Giza and The Pyramids
Top of Mt. Sinai with the room mates
Seafood in Byblos
Cedars in Shouf Reserve
Balbeek Ruins
Ksara Winery
Lebanese dinner
Delicious
Rannddyyyy
Dahab
Beiteddine Palace
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Has it really only been 1 month and 14 days?
This post has been long overdue and is going to be pretty lengthy but hey its always better late than never right? Its officially been one and a half months since I left the states and came to study and live in Cairo for a year. That is pretty baffling to me because I feel like it has been so much longer and in just a month and a half I have experienced so many things, met so many people and found a new home outside of Seattle along the way.
I will give everyone reading this a "condensed" version of my time here so far because I could go on for days about everything and I have to finish my chicken shawarma before it gets cold. Since I've been here I've done two trips and travelled around alot of Cairo. The best way I can describe the city of Cairo to anyone is it is a living and breathing place and every day you wake up experiencing this intense love/hate relationship but at the end of every day you still call it home and personally I never want to leave. Its loud, its crazy, its dirty and when you are a blonde hair blue eyed foreigner like myself you never really walk down the street very incognito.
My weekdays (which is Sunday-Thursday here) are spent waking up at 630am so I can catch an hour long bus ride into the desert to my spectacular campus located in New Cairo. The city of cairo is currently attempting to decongest the crowded city by building satellite cities outside in the desert and that is where I go to school every day. You can learn more about cairo expansion at this video by CNN which has some professors from AUC talking about the expansion. I get on the bus and ride back from campus every day around 5 or 6pm, do homework, eat dinner and hang out with friends. No matter where you go in the world or what you're doing you can never escape the daily grind. Despite this every morning and every evening when I ride the bus back I keep my curtain open on the bus and watch the city to remind myself that its not just another day. I live in Egypt.
My first trip was at the end of Ramadan which is called Eid Al-Fitr and after my first 4 days of school get everyone gets a 4 day vacation and I had my first chance to travel and experience someplace outside of Cairo. I went with a group of people I met here and spend 4 days in Dahab on the Coast of the Red Sea where I laid on the beach, snorkeled in coral reefs and did a midnight hike to the top of Mt. Sinai and watch the sunrise. A quick history lesson I'm sure everyone is familiar with, Mt. Sinai is where Moses is said to have received the 10 commandments. How about them apples. During my time in Dahab I had one of those sobering experiences where I was snorkeling in the Red Sea with coral reefs below me, the city of Dahab and Sinai Mountians in front of me and the Saudi Arabian coast behind me and I realized "Yup. This is my life". The whole weekend was fantastic and the only thing that it lacked was a normal amount of sleep.
That was in the beginning of my stay here, after that I spent a month of nothing but studying and living here in Cairo which I will be quite honest was extremely draining. When you live here as a foreigner it is hard to go out on the streets because you begin to feel as though are not viewed as another human being but as a dollar sign. It is easy to think that every Egyptian here sees you someone with deep pockets who after persistently bothering them will throw large sums of money at you to go away, which for the most part I'm sure is true for tourists. I, however, am not a tourist and any person living here for a prolonged period of time begins to crack and wants to just yell "Leave me the hell alone!".
Furthermore, university life is very different and at times very tiresome on multiple levels. A friend here gave me a very good explanation of what its like to study as a study abroad student here. In alot of universities in America there is a large group of study abroad Asian students, at WWU it is large minority of Japanese students. They live slightly segregated from the rest of the student body, they roam around in their own groups and when you see them on campus you barely take notice and if you do all that crosses your mind is "oh its the Japanese kids" and you never mingle with them. We are the Asians here at AUC! Everything I just explained to you is EXACTLY how American students function on a daily basis here. It also doesn't help that AUC appears to be very cliquish; Egyptian students graduate high school here at 16 and go to university so as you walk around campus it is not uncommon to see or feel a slightly lower level of maturity. In addition to all that the quality of teaching here can be sub par compared to the states and the fact that I have three classes that are solely in Arabic makes my brain numb at the end of most days. Those are the significant factors that make my daily life as a study abroad student a little tiresome but you just keep moving forward and after a while you become use to everything.
