Dear family and friends,
So here I am at the end of my time in the Middle East. It has been an amazing experience of travel, learning, growing, challenges, and fun. I know those words are very general and don't begin to describe the semester I had, but it's hard for me to express in writing what this semester has been to me. I know as I come home and begin to process my time here even more things will become much clearer to me.
One thing that has been challenging to me has been seeing God in this region. The nature of this program is very intellectual and political. I learned a lot about the problems politically and religiously within the Middle East. I must admit it was quite disheartening and it made me cynical and judgmental. However, throughout the semester I have met people, Muslim and Christian alike, who have shown me God's love through their actions and words. These people don't make up the corrupt and oppressive political and religious systems that we as Americans here about everyday. They are the ones suffering under them, yet they still showed us, American college students, hospitality and warmth. It took me a long time to realize that God is working here in and through Muslims, Christians, and Jews living in this region. What we here on the news back in the states is just one small part of the picture that real people are living in and dealing with daily. If there is anything I can take back with me it is my experiences and stories of the people I met while living here.
Last but definitely not least, I want to thank you all who have read my blog (even though it wasn't great writing) and for those who have prayed for me. I greatly appreciate all of you and I can't wait to get back and share my stories and experiences with you and to hear your stories and experiences these past 3 and a half months. Well I'll see you back in the states. Ma' salaama!
Scott
P.S. For those that don't know I arrive back to California this Friday night around 7:45 pm. I'm completely free next week to get together with those of you that would like to.
12.09.2008
11.24.2008
Dear Friends and Family,
Today is my last full day in Jerusalem. Tomorrow we travel to Haifa, Jaffa, Tel Aviv and then on Wednesday we head back to Cairo.
Since I last updated we have been in Jordan and swam in the Dead Sea, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Sea of Galilee, and the Golan Heights. In Jerusalem we are staying at the Austrian Hospice located in the Arab Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. The first week was mostly full of speakers (Israeli and American diplomats, PLO member, Israeli settler, Catholic priest, Palestinian and Israeli youth, journalists, etc.). The second half of our time here was to see important political, historical, and religious places of Jerusalem and Israel. We have been to: the Holocaust museum, Bethlehem University (to hang out with Palestinian youth), Church of the Nativity, the Western Wall, the town of Capernaum, Hezekiah's tunnel, Mt. of Olives, Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Golgatha and the tomb of Jesus), the Protestant Garden Tomb of Jesus, Garden of Gethsemane, Dome of the Rock, King David's tomb, and much more. I know this is a grossly inadequate description of the things I have done, but I'm overwhelmed at trying to describe even one of them. I will say my favorite place in all of Israel is the Sea of Galilee. It is very beautiful and underdeveloped which makes it easier to imagine that Jesus was actually there. Traveling around parts of the Middle East has been truly amazing and I feel greatly blessed to have had this opportunity to travel.
Once I get back to Cairo I have five papers to write in a week. Then we head up to a monastery in Anafora for 3 or 4 days to debrief the semester. Then we have a couple of days to enjoy Cairo until we leave on the 11th of December to come back to the states. I plan on doing one last final entry before I come back home. I hope you all are doing well.
Scott
Today is my last full day in Jerusalem. Tomorrow we travel to Haifa, Jaffa, Tel Aviv and then on Wednesday we head back to Cairo.
Since I last updated we have been in Jordan and swam in the Dead Sea, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Sea of Galilee, and the Golan Heights. In Jerusalem we are staying at the Austrian Hospice located in the Arab Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. The first week was mostly full of speakers (Israeli and American diplomats, PLO member, Israeli settler, Catholic priest, Palestinian and Israeli youth, journalists, etc.). The second half of our time here was to see important political, historical, and religious places of Jerusalem and Israel. We have been to: the Holocaust museum, Bethlehem University (to hang out with Palestinian youth), Church of the Nativity, the Western Wall, the town of Capernaum, Hezekiah's tunnel, Mt. of Olives, Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Golgatha and the tomb of Jesus), the Protestant Garden Tomb of Jesus, Garden of Gethsemane, Dome of the Rock, King David's tomb, and much more. I know this is a grossly inadequate description of the things I have done, but I'm overwhelmed at trying to describe even one of them. I will say my favorite place in all of Israel is the Sea of Galilee. It is very beautiful and underdeveloped which makes it easier to imagine that Jesus was actually there. Traveling around parts of the Middle East has been truly amazing and I feel greatly blessed to have had this opportunity to travel.
Once I get back to Cairo I have five papers to write in a week. Then we head up to a monastery in Anafora for 3 or 4 days to debrief the semester. Then we have a couple of days to enjoy Cairo until we leave on the 11th of December to come back to the states. I plan on doing one last final entry before I come back home. I hope you all are doing well.
Scott
11.09.2008
Hello friends and family,
I've done and seen a lot since I last posted an entry. The Tuesday before we left was the last day of my service project at the geriatrics center. It was sad to leave the staff and residents that we developed relationships with. I have posted some pictures of the last day on my photobucket account.
On Wednesday we left in the morning and arrived in Istanbul around 2 pm. I did experience some cultural shock moving from Egypt to more Westernized and secular nation such as Turkey. Nonetheless, Istanbul was an amazing city to explore. I saw the Hagia Sofia, toured the Bosphorus Straits, visited an island off the coast of Turkey, went to a professional soccer game, and so much more. I also heard from many different speakers, including members of the ruling AK party in Turkey, about the current politics and social issues of Turkey. We stayed in Istanbul for about 6 days and then left for Ankara by bus. We stayed in Ankara for two days and saw Ataturk's tomb and heard a few more speakers as well.
After driving back from Ankara to Istanbul we flew to Aleppo, Syria and stayed overnight in Aleppo. The next morning we got up and headed toward Damascus. On the way we stopped at a Crusader castle to explore it and had an amazing authentic Middle Eastern meal. I am currently in Damascus just outside the Old City of Damascus, where it is believed Paul came after his conversion experience. So far we have explored the Old City, visited an amazing mosque that claims to have the head of John the Baptist, seen what is believed to be Ananias's house where Paul came, and went to a Turkish bath. The Old City is fascinating and has a ton of history and Syria itself is a beautiful country.
I've had to pinch myself a couple of times to make sure I'm actually really getting to do this. This trip as been fantastic and I still have Jordan and Israel/Palestine ahead. Thank you for all of your prayers. Hopefully I'll be able to update you at least one more time before the travel part of my trip is complete.
Scott
I've done and seen a lot since I last posted an entry. The Tuesday before we left was the last day of my service project at the geriatrics center. It was sad to leave the staff and residents that we developed relationships with. I have posted some pictures of the last day on my photobucket account.
