Mosque in Old Cairo

Library in Alexandria

U20 FIFA World Cup Match between Egypt and Italy

Market in Haram near my second Host Family

The Great Pyramids of Giza

While it may seem a bit overdue, my friend, Sara, and took the trek to Pyramids in Haram on Tuesday. To get there, I took a taxi to the metro, and then met her after getting off the metro in Giza. We took a microbus to the Pyramids and that is where our adventure began. Out driver didn't want to drop us off at the front entrance, but instead took us to the Sphinx entrance. yet, he did not know how to find that entrance or atleast he acted like he didn't. We weaved through side roads and turned around a few times until we eventually made it where we were going. As soon as we stepped out of the Microbus, we were attacked with hagglers trying to get us to ride horses, camels, and carriage rides. Those pleas would follow us throughout our day as we visited the only remaining landmark of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. We finally found the ticket booth, and bought our tickets for 60 pounds. Then we walked into take sight of the amazing structures. We were nearest to the Sphinx, and we walked around looking and taking countless pictures. It blows my mind to look at the figures and think of how old they are, and yet they are still standing with only a few marks of destruction. I thought it was interesting to find out that Napoleon is responsible for the Sphinx missing its nose. Apparently, there was a battle and he blew it off. Sara and I walked up the hill to the pyramids. There are three big pyramids in this area. We walked around taking more pictures, and remarking on the beauty of these huge structures. The weather was also very nice that day. It was not too hot or cold, and the air was quite clear. There was a beautiful view of the city as well. We met our other friend, Kevin, in front of the biggest pyramid. We walked up the stairs built into this pyramid to see if we could go inside. Well, you can, but you have to pay 100 pounds. We decided it wasn't worth it. A friend told us that all it really is a empty stone room, because they have moved all the stuff to the Egyptian Museum. I have been to the Museum, and it is some pretty amazing stuff. The mummies still look alive, because they still have skin and hair. That was pretty unbelievable. Anyhow, back to the pyramids, since we didn't go in, we walked some more around and went to see how much it was to get into the second pyramid. It was only thirty but you had to buy the ticket at the gate when you came in, and we didn't feel like walking back down there. I decided to ride a camel. After bargaining with the guy, I got a camel for 25 pounds. I was led around a pyramid by a 10 year old boy. I really enjoyed it though. It was alot of fun. After, I got back off the camel, we decided we better start leaving the pyramids since we had arabic that afternoon.Sara, and I took a microbus back to the metro, and then the metro to Opera Station. From there, we took a taxi to our arabic lesson. It was a very nice, and enjoyable day.

Colors of Cairo

Walking through the streets of this huge city, I am constantly reminded of the beauty and character that it contains. There are over twenty million people in this growing metropolis, but the richness of culture and sense of community that it contains is unbelievable. When I first arrived in Cairo, all I focused on was the smog, how crowded it was, and the dusty brown color everything seemed to be. But now, none of that even seems to matter. Each day, I see how beautiful everything is. Everyday when my bus would leave my school, I would see this donkey cart stacked high with cabbages, radishes, carrots, and onions. It was so bright, and colorful. I loved seeing it. Fruit and vegetable stands are probably one of the most beautiful things the city holds. The reds, yellow, greens, purples, and oranges coming from the guavas, mangoes, bananas, tangerines, eggplants, onions, lemons, peppers, beans, and other various fresh produce can be found on nearly every street corner. Also, the golden brown of the pyramids can be seen from many places in the city and serve as a reminder of Egypt's ancient past against the current time. Riding on the metro, which would seem like a bland time is one of the most colorful places. In the women car, I stand and look at all of the different colors, styles, and prints of the Hijabs that women are wearing. There is so much variety. Also, there is a area of the city that I have mentioned before that is huge fields surrounded by apartment buildings. It is such a green spot, it seems to give new life to the area around it. It is full of vegetable fields, palm trees, and people tending to it. The green is such a contrast to the countless number of red brick apartment buildings that surround it. On the subject of apartment buildings, some people paint the walls of their balconies a beautiful pastel colors such as lavender, pink, yellow, or green. These apartments stand out from the rest and are pleasing to the eye. The many wild cats that run the street are seen every time I go out of the house. I see black cats, calico cats, orange cats, and white cats. They are everywhere. The most beautiful thing, I probably see in Cairo is the sunset. The African sun seems much bolder and defined than seeing the sun anywhere else I have been before. The sky transforms from a blue-gray to a mix of pinks, oranges, yellows, and purples. It is amazing. Because of the apartments, it is difficult to see from everywhere in the city, but by the Nile, or Al Ahzar park, it can easily be seen. At night, new colors brighten Cairo. The Cairo tower can be seen from almost anywhere in the city. This tower is covered completely in lights that change color and pattern. Also, many mosques are also lit up at night highlighting their beautiful shape. Sounds and smells also add to the beauty of this place. My favorite sound has to be the Call to Prayer. It is heard five times a day anywhere in the city. Mosques are everywhere, and it is just such a beautiful sound. Even if I can't understand the words, the power and tone of the words is majestic. Other sounds are the constant honking which becomes almost musical, the sounds of donkeys in the street, banging drums, and music from cars. It is such a rhythm, and I couldn't imagine Cairo without these sounds. There are countless food vendors on the street, and the smells of cooking bread, tamiya, fuul, shewerma, and other tasty delights are mouthwatering. The colors, sounds, and smells of Cairo are beautiful inside and out.

