Made it!

I'm here. And I'm trying to get in the zone.......... The TIME zone. hahaha. I'm funny. About to go to bed.





But before I do that... just thought I would share a couple things before I forget. First, Cairo is amazing. Ok, so I haven't seen it that much yet (just the crazy cab ride over), but wow. It looks like nothing I have ever seen before. Pictures won't even do it justice. Most of the buildings are old and the tall (15+ stories) apartment buildings have laundry hanging from all directions. There are mosques everywhere with lights that make them glow, and the churches are just as beautiful. There are palm trees lining the streets, trees everywhere. The Nile is magical.












Even the view from my hotel room is slightly unreal to me right now (this is it).

Oh man, I think all of this just after a 45 minute cab ride. I wonder what I'll think when I actually get out there tomorrow. Hahaha.

Speaking of the cab ride, no one stays in traffic lanes here. Driving is a free for all. Including pedestrians, who randomly popped out in front of us a couple times, and a motorcycle who almost got hit off of his motorcycle because he was driving on the side and someone ahead of us opened their door to stop him. Hahaha. My driver brought his family (daughter, wife, and nephew). It was pretty awesome. None of them spoke English, but I had fun time trying to figure things out. :) They were so funny, loud, and they tried to talk to me even though I had no clue. I figured some things out. For example, apparently David Beckham was or is in town for a game and there is some sort of rivalry (not sure whether on attractiveness or soccer abilities) between this popular soccer player Egyptian guy (who I think I'm watching talk on TV right now) and that was a big deal. Oh, and then this motorcade passed us, and I said, "OH, is that David Beckham?" and they just laughed at me. I think they thought I was joking, but I was serious. And then they said, "Haha, oh, that's just President Mubarak's advisor." WHAT? Haha. Cool, I guess! They said that I look Arab, and I said I know. Hahaha. I wanted to say, "I look like everything" but I don't think they would've understood. Awesome people. So happy they drove me. Took about 45 minutes of madness to get to my hotel. The bellman was great too. The plane ride from Paris to Cairo was awesome... (can you see the Eiffel Tower???)
I slept for a bit of it, but then I started talking to the man sitting next to me who is a Cairene and he has a daughter who is about my age and he ended up giving me all his daughter's info so hopefully I will meet up with her at some point. He is a doctor and travels around West Africa medicalling for US contractors in those regions (at least that's what I gathered). We had a great convo, and hopefully I'll meet up with his daughter soon. Everyone's just so awesome so far. Love it love it love it. Highly recommended city. Well....I guess I can't recommend it yet. Just got here. I'll let you know in a few days.

Right now I'm just lounging in my room, watching a fairly attractive (surprisingly) Egyptian man sing a cool song. I'm not really sure what I'm watching actually. Maybe an egyptian version of Entertainment Tonight? Really interesting. Hm. Oh, and I just found out that guy that I saw earlier was not the Egyptian David Beckham, but some other singer dude. Women are wearing really skimpy clothes on tv.... geez. One lady just walked out in a leather halter dress with thigh-high boots. WHAT?! hahaha. ok. Wasn't expecting that.

Ok, bedtime for me! I'm exhausted. Gotta get in the zone, like I said.

Motown

I'm in Detroit and loving it...hahaha. I've been here for the past 6 hours or so, just relaxing and doing my own thing. Nothing is sinking in yet. I need to just wake up and realize what I'm about to be doing. It is kind of crazy that I am heading to a city where I really know no one. I have a few connections thanks to great friends, and I have a feeling it will all work out. But it is still strange. Everywhere I have ever moved to or gone, I have known someone first. This will be new. Sometimes I have the urge to just cut myself off, no internet, no phone, nothing. But I know Mom & Dad will worry, so I resist the urge. But maybe at some point I will do it while I'm there. Anyway, right now I'm feeling extremely tired. I stayed up all night last night, and slept only maybe a total of 30 minutes on the plane here. Hopefully I will pass out on my way to Paris. So the itinerary from here is arrive in Paris at 11:30am or so, then leave at 1:30pm for Cairo. I arrive in Cairo at 7pm, and a driver from the Arabic school I am attending will be there (hopefully) to greet me and take me to my hotel. I will be staying in my hotel for a couple of nights, and then Sunday I have my placement test, along with an orientation session and possibly meeting up with people to live with while I'm there. Allllllright. I'll let you know how it goes as soon as I have internet access again, which shouldn't be too long according to travel books that say that internet cafes are quite common in Cairo now.

The Detroit airport has been good to me. I bought a journal and wrote in it while I listened to a bunch of stuffy old men talk about business in the "world club" of NWA. But I got free wine/beer/cocktails that I took full advantage of all afternoon, along with wifi access (obviously because I am able to post right now), comfortable chairs, and a view of the runway. Not too shabby. After reading my Egypt travel book, I am slightly nervous (but the excitement overrides the nervousness). Too much mention of terrorist attacks for my comfort level, BUT...the chances that I'll get mugged or raped or murdered in Houston are much higher than anything happening to me in Egypt. Ah. So comforting.

Well I suppose that's pretty much it for now. I board my plane to Paris in about 30 minutes. I hope everything stays awesome here in the States. I miss you all already.

Enta betifham?

Uh, yeah. I'm learning Arabic already. Kind of. I figured I should try to know SOMETHING before I get there so that when I arrive I won't be in complete shock. I haven't been listening to my Arabic lessons as consistently as I should, though. But most importantly I can say, "Do you understand English?" in Arabic. GOOD DEAL. Haha. So anyway, I heard back from my Arabic school. I think I am all set. Whew. And I made a new friend in Egypt already! One of my good friends in Florida is from Cairo and she knows some great people, so things are looking more and more positive. I still have that 8 hour layover. But I was told that for about $40 I can lounge out in the "World Perks Club" at the Detroit airport. Niiiiice. hahaha...I'll be getting a few drinks. Maybe. Or maybe not, since I have some nice sleeping pills to get me to Egypt in good condition.

Well, I've been shopping like crazy trying to get clothes that will be "modest" and "comfortable" (i.e. loose and ugly). I'm slightly unhappy about having to change my style...but I think the change will be less drastic than my mom thinks will be appropriate. Most of my clothes will work with slight tweaking, like a shawl...I'm hoping. Some of the clothes I bought are actually cute. I've heard that some people get to Egypt and try to fit in by wearing torn up, loose, weird looking, hippie clothes. I don't know why they think that will make them fit in. Interesting American tourists...I'm sure I'll do some crazy stuff, too, but come on...haha. My new friend in Egypt said The GAP look is good. So I'll stick with that.

I am so so so so so so excited! It hasn't really sunk in yet that I'm leaving in a week. 7 days from tomorrow. CRAZY. I have so much to do still, but most shopping is done and I am making contacts. Can't wait.

Start the Countdown

2 weeks until I leave for Egypt. So much to do, so little time... I haven't heard back from the Arabic school I am supposedly taking classes with. That is not reassuring. My layover in Detroit is 8 hours. Not looking forward to that....it will cost me $200 to change it. Worth it? I don't know. I forgot about my appointment to get my last Hep A & B shot, so I need to do that before I go otherwise I won't be covered & I'll probably catch something nasty. And I need to take my typhoid meds, can't forget about that. I don't have a place to stay when I get there, I don't know if I am signed up for my classes, and I don't know anyone. I am completely in the dark. BUT I'M SO EXCITED! Honestly, all I need is a plane ticket (which I have, regardless of the horrible layover) and I'm good to go. Just get me there and I'll figure out the rest. Haha. I'll write again when it's closer to the ETD.