On Wednesday we left in the morning and arrived in Istanbul around 2 pm. I did experience some cultural shock moving from Egypt to more Westernized and secular nation such as Turkey. Nonetheless, Istanbul was an amazing city to explore. I saw the Hagia Sofia, toured the Bosphorus Straits, visited an island off the coast of Turkey, went to a professional soccer game, and so much more. I also heard from many different speakers, including members of the ruling AK party in Turkey, about the current politics and social issues of Turkey. We stayed in Istanbul for about 6 days and then left for Ankara by bus. We stayed in Ankara for two days and saw Ataturk's tomb and heard a few more speakers as well.
After driving back from Ankara to Istanbul we flew to Aleppo, Syria and stayed overnight in Aleppo. The next morning we got up and headed toward Damascus. On the way we stopped at a Crusader castle to explore it and had an amazing authentic Middle Eastern meal. I am currently in Damascus just outside the Old City of Damascus, where it is believed Paul came after his conversion experience. So far we have explored the Old City, visited an amazing mosque that claims to have the head of John the Baptist, seen what is believed to be Ananias's house where Paul came, and went to a Turkish bath. The Old City is fascinating and has a ton of history and Syria itself is a beautiful country.
I've had to pinch myself a couple of times to make sure I'm actually really getting to do this. This trip as been fantastic and I still have Jordan and Israel/Palestine ahead. Thank you for all of your prayers. Hopefully I'll be able to update you at least one more time before the travel part of my trip is complete.
Scott
10.27.2008
Hello everyone,
I know its been a long time since I've updated you on my adventures here in Egypt. I'll begin with a class trip to the Arab League in downtown Cairo. On Monday before the Luxor trip the students and staff took a trip to the Arab League to talk with the chief of staff of the Arab League. We discussed majors issues and conflicts within the Middle East including the Iraq occupation, Israeli/Palestinian/Arab conflict, Iran, and the crisis in Sudan. It was fascinating to get to hear the opinion of the Arab League and have an open and candid conversation with a top official within the Arab world.
On Tuesday night we left at 9 pm for Luxor by train and arrived at 10:30 am the next day. Over the next two days we went to three temples and the Valley of the Kings. The temples and ancient ruins were awesome. My favorite temple was Ramses temple near the Valley of the Kings. It had the deepest inscriptions and many of the pictures still had their original color. There is a picture of me standing in the middle of this temple that I posted. Overall the trip was just okay. The ancient ruins are great but the city of Luxor is not as good. Many of the store owners and restaurants bank on the fact that tourists that go there are clueless so they always overcharge everything. Many of us ended up getting in arguments with waiters and getting menus to show them what is worth what and tell they finally agreed and gave us the correct price. Overall the trip was good, the city of Luxor was just not that enjoyable outside of the temples and tombs.
After we got back on Saturday morning I began an intense week of homework and studying. That Wednesday I had a final for Islam and a paper due. This last Sunday I had two more papers due and today I took an Arabic final. I also caught a cold on Tuesday, but I am feeling close to 100% now. Also today the those of us that took a tabla class had a little concert for the rest of the students and staff. It was a lot of fun. The Dabka, a Palestinian dance, group also gave a performance. I was able to hang out with Alyssa, my friend from APU who has been living in Cairo since June, one last time before she leaves on Friday to go back to the states.
So overall it has been an extremely busy week, but the most exciting news is that this Wednesday morning we will be leaving for Istanbul, Turkey by plane. We were briefed and given a general outline on what we will be seeing, the people we will be talking, and other things. I am really excited to go see explore other countries and get out of Cairo for awhile. Basically we will be flying to Istanbul on Wednesday and stay for a few days then drive to Ankara the capital. After that we will drive back to Istanbul to catch a flight to Syria and hang out in Damascus for a few days, then drive to Jordan for two days and swim in Dead Sea. After that we will go to Jerusalem. During our time in Israel we will be traveling into the West Bank, the Golan Heights and Sea of Galilee area. We also visit the cities of Tel Aviv and Jaffa. I arrive back to Cairo on November 26th.
I hope to update my blog a couple of times while I'm gone, insha' Allah. Well it's time to go to bed. I hope everything is going well. Next time I update my blog I should be in another country, insha' Allah. Ma' salaama.
I know its been a long time since I've updated you on my adventures here in Egypt. I'll begin with a class trip to the Arab League in downtown Cairo. On Monday before the Luxor trip the students and staff took a trip to the Arab League to talk with the chief of staff of the Arab League. We discussed majors issues and conflicts within the Middle East including the Iraq occupation, Israeli/Palestinian/Arab conflict, Iran, and the crisis in Sudan. It was fascinating to get to hear the opinion of the Arab League and have an open and candid conversation with a top official within the Arab world.
On Tuesday night we left at 9 pm for Luxor by train and arrived at 10:30 am the next day. Over the next two days we went to three temples and the Valley of the Kings. The temples and ancient ruins were awesome. My favorite temple was Ramses temple near the Valley of the Kings. It had the deepest inscriptions and many of the pictures still had their original color. There is a picture of me standing in the middle of this temple that I posted. Overall the trip was just okay. The ancient ruins are great but the city of Luxor is not as good. Many of the store owners and restaurants bank on the fact that tourists that go there are clueless so they always overcharge everything. Many of us ended up getting in arguments with waiters and getting menus to show them what is worth what and tell they finally agreed and gave us the correct price. Overall the trip was good, the city of Luxor was just not that enjoyable outside of the temples and tombs.
After we got back on Saturday morning I began an intense week of homework and studying. That Wednesday I had a final for Islam and a paper due. This last Sunday I had two more papers due and today I took an Arabic final. I also caught a cold on Tuesday, but I am feeling close to 100% now. Also today the those of us that took a tabla class had a little concert for the rest of the students and staff. It was a lot of fun. The Dabka, a Palestinian dance, group also gave a performance. I was able to hang out with Alyssa, my friend from APU who has been living in Cairo since June, one last time before she leaves on Friday to go back to the states.
So overall it has been an extremely busy week, but the most exciting news is that this Wednesday morning we will be leaving for Istanbul, Turkey by plane. We were briefed and given a general outline on what we will be seeing, the people we will be talking, and other things. I am really excited to go see explore other countries and get out of Cairo for awhile. Basically we will be flying to Istanbul on Wednesday and stay for a few days then drive to Ankara the capital. After that we will drive back to Istanbul to catch a flight to Syria and hang out in Damascus for a few days, then drive to Jordan for two days and swim in Dead Sea. After that we will go to Jerusalem. During our time in Israel we will be traveling into the West Bank, the Golan Heights and Sea of Galilee area. We also visit the cities of Tel Aviv and Jaffa. I arrive back to Cairo on November 26th.
I hope to update my blog a couple of times while I'm gone, insha' Allah. Well it's time to go to bed. I hope everything is going well. Next time I update my blog I should be in another country, insha' Allah. Ma' salaama.
10.12.2008
Dear Family and Friends,
This last week was the homestay week of the MESP program. Last Sunday night we met our respective homestays at the Villa and then left with them to go back to their homes. Two of my flatmates, Josh and Andrew, and I lived with the same extended family in the same building. Andrew lived with the grandparents, Josh lived with the eldest son and his family, and I lived with the younger son and his family in Imbaba, which is 10 to 15 minute taxi ride north of where we live in Agouza.