Talks in Taxis

Each taxi ride is an adventure. You are gambling with your luck as soon as you get in one. You never know if you will get a crazy man, a quiet man, a talkative man, a creepy man, a mad man, a generous man, a greedy man, a helpful man..well I think you get the point. There are an endless number of possibilities of what kind of person your driver will be. You just have to take whatever taxi comes driving along. Black taxis of course because the white ones are always overpriced. Taxis have become part of my daily life here in Cairo. I take then to and from Arabic three times a week,and then any other time I go out of the house without my family. Now that I think about it, I take atleast 12 taxis a week, probably more. Taxis are quite convenient, they are on practically every street, and you simply tell them where to go, and they take you there. The money is an issue, but if you only give them what you know it should be, and put up with some yelling here and there, then you usually get off pretty reasonably. For example, to get to arabic I pay 7 pounds($1.50) give or take. It is usually a 20 minute ride if there is not much traffic. The very first day of arabic, our teacher taught us how to say we are not married because we are too young. We all thought he was crazy. What use is knowing how to say that when we could not even ask people how they were doing? We all quickly learned why. After learning our names and ages, many taxi drivers quickly shift the conversation to asking whether we are married or not. It all made sense as to why our arabic teacher taught us that on the very first day. Mostly if taxi drivers talk, they ask your name, your age, where your from, why you are here, and various other questions of the sort. Many taxi drivers are very glad when I tell them I am from America. They immediately begin to talk about how Obama is "helwa"(great), and Bush is "wahesh"(very bad). Many drivers also love Jimmy Carter. He is the best president in their opinion. Well, it is true from an Egyptian perspective. He is the one who sealed the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt for those of us who can't remember. I have had taxi drivers point out statues and tell me who they are and what the did. It was all in Arabic, so I didn't understand it all, but the thought was still nice. I have had a few drivers teach me Arabic words. They would point out things in the street, and tell me the name for them. One guy, even wrote out letters on his hand. I have had drivers tell me the names of all the streets. It just amazes me sometimes to see how nice some people are. Not all the drivers are this nice. Some get frustrated when you try and tell them a way to go, and the biggest problem is paying them. To avoid discussion about the money, you get out of the taxi, hand the money to the driver, through the window and walk away. Most the time, I am fine, but occasionally drivers will yell, hiss, or give some other expression of discontent. If I know I cut it close, and I have a spare pound, I will give him more, but if I know he was paid sufficiently I just walk away. There is the occasional driver who will get out of the taxi, in his anger, but usually people on the street help you if that happens. The highest percentage of taxi drivers are quiet and you listen to music or the Koran with them, directing them where to go, and everything is fine. I enjoy riding in taxis, it is always something new, and they get me where I need to go.

