The beginning of the end of Egypt's regime

When I came to study in Cairo, I didn't expect to find myself in the center of the largest revolution Egypt has seen in decades, a movement that may very likely change the future of the country and the rest of the world. But I couldn't have come at at a more momentous time.

First of all, thank you to everyone who has been trying to call and message me and my parents in light of what’s going on. Because all communications were shut off, I haven’t been able to respond or update, but I have just received your messages and am overwhelmed with gratitude. Thank you especially to those who called me on my cell phone in Egypt- it was so uplifting to hear your voices when I was cut off from the rest of the world and that helped me get through some very difficult times. To everyone who is wondering, unfortunately I couldn’t attend the protests, but I did learn some good Arabic protest slogans (thanks Jason!)

After an insane week, we just evacuated Cairo earlier today and arrived at Athens, Greece where we’ll stay for a few days until we decide our next steps. Kudos to HTH travel insurance which sent us our own private plane and flew us out of Cairo even when the Egyptian Air Force tried to keep us from leaving. I just arrived an hour ago and am absolutely exhausted, physically and mentally. The past few days have been filled with frustration, excitement, uncertainty, disbelief, many lockdowns, changes of plans, and mostly A LOT of waiting. Waiting at the apartment, waiting at the airport, waiting on the airplane, and now waiting in Athens.

So here’s what been going on. If you’ve been watching the news, you’ve seen that Egypt looks like a full blown war zone right now. Most of the demonstrations in Cairo are taking place downtown in Tahrir Square (Liberation Square) which was two metro stops away from us. Dokki, where I lived, was far less chaotic but even so, protestors and looters passed through our streets, military fighter jets roared above our balconies, and we’ve been falling asleep to the sound of tear gas and gunfire erupting all around the city. Gunshots reverberated on our sidewalks and at times we couldn’t even have our lights on as a safety precaution.

For our safety, our program AMIDEAST prohibited us from leaving our apartments since Tuesday January 25th. On Friday morning we all gathered at the boys’ apartment and remained there because we were instructed to stay together. It was pretty miserable being on constant house arrest, not knowing what’s going to happen next and being cut off from the rest of the world. We had no access to internet at all or even cell phones at times. The tv at least worked and we spent the days camped out in front of al-Jazeera like it was the Superbowl. We watched as protesters set fire to government buildings and police cars, were beat up by police, shot by rubber bullets and smothered by tear gas.

Our program coordinator Salma told us, “This is not your fight,” and she’s right. As Americans, we can only watch and express support for the protesters who are fighting so courageously to end the dictatorship of President Mubarak. The kind of solidarity that Egyptians displayed is something Americans can only hope to achieve one day. After police deserted their posts, looters began extravagating the streets so ordinary citizens took it upon themselves to protect their neighbors by patrolling the streets. Women took to directing traffic during the day (in Cairo, this is a life hazard). Our bowabs (doorman) stayed up all night with rifles, machetes, and swords. Can you imagine Americans doing that for one another? I have never seen such national unity in my life, not even after 9/11. Egyptians were not lead by an individual or a party; they gathered out of popular anti-government expression and kept growing in numbers. They were not divided by religion when Egyptian Christians attended juma prayers and vowed to protect Muslims from the police. It’s a movement of solidarity- their only defining identity is that they are all Egyptian and they're fighting for the country they love.

On Friday around midnight, Mubarak addressed the nation, announcing that he refuses to step down but would replace the government on Saturday. But in Egypt, public power is concentrated by the President and until he’s gone, they won’t see real reform. Mubarak stated that the protests took place because of the political freedom in Egypt- a blatant lie. Hundreds have been arrested, over 150 Egyptians are dead, media has been censored, citizens and journalists have been beat up, communications were shut off, and the government set curfews to keep people off the streets. On Sunday, the army was given the order to open fire on protesters. This isn’t political freedom; it’s political oppression. It’s governmental terrorism.