None of the family members knew any English, which made communication and everything else a little bit harder. It was good because I was forced to use Arabic and though I don’t know if I retained much of what I learned it made me more confident and less shy about speaking with Egyptians. Despite the struggles of language, it was really cool to not only see how a typical Muslim family in Egypt interacts, but to be apart of the family and experience it first hand. The hospitality and generosity of Egyptians is phenomenal. My host parents gave me their bed to sleep on, while they slept on the floor for the whole week. When I tried to say I was fine with sleeping on the floor they refused. They also made sure I had plenty to eat. There was not a single meal that I was able to finish everything on my plate. In addition to giving me a lot of food to eat, they also introduced me to a lot of their friends and other relatives where we were offered more to eat.
In all the experience helped me to very much appreciate the simple things that I experienced. For example I got to see how important family is and living in community with each other. I could see that they all loved, cared, and looked out for each other. Probably one of my favorite times that I had with the family was when we played cards. Josh and I taught them how to play blackjack using and they taught us how to play this fun game called Arba (Four). We also watched a lot of television, specifically American action movies with such renowned actors as Jean-Claude Van Dam and Steven Segal. One night we were watching a movie and my host dad turned to me and said how pleased and honored he was that I was staying with him and his family. Needless to stay it was a good experience.
I came back to Agouza on Saturday morning and then around one in the afternoon a group of students took a trip to the pyramids. It was a fun experience and yes I got on a camel and had my picture taken with the pyramids in the background. Overall it was good to finally see them and check that off the list. I posted a couple of pictures of that as well as a couple of homestay pictures.
Well I need to go study for an Arabic quiz. This Tuesday we live on a train for Luxor and arrive back on Saturday. So until next time I hope you all are doing well and are having a great week insha’ Allah.
Scott
This last week was the homestay week of the MESP program. Last Sunday night we met our respective homestays at the Villa and then left with them to go back to their homes. Two of my flatmates, Josh and Andrew, and I lived with the same extended family in the same building. Andrew lived with the grandparents, Josh lived with the eldest son and his family, and I lived with the younger son and his family in Imbaba, which is 10 to 15 minute taxi ride north of where we live in Agouza.
None of the family members knew any English, which made communication and everything else a little bit harder. It was good because I was forced to use Arabic and though I don’t know if I retained much of what I learned it made me more confident and less shy about speaking with Egyptians. Despite the struggles of language, it was really cool to not only see how a typical Muslim family in Egypt interacts, but to be apart of the family and experience it first hand. The hospitality and generosity of Egyptians is phenomenal. My host parents gave me their bed to sleep on, while they slept on the floor for the whole week. When I tried to say I was fine with sleeping on the floor they refused. They also made sure I had plenty to eat. There was not a single meal that I was able to finish everything on my plate. In addition to giving me a lot of food to eat, they also introduced me to a lot of their friends and other relatives where we were offered more to eat.
In all the experience helped me to very much appreciate the simple things that I experienced. For example I got to see how important family is and living in community with each other. I could see that they all loved, cared, and looked out for each other. Probably one of my favorite times that I had with the family was when we played cards. Josh and I taught them how to play blackjack using and they taught us how to play this fun game called Arba (Four). We also watched a lot of television, specifically American action movies with such renowned actors as Jean-Claude Van Dam and Steven Segal. One night we were watching a movie and my host dad turned to me and said how pleased and honored he was that I was staying with him and his family. Needless to stay it was a good experience.
I came back to Agouza on Saturday morning and then around one in the afternoon a group of students took a trip to the pyramids. It was a fun experience and yes I got on a camel and had my picture taken with the pyramids in the background. Overall it was good to finally see them and check that off the list. I posted a couple of pictures of that as well as a couple of homestay pictures.
Well I need to go study for an Arabic quiz. This Tuesday we live on a train for Luxor and arrive back on Saturday. So until next time I hope you all are doing well and are having a great week insha’ Allah.
Scott
10.05.2008
Hello Everyone,
I hope you are all doing well. Last night I got back from our trip to Siwa, a desert town about 10 kilometers from the Egypt/Libyan border. It was an amazing trip and the best excursion we have gone on so far. After an 11+ hour bus ride we finally arrived around 2:30 am on Thursday to our hotel called the Desert Rose. The hotel has no electricity and all of its water comes from a natural spring. Also it's the first time I have ever used a mosquito net.
After sleeping in and eating some breakfast we rented bikes and explored the city of Siwa on our own. The town is built on an oasis in the middle of the desert. It is also historically significant because Alexander the Great visited an oracle there in of the temples. We visited several ruins including the temple that Alexander visited, a mountain of ancient tombs and some ancient Egyptian art and hieroglyphics. We also went to one of the large natural salt lakes that Siwa has. Some people actually swam in the salt lake and then washed off in a natural hot spring nearby. Then we came back to the hotel, ate dinner, and enjoyed traditional Siwan music by a band that came and played for us. It was definitely a fun night of dancing, singing, and laughing.
So then the next day we packed up some of our stuff and headed out to the desert in jeeps. We went off-roading through the desert and over sand dunes, went sand boarding down the dunes, and then cooled off in a cold spring. After all of that running around we drove to a small camp site run by Bedouins. We hung out there and ate chicken that they cook underneath the ground. They developed a system where they put the meat on skewers and hang them in this metal box with a lid. Then they cover the box with sand and put out coals on top. Needless to say the food was delicious. After that we talked, played games, and went to bed. The next morning we got up and drove back to the hotel, cleaned up and then left.
That was the condensed version of my time in the desert. The only bad thing that came from that experience was the 20+ mosquito bites that I now have on my legs, feet, arms, and hands. Now I am preparing for living with my homestay family which begins tonight, which you will hear about next week. I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your weekend. Ma' salaama.
Scott
P.S. There are new pictures up.
I hope you are all doing well. Last night I got back from our trip to Siwa, a desert town about 10 kilometers from the Egypt/Libyan border. It was an amazing trip and the best excursion we have gone on so far. After an 11+ hour bus ride we finally arrived around 2:30 am on Thursday to our hotel called the Desert Rose. The hotel has no electricity and all of its water comes from a natural spring. Also it's the first time I have ever used a mosquito net.
After sleeping in and eating some breakfast we rented bikes and explored the city of Siwa on our own. The town is built on an oasis in the middle of the desert. It is also historically significant because Alexander the Great visited an oracle there in of the temples. We visited several ruins including the temple that Alexander visited, a mountain of ancient tombs and some ancient Egyptian art and hieroglyphics. We also went to one of the large natural salt lakes that Siwa has. Some people actually swam in the salt lake and then washed off in a natural hot spring nearby. Then we came back to the hotel, ate dinner, and enjoyed traditional Siwan music by a band that came and played for us. It was definitely a fun night of dancing, singing, and laughing.