I just concluded my second trip which was a 5 day trip to Beirut where I was able to travel around the country of Lebanon. First and foremost before I begin to dive into the details of my trip I feel obligated to say something to everyone reading this. Some of you may be planning a trip abroad for the near future; possibly to Paris, Rome, London, Mexico, China, Thailand, Brazil and so on. I am here to tell you from someone who has been fortunate enough in my life to travel to many of these places to PLEASE put Beirut on that list. The country of Lebanon is without question one of the most beautiful, vibrant, and awe inspiring countries I have ever been to in my life. I continually found myself thinking "how on earth is this country not considered one of THE places to travel too by everyone?". I know the initial response, the country was in the midst of a crippling civil war 20 years ago, there is still sectarian violence and an organization that controls the southern part of the country is deemed a terrorist group by the United States government. That sounds very intimidating and in conjuction with how the American media portrays the Middle East and Lebanon specifically I felt the same way when I was on the plane flying to Beirut. I was expecting to see evidence of violence and civil war everywhere, or at least one bombed out building filled with bullet holes. However, Beirut and the rest of the country is the anti-thesis of what the US governemnt, media and your imagination has constructed. It is as modern as any other European city with the exotic feel of the Middle East. The standard cars on the street are BMW's, Mercedes, Audi's and Porche's and every way you turn you keep asking yourself "I am I really in the Beirut that I've been told about?". The sights to see during the day are breath taking, the countryside is stunning, the nightlife is vibrant and exciting and the people of Lebanon are extremely kind, caring and inviting. Anything I say here pales in comparison to what the country is really like, you just have to experience it for yourself.
I stayed at a place called the Talal Hotel, a hostel run by extremely kind and helpful group of guys who are one of the main reasons for why my group had the experience we did. During the day the people running the hostel booked us a driver every day so that we could travel the country side and see more than what the local transit would allow us too. The first day we took a trip to the costal town of Byblos where there is some of the best seafood the region has to offer and Roman ruins built during the time of Alexander the Great. Before we went to Byblos however we visited the Jeita Grotto which currently is one of the finalists for the new seven wonders of nature. It is a massive system of caves deep in mountain side that has an underground river and over a couple hundred thousand years has created massive limestone caves filled with hanging stalactites and stalagmites everywhere (not really sure which ones are on the ground and which are on the ceiling but you know what I'm talking about). Afterward we drove to Byblos and had some heavenly seafood where the waiter says "Everyone who is having seafood follow me" and he takes you to a case filled with fresh fish and says "Choose what you want to eat". My tastebuds were in heaven. We finished the day by swimming in the Mediterranean Sea (Sea #2 that I have swam in since I've been here if you are counting along) and then watched the sun set over the Roman Ruins. We returned to beirut, I did a little bit of shopping in the beirut souks (which is a fancy name for a very chic and architecturally awesome shopping mall), and then hit the town for some drinks and general 20's age debauchery.
The second day we had a guy from the hostel named Rudy and our driver take us through the Lebanese mountains to a number of small cities along the way to the Chouf District of Lebanon where the Al Shouf Cedar Preservation sits. Nice little history lesson, Mt. Lebanon used to be covered with cedar trees but were used extensively by the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians and Phoenicians. They are also the oldest documented forest in human history and played such a significant role in early human history that they can be traced to the Sumerians and also play a big role in the Tales of Gilgamesh. All of that history has led to there being a Cedar tree on the flag of Lebanon and the reserve being a biggy on my list of things to do while in Lebanon. The trees are massive, extremely old and absolutely beautiful. It was pretty fantastic to see some green forests after seeing nothing but desert for a month and a half and I definitely began to miss the evergreen trees of Washington while walking through there. On our way to the Chouf District we visited Beiteddine Palace which was spectacular and will be my place of residence one day, don't doubt me on that one. If you go there you will feel the same way. After our day trip we came back to beirut, had a quick rest and went out to experience the night life again.