It’s time for the US to make some tough calls and decide which side of history it will stand on. Mubarak has been a key ally but the US needs to stick up for the values it preaches, including free elections and basic human rights. These do not exist in Egypt and we can’t continue to support a regime that ignores the needs of its people and refuses to move forward. Obama’s presidency is the perfect example of what is achievable when citizens come together and demand change. This is Egypt’s “YES WE CAN” moment. I really believe that we have the best man in power to make changes in its stance with Egypt and I hope Obama will live up to his words. No Muslim has forgotten his powerful speech about improving relations with the Muslim world. Now is the time to do just that.

Personally, it has been amazing to witness the uprising of Egypt. The fact that people all over the entire globe have been protesting to show their support for Egyptians shows the magnitude of what is happening right now and I’ve been incredibly blessed to witness it firsthand.

Life is insane sometimes. When we were in the worst financial recession since the Great Depression, I was working at the New York Stock Exchange. When the most historic healthcare bill in decades was passed, I was working at the White House. And when Egyptians started the largest protests in Egypt’s history, I was living in Cairo, the center of the revolution. Somehow I tend to find myself smack dab in the middle of history throughout my life. No complaints here. More to come soon.

Tunisia's domino effect

"Have you any idea how much tyrants fear the people they oppress?" - Albus Dumbledore

Who knew that the tiny nation all the way at the northern tip of Africa would inspire massive revolts all around the Middle East? Obama stated that in Tunisia, "the will of the people proved more powerful than the writ of a dictator." Can that prove true for the other countries that are so desperate for reform? The movements started with Tunisia a few weeks ago, inspired Egypt and Beruit this week, and today thousands of people in Yemen joined the self-proclaimed revolution to protest against their government.

Today is day 3 of protests in Egypt and while it's been a quieter day, it's just the calm before the storm. Tomorrow is supposed to be the most massive revolt thus far, beginning after juma prayers which end after noon. This time the demonstrations will not only be nationwide but worldwide, with revolts said to be taking place outside all Egyptian embassies around the world. Why? For many reasons, but mainly because Egyptians have decided it's time to finally end the regime of President Hosni Mubarak. The Muslim Brotherhood, the largest organized opposition group has stated its support on its website, and Mohamed ElBaradei, the country's opposition leader returned to Egypt tonight to join the protesters. He is widely viewed as the opponent to lead those in support of democracy if Mubarak steps down.

The people are determined and the wrath of the government has been set loose on the country. Without a doubt, the government will be bringing in thousands of military troops and have a full force of security officers, all ready with tear gas, rubber guns, water cannons, and this time I doubt they will be holding back on brutality (as if they weren't bad enough the past few days). Facebook and Twitter have been blocked once again, bridges are being blockaded and metro stations will be closed. But this will not stop the people of Egypt.

In the words of Margaret Mead, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has."

Know your rights.

Those who don't exercise their right to govern will always be governed.

As an American, I'm realizing so much more about my own culture than the one here in Egypt. This week Egyptians held the largest protest since 1977, voicing out against a variety of issues. They were rallying against the Emergency Law which has been implemented for decades, calling for higher minimum wages, demanding that presidency be limited to two terms, among other issues. The news reported that President Mubarak and his family fled to the U.K., signifying a success for protesters.

Facebook, Twitter, independent news, and livestreams have all been blocked. Police are arresting random people on the streets, and have been permitted to use force and violence against the protesters. Our program managers informed us of what will happen should Egypt become unstable to the point that we have to be evacuated, though this is quite unlikely. The chance that Egyptians can overthrow their government the way Tunisia did is very slim since Egypt is larger, more powerful, and the U.S. wants to uphold the current regime. But Egyptians have much to gain and it's heartening to see their solidarity in pushing for their rights, inspired to fight for their democracy the way Tunisians did.

Democracy is not about the lack of laws, but rather the implementation and upholding of them. Being here makes me realize what a thriving democracy we have in the U.S., with differences in opinions, the right to assemble and the right to free speech. We have a truly unique system of checks and balances that limits powers and prevents America from becoming a bureaucracy.

