the market where Egyptians and foreigners alike sit back and enjoy the chaos, while being nagged by various sellers of course. It was so great being reunited with my best friend of 17 years, and of course his wonderful girlfriend Caitlin!

Blake and I at the Khan

Our touring continued, and we saw the Egyptian Museum, which never ceases to amaze me. The history that this country contains is absolutely astounding, and all of the statues and relics from Ancient Egypt really attest to this. We decided that the pollution and chaos of Cairo was a bit too overwhelming for my guests, and headed out to Dahab. Dahab is a great little town on the Sinai peninsula which is cheaper, less developed, and has a bit more character than its neighborhood giant Sharm al-Sheikh. We booked a great little hotel room with three small beds with the sea literally outside of our front door. Our first couple of days were spent relaxing and reading, and Blake and I did a little snorkeling. We decided to take a jeep tour the next day, which also happened to be New Years Eve! We toured around all day in a fabulous jeep and saw some amazing canyons, deserts, rock formations, and oases. Egypt really has so much to offer...

A lone tree at the Red Canyon

A Bedouin woman sewing at the oasis

New years eve was pretty low key. We camped out at our favorite restaurant and had tea and shisha at midnight, surrounded by jubilant waiters and many many Russians (Egypt is a hot-spot for Russian tourism)! Staying up until midnight was definitely a struggle for us, I had gotten used to a prompt bedtime at 10pm, it was great!
The first day of 2010 was definitely the highlight of the trip to Dahab. I decided that I wanted to rent a motorcycle and go on a 4-Wheeler tour around the town, so I arranged it with the hotel. I got a sweet dirt-bike, and spent 3 hours cruising with a group of people on 4-wheelers around the town, along the beach, and into the mountains where we visited an oasis. It was EPIC to say the least, and also a bit scary because I had never ridden on dirt or sand before! I eventually got the hang of it, and was soon loving driving off-road. The same day Blake also went diving (he has his PADI certification, lucky bastard) and said it was pretty nice.

After taking a overly crowded mini-bus back to Cairo, we decided to spend one more day in Cairo, then head to Alexandria for a short day trip. In Cairo, we finally made it to the Pyramids (the smog had been unbearable before), and returned to Islamic Cairo again for a day tour, and did some gift shopping at the Khan. My buddy Fouad helped us out incredibly with the touring and haggling, and it was fun to see just how low he could get prices for us. The next day we headed to Alexandria on the train, and arrived in the evening to see the gorgeous corneche (road along the sea) at sunset. We visited the newly-constructed Bibliotheca Alexandria, which is simply the most amazing library I have ever seen. As Fouad told us, it is constructed in the shape of the sun rising over the horizon, and has an incredible amount of volumes present. The architecture was absolutely stunning, and I have a new-founded belief that one can be absolutely inspired in their education by their surroundings. To me this is the essence of what a library should be!

The inspiring Bibliotheca Alexandria

Blake and Caitlin left last night, and I will be enjoying the rest of my break with friends, and tentatively will be going to a couple neighboring countries. Surprisingly I am ready for the break to be over and to start up school again. Either I am already bored, or I have an insatiable hunger for learning... I like to think its the latter :)
With Love,
Eric

Coming soon!

Please accept my apologies everyone for being such a terrible blogger! I am almost done with finals here in Egypt, and will be posting a nice juicy blog in a few days with lots of media included :)

Here's a great food scale I saw in the Khan the other day, which clearly proves that American support is unwavering here in Egypt! :P

In other news Blake and Caitlin are coming to visit me from Colorado on the 23rd, and I couldn't be happier or more excited to see them!

Love you guys!

Eric

Egypt Explorations

Salamu Aleikum! It has been quite some time since I updated my blog, so please accept my apologies! School has been pretty hectic (Egyptian style!) and I have had lots of tests and field trips. I am enrolled in two art and architecture classes, one about Islamic art and architecture, and another about Ancient Egypt. We have taken some amazing field trips, and those have definitely been the highlights of the past few weeks.