(Parents and Family Members: I made smart choices during my nights out and did not go to Beirut to party obviously as you can see from my experiences. With that said, I am 21 though and did experience the night life while I was there). The one thing I will say about my nights out which I thought was very cool was a night club that took a negative of Beirut and turned it into a positive. There is a place called BO 18 that is considered to be one of the best night clubs in the world. When we got dropped off by the cab driver I was extremely confused because there was a large amount of people in this parking lot of cars but no building of any kind to be found. After a couple minutes of searching my friend Raul and I found some bouncers at the top of some stairs that went down under the parking lot. They look at us and ask for reservation which I respond with "ummm, sorry?" the bouncer says something in Arabic to his friend, looks at Raul and I and says "Just go in". We descend into this small room push open the door and there is this huge hall that looks like an old bomb shelter and has been converted into a dance club. At night the roof retracts and the patrons of the club can view the sky and city buildings above them. Apparently during the civil war the area used to be a refugee camp and has a very sad history that I wont delve into but the architect who created the entertainment venue says it is in response to the "difficult and explosive conditions that are inherent to the history of its location and the contradictions that are implied by the implementation of an entertainment program on such a site". I found it to be a negative that was turned into an interesting postive.
The final day of beirut was by far the best for all of us. We had another guy from the hostel join us to the Balbeek ruins and Ksara winery and finally took us to the border of Syria to a small village right next to where his family lived where we enjoyed the most amazing food I have had since I've been here. First off, the Balbeek ruins were something I wasn't fully prepared for. I have been to Rome before and I've seen Roman ruins, but nothing compares to the ruins at Balbeek. They are larger than life and you are allowed to walk around, through and on them so you truely experience just how massive the structures are. While I was walking to the ruins I realized the location I was specifically in because the streets are lined with Hezbullah flags and propaganda posters and merchants on the street try and sell you flags and t-shirts, which I did happen to buy a couple for comedic value. However, not once did I feel unsafe or in danger on any level; everyone was very kind and inviting to us and always greeted us with a smile. After the ruins we went to the Ksara caves & winery which is the most famous and successful winery in Lebanon. They store all the wine barrels in natural caves underneath the winery which were discovered by a group of Jesuits a couple hundred years ago. The caves were very interesting to walk around and the wine was fantastic, I tried to send the family some from there but they unfortunately did not ship from the location like shops do in Bordeaux. Sorry mom and dad ;-). After the winery our guide took us to a restraunt in this small town on the border of Syria and Lebanon and I had my mind blown by how fantastic Lebanese food is. Egyptian food is pretty much sub par in comparison to the rest of the region so up to that point I had been slightly disappointed with all the food I had eaten since my arrival but my dinner that night met all my expectations and then some. Hommos, Rice wrapped in Grape Leaves, Tabbouleh, grilled chicken and beef, home made Arak and so much else that made my taste buds go crazy with every bite. I was in culinary heaven. To end the day the tour guide from the hostel did something that put a massive smile on all of our faces. After visiting some small sites that without question would not have happened if we had not had him there we made one last stop that none of us knew was on the list. We got out of the car, walked through a small gate and were greeted by a group of Lebanese men and women and our guide said "This is my families house". The eight of us were invited in by his brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews and his wife into a room where we sat down and had Arabic coffee and were greeted with the type of Middle Eastern hospitality I had been told about so much but had yet to experience since I had arrived to Egypt. Every one of us left with massive smiles on our faces and feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. It was the perfect end to a perfect trip.
I left Lebanon the next morning knowing loving the country and this region more than I could have possibly imagined and made me realize why I had come to live here in the first place. Also some strange level make me appreciate the chaos of Cairo that much more. I landed at CAI feeling refreshed and also happy to be back, happy to be home. I miss Lebanon and will definitely be going back within the coming months but the trip made me realize how fortunate I am to be here, how beautiful and stunning the Middle East truly is and most of all that I found a new home outside of Washington state. A place I didn't even consider venturing to when I started my first day of college at Western.
So there is the update for everyone, sorry for the length. I am going to keep it more short and sweet from now on with a lot more little updates instead of big ones. In a nut shell I've experienced the good and the bad since I've been here. I've hated some days, loved others and missed friends and family during it all; but to everyone in the states: I'm sorry to say I haven't thought of coming home once. I miss all of you like mad but you may have to drag me from here kicking and screaming if you ever want me to come back.