While politics in America can certainly be disheartening at times, it is nothing compared to Egypt, where the opportunity to create change is so much harder than it is in States, where we are privileged with so many rights as citizens. As Americans, we know our rights, and if they are hindered, we turn to the legal system to defend them for us, which they usually do. The people in power are kept in check by the freedom of opinions in politics and the branches of government that consist of different political views. The media acts as a watchdog of democracy, and public officials are subject to elections every few years. Social networks can't legally be blocked and our voices can't be silenced. As citizens, we are free to support or oppose public policies as we please.

While money usually has an influence on everything, corruption and bribery have far more severe legal consequences in the U.S. than it does in Egypt, where it is so prevalent that it has become the norm. Here in Egypt, judges can be bought, ballots can be changed, people can be prevented from voting, the media can be censored, and one individual can rule the country for 30 years. And while certain laws may exist that deem such practices as illegal, they are not enforced and more than often, people aren't even aware that they exist.

The most important role of being a citizen in any country is knowing your rights. Only when you can defend these rights and keep fighting for them can a true democracy exist. So keep fighting Egypt, we're rooting for you.

Anti-government protesters storm the streets of Cairo

It's Police Day in Cairo, a holiday established last year to recognize the day men in uniform overthrew British rule. However, with the recent overthrow of the government in Tunisia, feelings of rebellion, pro-democracy and anti-government are running high in Cairo, with Egyptians once again crying out publicly against the 30 year dictatorship of President Hosni Mubarak. In the past few weeks, at least 12 people have set themselves on fire in front of government establishments, and today, thousands of people are rioting on the streets.

We're prohibited by AMIDEAST from leaving our apartments today because of all the chaos out there. In Egypt, any political gathering that includes over 5 people is illegal, and foreigners are not allowed to participate in political activity at all. Protesters have flooded the areas in downtown Cairo near Tahrir Square, carrying large signs such as "Tunisia is the solution" and "Down with Mubarak." Egyptian security is in full force, with hoards of officers and army tanks monitoring the streets. However, according to Yahoo News, protesters have broken through police barriers.

Below is a pic of the army blocking a bridge off from the protesters, taken by my peer Ian Goldin. It was earlier in the day before the riots broke out.

It's an exciting time to be here. I'm waiting to see how this plays out, hidden safely in my apartment.

Update 4:20pm:

Police are now beating protesters, using tear gas and water canons on the streets. Here's a picture from Egypt Daily News. As you can see, things are getting pretty intense.

Update 4:36pm:

Egypt has blocked Twitter along with live-streaming sites and independent news coverage sites to prevent people from getting live updates. No First Amendment rights here, that's for sure.

Update 5:13pm:

Rounds of arrests are taking place downtown by the parliament area while protesters throw rocks.

Update 5:15pm:

Official security alerts state that a crowd of up to 15,000 Egyptian opposition members are clashing with security forces, and up to 30,000 police are deployed in downtown Cairo. Protests are also taking place nationwide, in Alexandria, Aswan, etc. The day has been dubbed 'Egyptian Intifada' (Uprising Day). Hell hath no fury like protesting Egyptians.

Update 9:12pm

Just saw this picture of the crowd at Tahrir Square. People are refusing to leave and protests may even go into tomorrow. Well, Mubarak has to be impressed that Egyptians are all so united - even if it is against him.

My first photo credit in The Daily News Egypt

Remember the Egyptian concert I went to a few nights ago? (see blog post here) The photo I took got published by The Daily News Egypt. :) I might write some articles for them in my free time.

http://www.thedailynewsegypt.com/music/cairo-talent-performs-for-a-cause-dp1.html

Fact #3 about Egypt

When you blow your nose into a tissue, you're in for a nasty surprise. Your snot is black. Yayyyy air pollution! I'll spare you from a picture of it.

My first local Egyptian show

Last night I went to a local Egyptian show with my cousin's friend Joyeeta who is also living in Cairo for a few months. Most of the people in the audience knew each other so it wasn't so much a concert as a community show. The event was put together as a fundraiser for underprivileged women and they had about six artists/bands so the show went on pretty long. The first guy was an Egyptian rapper- I couldn't understand what he was rapping about but it sounded cool. I don't think rapping is very big in Egypt though.