First we went to Ibn Tulun mosque in Cairo, which was built by the Abbasid governor Ibn Tulun in 876 AD. Its an amazing piece of architecture, and is colossal. It was really cool to enter through the massive gates of the surrounding wall, because immediately the noise of Cairo was blocked out. We even got to climb the minaret, which is a tower-like structure that used to be used for the call to prayer. Here is a nice panorama video of the surrounding city:

The next, and definitely best fieldtrip that I have taken since I’ve arrived in Egypt, was to Dahshur and Saqqara. The weather that day was absolutely stunning, and we were so fortunate to have beautiful clouds, occasional bright sun, and incredibly clear conditions. We were about 40 minutes outside of Cairo, and we could see all the way to the city, and even past it! The lighting conditions were ideal, and I really enjoyed using my camera on the trip.

So on to the good stuff… Dahshur has two main pyramids, the Bent Pyramid, and the Red Pyramid. The Bent Pyramid is called this because about halfway up, the architects had to change the angle at which they were building it because it would have collapsed due to the immense weight of the stone.

The Red Pyramid is gorgeous, and we got to go inside the burial chamber. Making your way down a hundred-yard shaft four feet tall by three feet wide, and slanted at a 30-degree angle makes you use muscles you never knew you had. Inside you really get a sense of how important these kings who built the pyramids were. So much work and resources went into these structures, and they are really only fit for a king. Here is a shot of both the Bent and Red Pyramids from a distance, the inside of the Red Pyramid, and a hieroglyph shot from Saqqara.

We then took our bus to Saqqara, which is a burial complex that has been built on by Ancient Egyptian dynasty after dynasty. There are basic hieroglyphs mixed with complex and revolutionary building structures that came later. The Bent Pyramid is definitely the most recognizable piece on the premises, but due to restoration, we were unable to enter. Our teacher (Dr. Ikram…GOOGLE HER!) did an incredible job of showing us around, giving analysis, and getting us VIP access to virtually everything on site at Saqqara… yeah it pays sometimes to go to AUC and have the best teachers in the region! On a side note, apparently she was a consultant for the recent Mummy films, and when it came time for the premier in LA she declined attendance due to a class she had to teach…WORD.

I also visited the Pyramids at Giza last weekend, which was a fun trip as well. The weather was not nearly as nice as the previous weekend however, and the smog/fog was extremely bad. We had a somewhat rushed tour there, but my favorite site was definitely the Sphinx. Hopefully I’ll get to upload a couple of pictures from the Giza trip soon!

On another note, the second Eid break is coming up (religious break in observance of Islam), and it corresponds almost exactly with Thanksgiving. I have not yet decided where I will travel, but I definitely want to get out of Cairo, and maybe even out of Egypt. There is a possibility that I will go to Lebanon, which I have heard is really beautiful. I have an itch to visit the White Desert out West, but we will see if I can pull that together or not. The H1N1 (swine flu) ghost has not disappeared here in Egypt, and there is a good chance that AUC will extend the Eid break until December 5^th in-line with the government’s closure of all public schools until this time. Gotta love Egypt…

I am also in the process of registering/researching classes I will take next semester, and since this is my senior year, graduating is my NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. Enough of spending Dad and Mom’s money! I need to make sure that each and every credit I take here in Egypt will transfer back to my home University without any problems, so I can hopefully only stay an extra semester in Boulder.

Well that is all for now, I love and miss you all back in the States. The support from you guys has been amazing, and if I have been distant please accept my apologies. This is definitely the most exciting time of my life, and enshaAllah this experience will open many doors for the future!

With Love,

Eric

Dahab and H1N1 Vacation

Where to begin...

So a day before our Eid (End of Ramadan holiday, usually 5 days) break, our school was forced to shut down due to pressure from the Egyptian Government regarding the H1N1 virus. There is concern across the region regarding the flu for various reasons, some of them being the (smaller) Hajj trip to Mecca, the incredible overcrowdedness of Cairo along with horrid living conditions for many, and honestly, the possibility that the government(s) would not be able to handle a large scale outbreak (yes I know, its just the flu!) that could occur. A group of students from my dorm and I had already planned a vacation to Dahab, Egypt. A sleepy town on the Eastern edge of the Sinai, Dahab is known for its student friendly prices and of course, for the amazing Red Sea. I was really excited for this trip for a couple of reasons. Firstly I was getting pretty stressed with school already (sad, I know), and secondly, I can't remember the last time I went to a really nice beach!

So we headed off at 1am on Thursday night/Friday morning (it's a 9 hr drive) and arrived in Dahab around 10:30am. Our hotel was nestled right on the edge of the coral reef, and lets just say that we had an absolutely stunning view from the sea-side restaurant...

