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