view of th city from al ahzar park

Eid Al Adha

Two weeks ago, the day after Thanksgiving, Eid Al Adha began in Egypt. The day before Eid began,we fasted. That was Thursday which was ironically when Thanksgiving is. The reason we fasted was in honor of the people who are on the Hajj right now. The Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca which can be very tiring. This is the time of the year for Muslims to go if they are able, so all those that aren't able to, fast in honor of those that can. Eid is a four day Holiday. On Friday morning, everyone goes to the mosque to pray. Even women can go to mosques with sections for women. There was a thunderstorm on Thursday night, and it rained a lot(surprisingly). Because of this, when I woke up early to go watch the prayer, my host mom said that I didn't need to come because none of my host sibling were going, and that not many people would be out praying, but I decided to go anyway. We walked swiftly to a nearby mosque avoiding large rain puddles on the ground. When we got near to the mosque, the sheik was beginning the call to prayer, so my host parents ran to the mosque. I stood outside the fence, and observed it all. The mosque was completely full, so people laid their prayer rugs on a plastic sheet in the grass. Some men even laid their mats down on nearby sidewalks outside of the fence of the mosque. People were running to the mosque to make this prayer. Everyone prayed in unison with the call, and then some stayed to listen to the sheik of the mosque explain some of Holy Koran. After the prayer, we walked to a store to buy some groceries needed for the food my host mom was going to fix that afternoon. My host mom explained that the mosque they went to was a small mosque, and that at Moustafa Mahmoud mosque, the whole square in front of the mosque would be full of people praying. As we walked the streets, I say my first glimpse of sheep being sacrificed. The story behind this is the main reason for this Eid. In the Holy Koran, there is a story about a prophet Ismail, who is instructed by God to kill his son. He prays about his and decides if it is God's will, then he will kill his son. The son also agrees to be killed since it is God's wish. The mother, however, does not like this idea at all, and will not allow it. In order to complete God's command, the prophet takes his son up to a mountain to be killed. Just as he is about to put the knife in his son's throat, the knife is stopped, and he is supposed to kill a sheep instead. So now, Muslims kill a sheep as a sacrifice to God, and are thankful that their children do not have to be killed. Every family that is able to buy, and kill a sheep is recommended to do so. The family keeps a small portion of the meat, and the rest is given to poor people. This time of the year is one of the few times for these people to have meat, so this act of service is very helpful. Shortly after returning home from the prayer, I went with my host parent to the street/square directly in front of our apartment. The place was busy with many sheep being sacrificed. You pick out your sheep to buy or that you have already reserved and a man begins to kill it. When the man cuts the sheep's neck, he must say "besm'allah" which means in the name of god. While I was out there, there were around five sheep being killed, cut, or skinned all the time. I thought I would be kind of freaked out by the process, but knowing the meaning behind it and the service within it, I appreciated the richness of this cultural tradition. When we got back to the house, it was only 8 in the morning, so I took a nap. When I woke up, my host mother was still cooking. See, a big component of this Eid is spending lots of time with your family, and eating lots of food. We got everything ready, and left around 2 to go to the villa in 6th of October. 6th of October is a city right outside of Cairo. My host family has a house there that has sections for all of my host mother's extended family. When we got there, my host grandparents, and my host mother's sisters and their families were all there. We all talked and hung around until the meal was ready. Besides eating the sheep meat, a dish called fattah is another main component of this holiday. It is rice with pieces of pita bread mixed in and then topped with tomato sauce. It is very good. Also, there were several other meat pies, and bechemel pasta. It was all very filling. After dinner, the cousins and I played ping-pong for a while, and then we got ready to go to the movies. Going to the cinema is also a very popular activity during Eid. All of the family and I went to an Arab comedy. It was in Arabic. I followed it for the first half, and then after the intermission I fell asleep. It was a late movie, so I was tired already. We got back to our apartment in Mohandiseen around 1:30am. I went to sleep shortly after getting back. The next morning, we woke up and got ready to go to my host mom's younger sister's house. We were going there for breakfast. We got here around twelve. It was a traditional Saudi Arabian breakfast. The bread was bigger than normal and the fuul was prepared in a different manner. We drank tea and then we stayed in the apartment for most of the afternoon. Then around 4 we went to my host mom's other sister's house for lunch/dinner. It was a similar meal to that of the night before with sheep, fattah, and various meat pies. We all talked, drank tea, and ate dessert. We all left and then went to the club, and sat and talked some more. The next day we went to the club, and we sat with all the family for several hours. I drank tea, and worked on my Arabic homework. That night, I went with my friends for a while. We went to a few stores, and then we went to Courtney's house for a while. On Monday, the last day of Eid, I worked on some of my assignments for school, and then that afternoon, I went with my host sister, Malak, and her friend to the movies. We went and saw New Moon. I had a good time with her. They went back to the club to meet the rest of the family, but the club was being strict because of Eid and checking everyone's membership, so i didn't feel like paying to get in so I went back home. Eid left me with a full stomach, and a further appreciation of family, especially my family back home.