So then the next day we packed up some of our stuff and headed out to the desert in jeeps. We went off-roading through the desert and over sand dunes, went sand boarding down the dunes, and then cooled off in a cold spring. After all of that running around we drove to a small camp site run by Bedouins. We hung out there and ate chicken that they cook underneath the ground. They developed a system where they put the meat on skewers and hang them in this metal box with a lid. Then they cover the box with sand and put out coals on top. Needless to say the food was delicious. After that we talked, played games, and went to bed. The next morning we got up and drove back to the hotel, cleaned up and then left.
That was the condensed version of my time in the desert. The only bad thing that came from that experience was the 20+ mosquito bites that I now have on my legs, feet, arms, and hands. Now I am preparing for living with my homestay family which begins tonight, which you will hear about next week. I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your weekend. Ma' salaama.
Scott
P.S. There are new pictures up.
9.30.2008
Dear Friends and Family,
I hope you are all doing well. I have had a great time at my service project today. I said goodbye to an woman, Lily, who is moving back to her home town of Asuut in Upper Egypt. Her son who lives in New Jersey was here to help her move out. The last couple of weeks we had a good time talking about everything under the sun including faith, politics, Egypt, our families, etc. I was sad to see her go, but she is was very happy to be going back home. The thing I most enjoy is interacting with the staff at the geriatrics center. Even though most of them don't know English very well we have a fun time together. Today there wasn't much to do so after we completed our tasks we played ping pong and pool. I definitely am reminded of the beauties of cross-cultural interaction every time I go there.
This week as also been a very fun and busy week. What's new? This last Thursday me and a few other people went to an Egyptian jazz concert behind Al Azhar Mosque, a very famous mosque in Egypt. My tabla teacher, Heni plays percussion in the band that played. I just realized I don't think I mentioned that I am learning to play the tabla; the tabla is a drum by the way. MESP offers four cultural activities that students can participate in: cooking, Dabka (a Palestinian dance), belly dancing (for the ladies only), and tabla. So anyways Heni is teaching me and a few others tabla. He is a pretty amazing percussion player and teaches and plays in many other bands. All of that said, some of us went to a concert by a sextet and a Jordanian singer. Egyptian jazz is definitely different than what you think jazz is; it has a very eastern sound to it. The instruments in the band included a drum set, electric bass, keyboard/synth, a lute, a violin, and various percussive instruments (congas, tabla, tambourine). There was also a Jordanian singer that had a beautiful voice. It was fun to sit in this beautiful place and listen to some great music.
Last Friday we had a Coptic day where thirty Coptic youth came and we talked with each other about faith and hung out. We were originally supposed to travel to them and participate in an evening service. It was really good to hang out with Egyptian peers to get there views on faith and how living in Egypt has affected their faith journey. We also were able to play games and just converse with them.
On Saturday night my roommates and I met up with two Egyptian guys, Asharaf and Shariif, that my roommate Josh met at the soccer game. We went bowling at the nicest bowling alley I have ever been to and it was only 10 Egyptian pounds for one game and shoe rentals. Afterward we went to a cafe and talked. It was a fun night.
In the midst of all of this we had a pretty intense week of classes. We had two quizzes, one for Arabic class and another for Islamic Thought and Practice, and an Arabic midterm yesterday. We also had a three hour class of Arabic on Saturday morning because this week is the end of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr will be celebrated starting tomorrow and ending on next Tuesday. So there will be no Arabic class tomorrow, Thursday, Sunday or Monday. Also tomorrow we will be leaving to Siwa, a Bedouin desert community in the western desert of Egypt. Insha'Allah we will get to swim in hot and cold springs, go sand boarding down sand dunes, off-roading in a jeep, and camping out in the desert. We get back on Saturday. Then on Sunday we will move away from Agouza and our flats and live with homestay families somewhere in Cairo and commute to class and service projects for a week.
So the fun, craziness, and busyness keeps on going. Insha' Allah I'll post some pictures of my adventures this last week later tonight. I hope you all have a great rest of your week. Ma' salaama.
Scott
I hope you are all doing well. I have had a great time at my service project today. I said goodbye to an woman, Lily, who is moving back to her home town of Asuut in Upper Egypt. Her son who lives in New Jersey was here to help her move out. The last couple of weeks we had a good time talking about everything under the sun including faith, politics, Egypt, our families, etc. I was sad to see her go, but she is was very happy to be going back home. The thing I most enjoy is interacting with the staff at the geriatrics center. Even though most of them don't know English very well we have a fun time together. Today there wasn't much to do so after we completed our tasks we played ping pong and pool. I definitely am reminded of the beauties of cross-cultural interaction every time I go there.
This week as also been a very fun and busy week. What's new? This last Thursday me and a few other people went to an Egyptian jazz concert behind Al Azhar Mosque, a very famous mosque in Egypt. My tabla teacher, Heni plays percussion in the band that played. I just realized I don't think I mentioned that I am learning to play the tabla; the tabla is a drum by the way. MESP offers four cultural activities that students can participate in: cooking, Dabka (a Palestinian dance), belly dancing (for the ladies only), and tabla. So anyways Heni is teaching me and a few others tabla. He is a pretty amazing percussion player and teaches and plays in many other bands. All of that said, some of us went to a concert by a sextet and a Jordanian singer. Egyptian jazz is definitely different than what you think jazz is; it has a very eastern sound to it. The instruments in the band included a drum set, electric bass, keyboard/synth, a lute, a violin, and various percussive instruments (congas, tabla, tambourine). There was also a Jordanian singer that had a beautiful voice. It was fun to sit in this beautiful place and listen to some great music.
Last Friday we had a Coptic day where thirty Coptic youth came and we talked with each other about faith and hung out. We were originally supposed to travel to them and participate in an evening service. It was really good to hang out with Egyptian peers to get there views on faith and how living in Egypt has affected their faith journey. We also were able to play games and just converse with them.
On Saturday night my roommates and I met up with two Egyptian guys, Asharaf and Shariif, that my roommate Josh met at the soccer game. We went bowling at the nicest bowling alley I have ever been to and it was only 10 Egyptian pounds for one game and shoe rentals. Afterward we went to a cafe and talked. It was a fun night.
In the midst of all of this we had a pretty intense week of classes. We had two quizzes, one for Arabic class and another for Islamic Thought and Practice, and an Arabic midterm yesterday. We also had a three hour class of Arabic on Saturday morning because this week is the end of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr will be celebrated starting tomorrow and ending on next Tuesday. So there will be no Arabic class tomorrow, Thursday, Sunday or Monday. Also tomorrow we will be leaving to Siwa, a Bedouin desert community in the western desert of Egypt. Insha'Allah we will get to swim in hot and cold springs, go sand boarding down sand dunes, off-roading in a jeep, and camping out in the desert. We get back on Saturday. Then on Sunday we will move away from Agouza and our flats and live with homestay families somewhere in Cairo and commute to class and service projects for a week.
