سيوة

يوم الأربع اللي فات رحت سيوة مع مجموع من البرنامج. مشينا من اسكندرية ساعة عشرة بالليل و وصلنا ساعة ستة و نص. منمتش خلص على الاتوبيس فكنت تعبانة جداً. حولت نام على الكنبة و لكن الناموس كان غلس و مش قدر أنام. ف اليوم بدأ من غير اية نوم مع جولة القلاء في سيوة و بعدين رحنا الى القارب و بعدين كلنا في بيت أسرة سيوية. الأكل كان ممتاز. كلنا فول مع طماتم و شكشوكة و عيش بلدي. كل الأكل كانت لذيذة جداً. بعد كلنا نامت علي الأرض في الظل لساعتين. الجو كان حر جداً فمش ممكن نعمل حاجة في الحر فكل الناس نمتوا. بعد النوم رحنا الى الصحرأ, ده جزء المفضل. الصحرأ كان جميل جداً. كنا في عربيات و عملنا "ساند بوردينج" و عومنا في الواحة و بعد غروب الشمس كلنا فرخ و خضار مع رز. كانت لذيذة جداً. لما خلصنا عشا رجعنا الى الصحرأ و نمنا هناك. كان برد شوية ولكن حلو قوي. يوم الجمع روحت بدري عشان كنت تعبانة جداً و لكن الرحلة كانت رائع

حيتي في مصر مختلف جداً من حياتي في امريكا. في مصر معنديش وقت فاضي خالص و دي حاجة كويس. أنا أبدا ضجر هنا. كل يوم باخرج مع أصحبي و باروح ساعة حداشر بالليل. لما احنا بنخرج معظم الوقت بنرح الى قهوة و بنشرب شاي و شيشة بنتكلم مع بعض عن اية حاخة. بحب بخرج كل كل لليلة مع المصرين. هم ناس لطيفين جداً. في امريكا طبعاً الناس كويسين و لكن في امريكا التقافة و تقليد مختلف جداً. في امريكا أهم حاجة لمعظم الناس شغل و لكن في مصر الأهم حاجة لمعظم الناس الاسرة. الفرق الده بجعل فرق كبير بين الاجتمعية مصرية و الاجتمعية امريكية عشان النظام الاجتمع في امريكا قام على الجدول الشغل و لكن في مصر النظام الاجتمع قام علي الناس. مثلاً بعد الظهر جدي بيروح و بيأتغدأ و بعدين نايم شوية. بعد ساعة خمسة او ساعة ستة هو ممكن يخرج او يقعد مع أسرتي أو يرجع الى شغل. زي هو عايز. و معظم أصحبي في مصر بيخرج كل يوم لو عندهم شغل او لا. افتكر معظم المصريين نايمين بعد الظهر و مش نايمين كتير بلليل و بيعجبني النظام ده

شارم الشيح

الاسبوع الى فات رحنا الى شارم الشيخ. الرحلة كان جميلة جداً. الاول رحنا الى سينت كاترين و معظم الناس تلعت الجبل و لكن انا ماتلعتش عشان كنت طعبانة من الركب على الاتوبيس. الركب كان اتنعشر ساعة من اسكاندرية الى هناك. وصلنا ساعة وحدة في الصبح و لزم بدأ ساعة اتنين في الصبح فمنغير نوم او أكل انا قررت ان لا قدر ان اتلع الجبل. اليوم التاني رحنا الى شارم الشيخ. بل رغم من الزحمة شارم كان هلوة جداً. كل ناس هناك كان اورونيين. المصريين كان مبسوطة لما كلمنا عربي. و أيضاً حصول على الاسعر مصري لمعظم الحجات هناك. الاول يوم رحنا على مركب زجاجة و شوفنا اسماك كثير. و بعدين نزلت في البحر. كان ليلة لطيفة جداً. اليوم التاني رحنا على مركب و غطست في البحر. البحرو الاسماك كان جميلة قوي. بعد المركب أكلت كثير في هل فندق عشان كان بوفيا و الأكل كان لذيذ. بعد العشاء رحنا الى السحرة شوفنا رقص بلادي و شربنا شاي. الجو كان حر و احنا كنا عزين نرح رقص في شارم فمشينا بدري و لكن مرحناش رقص عشان كلنا كنا طعبانة. فنمنا و اليوم الثلاث رجعنا الى اسكاندرية.

The usual

Sorry for not posting in english recently, I have had a lot of homework and no time. I realize that google translate does not work well in translating colloquial arabic so I guess those of you who don't know arabic are out of luck. Or just get my mom to translate for you :)

Anyway, this week I have been inside doing homework trying to catch up but I won't bore you with those details, mostly because there are no details I was just doing work. Last week however was very exciting between the visit from Caitlin and a weekend in Sharm El Shiekh.