The second band was really good, kind of like an Egyptian Coldplay. They sang in English with songs like "Blind Walking" and "Coma." The lead singer Mustafa had a really nice voice, and the tambourine guy (far left) was fun to watch. I would buy their CD if they had one.

After them a really horrible band came on and apparently it was their four year reunion. They were all pretty cheesy, wearing sunglasses and trying to act like rockstars. They butchered covers of songs like "This Love" by Maroon 5. Sitting through that was miserable.

One of the last performers to come on was a solo girl who was incredible. Her voice was just beautiful and she sounded like Alanis Morisette. She did a couple of songs, including a cover of "Michel" by Anouk. I wish I got some of it on video.

It was cool to see live Egyptian music. I'm sure I'll be seeing more of them while I'm here.

"You look like one of us!"

Everywhere I go, Egyptians think I'm one of them. Tonight we went to an awesome salsa club and I was talking to this guy (who taught me some salsa moves) and he couldn't believe I wasn't Egyptian. He said, "You are Masri?" (You are Egyptian?) and I said no. "Half Egyptian?!" Nope. "Your parents are not Egyptian at all?" Nope. "Wow!" I pretty much look like an Arab, and because I'm Muslim, I've grown up understanding this culture. I can act and speak like an Arab, though my Arabic is completely in beginner stages.

Yesterday I stopped by the little boutique on our block and the woman inside was speaking to me completely in Arabic and showing me different purses.

I didn't give away that I couldn't understand her, and kept responding with "gamila" (pretty) or "bi cam?" (how much?) Then I realized she spoke a little English so I told her I'm American and she was so surprised and exclaimed, "You look like one of us!" I love hearing that. She told me she had assumed I was from Qatar or Saudi Arabia. Her name is Heba and she turned out to be the loveliest woman. Egyptians are very welcoming. I came to live in a Muslim country because I wanted to see if I fit in and now I feel like I do.

Fact #2 about Egypt

Egyptians are almost never on time.

As Americans, if we tell someone we'll be there at a certain time, it's expected that we'll be there. However in Egypt, time is not as strict as it is in the west. When Mona and I were going to Nasr City, I asked her "How much longer?" and she would say "5 more minutes." 20 minutes later I would ask her again and she would say, "Oh, just 5 more minutes." Needless to say, it was much longer than just "5 minutes." Bus drivers, taxi drivers, waiters, will say the same thing. If you're meeting someone, they will tell you "I'm almost there!" even if they're an hour away. Egyptians run on their own "Egyptian time," which basically means they are never on time, so Mom, if you're reading this, Egypt is the place for you.

Ok I'm headed out. Be back in "5 minutes."

Thank you for reading!

I've gotten so many responses from people about my blog posts, so just wanted to say thank you to everyone who is reading! Thanks for keeping up with my bitching, venting, pondering, babbling, etc etc etc. I'll def try to keep it interesting. I'm also opening the blog up for comments on posts for the first time so please leave your thoughts from now on! xo

Celebrating Epiphany at a Coptic Christian home

Tonight one professor invited us to a dinner in the home of a Coptic Christian woman. The woman was celebrating Epiphany, a Coptic holiday that marks the end of Christmas and the commemoration of Jesus' baptism. We were looking forward to our first homemade dinner in Egypt, so 9 of us went. The woman turned out to be a really sweet, tiny old lady who lives in a very upper class home.

She was very welcoming and immediately served us tangerines, which is the traditional way to start the dinner on Epiphany. Then she treated us to asab, which is basically sugar cane juice and is the most popular drink in Egypt. Then it was time for the main course. She had laid out all the dishes and they looked so yummy (we would be shocked later on). There were potatoes, rice, veggie rolls, sauces, meat, and other little appetizers. This was my plate:

When we sat down to eat, we were in for an unpleasant surprise. While the rice and potatoes were good, one bite of the meat and I had to hold back my impulse to hurl. It was the most disgusting meat I've ever tasted- I don't even know what it was but it tasted the way I would expect meat to taste before it's been cooked. I think it was liver. It touched the rest of my food and left its taste on everything so I stopped eating after that.