So the fun, craziness, and busyness keeps on going. Insha' Allah I'll post some pictures of my adventures this last week later tonight. I hope you all have a great rest of your week. Ma' salaama.
Scott
9.22.2008
Misa Il Kheer fi Misr (Good evening from Egypt),
I hope you are all doing well. This last week has been another busy one for me of classes homework and traveling. On Friday morning I left with the rest of the students to go to Alexandria for the weekend. We arrived by train. Alexandria is a much more like a European city as it was controlled by the Greeks for a long time. It has the feel of a busy city mixed with the more laid back attitude of a beach town. Suffice to say it was much cooler and less polluted than Cairo. While I was there I went to the National Museum and learned about the rich history that Alexandria has from Pharonic times to the present. I saw what was left of some of the ancient Greco/Roman sites like an amphitheater and catacombs. The only thing I wasn't able to do because of time was swim in the Mediterranean Sea. All in all it was a fun weekend.
On Thursday I was able to meet up with a good friend of mine, Alyssa, who has been studying abroad in Cairo by herself since mid June. She goes to APU as well and is a Global Studies major which requires a self directed study abroad. She has been living in with a homestay and interning at two non-profits. It was really fun to catch up with her and what she has been doing in Cairo. We met up at this beautiful park that overlooks most of Cairo called Al Azhar park. Unfortunately I did not take any pictures of it but I plan on going back again.
Although it does not seem like I have been to busy this last week, the amount of information that I have already been given to learn and try and remember has been great. Added with the foreign culture that I live in, tiredness has definitely started to set in. Also being that it is Ramadan one of the local mosques, which we visited for a Friday service the first week, invited the MESP students to partake in iftar (the breaking of the fast every night of Ramadan at sundown). Every night of Ramadan the mosque provides a meal for anyone who cannot afford a meal or who has no one to celebrate it with can come and eat. Anyways, as to not overwhelm the mosque with 30 students we split up into smaller groups and participated in iftar. So tonight I went with some of my roommates to the fast. And to respect Islam, Ramadan, and the people there we did not eat or drink anything all day from sunrise to sunset as those are the requirements of Ramadan for all Muslims that are able. All of that said part of my exhaustion was due to the fact that I didn't drink or eat anything until a couple of hours ago. Fasting just for a day was really hard and being able to experience that further increases my respect I have for Muslims and their faith to be able to do that for a whole month. The purpose is to recognize their dependence on Allah and grow closer to God and each other. The fact that everyone has to fast (rich and poor, old and young) promotes an equality between all Muslims. Overall it was great to experience it and all of the people that we met were very welcoming of us even though we were not Muslims.
Well that's it for now my body is tired and needs more rest so ma' salaama.
Scott
I hope you are all doing well. This last week has been another busy one for me of classes homework and traveling. On Friday morning I left with the rest of the students to go to Alexandria for the weekend. We arrived by train. Alexandria is a much more like a European city as it was controlled by the Greeks for a long time. It has the feel of a busy city mixed with the more laid back attitude of a beach town. Suffice to say it was much cooler and less polluted than Cairo. While I was there I went to the National Museum and learned about the rich history that Alexandria has from Pharonic times to the present. I saw what was left of some of the ancient Greco/Roman sites like an amphitheater and catacombs. The only thing I wasn't able to do because of time was swim in the Mediterranean Sea. All in all it was a fun weekend.
On Thursday I was able to meet up with a good friend of mine, Alyssa, who has been studying abroad in Cairo by herself since mid June. She goes to APU as well and is a Global Studies major which requires a self directed study abroad. She has been living in with a homestay and interning at two non-profits. It was really fun to catch up with her and what she has been doing in Cairo. We met up at this beautiful park that overlooks most of Cairo called Al Azhar park. Unfortunately I did not take any pictures of it but I plan on going back again.
Although it does not seem like I have been to busy this last week, the amount of information that I have already been given to learn and try and remember has been great. Added with the foreign culture that I live in, tiredness has definitely started to set in. Also being that it is Ramadan one of the local mosques, which we visited for a Friday service the first week, invited the MESP students to partake in iftar (the breaking of the fast every night of Ramadan at sundown). Every night of Ramadan the mosque provides a meal for anyone who cannot afford a meal or who has no one to celebrate it with can come and eat. Anyways, as to not overwhelm the mosque with 30 students we split up into smaller groups and participated in iftar. So tonight I went with some of my roommates to the fast. And to respect Islam, Ramadan, and the people there we did not eat or drink anything all day from sunrise to sunset as those are the requirements of Ramadan for all Muslims that are able. All of that said part of my exhaustion was due to the fact that I didn't drink or eat anything until a couple of hours ago. Fasting just for a day was really hard and being able to experience that further increases my respect I have for Muslims and their faith to be able to do that for a whole month. The purpose is to recognize their dependence on Allah and grow closer to God and each other. The fact that everyone has to fast (rich and poor, old and young) promotes an equality between all Muslims. Overall it was great to experience it and all of the people that we met were very welcoming of us even though we were not Muslims.
Well that's it for now my body is tired and needs more rest so ma' salaama.
Scott
9.14.2008
Dear friends and family,
My semester in Egypt has officially begun. I say that because things our now starting to get busy with classes, trips, homework, etc. The first two weeks moved by quite slowly as we were adjusting to this new life and culture. Now after the first trip outside of Egypt, several classes and guest lecturers, increasing homework, and seemingly less and less free time I feel that my semester is now officially beginning.
That said I would like to share a funny story that happened this last Tuesday. Every Tuesday each of us goes to our respective service projects. I go to the geriatrics center with another student, Thomas. However this time two additional students, Abbie and Brita, came along with us because they could not go to their service project because it was located near the rockslide. This was our first time traveling to the service project by ourselves because the first time one the staff members drove us there in his car to show us how to get there. We did have a half sheet of paper with rather detailed instructions in English on how to get there.
So we all piled in to a taxi at around 8:05am and told the taxi driver Nasr City, which is on the opposite side of Cairo from where we live. The expression on the taxi driver’s face when I told him we wanted to go to Nasr City was one of uncertainty, but nonetheless we left Agouza and headed off to Nasr City. The fun began when the taxi driver took the wrong exit off the 6th of October Bridge, a bridge that runs east/west through Cairo. We told him this was wrong in very broken Arabic. After realizing it he stopped along the side of the road to ask a man how to get where we were going. The man also could read English so he read the directions we were given and thus ensued the first of many conversations between the taxi driver and various other Egyptians. After talking to the man we (we meaning the taxi driver, the other students and myself) drove off seeming confident of where we were going. However it soon became apparent that we had no idea where we were or how to get there. After unsuccessfully asking several other people on the side of the street if they knew English and could help us we found a women who could read English. She as well as many other Egyptian men who crowded around our taxi began giving there opinions, insights, and general help on how to get to our destination. Mind you this was all in Arabic and many times at once. After talking with close to a dozen different people our taxi driver headed off again. This time as we drove it seemed more and more familiar until we really believed we had found the place only to realize the building we thought we were going to see was a park. Frustrated and confused our taxi driver drove on all the while talking to us in Arabic trying to figure out how to get to this place. After asking yet another man for help we made it to the main road through Nasr City that looked both familiar to Thomas and myself. We tried one last time to ask someone for help. The taxi driver stopped by a group of taxi drivers parked on the side of the street and one of them came over and started speaking to us in English. After telling him where we wanted to go he brought over several maps and I was able to point in the general direction to of where we should go. He then preceded to tell me where to go, then gave me his business card, and off we went again. Thankfully, il-Hamdulilaah, over an hour and half later and 50 pounds poorer (twice as much as it should have been if we didn’t get lost) we made it. Now I really know how to get from Agouza to Nasr City.
