A couple days in

I am stating to get a better idea about the city of cairo. Two nights ago the schooltok us on a trip to the nile river. It was a nile river cruise at night with a belly dancer, musician, and tedouin dancers who are amazing. they spin around in fast circles as their colored skirts twirl around displaying beautiful colors. The cruise was great with authentic egyptian food such as baba khanush and spicy pasta. yesterday we went to campus to hear some lectures and eat free breakfast and lunch. People in egypt eat falafel and ful for breakfast which i thought was a bit strange but I am getting used to it. We later went to a hang out spot in Zamalek where we smoked peach shisha and had a great dinner for only about 30 pounds total which is like 6 dollars for a ton of food, and they sell the shishas for abut 7 pounds which is like a dollar in the states, you buy a hookah in the U.S for like 15 dollars so i found this fasinating! we also played cards until late. Today Kay made the hour bus ride to campus in New cairo to get our I.Ds and fix our schedules. We were advised that the 200 level class i was put intowould not be challenging enough for me and that I need to take  a 300 or 400 level course, so i am in the process of trying to change my politics in the 30th century class to muslim political thought, and i am also adding colloquial arabic in my schedule so i can learn to speak the egyptian dialect as well as formal arabic which i am taking accelerated. We later were invited t a party at the school’s outside autotorium which looks alot like the collesiums in athens. They played arabic infused with techno, american music, and even some spanish music ( which i really enjoyed). Upon entering they gave us palestinian freedom scarfs and belly dancing belts to wear in the party. We listened to a nubian band and saw more tedouin dancers. We also danced ourselfs, we also attempted palestinian line dancing! they served egyptia food and drinks and my favorite Kushiri! I am loving Egypt sooo much so far!

First nights in cairo

CAIRO IS AMAZING! The culture, the people, the food, the buildings! It looks like a scene from an arabic movie we watch in in class. We arrived on the 24th around 11 am into Cairo International Airport, and a airport pickup from the university picked us up and brought us to zamelek where we are staying in AUC housing. Kayla and I decided to explore the city so we took our cameras and set off to walk around Zamelek which is an island in the nile river.  The air is a bit duty but it makes everything feel more authentic.  we went to the oreination in the dorms and meet May ( our RD) and some of the residential staff. Their are completly different buildings for women and then men, public displays of affection are not tolerated here. Today the 25th we woke up to do a scavenger hunt around the city of cairo where we had to find certain restaurants and buildings. We didnt win the hunt but we got well aquianted with the city, we came home to the dorm and napped until 4 so we could get readyfor bedouin nights in the desert! We got there and there was arab music playing, pretty soon we were asked to dance! We also meet up with BInita, anothe AU student in Cairo and we spent most of the time on the dance floor. Later we went on horseback to explore th desert at night! The view was fantastic and we saw the pyramid light show. My horse was a little ot of control and decided to go on its hind legs while i was on it! luckly i did not fall off! but one girl did manage to get injured somehow on the horses, but she was taken to the nearest clinic and fine. Kayla and I were so glad to have gone on bedouin nights and hope to have more adventures like this soon!

Day Before the trip

Its the night before the trip and I am finding myself to be very calm. I have been a little nervous here and there these past couple of weeks but I am Confident that this trip will be great and I will have an experience of a lifetime. I will be leaving my friends and family for four months but they have reassured me that they will be here waiting when I come back, ready to see pictures and hear my stories.  An AUC van will be picking us up at the airport in cairo, and I am anxious to see what Cairo really looks like. I wonder what my dorm and University will look like. I hope everything goes smoothly tomorrow, I have to be at the airport at 1 and my flight is at three, i should be getting to Cairo at 7 in the morning, it will be 1 am in New York. Wish me Luck

First step?

Soo Kay and i just booked our flights after dispute with the university on when we could possibly go. We achieved one of our goals of flying together on the same plane and we even got to pick the seats right next to each other. However there are still many unanswered questions!!! The University isnt doing a good job with getting back to us with all these questions surrounding studying abroad. We havent even gotten our housing application, or our supposed packets to tell us when we are getting picked up, what classes we are taking. Its frustrating to not know what your getting into, the University is being really shady and Im beginning to go into a panic mode. Luckily I had a meeting with an Arcadia student who went two semesters ago and she squashed most of my worries. However I cant help but feel nervous about next semester

OK, now seriously

Now that I semi-know how to use this thing, i guess i can start blogging. My partner in crime for this trip is my buddy Kayla and her blog is scenicworld0.wordpress.com and she will also be blogging during this trip to Cairo, Egypt! We will be studying at the American Univerity in Cairo ( AUC) for spring semester (January 25-May 30). This will also be the longest time I have spent away from the United States, My family, and friends. I want an accurate documentation of this trip so i willl be brutally honest with these blogs. I am really exited for this trip and hope my Arabic will improve which is my ultimate goal other than riding a camel, who knows i might sell Kayla for a couple…Just Kidding Kay. As of right now Kay and I are setting up flights from JFK airport and getting housing set up, however the New York office is being really slow with all the paper work and the trip is only 3 months away!

SAMPLE

I have just gotten this blog in order to keep an update of what i am doing whlie studying abroad in Cairo! More updates soon

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