Walk like an Egyptian

I am in Cairo! Safe and sound.  My flights and arrival were all smooth and uneventful.  I got to watch Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World on the plane, which was exciting. The food was bad. You know, the usual.

The trip got way more exciting as Salma, the program assistant, walked me and one of my roommates Shama to our apartment - it's HUGE! Our jaws literally dropped when we got in. Salma asked "Is it ok?" in a questioning tone that made it sound like it wasn't up to our standards. Once I take pictures and upload them, you'll understand better - but I'm sure the entire bottom floor is the size of my (very comfortable) 3 bedroom apartment at school. There is a huge common room with a balcony (with table and chairs!) along with a dining room with a massive table and two armoires, the kitchen is a good size and fully stocked, and a bathroom is downstairs as well. Then there is a second floor with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Lauren and I share a bedroom (which is a little cozy with two beds, a desk, and a giant armoire) but there is more than enough space for the four of us that live here together. But wait - there's more! Cilantro, the Egyptian coffeehouse chain, is literally a 30 second walk from our apartment building. As well as a Pizza Hut and McDonald's that deliver (advertised by the bikes outside that say "McDelivery" on them), but don't worry Dad, we won't be going there too often.  Not when we are a 2 minute walk from a huge supermarket as well as an outdoor fruit market! We already have plans for what we want to cook. (Mom - I offered to make baklava!)

We thought we had it really good - which we do of course, this is way better than student housing even at Wash U, and much much cheaper - but then we heard about the other apartments. There are 4 girls in this apartment, 8 girls in another apartment, and 9 guys in another apartment (all different buildings).  The guys apartment is over twice the size of ours. They have probably 4 sitting room/common room areas, two kitchens, a flat screen tv (we have a boxy one, but I'm not complaining since I don't watch tv anyway!), a study.... and a view of the pyramids and the Nile from their balcony. But whatever, it's not like I'm jealous or anything. I'm just going to study there all the time. But only during the day of course - we were told we would tarnish the reputation of the buildings and their tenants if we had any guests of the opposite gender in our apartments after 9 or 10. Apparently the girls who were in this apartment last semester got in trouble for this... hopefully the tenants in our building aren't pre-prejudiced towards us!

So far, I've been mainly getting over jet lag. We didn't get provided breakfast this morning, and seeing as how everyone was a zombie, no one bothered to go out and get anything before our orientation. Thus began a three hour long orientation to the program from our super cool program director Matthew during which most of us were fighting to stay conscious (although he mentioned at the end he was surprised he didn't get any sleepers, so yay us? haha).  I can't recall specifics at the moment, but I do remember the important points. I also remember thinking that AMIDEAST is probably the best study abroad program I could've chosen to go on. It's small, the staff are really attentive and supportive, and the program has really great connections. Christine, one of my roommates, and I were squeeing this morning about how excited we were that we might meet Dr. Zahi Hawass, head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities. As we described him to roommates Shama and Lauren: "He's the Egyptian Indiana Jones."

After orientation, we were given lunch (much welcome by everyone, stomachs were growling all over the place) and then we had a walking tour. We just walked around the area where we live and take classes, and we got a chance to ride the metro. Cairo's metro is the only metro in Africa and the MidEast, AND it's only a pound to get anywhere. For those of you who don't know one Egyptian pound is a little less than 20 cents, and the dollar is getting stronger.

After that, we had some free time in which I finally started unpacking. I'm not quite done yet... I was going to finish that up, but considering it's already 11:30 pm here, I might just go to sleep. Heading to Cilantro tomorrow at 9 so I can be awake for orientation at 10. Orientation lasts until Thursday, we have Friday off, and then Saturday we go to the pyramids! Or is it Thursday off and Friday to the pyramids? I don't remember or care right now.

But before I go, the title of this post -- Part of orientation was showing us this video entitled "Walk Like an Egyptian."  It was about crossing the street. For those of you who have been to Cairo, you will understand why the very first part of orientation was about traffic rules and safety (or lack thereof).  People brag and boast about how their city or how some European country they've visited has the worst traffic and worst drivers in the world. No. False. In Cairo, driving is an art. Honks and light flickers are courtesy communications to drivers and pedestrians. I have seen a three car road accomodate five across, including a truck. Parking is hilarious. People cross busy highways wherever and whenever they want. I don't think I can explain how ridiculous it is unless you've been there. I remember I was petrified by crossing roads when I visited Egypt 3 or so years ago.  Now it's still extremely daunting, but after having my hands held while doing it (not literally, but almost), I'm feeling a little better about it. The trick is to walk slowly but with a purpose, and try to catch a driver's eye. Also, using a human shield is highly suggested - aka attaching yourself to an Egyptian group (preferably women, I guess cars give women a wider berth) and crossing with them. Fast movements, like darting or running across a street, even a tiny one, is a sure way to get killed. Traffic fatalities are 44 times higher in Egypt than the US (but don't worry Mom and Dad - most happen on intercity highways! And there's an underpass to get to our villa), so the possibilities of injury due to a car accident are much higher than getting caught in a terrorist attack.

So if you're going to worry about me, worry about the traffic. And maybe worry or at least be concerned that Cairo is the sixth most polluted city in the world. Matthew said that the respiratory damage is close to smoking a pack a day. Yuck. As I was looking around at the buildings, I asked him if it was always this hazy, because it looked sort of like gunk had gotten on my contact. He said, "Sometimes... and sometimes it's worse than this."