Then came dessert, which was even worse than the meat. I feel bad saying it because she had prepared so much food. But she left a bowl of powdered cookies out, and when one of the students went to take a bite of hers, she realized there were tiny little black bugs crawling all over it. Thank goodness I hadn't touched them! After that, we all pretty much lost our appetites for anything. Overall, it was a pretty gross experience for dinner, and I think I'll be retreating to takeout for the next few weeks.

My first Egyptian baklava

I've always loved baklava, and here in Cairo, it tastes like absolute perfection. They pronounce it 'ba'lawa' and ten pieces cost me only 3EGP which is less than a dollar! For those who don't know what baklava is, it's made with layers of phyllo dough with honey syrup, chopped nuts and pistachio. Sticky sweet goodness. LOVE.

All the extra little steps

Being in Egypt makes me think about all the things we have in the U.S. that we don't even realize make our lives so much easier. Tap water for example. Faucet water in Egypt is over chlorinated and not drinkable, which means I have to use boiled or bottled water for everything, including brushing my teeth. Heated apartments, high speed internet. Crosswalks, sidewalks, traffic signs, dialing 911. Shower heads. Punctuality, formal business hours. All normal things that we don't even think about in the U.S. but the lack of it here makes it glaringly evident how easy we have it.

Another thing I truly miss- dryers. We have a washing machines but no dryers, so all clothes have to be hung up on the balconies to dry, which is a major headache because it takes forever and I'm scared my underwear is gonna fall off onto the sidewalk. 9-5 office hours. Businesses here are quite informal and can shut down for no reason during the day and most close during prayers. Egyptians don't have the same sense of time as Americans, and don't schedule their days by planning to be places at exact times, which leads to less punctuality. I even miss being able to flush toilet paper down the toilet, whereas if I did that here, it would overflow. Now I have to take all these extra steps for every little thing which is making me really frustrated.

And don't even get me started on the air pollution. If I don't get hit by a car while I'm here, I'm probably gonna suffocate from all the smog. I don't mean to sound spoiled, but it's hard to adjust to this lifestyle when coming from the most powerful and industrialized country in the world. Now excuse me while I go hang up my wet clothes. Ugh.

Pyramids of Giza

I've officially seen the best of the seven ancient world wonders. You know how people rave about the Mona Lisa but when you see it in person, you're disappointed by how tiny and unimpressive it is? Well the pyramids are every bit as incredible in person as they look in the pictures. We actually went into the King's chamber inside the largest pyramid, which has both ascending and descending stairs that are very long and steep. I banged my head on the ceiling because they're so low and damn, ancient rocks hurt.

We also took a look at some of the tombs near the pyramids, where a lot of the kings and queens were buried. For Egyptians, death was seen as only the beginning of resurrection. The walls in all the tombs are filled with detailed hieroglyphics and these statues represent the ideal form they should be in when they come back to life.

We went inside the tomb that Obama visited when he came to Egypt. Obama actually pointed this hieroglyphic out and said it looks like him. He was right.

After viewing the rest of the pyramids, we headed over to the Sphinx- on camels! We each got our own camel, and it rode them for about a half hour. Few things about camels:

1) They pee a LOT. And everywhere.

2) They snort often and have quite large teeth.

3) They have no sense of personal space. I'm not comfortable having camel breath in my face.

4) They are VERY tall! Like a mix between a horse and a giraffe.

5) They make for a fun but very bumpy ride.

This was my camel (I named it Pooka), and it definitely was a character out of the bunch. It started doing some weird jiggly dance while I was on its back. At one point, it started running really fast and bumping so high up and down that I was scared for my life, but I managed to not fall off. Overall it was a lot of fun, except for the smell of camel manure everywhere. Gross.

The Sphinx was pretty cool too, though not as impressive as the pyramids in size. We learned that the Sphinx is meant to be a manifestation of the Egyptian sun god in human/animal form. The Greeks believe its because he has the strength of a lion and the intellect of man.

After taking a bunch of goofy pics kissing the Sphinx, we headed out. Did I mention we were haggled by people selling souvenirs every bit of the way? Didn't buy anything though, since it's the ultimate tourist area. I'm saving my shopping for Khan-el-khalili. But overall it was a great day.