Giving Thanks

This thanksgiving I have so many things to be thankful for. First, I am thankful for my mom and dad for preparing me to go on this journey. They have both taught me so much and I appreciate them very much. I am also very grateful that they had the courage to let me come to Egypt. I am also thankful for Rose, Will, and Elizabeth. They are always there to support me through everything I do, and I love them very much. I also appreciate the constant support of all of my friends back home. They are always giving me encouragement.I appreciate my teachers back home and the support and help they have been giving me. This experience has made me appreciate so many things. I am thankful for my host families. I have been in three families. Each of them opened their home to me, and treated me as a a part of their family. Two of the families only knew I was coming with a few days notice, but they still welcomed me just as warmly. I am just so grateful to be with such caring and loving people. The care and assistance I have been given is remarkable. One time when I was sick, my host mother checked my fever every two hours all night long. While at the time, this act was quite annoying to me, I know see how much she cared for me. She had only known me for two weeks, but she was willing to come all through the night checking my fever, rubbing my head, and giving me 7 up. I am just so thankful for these people. The generosity and hospitality I have been shown is another thing I am so grateful for. The people in Egypt amaze me each and everyday by the sincerity of their kindness. The question "do you need anything?" is constantly heard by my ears, and I appreciate those saying it. I am thankful for my arabic teacher, and him inspiring me to want to learn arabic. When I first came, I did not really care about how much arabic I learned, but now I truly want to learn it. One of the main things I am grateful for this thanksgiving are the friends I have made in Egypt. These friends have become like family. We have been there for each other through the ups and downs, and we care so much for one another. It amazes us to see how close of friends we became so quickly. They helped make my transition to Egypt so much easier, and I know they are there for me if I ever need anything. I even have such a greater appreciation for the world and the people in it. It was something I always knew, but experiencing it gives it so much more meaning. I have learned so much from people and experiences already. It inspires me to want to travel to more to learn from other people and other cultures. There is just so much to be thankful for. Having this opportunity makes me so thankful plus all of the things it has shown me to be thankful for.

Half Way

I don't even know where to start in descibing how amazing this experience has been. I feel I have grown so much as a person. Each day is like an adventure waiting to be discovered. There have been plenty of challenges in this journey, and times where I have felt like giving up. It was all worth it though, and I can not imagine not being here. I just have this feeling that this is where I am really supposed to be. In the short time I have been with my host family, they have made me feel like I am a part of their family. The country and the people in it are incredible. There is such a unbelievable sense of community in a city that is so huge. The other day, I was on the metro and a lady waas giving her daughter a chocolate wafer, and she offered my friend and I the wafer as well. Little things like that just make me stand in awe. We are all cramped and tired standing on the metro and people are still offereing everything they have. Sure, there are ups and downs each day. For example, catching taxis is always testing your luck. You may get one that wants to talk an tells you all the sites you are passing, and to teach you words in arabic or you may get one who is really grouchy and doesn't want to deal with you. You just have to take a deep breath and deal with whatever is thrown your way. It may be a day when you feel like you are constanly getting yelled at on the street, but then you see your friends and you forget it ever happened. Friendship. In Egypt I have made some friends that I know will be my friends for the rest of my life. We care for each other so much, and have helped each other through the school frustrations, host family moves, culture conflicts, arabic struggles, and everyday troubles. We are together all the time, and I mean all the time, but we never grow sick of one another. We have alot of fun. We find new cafes, travel to new places of the city, and simply enjoy one another's company. That is one thing about living in a huge city. There is always something new to do or a new place to go to. With public transportation everywhere is sinply a microbus, taxi, or microbus away. It makes everything so spontaneous. We are never quite sure exactly what we want to do or where we want to go. Do we want to go relax in a cafe? do we want to take a felucca on the Nile? do we want to go shopping? do we want to go to a movie? do we want to go to the club? the possibilities are endless. Never really having set plans has made me so much more relaxed. It is essential in the city. You have to be somewhere, but then you are stuck in traffic. There is nothing you can do about it, you left ten minutes early, but you will still be late. It is ok. That is nothing to worry about. I have found a passion for learning arabic. In the beginning I thought it doesn't really matter if I learn arabicbecause it is too hard, but taking lessons and seeing improvement has really made me want to continue to practice and learn arabic. In such a short time I have seen so much improvement and I want to continue to study it. Every sunday, tuesday, and thursday I look forward to going to arabic, and I spend time outside of lessons working on it. Because I am enjoying myself so much, sometimes it makes me sad to think that I am half way done and that I only have three months left, but I can't think that way. I just have to live each day to the fullest and appreciate the time I have here. In the coming months I want to practice my arabic more, and continue to explore Egypt. Mostly I just want to enjoy my time with people I love in this beautiful country.