Ill start with Caitlin's visit. So poor Caitlin came in the middle of my program so I was not able to give her my undivided attention, but we were able to go to Cairo for four days which I hope she enjoyed. We left on a thursday afternoon traveling by train. The ride was pleasent, the seats were comfortable and we had lots of leg room, no complaints. Once we arrived we had to find our hostel. This was not so much fun. I didn't know where it was and also didn't know how to call the hostel because here in egypt you have different codes for landlines and cell phones and I didn't know these codes. Fortunatly I had the address of the place and for some reason I was determined on walking there while carrying our heavy bags. Not one of my brightess ideas because it was hot, we didn't know where we were going and my bad was really heavy. Oh yeah and my shirt was falling off on the way as well. So probably not the best way to start out a trip but we eventually found the hostel checked in and went out. That night I took Caitlin to one of my favorite resturants in Cairo, Sequoia. It is right on the nile, very nice food and beautiful atomsphere. The next day we went to the pyramids, this was fun. We rode camals and I haggled with the camal guys :) Yay for me, and we walked around the pyramids saw the sphinx and that took most all morning. Afterwards, I was feeling sick and we were both tired so we rested most of the day before grabbing dinner and hanging out later in the evening. Saturday we went to Khan Eh Khalili, this is a huge market where you can buy all sorts of things. I haggled some more which I am very proud of. Then we went to Al Azhar park. This is a park was built over slums that used to be very popular place to buy drugs. Now it is a really peaceful place and it has lots of gardens and everything. So we walked around there sat in the shade because it was really hot and then left to buy tickets to the world cup qualifying match between Egypt and Rwanda. The game was awesome, Egypt beat Rwanda 3 to 0. So after the match we returned to Alex.

In Alex Caitlin and I went to Quaitbay Fort, and for some reason I made us walk there which again was not a good idea. We also saw the library and sat in cafes and smoked shisha a bit. It was a nice visit and I hope Caitlin enjoyed it. I wish I wasn't in class when she came because then we would have been able to do a lot more.

So after she left the program took us on a trip to Sharm El Shiekh. This was fun except for the 12 hour bus ride. Not so much fun. First we stopped in Saint Catherine to hike up Mt. Sinai. I opted out of this hike for several reasons. 1. I have done it three times 2. after a 12 hour bus ride, no food, and no sleep hiking up a mountain in the middle of the night is not my ideal activity.
So I slept and I am happy I slept. The next day we went to Sharm which is on the Red Sea, so we took a glass bottom boat ride, went swimming ate a lot of food and everyone slept fairly early. The next day was so much fun. We rented a boat to take us snorkling and scuba diving for the entire day. It was awesome. I scuba dove a bit and partied on the boat, we tried to make a bit of a dance party but the music didn't go up loud enough. Afterwards, everyone was tired and burned so we didn't do anything crazy that night, which was dissappointing, I wanted to go dancing. The next day we left and returned to Alexandria. And that is where I started with my staying inside doing homework streak this week. Tomorrow I will go to Cairo and perhaps see Harry Potter because it is not in Alexandria.

I will try to do a better job of updating my blog :)

القاهرة تاني

رحت قاهرة الاسبوع الي فات مع صحبتي اللي جاءت من امريكا. الرحلة كان مشغولة و لكن هلوة. زرنا الاهرام و ركبنا الاجمل و بعدين قعدنا في قهوة و شربنا شاي. عشان الجو كان حر جداً قعدنا جوة طول النار و بعدين خرجنا بليل. الاول ليلي في قاهرة كلنا في مطعم مفضلي اسمها سكوية و هي تقع على النيل. المنظر جمثل و الأكل لذيذة جداً.كلنا هواشي و شورما و كباب و هوموس. صحبتي عجبها كل الأكل. اليلة تاني كلنا في مطعم ديدوس. الأكل كان نوس و نوس. صحبتي عجبها أكلها و لكن الأكلي كان وهش جداً. معلش. اليلة التلات انا كلت مع صحبي اللي بيعيش في قاهرة علي طول و كلنا ماكارونة. الأكل كان لذيذة قوي. طلبت ماكارونا بسلسة طماطم و جمدفلي. صحبتي راحت على الفلوكة و سافت مسريحية مع اصحبنا. زرنا حديقة الارهر و وست البلد و سيتي ستارس كمان. مارحنش الى المطحف عشان هي كانت عيانة من الأكل.معلش. يوم الحد فرجنا الماتش مصر و رواندا في الاسدا كلية الحربية. كان هلوة جداً و كل الناس كانت مبسوطة جداً عشان مصر كسبت!
بعد الماتش رجعنا للاسكاندرية