This last Thursday we left for Mt. Sinai and the Red Sea at 6pm. Eight hours later we arrived at Mt. Sinai after suffering a flat tire and a 45 minute delay. So around 2:30am we began our ascent up Mt. Sinai. You climb in late evening early morning because one its cool and two, the sunrise from the top of Mt. Sinai is beautiful. We were led by a Bedouin guide named Salaam and made it up to the top just before sunrise. It was very beautiful. What was interesting was the hundreds of other people of varying nationalities who made the same trek as well. Many of them were Christians and sang various songs in their native tongue as the sun rose. Another group even had communion and prayer at the top. After we came back down from the mountain we waited at the bottom for St. Catharine’s Monastery to open. St. Catharine’s as the most original iconography dating back to the 1100 and 1200s second only to the Vatican. It also claims to house the burning bush.
After we saw the monastery we got back on the bus and headed for Dahab, a town along the Red Sea. There we swam in the Red Sea and dined in a restaurant that was right next to the water. The whole area was beautiful. The water itself is very clear with lots of coral and tropical fish. The next day we went snorkeling at this place called the Blue Lagoon just north of Dahab. It was quite an amazing experience and a lot of fun.
Well definitely need to end it here because tonight we are going to a soccer match between two of the best two teams in Cairo. I’ll try and post some pictures tomorrow. Ma’salaama.
Scott
My semester in Egypt has officially begun. I say that because things our now starting to get busy with classes, trips, homework, etc. The first two weeks moved by quite slowly as we were adjusting to this new life and culture. Now after the first trip outside of Egypt, several classes and guest lecturers, increasing homework, and seemingly less and less free time I feel that my semester is now officially beginning.
That said I would like to share a funny story that happened this last Tuesday. Every Tuesday each of us goes to our respective service projects. I go to the geriatrics center with another student, Thomas. However this time two additional students, Abbie and Brita, came along with us because they could not go to their service project because it was located near the rockslide. This was our first time traveling to the service project by ourselves because the first time one the staff members drove us there in his car to show us how to get there. We did have a half sheet of paper with rather detailed instructions in English on how to get there.
So we all piled in to a taxi at around 8:05am and told the taxi driver Nasr City, which is on the opposite side of Cairo from where we live. The expression on the taxi driver’s face when I told him we wanted to go to Nasr City was one of uncertainty, but nonetheless we left Agouza and headed off to Nasr City. The fun began when the taxi driver took the wrong exit off the 6th of October Bridge, a bridge that runs east/west through Cairo. We told him this was wrong in very broken Arabic. After realizing it he stopped along the side of the road to ask a man how to get where we were going. The man also could read English so he read the directions we were given and thus ensued the first of many conversations between the taxi driver and various other Egyptians. After talking to the man we (we meaning the taxi driver, the other students and myself) drove off seeming confident of where we were going. However it soon became apparent that we had no idea where we were or how to get there. After unsuccessfully asking several other people on the side of the street if they knew English and could help us we found a women who could read English. She as well as many other Egyptian men who crowded around our taxi began giving there opinions, insights, and general help on how to get to our destination. Mind you this was all in Arabic and many times at once. After talking with close to a dozen different people our taxi driver headed off again. This time as we drove it seemed more and more familiar until we really believed we had found the place only to realize the building we thought we were going to see was a park. Frustrated and confused our taxi driver drove on all the while talking to us in Arabic trying to figure out how to get to this place. After asking yet another man for help we made it to the main road through Nasr City that looked both familiar to Thomas and myself. We tried one last time to ask someone for help. The taxi driver stopped by a group of taxi drivers parked on the side of the street and one of them came over and started speaking to us in English. After telling him where we wanted to go he brought over several maps and I was able to point in the general direction to of where we should go. He then preceded to tell me where to go, then gave me his business card, and off we went again. Thankfully, il-Hamdulilaah, over an hour and half later and 50 pounds poorer (twice as much as it should have been if we didn’t get lost) we made it. Now I really know how to get from Agouza to Nasr City.
This last Thursday we left for Mt. Sinai and the Red Sea at 6pm. Eight hours later we arrived at Mt. Sinai after suffering a flat tire and a 45 minute delay. So around 2:30am we began our ascent up Mt. Sinai. You climb in late evening early morning because one its cool and two, the sunrise from the top of Mt. Sinai is beautiful. We were led by a Bedouin guide named Salaam and made it up to the top just before sunrise. It was very beautiful. What was interesting was the hundreds of other people of varying nationalities who made the same trek as well. Many of them were Christians and sang various songs in their native tongue as the sun rose. Another group even had communion and prayer at the top. After we came back down from the mountain we waited at the bottom for St. Catharine’s Monastery to open. St. Catharine’s as the most original iconography dating back to the 1100 and 1200s second only to the Vatican. It also claims to house the burning bush.
After we saw the monastery we got back on the bus and headed for Dahab, a town along the Red Sea. There we swam in the Red Sea and dined in a restaurant that was right next to the water. The whole area was beautiful. The water itself is very clear with lots of coral and tropical fish. The next day we went snorkeling at this place called the Blue Lagoon just north of Dahab. It was quite an amazing experience and a lot of fun.
Well definitely need to end it here because tonight we are going to a soccer match between two of the best two teams in Cairo. I’ll try and post some pictures tomorrow. Ma’salaama.
Scott
9.07.2008
Hello everyone,
First of all, I am healthy and well. For those you who might not have heard there was a terrible rockslide in Egypt that has killed at least 30 and trapped many more under rocks. Thankfully, none of the students or staff from MESP were near the area when the disaster happened. However, it is a terrible tragedy that definitely warrants prayer for the people of Garbage City and the families affected.
I pray that all of you are well. I myself am doing great. I completed my first week of class, although it was only two days. So far Arabic is easy with little homework, but it is supposed to be easy right now. I actually have class on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday and my service project at the geriatrics center on Tuesday. Today I had Arabic class and we also started Islamic thought and practice. Our instructor is a Sunni Muslim and really intelligent. She actually took us to three different and important mosques historically. It was fascinating to hear about the architectural, historical, and religious importance of the three mosques.