Egypt vs Algeria

Last night was the soccer match between Egypt and Algeria to determine who would qualify for the world cup. The city and country were very excited in anticipation for this big match. For a few days before the match, people could be seen waving flags and honking thier car horns to the beat of the cheer for the team. Yesterday is when the city reached the peak of its excitement. As I was walking down the street to meet my friend, people everywhere were wearing their black, white, and red, beating drums, waving flags, honking thier horns, and yeliing "Masr." Cassidy met me at the bookstore and we continued to a Cafe to meet Carrie. It was a sports cafe and we figured it would be a good place to watch the game. Little did we know that we had to buy tickets in advance. So, we were standing out in front of the cafe trying to decide where to go when all of a sudden a man comes out and gives us each a ticket. We sat with a the group of people who gave us tickets. Oh, how I love Egyptian hospitality and generousity. By the time the game started, the cafe had become packed with people cheering on the country and team. People were yelling, singing cheers, and beating drums. The game started at around 7:30. Three minutes into the game, Egypt scored. The place went crazy. Everyone jumped up and down, hugging and cheering. The rest of the game was very close with no one scoring. Everyone was getting very nervous becasue in order for Egypt to advance, they had to win by three. If they win by two, they would have to play algeria again, but there would still be a chance. In the last few minutes Egypt scored again. it was now 2 to 0. Everyone was really excited then. It had actually happened. Egypt was still in the running. At the conclusion of the match we walked to the street. The street in front of the cafe was filled with people in the street. It was a huge group. They were dancing, cheering, beating drums, spraying fire, and waving flags. I needed to catch a taxi, but there couldn't be one on that road because the people were bocking the street, so I decided to walk to the bigger road. I simply found many many many more people standing in huge groups celebrating. Every car that rode by was waving a flag out the window, honking in the beat of the cheer, and yelling "masr". There was such a exciting feeling in the city. I walked back to my house. The whole way back I saw more and more people celebrating. When I got back to my apartment, I found my host siblings on the roof cheering and yelling. After a while, we went back out on the street to witness the celerations. It was quite a night. Egypt will play Algeria again on Wednesday in Sudan to determine who will go the the world cup next summer. Yalla Masr! Yalla Masr!

مدرسه في مصر

School started in Egypt on October 4th which was around five weeks ago. School was delayed because of Ramadan and Swine Flu concerns. I am going to school at Misr Language School. It is located in Haram near to the pyramids. There are two other exchange students from my program at my school, so it wasn't too difficvult of a transition.
Each morning I wake up at 6:25. I make my breakfast which usually consists of a grilled cheese and get dressed. We wear uniforms, so I always know what I am going to put on. I have to wear navy blue pants, and because I am a senior I wear a pink polo shirt. I leave the apartment at 6:50 and walk to my bus stop. My bus usually comes around 6:55. It is more of a large van. There are around 8 other kids on my bus ranging from 1st grade up. It is around a thirty minute ride to school from Mohandiseen to school. Of course, traffic is always the determinant in that. I enjoy my ride to school because we pass over a very interesting area in Cairo. Our bus goes on this road that overpasses great big green fields filled with various crops all bordered by many apartment buildings. Many of these apartments are only half built, but completly lived in. The fields remind me of how I would picture ancient Cairo. Still today, the work is hand done with only the assistance of donkeys. Also, on the way to school I judge the smog level by noticing how soon I can see the pyramids. On a good day, I can see them as soon as we get to the overpass while on other days I dont see them until midday at school.
We arrive at school at around 7:20. I walk to the american division building of our school. Our scool has five divisions: the natioanl, french, special needs, british and american. Our building has the american and british grades kg through 12. I sit on a bench and wait until morning lines. Usually a few friends come up and we talk until it is time to line up. Morning lines is at 7:45. The Koran is read for around five minutes while we all stand. Then we chant something in arabic that translates to I am proud to live in Egypt. We stand in line based on grade and gender. After, we walk up to the 4th floor to begin our classes.
I am taking English language, English Literature, Art, Physics, Calculus, and Computer. The schedule is different every day, and you dont always have each of your classes each day. There are only 10 people in the 12th grade including 3 exchange students. The grade is so small because the Egyptian system had a time where there was a 6th grade and then there wasn't. The classes last around 40 minutes long. Teachers change classroom instead of the students. It is a new thing for this school because they are making precautions for swine flu. I thought I wouldnt like that, but I have gotten used to it. It is actually quite convenient. I do have to go to a different class for physics, art, and computer though. Classes are much more relaxed here than I am used to. I think it is an American System thing though. The main focus for student in this system is mainly to do well on the SAT. For students in the National System, there is a large focus on exams that they must take at the end of their last two years in high school. These exams determine which faculty of college you can go to based on the grade you make on the test. Because of this, many people focus simply on these tests and have private tutors in many subjects. For example, my host sister, who is in her last year of high school has probably 8 private lessons a week in multiple subjects. She however doesn't go to school much because she doesn't gain any benefit from being there.
The first few weeks I was very frustrated with the manner that my classmates behaved. it was shocking to see how they disrespected the teachers and the level of apathy that they had toward their schoolwork. After around two weeks, the students started acted better and I became more used to their behavior. Now, we have become friends for the most part. They are all nice to me and we talk some. I have met up with one of them outside of school on multiple occasions. They all just like to have a good time and have fun.
Because I have several free periods each day, I spend that time volunteering with the elementary students at my school. Each day I try and go to the fourth and fifth grade break. We play red rover, sharks and minnows, freeze tag, and steal the bacon. Mostly we play with the girls because most of the boys play soccer during the break. Also, I help in various classes. Mostly I go to the first grade class and help them with whatever they are working on. Also, I help with guided reading for second and third grade. At the end of the day I usually walk a group of kindergardeners to their bus. Helping the kids is my favorite part of school. i actually feel like I am getting something done and I really enjoy it.
Our school is different from most school in that it has clubs and sports. Wednesday is club day. We signed up for a club at the beginning of the year and we go to it for an hour before break each wednesday. I am in the pottery club. There are around ten kids in our club. There is a wheel that you push with your foot to make the clay go around. A man also helps us alot with it. I went the first day and made a litte pot, but because there is only one wheel, I haven't gone again. It is still enjoyable. Sports day is on Monday. It is for an hour at the end of the day. I am in Tennis. We do a few drills and then play a few games.
The school day ends at 3 each day. I get on my bus and we usually make it home by 3:50. On Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, I have arabic at 4:30. So, I walk home, and eat lunch really quick. Lunch is the biggest meal of the day. I have to leave the house by 4:10 to try and catch a taxi and make it to Zameleck on time. Usually there is alot of traffic, so I barely make it, but it is ok. I really enjoy learning arabic and seeing my friends at the arabic lesson. On the days I don't have arabic, I still come home and eat right away because I have a fitness lesson at 5 at the club with my host sister. My weeks are very busy , but fun filled.
My school is on quarters, so starting next week we have quarter exams. There are rumors that school is going to be canceled after the Thanksgiving/Eid holiday because of Swine flu concerns. It would be canceled throughout December and January. The school, however has some back up plans in case that is to happen. School in Egypt has been quite an experience because it has allowed me to relly see the views and priorities of the Egyptian People.