Today was a good day because...

I found halal gummibears!!! Which makes the whole day a success.

Race around Cairo

Today AMIDEAST organized a race for the students and set us all out in groups on different missions. My group's first mission was to go to the Giza Zoo. However, our Arabic was a major fail because our taxi driver drove us all the way out to the Pyramids of Giza instead, and suddenly we were standing right next to one of the world's most amazing wonders. Best mistake ever. This was me trying to translate 'zoo' into Arabic for the driver.

After we made it to the zoo and took a look around (the most exciting animal there was a camel, so not too exciting), we headed to the Ramses train station (our second mission) but failed miserably at that too. Our taxi driver dropped us off a mile out from the station and we got so tired of looking that we just headed to Tahrir Square, our third mission. It's in the center of Cairo and is full of small shops and restaurants. There we went to Koshary-al-Tahrir, which apparently serves some of the best koshary in the area. After having it once the other day, I keep craving it now. We did some more walking, hopped on the Metro, were showed how papyrus is made, and by the time the missions were over, we were all exhausted. And no, we didn't win, but everyone got a t-shirt for a prize anyway.

Tomorrow we finally have a day off with no orientations or classes, so I can't wait to sleep in. I love the city of Cairo and am really adjusting to the lifestyle here, but most of the students in the program are younger than me and some of the girls seem pretty cliquey. But my roommates are cool and I usually prefer to do things on my own anyway. I hope I meet some locals too, because I've learned that no experience is enjoyable unless you like the people you spend it with. I wish I knew at least one person here; it would be really nice to have a familiar face here right now. But I guess I knew that coming in. This is just me being homesick, or as AMIDEAST calls it, my "hostile phase."

Anyway, Saturday AMIDEAST is taking us to the pyramids (for real this time) so that should be pretty awesome. And then on Sunday, the semester finally begins.

Egypt's version of 'The Onion'

It's called 'The Koshary.' (Koshary is a popular dish in Egypt, made of beans, noodles, chickpeas, onions, and is absolutely DELICIOUS).

Check out today's front page news:

WikiLeaks: Top Egyptian official farted out loud during Clinton meeting.

This is now my official news source.

The difference between Egyptians and Europeans

Watch this, it's hilarious!

Who says you shouldn't talk to strangers?

Last night I met an Egyptian girl named Mona who's also studying at AMIDEAST but she's working on her English. She barely speaks English, but somehow I ended up hanging out with her for five hours. She was a total sweetheart- I told her I wanted to go shopping for shoes so she took me an hour out to Nasr City and showed me a whole bunch of stores, outlets, and malls to help me find the ones I was looking for. Mind you, I just met her on the very same day- Egyptians are insanely friendly. Her boyfriend also joined us, and they both took me and two other guys to CityStars, apparently the nicest mall in Egypt and the 2nd biggest in the Middle East. It was probably nicer than most of the malls in America. I didn't get any pictures but I'll definitely be making more trips there. This is what the mall looks like though:

The outlet stores have amazing prices - I got a pair of Converse Chuck Taylors for 60EGP, aka $12. Shopping is going to be VERY fun here.

The Egyptian version of Kanye's 'American Boy'

Hilarious.

My early morning jetlagged post

It's 6am and I've been awake all night. What's a good remedy for jetlag? At least I finally heard my first azan this morning, which was nice. Usually it's the annoying singing owl outside my window that seems to have made it its personal mission to wake me up every morning.

I have to be up at 8 because we're taking a crash course on survival Arabic today. Not knowing the language hasn't really been a problem since we've been getting around in groups and not really conversing with the locals, but I can't wait to start using the native language on the streets. Like last night I went to the grocery store and couldn't ask where anything was because people didn't speak English. But the best part is that everything is halal so it doesn't really matter that I can't read the labels. :-)

The supermarkets were stocked with pretty much everything you can find in the U.S., except mostly Egyptian brands. They have American brands too, but they are much more expensive here. Overall, everything is much cheaper- three full bags of groceries cost me $80EGP (around $15). It does look like I'll have to learn how to cook though, since ordering takeout will probably get old. Sadly, I've never even made my own pasta - unless you count the pre-made ones that you can just boil. Don't judge me, I'm still in college, so it's still okay to have EasyMac and Cup Noodles for meals.