الحافلة موسيقة

اليوم الارنع الاصبوع الى فات كلنا روحنا الى حفلة موسيقة بتع وست البلد. الحفلة كان رئاع جداً. في البدية احنا كان استنينا برة المكان. و بعد دخلنا كل الناس جري الى الادم. أنا كونت من الاول هناك فكونت على طول جنب المرحلة. ماسمعتش الموسيقة بتع وست البلد قبل من الحفلة فكل الاُغاني كان جديد و لكن عجبني كلهم. كان في جوز التاني التي كان هلو كمان. الجوز التاني كان فريق فرانساوي و يأتلف من سباع او تمانية رجالة كلهم لبسهم هدوم عرابي و كان يرفصوا في كل حيتة. كان مضحك و لطيفة جداً. الناس جنبي كان يرقصوا بلدي و كامن كان مضحك جداً. في وست الحفلة البنت جنبي ترفعني على كتفينها و رقصنا زي كدة. بعد الحفلة بغضنا روحنا الى مكدونلدس و انا كلت ايس كريم. اليوم كان هلوة جداً

Concert Tonight!

So for those of you who didn't know the United States beat Egypt in the last match which was very unfortunate because the Egyptians were just so sad, and I was sad too because I love the Egyptian team. Anyway on to more exciting news the program has bought us all tickets to see a famous Egyptian band tonight, their name is wast el balad. It means downtown. I have heard very good things about them and I am looking forward to seeing them tonight.

Every week we have a guest speaker come speak to us on a particular topic. So this week we had someone talk to us about the history of the streets in Alexandria. It was a very cool discussion but difficult to follow and take notes. We had to take notes because we have to write a paper on each guest speaker. I think this is one of the hardest things we have to do, this is probably because I am just horrible at Arabic. I don't understand how I got here. But I will be writing my blog in Arabic from now on because that is our homework, but don't worry I will have the English one there as well. They will basically say the same thing. You can always use google translate in case you get curious as to what I am writing.

My backspace stopped working on my computer so I will be writing much less until I get it fixed.

I'll let you know how the concert goes, it is going to be in the Library of Alexandria so that is exciting enough.

Bye!

Cairo!

So this weekend we had a trip to Cairo! The trip began with our bus ride. The bus was brand new and had air conditioning so I was very excited, and thought to myself "at least we will be comfortable". However, it was the slowest bus ride I have ever been on in my life. It took us six hours to drive to Cairo which from Cairo to Alexandria is only a 2 hour drive and a 3 hour drive at most. But it took us 6 hours. People were walking past the bus. It was very sad. We also started to roll backwards a few times in the middle of Cairo traffic which was actually quite funny. Only the people on the bus found this amusing though. One car side swiped the bus and there is no doubt in my mind that it was the buses fault. So because the bus was so slow we had to go straight to our cruise boat for dinner instead of stopping at the hotel and changing or whatever. Luckily the boat came back to pick us up because we were starving. On the boat there were belly dancers, singers, Sufi dancers, and delicious food of course (there was om aly my favorite!!!) So after dinner I met my friend who lives in Cairo at a cafe to watch the Egypt versus Italy match. It was amazing. Egypt won 1-0 and the whole city was cheering. So we walked around the city a bit to see the cheering people and then afterwards, Amy (my friend) and her friends took me to a place in Cairo I had never been. It was a cliff overlooking all of Cairo. It was sooooo Beautiful and the weather up there was perfect. So we sat up there until 3 in the morning drinking tea on this cliff before returning to the hotel.

Friday morning I had made plans to visit my Uncle. So I got on a bus to go to his part of the city and walked around, ate a felafel sandwhich (it was sooo good), went to church while I waited for him to wake up. After we met and ate a bit he took me to Zamalek where I used to live. There I said hi to my door man and met up with one of my friends from my program and hung out with his friends and Amy. I was there until 3 in the morning with the rest of the people from my program.

Saturday was the day we were to return. In the morning I went to alazhar park which is a beautiful park next to the Citadel. I spent the morning there just sitting in the shade a relaxing then I met up with the rest of the group for lunch. After lunch we visited the citadel, coptic cairo, and a perfume shop. I was not in good mood at all this day because we had to wake up at 6:30 am so I only got 3 hours of sleep and I just don't like going places with big tour groups. And by the end of the day I was extremely hungry so that was no good. Anyway we were suppose to have left Cairo by 5 but we ended up leaving at 8 (Because they had to take us to the stupid perfume shop) and for dinner they gave us MacDonalds which did not help my stomach, which is still trying to adjust to Egypt anyway. So I was very grouchy on the bus but calmed down after I ate. Anyway on the bus ride we had a bit of a talent show. There were two poets, who were amazing, there was a girl who sang to us in french and in spanish, there was a girl playing the tabla, a guy who could do bird calls, and the rest of us felt worthless because we were talentless.