I will give everyone reading this a "condensed" version of my time here so far because I could go on for days about everything and I have to finish my chicken shawarma before it gets cold. Since I've been here I've done two trips and travelled around alot of Cairo. The best way I can describe the city of Cairo to anyone is it is a living and breathing place and every day you wake up experiencing this intense love/hate relationship but at the end of every day you still call it home and personally I never want to leave. Its loud, its crazy, its dirty and when you are a blonde hair blue eyed foreigner like myself you never really walk down the street very incognito.
My weekdays (which is Sunday-Thursday here) are spent waking up at 630am so I can catch an hour long bus ride into the desert to my spectacular campus located in New Cairo. The city of cairo is currently attempting to decongest the crowded city by building satellite cities outside in the desert and that is where I go to school every day. You can learn more about cairo expansion at this video by CNN which has some professors from AUC talking about the expansion. I get on the bus and ride back from campus every day around 5 or 6pm, do homework, eat dinner and hang out with friends. No matter where you go in the world or what you're doing you can never escape the daily grind. Despite this every morning and every evening when I ride the bus back I keep my curtain open on the bus and watch the city to remind myself that its not just another day. I live in Egypt.
My first trip was at the end of Ramadan which is called Eid Al-Fitr and after my first 4 days of school get everyone gets a 4 day vacation and I had my first chance to travel and experience someplace outside of Cairo. I went with a group of people I met here and spend 4 days in Dahab on the Coast of the Red Sea where I laid on the beach, snorkeled in coral reefs and did a midnight hike to the top of Mt. Sinai and watch the sunrise. A quick history lesson I'm sure everyone is familiar with, Mt. Sinai is where Moses is said to have received the 10 commandments. How about them apples. During my time in Dahab I had one of those sobering experiences where I was snorkeling in the Red Sea with coral reefs below me, the city of Dahab and Sinai Mountians in front of me and the Saudi Arabian coast behind me and I realized "Yup. This is my life". The whole weekend was fantastic and the only thing that it lacked was a normal amount of sleep.
That was in the beginning of my stay here, after that I spent a month of nothing but studying and living here in Cairo which I will be quite honest was extremely draining. When you live here as a foreigner it is hard to go out on the streets because you begin to feel as though are not viewed as another human being but as a dollar sign. It is easy to think that every Egyptian here sees you someone with deep pockets who after persistently bothering them will throw large sums of money at you to go away, which for the most part I'm sure is true for tourists. I, however, am not a tourist and any person living here for a prolonged period of time begins to crack and wants to just yell "Leave me the hell alone!".
Furthermore, university life is very different and at times very tiresome on multiple levels. A friend here gave me a very good explanation of what its like to study as a study abroad student here. In alot of universities in America there is a large group of study abroad Asian students, at WWU it is large minority of Japanese students. They live slightly segregated from the rest of the student body, they roam around in their own groups and when you see them on campus you barely take notice and if you do all that crosses your mind is "oh its the Japanese kids" and you never mingle with them. We are the Asians here at AUC! Everything I just explained to you is EXACTLY how American students function on a daily basis here. It also doesn't help that AUC appears to be very cliquish; Egyptian students graduate high school here at 16 and go to university so as you walk around campus it is not uncommon to see or feel a slightly lower level of maturity. In addition to all that the quality of teaching here can be sub par compared to the states and the fact that I have three classes that are solely in Arabic makes my brain numb at the end of most days. Those are the significant factors that make my daily life as a study abroad student a little tiresome but you just keep moving forward and after a while you become use to everything.