The Compassion of a Country

Constant assistance, food until I can’t eat another bite, selflessness, and hospitality. The people of this country are some of the most generous and caring people I have ever met. People are quick to offer you what they have, and help you in anyway possible. It reminds me of southern hospitality. An Egyptian who had lived in South Carolina told me how similar the ways of the people are in both places. I have also observed this social phenomenon.
Since coming to Egypt I have been placed with three host families. I may still be moving again, but inshallah this is the last. Each family warmly opened their homes to me. Two of the families only had a few days notice before I arrived as well. However, the hospitality has been immense. Each family has served me constant food, and made me feel like the family. I have been told that their home is my home even by families not even hosting me. Never a time goes by when a member of the family or a friend is eating or drinking something, and I am not offered some of it. The selflessness would be hard to match anywhere else in the world.
People are also very willing to help each other, and work together. The other day, I was riding in a taxi, and we got bumped by another car. It was a very minor accident, yet the driver was angry bought the taxi the day before. Within thirty seconds, there were atleast 6 other taxi drivers who stopped in the road to see if their fellow taxi driver needed any help. On a different day, I was getting out of the taxi with two of my friends, and when we handed the driver the money he wouldn’t take it and he simply started yelling at us. Before we knew it a policeman came up to help us. Another guy stopped by to help, and then a third guy came to show us where to go. It was amazing to have all of the willing help. I have also been told that if anything is to go wrong that I can yell, and many people will come and help. However, I have never felt threatened in Egypt. Cairo is such a safe city. With so many people, it is extremely hard to believe, but is so true. I think it is a combination of an evident reliance of religion, strong family ties, and a natural good nature. Shokran to the people of Egypt, Shokran!