Luckily we got extensions on our homework since the bus was so slow and we didn't arrive back in alex until 1 in the morning. So today all of us are hussling to finish our homework before the Egypt versus America match tonight! This should be so exciting, sorry but I think I am going to cheer for Egypt just because I don't know anything about the american team. I will let you know how the match goes:)

Caio!

The Beach

So yesterday we went to the Beach. Assuming it would be a private beach (we assumed it was a private beach because they told us it was a private beach) we wore regular beach clothing. However, I think there was only one woman in a bikini and she was not on the beach while the rest of us foreigners were stuck to fend for ourselves on a beach full of conservative Egyptians. It was slightly uncomfortable being swimming in a bikini when everyone around you is either starring (the men) or fully clothed (the women). Just a bit awkward. But what made it even more awkward was the picture taking by gross men. I almost got one arrested, he was pretty scared. All in all the beach was fun. We still swam and sat in the sun and left.

Other then the beach nothing interesting has been happening. We will be going to Cairo this weekend :) and also there is a soccer match between Egypt and Brazil tomorrow so all of us are going to a cafe to watch. For those of you who don't know how Egyptians are when it comes to soccer you will not understand why we go to these soccer matches. Because in reality the entertainment is not on the television, it is the reactions of the Egyptians. They go magnoon (مجنون- crazy) over their soccer.

Oh wait I forgot, the swine flu. So as everyone may or maynot American University in Cairo has been closed and the dorms have been quarantined because there have been some cases of swine flu. So as a precautionary measure they are now taking our temperature twice a day to see if we have a fever. Also today we had a meeting in which we were crammed into a tiny room and were told that as a precautionary measure we should avoid crowded places. But don't worry no one here is sick and they can't deport us if we do get sick so I don't think anything will happen.

Ok well I will be updating everyone about the soccer match and Cairo soon enough. Remember, you guys can still email me ;)

Hello from Alexandria!!

The beginning of the trip actually started in Germany. I was so excited because we had a 9 hour layover there so a large group of us decided to go out and see the city. Despite our lack of sleep, the poor weather conditions and our attire being appropriate only for a summer in Egypt, we still enjoyed the city as much as possible.

Once we arrived in Alexandria we had orientation for three days. The first day we didn't do much except take our placement exams. In the evening of the first night a small group of us went to watch a world cup qualifying match between Egypt and Algeria in one of those street cafes where only men go. It was a lot of fun but unfortunately Egypt lost, so that was very sad news for the Egyptians.

The second day we continued with our placement exams and in the evening I went with two friends and sat on the beach. The beach was so nice but it was a public beach so I couldn't go in the Sea unless I wanted to go in fully dressed. After a relaxing afternoon on the beach we went to "Fish Market." Fish Market is a very expensive seafood place which I do not like because the prices are ridiculous. After eating seafood we went to smoke shisha in the cafe next door called the "Grand Cafe" It was very nice and they had really good Om Aly. Om Aly is an Egyptian dessert and everyone needs to try it when they come to Egypt. It is my favorite!

On the Third day we had a scavenger hunt throughout Alexandria. This was a lot of fun. First of all none of us knew anything about the city. Secondly, we only speak broken Arabic. This was very interesting to say the least. I think the hardest part about the scavenger hunt is that Egyptians love to help everyone out. So when asking for directions they will tell you where to go even if they don't know. It was very hard to know who actually knew and who didn't. I enjoyed talking with the Egyptians a lot because they are all so helpful and nice. However, I think my team began to hate me because for those of you who know me well, you know I get very competitive. During the competition I was walking very fast which made it hard for my team to keep up with me. Also I am not very nice when I am in competitive mode, so for that I apologize to my team.

After running circles around the city most of us went for a delicious meal at a restaurant called Belbaa. It was the best BBQ I have ever had in my life. Also it was the cheapest for a whole plate of mixed meats, a drink, and dessert I paid the equivalent to 8 dollars. The restaurant was extremely nice and all of that included salads such as hummus, baba ghanouch (I don't know how to spell that) some fish dips and different types of cheese. Also the bread was homemade there which made it even better. I will be going back there in the near future.

After dinner we went to another cafe. This cafe sits directly on the Mediterranean Sea. We smoke peach flavored shisha which was very tasty and drank lemonade and coffee. The price here was much cheaper then the last one. It was only $1.20 for a shisha and a $1 for a coffee or drink. It was a lot of fun and the setting was very nice. It was right across the street from the Library of Alexandria.

Once classes started I decided to stop spending money. So yesterday I went out with the Egyptian girls on my floor and we walked in the Sea a bit and ate some Tirmis and Fool which are different types of beans. It is very nice to be able to just go walking up and down the Corniche. The scenery is beautiful and the weather is very nice. It gets a little chilly at night but you don't really need a jacket ever or perhaps just a light one.

That is all for now but I will have a lot of things to write about soon. Today is the beginning of the weekend so I will be going around a lot more:)