Because we have school/volunteer work Sunday through Thursday my weekend is Friday and Saturday. This last Friday and Saturday I with a few other people went to the Egyptian Museum, downtown Cairo, Zamelik (an island in the Nile), Coptic Cairo, and an English speaking service at an Episcopal Church in Maadi (the foreigners part of town). The Egyptian Museum was stuffed to the brim of tombs, coffins, stone tablets with writing, figurines, statues, etc. It was pretty cool. Downtown Cairo doesn’t get really busy until after 11pm and stays busy until early into the morning. I was there until 1am and people were still everywhere. Zamelik is a very westernized and wealthy part of town where a few of my roommates and I had lunch on Friday. Coptic Cairo is a section of the city where many old Coptic Churches were built a long time ago. One the churches holds claim to having the tombs of the Holy Family in their crypt below. And finally the church service I went was really good. We went with Barrett (one of the MESP interns who attends that church). It was nice to go to a church service after not being to church for a couple of weeks.
So yeah I did all of that in two days and there is still so much more to see in Cairo. Sorry I couldn’t go into much detail but it would take forever to write it all out it. Again I pray that you are all doing well back in the states. Thank you for your continued prayers and support. More pictures are finally uploaded so check them out. Finally, my next blog entry probably won’t be until next Monday or Tuesday. This Thursday we are traveling to the Sinai Peninsula and hiking Mount Sinai and then swimming and snorkeling in the Red Sea. So I hope you all have a great week.
Love, Scott
First of all, I am healthy and well. For those you who might not have heard there was a terrible rockslide in Egypt that has killed at least 30 and trapped many more under rocks. Thankfully, none of the students or staff from MESP were near the area when the disaster happened. However, it is a terrible tragedy that definitely warrants prayer for the people of Garbage City and the families affected.
I pray that all of you are well. I myself am doing great. I completed my first week of class, although it was only two days. So far Arabic is easy with little homework, but it is supposed to be easy right now. I actually have class on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday and my service project at the geriatrics center on Tuesday. Today I had Arabic class and we also started Islamic thought and practice. Our instructor is a Sunni Muslim and really intelligent. She actually took us to three different and important mosques historically. It was fascinating to hear about the architectural, historical, and religious importance of the three mosques.
Because we have school/volunteer work Sunday through Thursday my weekend is Friday and Saturday. This last Friday and Saturday I with a few other people went to the Egyptian Museum, downtown Cairo, Zamelik (an island in the Nile), Coptic Cairo, and an English speaking service at an Episcopal Church in Maadi (the foreigners part of town). The Egyptian Museum was stuffed to the brim of tombs, coffins, stone tablets with writing, figurines, statues, etc. It was pretty cool. Downtown Cairo doesn’t get really busy until after 11pm and stays busy until early into the morning. I was there until 1am and people were still everywhere. Zamelik is a very westernized and wealthy part of town where a few of my roommates and I had lunch on Friday. Coptic Cairo is a section of the city where many old Coptic Churches were built a long time ago. One the churches holds claim to having the tombs of the Holy Family in their crypt below. And finally the church service I went was really good. We went with Barrett (one of the MESP interns who attends that church). It was nice to go to a church service after not being to church for a couple of weeks.
So yeah I did all of that in two days and there is still so much more to see in Cairo. Sorry I couldn’t go into much detail but it would take forever to write it all out it. Again I pray that you are all doing well back in the states. Thank you for your continued prayers and support. More pictures are finally uploaded so check them out. Finally, my next blog entry probably won’t be until next Monday or Tuesday. This Thursday we are traveling to the Sinai Peninsula and hiking Mount Sinai and then swimming and snorkeling in the Red Sea. So I hope you all have a great week.
Love, Scott
9.02.2008
Hello Everyone,
All is well in Cairo. Tomorrow I start my Arabic class, which I am looking forward to very much so I can begin to understand, speak, and get around the city easier. The last few days we have just done various activities to acquaint ourselves with our neighborhood, transportation, and the city in general. Two days ago we were split into groups of four and told to explore the the city by using the subway. The subway is by far the easiest, cleanest, and cheapest mode of transportation here. It costs one pound for a ticket and you can go as far as you want. That's like a little less than twenty cents one way. It was pretty cool. Our group went to Maadi which is a very affluent, westernized, and white part of the city. There were a lot of foreigners there.
Yesterday, however, has been by far the coolest experience. We first went to Garbage City, which is exactly what the title says it is, a city full of garbage. Because there is no waste management services here in Cairo, many times trash is just thrown on the ground. A while back Coptic Christians began collecting trash sorting it, reusing what they could, and selling the junk that they reclaimed. They discovered this niche market and have been collecting trash ever since. They live on the outskirts of Cairo on the the south side. Anyways, we visited an orphanage in Garbage city run by nuns as well as this recycled paper business run by women. The babies in the orphanage were adorable and it was hard to set them down to leave. The recycled paper business was very cool. It was started to provide women with jobs. What they do is collect all the paper that is thrown away, sort it into what they can use, and cannot use, and reuse it by turning it into stationery, bookmarks, journals, photoalbums, etc. They also make quilts, rugs, aprons, oven mitts, etc. The last thing we visited was a Coptic church that was built into the mountainside just above Garbage city. It is a beautiful church and a place where many Coptics make a sort of pilgrimage to. The church was built in the 70s but it claims to be the site of many miracles dating back a 1000 years. There are actually three churches on the mountain side, two of which are literally built in caves. The biggest is outside where a giant of overhang in the mountain shelters the auditorium shaped sanctuary. Think Hollywood Bowl with a rock ceiling.
Today we started our service projects. I along with another guy, Thomas, are serving at a geriatrics center in Nasr City, which is on the oppostie side of where we are living. It was not my first choice in where I wanted to serve, but it will help me learn Arabic faster as only a handful of the residents and staff speak English. Today we just visited some of the residents and met the director and some of the staff. Next Tuesday we begin the real work. I will be working at this geriatrics center every Tuesday five hours a day for the next 8 weeks.
Well I should end it here. I hope all of you are well, il Humdidulah (by the grace of God).
Scott
P.S. I couldn't upload pictures this time because the internet connection that I get on balcony is really weak and sometimes doesn't work at all. I'll let you know when I have posted some pictures.
All is well in Cairo. Tomorrow I start my Arabic class, which I am looking forward to very much so I can begin to understand, speak, and get around the city easier. The last few days we have just done various activities to acquaint ourselves with our neighborhood, transportation, and the city in general. Two days ago we were split into groups of four and told to explore the the city by using the subway. The subway is by far the easiest, cleanest, and cheapest mode of transportation here. It costs one pound for a ticket and you can go as far as you want. That's like a little less than twenty cents one way. It was pretty cool. Our group went to Maadi which is a very affluent, westernized, and white part of the city. There were a lot of foreigners there.