Upon arrival we immediately got comfortable at the restaurant (it was Beduin style: cushions on the floor, low tables, and really good food and drink), and kicked back and enjoyed the atmosphere, which I should add, was complete with Bob Marley music! That evening we had a tea session planned with a group of local beduins. We left the hotel in a couple of rickety pickup trucks, and headed to a run-down part of Dahab where the camels were kept and presumably, where the Beduins now live. From there we mounted the camels and headed up into the hills, with mostly little children under 10 guiding our camels. It was definitely a fun experience to ride a camel for the first time, but definitely not the grandeur vision I had of myself imitating Lawrence of Arabia traveling through vast areas of desert with my Beduin guide... no, that came the next day :) Either way, I felt a little like a snooty British-man being led around on a camel by a little Beduin child, but things felt better when upon arrival to the campfire, I was invited by my newly made Beduin friend Ahmed to sit with him on his blanket and drink tea and look at the stars. Here is a shot of me at the top of the hill in my wannabe attire at sunset:

After returning to Dahab, we sampled the local cuisine, which I was very impressed with. There was cheap street food (i.e. Koshary, Falafel, even Hamburgers), and very nice seafood as well (which I steered far clear of :P) I heard from my friends who did eat it though, that it was some of the best they have had in their life!

Next on our plan was a snorkeling expedition to the Blue Hole, a gaping...well...hole that looks blue because of its IMMENSE depths. This thing is so deep that it has claimed lives in the past because scuba divers descend into its depths but eventually lose orientation and run out of oxygen...yikes. I'll just snorkel, thank you very much. At 9 o'clock am we loaded into another pair of run-down jeeps, and headed out to the Blue Hole. We arrived, and were set up in a restaurant that also rented out snorkeling gear. After this we were told that a kid, I'd say of about 10 years old, was our guide, and that we were going to a Beduin village up the coast that was only accessible by camel. "Our little camel driver" as I liked to call him, was pretty awesome, and I finally got to ride my own camel, steer it, and even trot/gallop on it! We also learned out to imitate the sounds that he used to make his camel gallop, and we all had a blast when our camels would simultaneously start trotting along the crystal clear waters of the Red Sea. That brings me to the water... I have to say that whenever I envisioned Egypt, I certainly did not think of blue water, coral reefs and sandy beaches. No, I, like most Westerners, thought of the pyramids, a really big city with 8 million people in it, and of course, CHAOS IN THE MIDDLE EAST (Thank you Mr. Buckley).

Yes, this is in Egypt:

After about an hour camel ride, we arrived at the village which consisted of a series of straw huts on a beautiful beach. It was really something out of a travel magazine, and I tried to catch a couple of shots with my camera that showed this (for more pictures you should definitely check out my facebook, link on the right hand side of this page). Here we found a nice entrance to the reef, and snorkeled to our hearts content. There were all kinds of fish, and while I am no marine biologist, I recognized dragon fish, parrot fish, and numerous other tropical species. Also because the water in the Red Sea is so warm, you don't have to worry about Great White Sharks! Thank God :)

Our last day in Dahab was spend lounging around the beach, which was just what the doctor ordered. I kind of felt like I was in Europe though, because some "bro" pulled up behind us on the beach, opened the doors to his car, and started blasting techno for the whole world to hear... That aside, this beach was so incredible. It was the beginning of a bay that made its way inland, and the water was perfectly clear and rarely had a single wave ripple across its surface.

After lounging in the sun all day, our next plan was to hike up Mt. Sinai, where it is said that Moses received the Ten Commandments. Not being told really anything by our guides or hotel about the severity of the hike, we left the hotel late that night in high spirits and slightly unprepared...

The hike up Mt. Sinai left me with mixed feelings. It has become a place of pilgrimage for peoples of all faiths the world over to come and experience the intensity of the desert, the mountains, and holy energy. The hike also includes a visit to St. Catherine's Monestary, where what is believed to be the Burning Bush still grows, so this also adds to the sanctity of the trip. We began our hike around 2am in the pitch black mountain path with no flashlights, and as said before, no idea of what was ahead. Surely we knew it was a long hike, but I think most of the students who came just thought it would be quick and easy, and were not really sure of the difficulty. We had a guide who's only use was that he had a small LED flashlight which was great for about 4 people in the group of 12, because they were the only ones who could keep up with the pace he was setting. Throughout the entire hike we were enticed by camels passing us on either side and their drivers simply asking: "Camel?...Camel?...Camel?...."

