Egypt is a Sponge

So as orientation begins and the week goes on I have been realizing how far away from home i really am which i guess is why i came to study abroad in the first place its an incredible feeling both good and bad. But its easy to see the good right now as AUC has been providing free food and outings into Cairo to see certain things. Free Egyptian food to and its great.

AUC New Cairo Campus

The first day (Sunday) of course they got all the students together from all walks of life graduate students who are thirty people from Malaysia to Denmark to California. I believe almost every continent on this campus is represented its ridiculous thankfully they all speak great english and we all attempt to speak in our broken arabic when we can. We did boring administrative things then went on a Nile cruise not something egyptians do on a day to day basis but hey lets face it i'm still a tourist and i dont mind being one on occasion. We also saw Tahrir square where the riots/revolution took place and of course the absolute chaos that is driving on the streets of Cairo. One thing is certain and that the bus driver is a brave guy.

Nile River and Downtown Cairo

2nd (monday) more administrative things meeting people, meeting late arrivals, checking out campus hereing lectures about Egypts revolution safety tips, things like that and then we enjoyed a 3 hour Marhaba party as the called it which means welcome in Arabic. We drank we ate they had a little show for us that the university students put on a lot of traditional dancing and music. Great times to be had.

Not even sure what most of it is. But it was good

Today (Tuesday), more boring administrative things, meet people, more lectures and seminars, then we took the bus again but this time into Old Cairo/Coptic Cairo and then Islamic Cairo. We visited the oldest church in Africa built in the 600's (i think. My facts may be incorrect) and one of the most important Mosques in Cairo. I still have to visit one in Saladin's Citadel which towers over Islamic Cairo. Today we had a fantastic time seeing more parts of Cairo and just very intersting things about the religion and how in essence Egypt has gone through so many changes, from pharos, to be conquered by greeks, then romans, the Ottomans, then colonization by france, and England then finally it became a nation and now is rebuilding the nation. One of the Oldest civilizations in the world and the people here are this weird combination and fusion of it all. I cant really put them into one category. Its cool. Anyway tomorrow is also a big day. The anniversary of last years revolution. The whole city is on the edge of its seat waiting to see what may or may not happen. I hope for the best nonviolent outcome.

Islamic Architecture is just awesome.