I just concluded my second trip which was a 5 day trip to Beirut where I was able to travel around the country of Lebanon. First and foremost before I begin to dive into the details of my trip I feel obligated to say something to everyone reading this. Some of you may be planning a trip abroad for the near future; possibly to Paris, Rome, London, Mexico, China, Thailand, Brazil and so on. I am here to tell you from someone who has been fortunate enough in my life to travel to many of these places to PLEASE put Beirut on that list. The country of Lebanon is without question one of the most beautiful, vibrant, and awe inspiring countries I have ever been to in my life. I continually found myself thinking "how on earth is this country not considered one of THE places to travel too by everyone?". I know the initial response, the country was in the midst of a crippling civil war 20 years ago, there is still sectarian violence and an organization that controls the southern part of the country is deemed a terrorist group by the United States government. That sounds very intimidating and in conjuction with how the American media portrays the Middle East and Lebanon specifically I felt the same way when I was on the plane flying to Beirut. I was expecting to see evidence of violence and civil war everywhere, or at least one bombed out building filled with bullet holes. However, Beirut and the rest of the country is the anti-thesis of what the US governemnt, media and your imagination has constructed. It is as modern as any other European city with the exotic feel of the Middle East. The standard cars on the street are BMW's, Mercedes, Audi's and Porche's and every way you turn you keep asking yourself "I am I really in the Beirut that I've been told about?". The sights to see during the day are breath taking, the countryside is stunning, the nightlife is vibrant and exciting and the people of Lebanon are extremely kind, caring and inviting. Anything I say here pales in comparison to what the country is really like, you just have to experience it for yourself.
I stayed at a place called the Talal Hotel, a hostel run by extremely kind and helpful group of guys who are one of the main reasons for why my group had the experience we did. During the day the people running the hostel booked us a driver every day so that we could travel the country side and see more than what the local transit would allow us too. The first day we took a trip to the costal town of Byblos where there is some of the best seafood the region has to offer and Roman ruins built during the time of Alexander the Great. Before we went to Byblos however we visited the Jeita Grotto which currently is one of the finalists for the new seven wonders of nature. It is a massive system of caves deep in mountain side that has an underground river and over a couple hundred thousand years has created massive limestone caves filled with hanging stalactites and stalagmites everywhere (not really sure which ones are on the ground and which are on the ceiling but you know what I'm talking about). Afterward we drove to Byblos and had some heavenly seafood where the waiter says "Everyone who is having seafood follow me" and he takes you to a case filled with fresh fish and says "Choose what you want to eat". My tastebuds were in heaven. We finished the day by swimming in the Mediterranean Sea (Sea #2 that I have swam in since I've been here if you are counting along) and then watched the sun set over the Roman Ruins. We returned to beirut, I did a little bit of shopping in the beirut souks (which is a fancy name for a very chic and architecturally awesome shopping mall), and then hit the town for some drinks and general 20's age debauchery.
The second day we had a guy from the hostel named Rudy and our driver take us through the Lebanese mountains to a number of small cities along the way to the Chouf District of Lebanon where the Al Shouf Cedar Preservation sits. Nice little history lesson, Mt. Lebanon used to be covered with cedar trees but were used extensively by the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians and Phoenicians. They are also the oldest documented forest in human history and played such a significant role in early human history that they can be traced to the Sumerians and also play a big role in the Tales of Gilgamesh. All of that history has led to there being a Cedar tree on the flag of Lebanon and the reserve being a biggy on my list of things to do while in Lebanon. The trees are massive, extremely old and absolutely beautiful. It was pretty fantastic to see some green forests after seeing nothing but desert for a month and a half and I definitely began to miss the evergreen trees of Washington while walking through there. On our way to the Chouf District we visited Beiteddine Palace which was spectacular and will be my place of residence one day, don't doubt me on that one. If you go there you will feel the same way. After our day trip we came back to beirut, had a quick rest and went out to experience the night life again.
(Parents and Family Members: I made smart choices during my nights out and did not go to Beirut to party obviously as you can see from my experiences. With that said, I am 21 though and did experience the night life while I was there). The one thing I will say about my nights out which I thought was very cool was a night club that took a negative of Beirut and turned it into a positive. There is a place called BO 18 that is considered to be one of the best night clubs in the world. When we got dropped off by the cab driver I was extremely confused because there was a large amount of people in this parking lot of cars but no building of any kind to be found. After a couple minutes of searching my friend Raul and I found some bouncers at the top of some stairs that went down under the parking lot. They look at us and ask for reservation which I respond with "ummm, sorry?" the bouncer says something in Arabic to his friend, looks at Raul and I and says "Just go in". We descend into this small room push open the door and there is this huge hall that looks like an old bomb shelter and has been converted into a dance club. At night the roof retracts and the patrons of the club can view the sky and city buildings above them. Apparently during the civil war the area used to be a refugee camp and has a very sad history that I wont delve into but the architect who created the entertainment venue says it is in response to the "difficult and explosive conditions that are inherent to the history of its location and the contradictions that are implied by the implementation of an entertainment program on such a site". I found it to be a negative that was turned into an interesting postive.