Not one of us got a camel I am proud to say, and after a few of us "eating it" pretty hard, we made it to The Stairs of Repentance. These 700 stairs were hand-laid by a monk in the 6th Century, and are quite a challenge to climb. Being young and limber, we passed many 60-somethings huffing and puffing their way up, but they kept on going. Kudos to them, I hope that when I am that age I will be able to walk in again! Either way, we finally made it to the top, and got to see the whole progression of the sun rising. I found a relatively isolated spot, but even there I was reminded constantly that this had turned into a tourist attraction. Almost everywhere people were speaking in loud voices, some were smoking, others jostling for the best photo-op...and I couldnt help but think that Mt. Sinai had lost some of its magic. I can't imagine what it would have been like to make this climb a few hundred years ago, with a spiritual intention, with silence, and then to watch the sun rise over the mountains. I think it would have been incredible, but those days are long gone. I did get some great pictures though, here is one of my favorites:

St. Catherine's Monastery was nice, but the touristy feel was pretty overwhelming. I did enjoy going into the church where many of the icons were (some of the oldest in the world), and silence was required. This gave some time for reflection, and I could finally think about the history of this place and all that had occurred.

...

I am now back in the hustle and bustle of Cairo, and trying to study in-between watching soccer matches (the Under 20 FIFA World Cup is here this year!). I'm definitely getting football fever, and bought my first football jersey yesterday (my hands want to type SOCCER so badly, but thats a habit any American abroad has to break). I am also attending the Egyptian National Team's game tomorrow as well, so hopefully they will kick some Paraguay ass!!!

H1N1 Virus

Well...
Let me just quote the email I just got:
"AUC will be suspending classes beginning Thursday, September 17 until Saturday, October 3. The decision follows a request by the Egyptian government that the university suspend its classes in line with government universities, which have suspended classes due to concerns relating to the H1N1 flu."

While there have not been any cases in the community, I guess there is pressure from the government to shut classes down. Not sure what I will do for this 2 and a half week break, but hopefully it will involve lots of traveling :P

The Khan, Classes, and Egyptian Hospitality

First of all, I want to apologize for the not updating my blog in a while. I have started my classes, and honestly, things have been pretty stressful. Lets start with a little pre-class activity, and then I will move into my classes, and wrap it up with one of the most amazing/touching stories you will ever read, so read on my friends!

The week or so before my classes started, I was very fortunate to know a few local Egyptians who I met when they came and studied abroad at my university, the University of Colorado. Ali, Mai, and Rana have been absolutely amazing hosts in their country, and have introduced me to their friends and country in such a special way that I will forever me indebted to them. Along the way I have met a few new American and Egyptian friends, including other students studying abroad, and "Cairenes" who I've met through the aforementioned Egyptians. One of the most notable activities I did before classes started was visit Khan al-Khalili bazar, a world renowned series of streets and alleyways that wind through Islamic Cairo. I went with Rana and her friends Nada and Hussein, and we were later joined by Mai and Ali.

The amazing Egyptians: (from right to left) Nada, Hussein, Rana, Ali, and Mai

It was such an amazing experience, and I feel that there in that market one can really find a true piece of Cairo (I found this to be ABSOLUTELY true last night, more to come!). You have an insane blending of tacky tourist nick-nack sellers, silver jewelers selling their wares, and hand-made goods, all right next to crammed-full Ahwas (cafes), mosques, and of course an enormous amount of people. Upon arriving at Khan al-Khalili, I was surprised to see that there were not actually all that many tourists. In fact, I felt like the only one there. Most of the people mulling about the streets are every-day Egyptians, simply looking for spices, nice cloth, or of course a good shisha (water pipe) and some shai (tea). The sellers know this all too well, and just like anywhere frequented by tourists and locals alike, there are always two different prices for everything. If you are as fortunate as I was, and are with locals or Arabs who speak Arabic, you will likely get great deals. If you are with a group of tourists, it is another story. Say you walk up to a stand selling tacky pyramids made from glass (why on God's green earth would anybody do this? I have no idea but they are everywhere, so somebody must be buying them!) and ask how much the merchant wants for a paper weight-sized pyramid. He might say: "Okay okay I make you good deal. Only 100 pounds, I love Obama, I love USA!". So the first thing that goes through your head is: "HOLY CRAP, 100 dollars NO WAY! Oh wait, its not dollars, its pounds... So actually, with an exchange rate of 5.5 Egyptian Pounds (LE) to every dollar, I am roughly paying $18 dollars." Not bad you think to yourself, and with a smug smile you hand over the money.

