Home Sweet Home

We arrived back in Cairo yesterday after spending a week in Aswan and Luxor. It was intereseting to see the temples and hieroglyphics and the tremendous amount of history present in these places, but returning to Cairo is a bit like coming home. We've spent only a couple of weeks here, but already the sights and sounds feel familiar, and the routines have somewhat settled in. Getting off of the train yesterday felt amazing. It was blistering hot down south and I never thought that 90 degree weather could feel so refreshing. Alas, we leave for India next week and the journey begins anew. They not only have heat but humidity too. Yay!! I can't believe the places we are seeing and experiencing. In a way it feels natural, in another it feels surreal and just uh-duh. I do miss fall and my fellow Oles. I love you too, my wonderful and fabulous family. Ciao for now!

Hoseback Riding and Football

Last Saturday night was incredible. I found myself in the middle of the desert, the pyramids in front of me and the lights of Cairo to the right, sand all around. I was riding horseback for the first time in over a year and it was amazing. We rode through the streets until we got to the desert, and got to run so fast and smoothly. The impact was that of a greatly surreal experience. In the middle of walking, my horse decided it was tired and laid down. I jumped off and he was just chilling. I love horses.

Sunday night we went to a football (soccer) game. I couldn't make the game at Olaf, so I figure this was a pretty good substitute. We took a taxi there, and our driver was nicknamed Dracula because he looked remarkably similar, although he only had one leg. He hardly spoke English, but I could tell he was a fun guy. The game itself was interesting, but the really fun part was before. I bought a cheap red flag of the team and a few of us got our faces painted with the numbers of players. There were hardly any women present. I'd say 99% or more were men, which was an event within itself. They were staring at us, a group of six women definitely was an uncommon sight there. Once the game started it was fine. A boy behind us kept asking to take our pictures on his camera phone, so I'm pretty sure I have a new boyfriend by now. I wonder if relationships with 14 year old boys is illegal in Egypt. Hmmm...

Dodging Traffic

Crossing the street here is a fight for your life, kind of. The cars are zooming past, honking their horns at you and at one another. This isn't usually to be rude, they're just letting you know that they're there. I try and go and then a car will come towards me and I'll have to go back. We have to wait for a break or slow down in traffic and run across, usually laughing with the rush of excitement and a job well done. There aren't really any crosswalks or street lines except on the bigger roads, so although there is a lot of traffic on the "smaller" streets, it's an mini India Jones adventure pretty much every time. We just have speeding and swerving cars instead of rolling boulders. BAMF. (Sam--explain that to mom. Mom--I'm sorry.) We go to the Cairo Museum and Pyramids this week and Alexandria the next. I'm on the hunt for some hieroglyphic paraphenalia. Mission Accepted.

Cairo

Cairo is definitely an experience so far. I really enjoy the calls to worship that are heard throughout the city for Islamic prayer. The mosques are so beautiful. The minarets shine different colors at night, lighting up the city. The women of course wear head scarves and some of them are so beautiful, intricately woven with gold or vibrant colors. We so often think of them as being repressed because of the clothing they are made to wear because of their faith, but someone pointed out that it is our culture who is repressed. Women wear skimpy little outfits and makeup in order to attract men, while Islamic women are looked at for their skills and abilities. I don't know to what extent I agree with this, but nonetheless it is interesting to think about. That being said, many Egyptian women choose to wear stylish clothes that fit their religious obligations and wear makeup.

It's Ramadan, so finding a place to eat during the day is, well, interesting. Many of the shops are closed, so we often find ourselves skipping lunch or finding something to snack on at a little shop across from our hotel. (We definitely give them a lot of business.) There is also a huka bar pretty much right outside the entrance to our hotel where, yes, I tried my first huka. I didn't really like it that much, but it's fun blowing the smoke out of my mouth (ooo, the insinuations). Anyway, two nights ago there was a huge fight down there, where people were throwing chairs and hukas and using the tables as shields. It was awesome. We just heard this commotion all of the sudden and looked out, and there were all these people chucking stuff down the street. We still don't know what it was really about, but it could have been a brawl between the two huka bars right next to each other. Oooooo, rumble. Whatever it was, wow!

The Louvre-ing Metro

I just read the opening and welcome email to Chapel Choir and am feeling excited but blue that another year at Olaf has started. I wish I could be there to enjoy the awesome feeling of rejuvenation up there on the hill, but I'm in Paris and that is incredible as well. Myself and some other girls went to the Louvre today and saw the Monna Lisa and the Venus de Milo. I absolutely love sculpture, but I really don't care to much for the dark, religious paintings so common in museums everywhere.

The metro system here is so easy to use and fun. It's like a puzzle that you have to figure out. They have a very efficient system, and I already know that it is going to be weird when I have to drive everywhere again. I like the city. There are definitely down points, like the pee-smell at one of the metro stops and dog poop and it's hideous smell outside of a cute little church, but there is so much life and fashion, not to mention great-looking (not just good) men. I've also encountered a lot of Russian speakers as well, which is a very pleasant surprise. Every once in a while I hear a word or phrase I know and it brings me back.

Shopping

We are in Paris today. Stacy and Lianna and I went shopping yesterday night and it was amazing. We found a thrift store almost completely filled with 80s style dresses. It felt very much like stepping back into the past, into a Flashdance movie. We also tried on really cute dresses, each buying a different style and color, to be used at the first chance. Well, on to the day. Au revoir.