Ramadan

Ramadan is the 9th month in the lunar calender. This is the holiest of months for Muslims throughout the world. This year, Ramadan began around August 20th. When I arrived in Egypt on August 28th, Ramadan was in full swing. During this month, followers of Islam fast from Sunup to Sundown. That means no food, no water, no smoking. Muslims should also restrain themselves from any other indulgence during this same time. Also, Muslims should try to read the entire Holy Quran during this time. The reasoning behind fasting is because it was a commandment from God. during the last ten days of Ramadan is when God told the first part of the Quran to Mohamed. Also, by fasting the Muslims are able to experience the hunger that impoverished people feel everyday. In Islamic states, such as Egypt, it is impolite to eat or drink in public. So, while my host family did not allow me to fast, I was able to get a taste of the experience while I would be gone all day in the harsh sun of Egypt. To break their fast, Muslims participate in a meal called Iftar. This meal occurs at sundown, and as soon as the call is heard from the local mosque. Then, people usually drink something first such as coffee or soda. Then the eating begins. If I haven't mentioned before, Egyptians eat alot of food. And, most of their food is very heavy. A common meal at Iftar would be a broth like soup with small pastas in it, rice, a vegetable dish, and some sort of meat, either roasted or fried. Also there is always tomato and cucumber salad.Your plate is loaded in on for the first portion, and then my host mother wanted to keep putting more. After this meal, Muslims snack throughout the night having sweets, hot drinks, and fruit. Then around 3 0r 4 in the morning, they have another small meal. This meal consists of sandwitches, which could be egg, cheese, fuul, falafel, or potatoe to name a few. As you can see, alot of muslims stay up all night during this time. Then most of the day is slept through. My host brother for example, stays up all night, and then sleeps until Iftar. It is too hot to go outside, or to do any thing if you can't have water. While Ramadan is a very Holy month, it is also a very festive time. Many people go and visit friends and family to have iftar or to simply enjoy their company. Every night there are festivities throughout the city. I visted my host mother's sister to share iftar, and we have gone on several boat rides on the Nile for the same reason. Ramadan is also a month of giving. People volunteer more, and give money and clothes to the needy. All throughout the city, there are tents set up for people to have Iftar for free. It is quite an amazing an Holy month and I am glad I was able to be here to experience it. After Ramdan, there is a three day holiday called Eid. Since the last day of Ramdan was saturday, Eid began on Sunday. People are happy to be able to eat or drink as they please. People eat these special powdered cookies, and there are many many celebrations. One thing I noticed was how calm the streets seem during the day during Eid. Alot of shops are closed for the holiday, so there were very few people out and about. Yesterday, I went to a celebration for Eid with my Counselor and her family. It was very fun. It was at a club by the Nile. It was very pretty. There were lots and lots of people there. Everyone was sitting and talking and eating. Also all the kids ran around and played on the playground. There were also lots of performers. Some of these pereformers were for the kids, and then there were some tradional Upper Egypt dances done. It was all alot of fun. To finish the day, we went on a boat ride around Zemeleck, which is the island in the nile. Today is the last day of Eid. Eid Saied!

Arabic Lessons

Last Sunday, I started Arabic lessons. I along with 7 other exchange students take our lessons at this place called Arabic Studies Academy. It is on Zemeleck which is the island in the Nile. Our lessons are in an apartment on the second floor of a building. It is really difficult to find, and everyday our taxi driver has to ask for directions. To get to my lesson, I leave my apartment at 10:30/10:45 and then walk to the end of a few roads to catch a microbus. Sometimes it is kind of difficult to catch one. The driver does not always understand what I am saying, and it may take a few tries. If I am lucky, the first one I ask lets me on. I ride the microbus for 5 to 10 minutes depending on the traffic. Then I walk to Courtney's apartment to meet her to go the rest of our journey. We then take the metro to opera station. After leaving the metro station, we take a taxi, always a black one because the white ones are too expensive. As mentioned before it takes a while for us to find the building where our lesson, so usually we are in the taxi for 20 or 30 minutes. Now, our lesson starts at 12. The first day we had to take a placement test. I couldn't answer anything. It was all written in arabic script, and the instructors wanted to respond in arabic. Other than a few key verbal phrases, I knew zero arabic. There were 4 other students in my situation. The other three have had some background in arabic. For the rest of the week, we were split into two groups. Our group has been working mainly on Egyptian Colloquial Arabic. Our teacher is fun, and I have learned quite a few words. We have also learned the alphabet. It is pretty difficult. Our lessons are three hours long. After we are done, Courtney and I take a taxi back to the metro, and then I take a microbus back to my road. It is about an hour long journey so it can be pretty stressful. Because of the Eid holiday(feast for three days after Ramadan), we only have a lesson on Thursday this week . Also, we have an exam on which we are supposed to be able to read and write some words. Insha'allah I willl do ok. It will take some studying though. All of the 28 arabic characters change form depending on whether they are in the beginning, middle, or end of the word. Pretty soon, my group will switch to the other class, and the teacher will teach us modern standard arabic which is what most written texts are in. I am glad to have arabic because it gives me something to do. As I said, this week I have arabic only once, but next week I will have it everyday again. Once school starts we will have it three times a week.