Congratulations, not only are you an idiot for buying a piece of glass shaped like a pyramid, but you also paid AT LEAST twice as much as you should have. Haggling is simply a part of every day life here in Egypt, from cab rides to groceries. Read on for my second experience at the Khan where I had my first buying experience!

Khan al-Khalili in all of its Ramadan glory

Let's take a break from shopping and talk about my classes. Simply put I am very excited about my classes this semester, and I am aware that Arabic will most likely thoroughly whoop my behind. The professors are stellar here at AUC, and I can't help but let the thought of post-graduate work here in Egypt run through my head... Below is a break down of each class:

Arabic: Since day one my professor has spoken only a handful of words in English, so en sha Allah (God Willing) my Arabic will be rockin' by the end of my year here.

Islamic Art and Architecture: This class (and all others but Arabic) is taught in English, and the professor is an Irishman who is very engaging. A few field trips will be taken as well so this one promises to be fun!

Art and Architecture of Ancient Egypt: This class is taught by the world famous Egyptologist Salima Ikram, who is really fun. I am the only boy in this class, and it will consist of a couple of papers and visiting lots of monuments in Egypt as well as multiple trips to the Egyptian Museum. Good stuff :)

The Foreign Correspondent: Covering Conflict in the Middle East: This promises to be one of my favorite classes, and is a graduate level class that is open to American students studying abroad at AUC. The professor is S. Abdullah Schleifer, a charismatic man and ex-bureau chief at the Cairo NBC office.

International Law: While quite possibly hard, this class is also looking really great mostly because of the professor. He was an American lawyer who has had experience as a federal prosecutor, and various other high up positions. He is passionate about his class and I can't wait to learn more.

Political Anthropology: I am also the only guy in this class... The professor seems pretty laid-back, but this one will be pretty reading intensive.

Now on the good stuff...

So last night I came home from school a little late due to some bus delays, and really just planned to bust my ass doing Arabic homework and not much else. Somehow whilst sitting at dinner I arranged with a couple of guys to go to Khan al-Khalili to go drink some tea and smoke shisha. After taking a taxi there (all four of us for 15 LE, $2.73.. I CAN'T get over the taxi prices!), we made our way to al-Fashawy, a famous ahwa in the heart of the Khan, frequented by locals and tourists alike. We were seated outside, and sat right next to a local who was by himself at the table. After a few minutes we all struck up conversation with him, and next thing we know, we were discussing politics, foreign policy, US agenda, religion, etc. This was totally unexpected, and it was really cool to hear from a local elder (Mohammed was probably around 60). Two and a half hours later we left Mohammed and al Fashawy in search of a kufiya (scarf/head covering) for myself. We wondered into the textile section of the bazar (Khan al-Khalili breaks down into sectors outside of the main part) and while speaking English, caught the attention of a couple of local Egyptians. After introducing myself to them and telling them where I was from, I asked them if they knew a good place to find a kufiya. They said yes and took us to a great place where I found a black and white one for 11 pounds. This was great, and because they were with us (speaking in Arabic to the seller) we got a great deal. They stayed with us in our wonderings, and then asked us if we wanted to see the section of the market that was devoted solely to the making and selling of shisha pipes and parts (for those of you who do not know, shisha is molasses covered tobacco usually sweet and fruity that is smoked through a water-filtration process that involves heating the tobacco with coals on top... It is also a nightly ritual for Egyptians). Wanting to see more of the Khan, I agreed, and the other guys somewhat reluctantly agreed as well, because lets face it, we were not sure if these guys wanted to scam us or rob us or something of the like. We followed them through a series of desolate alley ways that were for the most part empty, and I have to say that a few times I gave following them a second thought. But soon enough we popped out onto a main street; we had just taken a shortcut. This street was stunningly beautiful. It was in the heart of Islamic Cairo, and now I understand why this district is called this. There were ancient mosques that lined the street, and it really was a picturesque seen. As one of them (they were both named Ahmed) was a history major, we pretty much got a full historical tour of Islamic Cairo, and even saw the houses where Nagib Mahfouz lived. They also took us to the best fo'ul (beans and oil... LOTS OF OIL) place I have had yet, and we all sat together on the street eating absolutely fabulous street food.