Yesterday, however, has been by far the coolest experience. We first went to Garbage City, which is exactly what the title says it is, a city full of garbage. Because there is no waste management services here in Cairo, many times trash is just thrown on the ground. A while back Coptic Christians began collecting trash sorting it, reusing what they could, and selling the junk that they reclaimed. They discovered this niche market and have been collecting trash ever since. They live on the outskirts of Cairo on the the south side. Anyways, we visited an orphanage in Garbage city run by nuns as well as this recycled paper business run by women. The babies in the orphanage were adorable and it was hard to set them down to leave. The recycled paper business was very cool. It was started to provide women with jobs. What they do is collect all the paper that is thrown away, sort it into what they can use, and cannot use, and reuse it by turning it into stationery, bookmarks, journals, photoalbums, etc. They also make quilts, rugs, aprons, oven mitts, etc. The last thing we visited was a Coptic church that was built into the mountainside just above Garbage city. It is a beautiful church and a place where many Coptics make a sort of pilgrimage to. The church was built in the 70s but it claims to be the site of many miracles dating back a 1000 years. There are actually three churches on the mountain side, two of which are literally built in caves. The biggest is outside where a giant of overhang in the mountain shelters the auditorium shaped sanctuary. Think Hollywood Bowl with a rock ceiling.
Today we started our service projects. I along with another guy, Thomas, are serving at a geriatrics center in Nasr City, which is on the oppostie side of where we are living. It was not my first choice in where I wanted to serve, but it will help me learn Arabic faster as only a handful of the residents and staff speak English. Today we just visited some of the residents and met the director and some of the staff. Next Tuesday we begin the real work. I will be working at this geriatrics center every Tuesday five hours a day for the next 8 weeks.
Well I should end it here. I hope all of you are well, il Humdidulah (by the grace of God).
Scott
P.S. I couldn't upload pictures this time because the internet connection that I get on balcony is really weak and sometimes doesn't work at all. I'll let you know when I have posted some pictures.
8.29.2008
Hello all,
I arrived in Cairo safe and sound yesterday around 2:30pm. So far my limited experience with the city has been great. In general, I love city life and the great energy that a big city has. Cairo has not disappointed in that aspect. People and cars are everywhere. Egyptians are still out and about until around 3 am or later. It will be even later when the Islamic holy month of Ramadan starts in September. Because people fast until sun down, which is pretty late in the evening, they probably will sleep until late morning early afternoon and be up until even later the next morning.. The amount of cars here is even more amazing with people double and triple parking and two lanes being turned into three. It’s adventure every time you cross the street as I have yet to see a crosswalk or a stoplight.
Other than the craziness of the city, the living arrangements are quite nice. I’m living with six other guys in a section of the city called Agouza. All of us live within two blocks of each other including the director and staff. Our main meeting place where we will take classes and eat breakfast and lunch at is in a villa that is also just a block away.
Today we took a tour of part of the city in a bus and got off to walk through a suq (open marketplace) where huge slabs of raw cow were being sold from the bed of a truck, as well as all of the other organs and parts. Needless to say there were some interesting smells coming from the suq. But I look forward to seeing and experiencing much more.
To be honest though, the most amazing thing I have experienced so far has been the peace and I comfort I feel living here. I know part of that comes from the cross-cultural experiences I had living in the city of Los Angeles during LA term. But I also know part of it is also the peace and comfort that God is giving me. Other than the language barrier, which is always a problem in most cross-cultural encounters, there has been nothing that has bothered me or made me nervous at all.
Well I should go to bed. Thank you for your prayers. I appreciate them greatly and they definitely have helped. Until next time, ma salaama.
P.S. Internet access at my flat has actually been a little bit more sketchy than I initially thought, which is why it has taken me so long to post this. I'll try and upload some pictures next post.
I arrived in Cairo safe and sound yesterday around 2:30pm. So far my limited experience with the city has been great. In general, I love city life and the great energy that a big city has. Cairo has not disappointed in that aspect. People and cars are everywhere. Egyptians are still out and about until around 3 am or later. It will be even later when the Islamic holy month of Ramadan starts in September. Because people fast until sun down, which is pretty late in the evening, they probably will sleep until late morning early afternoon and be up until even later the next morning.. The amount of cars here is even more amazing with people double and triple parking and two lanes being turned into three. It’s adventure every time you cross the street as I have yet to see a crosswalk or a stoplight.
Other than the craziness of the city, the living arrangements are quite nice. I’m living with six other guys in a section of the city called Agouza. All of us live within two blocks of each other including the director and staff. Our main meeting place where we will take classes and eat breakfast and lunch at is in a villa that is also just a block away.
Today we took a tour of part of the city in a bus and got off to walk through a suq (open marketplace) where huge slabs of raw cow were being sold from the bed of a truck, as well as all of the other organs and parts. Needless to say there were some interesting smells coming from the suq. But I look forward to seeing and experiencing much more.
To be honest though, the most amazing thing I have experienced so far has been the peace and I comfort I feel living here. I know part of that comes from the cross-cultural experiences I had living in the city of Los Angeles during LA term. But I also know part of it is also the peace and comfort that God is giving me. Other than the language barrier, which is always a problem in most cross-cultural encounters, there has been nothing that has bothered me or made me nervous at all.
Well I should go to bed. Thank you for your prayers. I appreciate them greatly and they definitely have helped. Until next time, ma salaama.
P.S. Internet access at my flat has actually been a little bit more sketchy than I initially thought, which is why it has taken me so long to post this. I'll try and upload some pictures next post.
8.23.2008
Leaving for an Adventure
Hello family and friends,
Welcome to my blog! This will be my main way of communicating to you while I will be in Cairo, Egypt. Of course you may send me emails at scott.e.adam@gmail.com. I would love to hear what is going on in your lives while I am in a different part of the world, but please do not expect an email back because I will have very little free time as well as limited internet access.
First let’s go over the basic information. I am leaving on Saturday, August 23rd from LAX to fly into Dulles Airport in Washington D.C. where my brother and sister-in-law, Peter and Naomi, will pick me up and take me to their new home in Silver Spring, Maryland. I will be staying there until August 26th when I board the plane to Egypt. I plan to arrive in Cairo in the late afternoon/early evening of the 27th of August. Conversely, I will be leaving Cairo for Washington D.C. on the 11th of December, stay overnight at Peter and Naomi’s, and arrive home on December 12th. For those of you that don’t know I will embarking on a three and a half month study abroad program to the Middle East called MESP (The Middle Eastern Studies Program).
Secondly, you may be asking yourselves why I have chosen to live in Egypt for the next three and a half month. I was first introduced to this program by a fellow friend and student on LA term and I was instantly fascinated by the possibility of living and learning in the Middle East. The more I researched the more I desired to go. . I wanted to experience something completely different and throw myself into a totally new environment. So, here I am.
Finally, I would appreciate your prayers for this exciting opportunity of growth, learning, and fun. This semester is designed to be challenging and life changing. So your prayers, emails, and comments are appreciated.
Well, next time you hear from me I will be in Cairo, Egypt inshallah (God willing). Ma’is salaama (Good bye).
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