I Survived Survival Arabic

Our Survival Arabic class out for a late lunch with our teacher, Dalia.

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Hello once again!

Okay, I'm sure that everyone is getting tired of the updates, but once classes start I imagine that they will be far and few between.  Today was our last day in Survival Arabic.  Overall the class was good and we learned a number of things to help us navigate our way around Cairo.  Our last class went for about 1 hour (I yet again managed to embarrass myself-- I think that I have the worst pronunciation ever!!).  After a short break we went on our fieldtrip.  Our teacher, Dalia, took us to a restaurant for some traditional Egyptian foods beyond the usual falafel and koshari.  Unfortunately, the restaurant didn't have much left to choose from.  The reason behind this remained unclear, but c'est la vie.  We all ordered our food as well as some vegetables in grapevine leafs.  They were extremely good. 

We then walked to a nearby bakery for dessert.  One thing that I still have not gotten used to is the number of people living in Cairo.  This bakery was packed.  Think Metrotown on a rainy Sunday the week before Christmas and then double it.  Crazy.  The food that we got was great, but the baklawa that Cate got was the best.  I've never really liked it, but this was amazing!  That's what I'm getting next time.

We were wandering through the shopping district on our way to the bakery when this 2 guys set up a little display of head scarves.  I and a couple of the other girls have wanted to buy some ever since we got to Cairo.  Dalia told us they were a really good deal, so we stopped to look... as did every other woman in Cairo.  It was crazy.  Kind of reminded me of when one of the stray cats at campus finds some meat in the trash and then all the other strays come running.  While there was no hissing and clawing (like the strays), there were plenty of women all grabbing at the scarves.  I managed to buy 2 of them (1 purple and 1 brown).  I think that they are both very pretty, but now I just have to figure out how to tie them!

Anyways, Cairo's still going extremely well.  My cold is still hanging on, but it's not too bad.  I haven't had to seek out any medical services, unlike Cate who was bit by one of the strays yesterday.  I'm going to try to get her to type out her story and then post it.  Hearing her describe the available medical services and all the red tape involved was one of the funniest things that I've ever!!  I would type out my own version, but the way she tells it is so much better.  I wouldn't be able to do it justice.  

There's some things that I still have to get used to like the extreme poverty and the constant begging of the street children (some of whom are extremely persistent!).  I'm sure I'll adapt though.  I'm off to watch a movie with some of the others in my class.  Tomorrow is a long day of orientation before we get to take off to Alexandria.

I'll write again soon!

Katie