Some of the guys from AUC with Ahmed and Ahmed on either side of myself

Somehow along the way back they also got us into a magnificent mosque that was being renovated and was closed to the public... Below are some pictures...

It was such a magical night for so many reasons. But above all else, it was amazing to receive such an amazing outpouring of hospitality from two complete strangers. I maintain that this would NEVER happen in the US, where we seem pretty caught up in our own lives and our own doings. "The Ahmeds" to me represented Egyptian society at its best: generosity, kindness, open-mindedness, faith, and friendship.

My apologies regarding the length of this posting, I suppose I should update more often instead of writing essays for you to read...

With Love

Eric

Settling In

Well, I am officially not in Texas anymore! It has been dawning on me these days that this is really happening, and I think that I am beginning to get used to the extreme differences between Egypt and America. I am no longer jet lagged, and have even been doing orientation at my University here, the American University of Cairo (AUC). I have been getting up every morning at 6:30 to take a large bus that leaves from my dorms on Zamalek, a large island on the Nile, to New Cairo, which is 45 minutes away, in the desert, and home to our brand-spanking-new campus (pictures below!). I will be doing this every day this semester as well, since my Arabic class is at 8:30 AM every day! It is an opportunity to catch a quick nap in, and possibly if needed, some studying as I see it. This week thus far has really been an eye opening experience. I have encountered some incredibly frustrating things here in Egypt, and I have also had one of the single most exhilarating experiences in my life as well. So lets start with the bad, so I can end on a good note shall we?

Learning the Egyptian way of business:

The hardest thing this trip thus far has not been the heat in Egypt, the cultural differences, nor the terrible pollution. It has been experiencing the differences in how Egyptian society runs versus how everything is run in America. Orientation at my school was a perfect example of this. The first day of orientation was basically a treasure hunt, but instead of finding fun things like Easter Eggs and chocolates, we were searching for visa papers, offices with suffixes that were completely unknown to us, and mostly being sent from one office to another. The system that they have here seems to be horribly inefficient, from banks to AUC's orientation. On top of all this, it is Ramadan, in which Muslims fast all day, and the majority of banks and shops close around 2 pm and re-open late at night. My friend from CU who is here studying abroad as well summarized Ramadan like this: "It's like Christmas, but it sucks..."

It seems that is might be the view of most of the study abroad students, but I look at it as an opportunity to experience something new, and also to observe a type of mainstream spiritual devotion simply not present in the United States. I am enjoying being the outsider for once in my life, being the minority, and learning all the things that scream to the locals "THIS GUY IS AN AMERICAN!"

So in summary of the bad, maybe it isn't actually so bad. It is just adjusting to a completely different society, where I'm realizing that if you come to the table with too may assumptions or pre-conceptions (the American way I might add), then you are really in for a hard time.

Alright, so now on to exciting news!

The new campus that AUC has just completed (mostly) is absolutely stunning. I really can't describe it but I'll try. I think of it as Egyptian-Roman-modern-Islamic-esque architecture. In America, we have a campus in the city, or even in the country. If a building becomes old, it is demolished, and usually replaced with a nicer one with improvements. Well at the American University of Cairo, they completely move out into the desert, and....POOF! After a few years appears a multi-million dollar campus that is so ground-breaking and beautiful that a kid from America is spending far too much time talking about it on his blog... Enough said, I'll just let you see some pictures for yourself :)

Now on the coolest thing I have done thus far this trip. It was taking a taxi from my dorm to another neighborhood in Cairo, about 40 minutes away (due to traffic). It was the most exhilarating experience of maybe my whole life. Words cannot even describe what these taxi drivers do, I think only black magic or something can. I have never seen a little soviet-era car fit into so many tight spots so effectively and quickly. The cab driver was very nice, and we spoke in what little Arabic I knew and English he knew. For those of you who don't know, Cairo has some of the worst traffic in the world, and understandably so, the cities population is nearly 8 million people! So as I said in my other post, there is an organized chaos to the madness, and I think that I truly enjoy being part of it, especially in a cab :)

So there you have it! I start classes this coming Sunday, and have a little bit of spare time these next few days with which I'm not sure what I will do. A trip to Alexandria perhaps...? Who knows! Thats the beauty of this whole experience.

Stay tuned for a live, in-taxi experience filmed by myself which I plan to film and post next blog!