The final day of beirut was by far the best for all of us. We had another guy from the hostel join us to the Balbeek ruins and Ksara winery and finally took us to the border of Syria to a small village right next to where his family lived where we enjoyed the most amazing food I have had since I've been here. First off, the Balbeek ruins were something I wasn't fully prepared for. I have been to Rome before and I've seen Roman ruins, but nothing compares to the ruins at Balbeek. They are larger than life and you are allowed to walk around, through and on them so you truely experience just how massive the structures are. While I was walking to the ruins I realized the location I was specifically in because the streets are lined with Hezbullah flags and propaganda posters and merchants on the street try and sell you flags and t-shirts, which I did happen to buy a couple for comedic value. However, not once did I feel unsafe or in danger on any level; everyone was very kind and inviting to us and always greeted us with a smile. After the ruins we went to the Ksara caves & winery which is the most famous and successful winery in Lebanon. They store all the wine barrels in natural caves underneath the winery which were discovered by a group of Jesuits a couple hundred years ago. The caves were very interesting to walk around and the wine was fantastic, I tried to send the family some from there but they unfortunately did not ship from the location like shops do in Bordeaux. Sorry mom and dad ;-). After the winery our guide took us to a restraunt in this small town on the border of Syria and Lebanon and I had my mind blown by how fantastic Lebanese food is. Egyptian food is pretty much sub par in comparison to the rest of the region so up to that point I had been slightly disappointed with all the food I had eaten since my arrival but my dinner that night met all my expectations and then some. Hommos, Rice wrapped in Grape Leaves, Tabbouleh, grilled chicken and beef, home made Arak and so much else that made my taste buds go crazy with every bite. I was in culinary heaven. To end the day the tour guide from the hostel did something that put a massive smile on all of our faces. After visiting some small sites that without question would not have happened if we had not had him there we made one last stop that none of us knew was on the list. We got out of the car, walked through a small gate and were greeted by a group of Lebanese men and women and our guide said "This is my families house". The eight of us were invited in by his brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews and his wife into a room where we sat down and had Arabic coffee and were greeted with the type of Middle Eastern hospitality I had been told about so much but had yet to experience since I had arrived to Egypt. Every one of us left with massive smiles on our faces and feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. It was the perfect end to a perfect trip.
I left Lebanon the next morning knowing loving the country and this region more than I could have possibly imagined and made me realize why I had come to live here in the first place. Also some strange level make me appreciate the chaos of Cairo that much more. I landed at CAI feeling refreshed and also happy to be back, happy to be home. I miss Lebanon and will definitely be going back within the coming months but the trip made me realize how fortunate I am to be here, how beautiful and stunning the Middle East truly is and most of all that I found a new home outside of Washington state. A place I didn't even consider venturing to when I started my first day of college at Western.
So there is the update for everyone, sorry for the length. I am going to keep it more short and sweet from now on with a lot more little updates instead of big ones. In a nut shell I've experienced the good and the bad since I've been here. I've hated some days, loved others and missed friends and family during it all; but to everyone in the states: I'm sorry to say I haven't thought of coming home once. I miss all of you like mad but you may have to drag me from here kicking and screaming if you ever want me to come back.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
In Cairo and Loving it
Hey everyone, so I am officially in Cairo and have been just taking in the experiences as much as I can. This city is so beautiful, amazing and crazy all at the same time. The first night was just getting into the Cairo and getting settled. I got a phone and did some Egyptian pounds and then took a walk around the area of Zamalek and truly realized where I was, everything is very foreign yet somehow strangely familiar and makes me feel like I'm at home. Everyone here is from so many different places, one of my roommates is from Sweden and the two others are from the East Coast and I have met people from all over the world here.