Bottled water for everything is a bit of a pain. It adds an extra step to everything - washing vegetables, boiling food, etc etc etc. But supermarkets deliver large packs of water so it's not too bad. We just have to be careful not to drink tap water, since it's over chlorinated (which makes me feel like I'm in a swimming pool every time I shower).

Anyway, time to try and get in an hour of sleep before the day begins. Masa khair (that means good night...I think).

Dinner cruise on the Nile

Last night was amazing. Our program managers from AMIDEAST took all the students out for dinner on a cruise on the Nile river. Everything dripped with luxury, from gold monuments to hieroglyphics on the walls, to statues of pharaohs. There was an Egyptian band playing inside the ship, and they brought in many performers, including a bellydancer, a spin dancer, and singers. The food was incredible and the scene from the balcony of the ship was breathtaking. Cairo is just beautiful. I can get used to this.

Fact #1 about Egypt

Living in Cairo is equivalent to smoking a pack of cigarettes a day.

Isn't that just lovely? It's the 6th most polluted country in the world, and most of it comes from the insane traffic. We learned how to cross the street today, or as they say, 'walk like Egyptians.' Basically there are 3 ways:

1) Go in between the moving cars one by one on the road (scary)

2) Use other humans as shields (my personal favorite)

3) Take the long way and find crosswalks (who does that?)

Watch this video to see it in action:

New Yorkers ain't got nothin' on Arabs.

First Night in Cairo

After my 17+ hour flight, I finally landed in Cairo at 6pm last night. My first thoughts were that Cairo International Airport is actually very nice and the people were so friendly. I arrived with 3 other students and we were picked up by one of our program managers. The weather was absolutely perfect, 70 degrees with a light breeze, exactly how I like it. Apparently it was one of their cold nights, so it's only going to get better.

On the ride to our apartments, we witnessed the infamous Cairo traffic, which is to say, absolutely chaotic. There is very little sense of traffic lanes and horns are sounded so frequently that it becomes background noise. Traffic was pretty heavy but we got to ride through downtown Cairo, which is filled with store after store selling all kinds of items possible. There were crowds of people on the streets, mainly young men travelling in groups or pairs. It is a common sight to see guys linking arms and walking together. Not too many packs of girls; they were either walking with men or in large groups. I didn't get any pictures of the streets yet but stay tuned.

After about a half hour drive, we arrived in the neighborhood of Dokki and were escorted into our apartment building. We're right around the corner from a Cilantro Cafe (probably my new breakfast place) and there are plenty of people but it's not too crowded or noisy. The apartment building itself is impressive, resembling a hotel, with lights hanging outside, visible balconies, and a large glossy floored lobby. But the best surprise was when we walked into our apartment, and our jaws dropped. First of all, it's two floors. The first floor consists of the living room and dining room, which are decorated beautifully, with regal looking chairs and plush red and gold couches.

There is a small kitchen made up of dark hardwood cabinets and for some reason, a Buzz lightyear photo on top of the stove. Then upstairs were our bedrooms. I have one all to myself, but weirdly I have a bunk bed. Good for guests so come visit! It was fully furnished with a dresser and large wardrobes, with intricate mirror designs on it. I have my own little bathroom too- the bathtub is a minuscule square that floods the floors so I'll be using the main one in the hall. There are two other bedrooms for the three girls I'm living with, which is nice since we're all new here. Feels like being back in a dorm except MUCH nicer. Check out the view from one of the apartment balconies:

By around 2am, my jet lag kicked in and I headed to sleep. There's some weird hummingbird/owl outside my window which won't shut up, so will definitely have to take the lower bunk tomorrow. We were told to be ready at 10am for our first day of orientation, which includes introductions and a walk around the neighborhood, as well as general info about adjusting to life in Cairo. Anyway, so far so good. I'm thrilled to be here and can't wait to start living it.