Felucca on the Nile

In the short time I have been in this beautiful country, I have been lucky enough to take two boat rides on the Nile. Each experience was quite different, but both were equally enjoyable. The first one I went on was with my host mother and host brother. We were meeting her best friend for the ride. After taking a a taxi down to the Nile area from Haram, we waited a while until her friend arrived. It was not only her friend, but her friend's daughter and about 20 of her friends. The boat was a small, motor powered, flat boat. We all got on, and waited for the last of the people to arrive. We were then on our way.Because of Ramadan, we waited until the sun went down, and the prayer call was heard, and then we all began eating and drinking. I was told that this one of the fun ways that they like to break their fast and to enjoy the company of their friends. We ate and then sat and talked. There was also music playing on the boat, so the mood was quite festive. The men danced on the boat, and I was offered countless things to drink and sweets. It is the hospitality of the Egyptians to offer a guest food and drink constantly. We rode for about two hours up and down the Nile. It was a fun night. The next night I went on a boat was only a few short days later. We again were going at sunset to break fast on the boat. I went with my host father. We met one of his friends and probably 10 other people. This boat was smaller and more of a sailboat. It was quiet, calm, and much more peaceful. I enjoyed just sitting back and watching the moon (you can't see any stars in the city). We also rode for about two hours. It was very nice. After each of the rides we would go somewhere else, either a cafe or a park, and sit and enjoy one another into late in the night. Boats, sunsets, and the Nile are memories that will last a lifetime.

Sunset on the Nile

First Impressions

So I have been in Egypt now for about five days. I have been with my host family for about three. Everything has been great so far. The people are very very nice and everything is just so interesting. My host mother has taken me out in the city twice and my host brother took me once. The streets are very hectic. There are people and cars going everywhere. Lots and lots of honking. We walked down the street stopping in a few stores. We had to cross the street which is adventure all in its own. See, the cars go fast when they can and fill in any space that is there. This makes it quite chaotic. you cross one lane at a time and usually there are atleast three or four lanes to cross. the first night when my host mother took me out, she baought me sugar cane juice from a street vender, It was milky and very sweet. Each time we go out in the street I feel nervous. All the people and loud noises is very different from what I am used to. Having my host mother or host brother there with me helps a whole lot. tonight My host mother met a friend and her daughter that is my age. We took two microbuses to meet them. That was interesting. They are like vans and cram as many people into them as possible. While we were sitting at a center for these buses, it was neat to see how the peole would race to get in one. Tonight we went to an older part of cairo. We were going to a concert. It was fun. We walked down several streets and through several markets on the way. All the sights and sounds keep me entertained. The music was good, and even if I do not understand what they are saying I thought it sounded beautiful, It is the same way with the prayer calls. I have grown to love hearing them. They are wonderful to hear. The food is also great here. It has a very distinct taste, and my host mother keeps me feeling very full. haha. Well things are well.

Arrval

After two orientations, three plane rides and other transitions, I have finally arrived at my host family. I arrived Saturday night around 8 pm after my host father had picked me up from my orientation. We took a cab to Giza from Cairo. Once you cross the Nile from Cairo, you are in Giza. It was neat to see all the apartments, beautiful mosques, and crazy streets. It was all very captivating. My host family has an apartment on the 5th floor. It is very nice and very spacious. The whole family is extremely hospitable and welcoming. They have made me feel very comfortable and safe. Because of Ramadan, we stay up very late. It is nice to be able to talk with my host family though. The sights and sounds of this place are amazing. I look forward to the adventures to come in the next 5 months.

Getting Ready

I started this blog, so I can record my trip and others can share in my experience. Back in April I found out that I had received a scholarship from NSLI-Y ( National Security Language Initiative for Youth). This program is designed to promote the understanding of lesser known languages and cultures. My language choice was Arabic and the program placed me in Egypt. I know hardly any arabic, but I look forward to the challenge of learning it. I will be leaving on August 26th. We have an orientaion in Washington DC and then we leave for Egypt on the 27th. I will arrive in Cairo on the 28th. We have an orientaion there and then we will be with our host families. I have talked to my host family. They are located in Giza. They seem like very nice people. Because they are traveling right now I will be staying with another host family for the first month. I do not know any information on them, I am am sure they are also very nice since they are opening their home to me. I am very excited about learning a new culture and language. There were will be lots of interesting things to learn and beautiful places to see. I know I will miss my family and friends greatly, but the opporutunitites and experiences will be well worth it.