Last night I ventured out with my roommates and people I have met here and enjoyed Turkish coffee in Zamalek and walked through the Island here just enjoying the sights. Later that night we all went on a Falluca ride on the nile which runs straight through the heart of downtown Cairo and you can see everything lite up at night. It was a very sobering moment to be sitting there eating Egyptian desserts and looking around at the city alive at night and knowing this is my home for the next 10 months, I feel so fortunate to be able to embark on such an amazing adventure.
It has been very interesting to experience Cairo during Ramadan as well. Everything is shut down during the day for the most part and the people are very quiet and peaceful because no one is able to eat from sunrise to sunset. That has made it particularly hard to experience the culture and food here during the day but at night the city comes alive. After the Falluca ride we adventured out into the night and went to a hotel hookah bar that sat on the roof top and overlooked the city and listened to live music. I have had some very funny and interesting things already happen to me and I will be posting stories of them as I keep track and relay them to everyone.
Alright its time for a bit of rest after a long day at the campus orientation and only getting 3 hours of sleep the night before (Yes mom and dad I know that is not very responsible but I am in Cairo for the experiences as well as learn and school has not started yet and yes I promise to make smart choices and be safe). I will post tomorrow to let everyone know how orientation is going. Salaam!
Last night I ventured out with my roommates and people I have met here and enjoyed Turkish coffee in Zamalek and walked through the Island here just enjoying the sights. Later that night we all went on a Falluca ride on the nile which runs straight through the heart of downtown Cairo and you can see everything lite up at night. It was a very sobering moment to be sitting there eating Egyptian desserts and looking around at the city alive at night and knowing this is my home for the next 10 months, I feel so fortunate to be able to embark on such an amazing adventure.
It has been very interesting to experience Cairo during Ramadan as well. Everything is shut down during the day for the most part and the people are very quiet and peaceful because no one is able to eat from sunrise to sunset. That has made it particularly hard to experience the culture and food here during the day but at night the city comes alive. After the Falluca ride we adventured out into the night and went to a hotel hookah bar that sat on the roof top and overlooked the city and listened to live music. I have had some very funny and interesting things already happen to me and I will be posting stories of them as I keep track and relay them to everyone.
Alright its time for a bit of rest after a long day at the campus orientation and only getting 3 hours of sleep the night before (Yes mom and dad I know that is not very responsible but I am in Cairo for the experiences as well as learn and school has not started yet and yes I promise to make smart choices and be safe). I will post tomorrow to let everyone know how orientation is going. Salaam!
Thursday, August 26, 2010
En route to Cairo!
Just a quick update here from Austria, hooray for free wi-fi! Just landed in Vienna and I am sitting in a nice little boutique coffee shop called Starbucks here in the airport waiting for my plane to board. No matter where I go you will always follow me Seattle. My excitement level went through the roof when I got on my plane in DC, all of the Stuarts were speaking in German and it just became a little real for me that I was about to enter a completely foreign world.
A nice fun fact for everyone to know, contrary to popular belief I am actually traveling with someone. His name is Randy the Reindeer and he will be my little partner in crime for the next 10 months. Here are a couple of photos of Randy, one while he is quietly sleeping on the plane. My parents and I decided that it would be a good idea to take a stuffed animal of his choice with me and have him travel with me so I could show my brother Daniel all the places I have traveled.
Alright well off to the gate to my final destination! See you all soon.
A nice fun fact for everyone to know, contrary to popular belief I am actually traveling with someone. His name is Randy the Reindeer and he will be my little partner in crime for the next 10 months. Here are a couple of photos of Randy, one while he is quietly sleeping on the plane. My parents and I decided that it would be a good idea to take a stuffed animal of his choice with me and have him travel with me so I could show my brother Daniel all the places I have traveled.
Alright well off to the gate to my final destination! See you all soon.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
The Beginning
Welcome to my travel blog!
I swore I would never do one of these things but I caved. I will be posting this with experiences, pictures and thoughts about my travels for the next year while I study abroad in Cairo and travel around the world! Maybe you will be apart of them.
Enjoy,
Tyler
I swore I would never do one of these things but I caved. I will be posting this with experiences, pictures and thoughts about my travels for the next year while I study abroad in Cairo and travel around the world! Maybe you will be apart of them.
Enjoy,
Tyler
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