Cairo, Cairo, Cairo

It hasn't quite been a week yet, but I've already done so so much here. After getting all settled in on Thursday and already meeting a bunch of people, on Friday night we took a Felluca ride on the Nile. A felluca is basically a sailboat with a bunch of seats on it for tourists. So 20 per boat we piled on and took off for about a 30 minute trip on the Nile. I have some pics, but my camera is acting funny in the dark, so not many pics look good. I need to learn how to adjust the exposure time...but anyways.....

It was a time for us to get to know one another as well so we played different ice breakers and such. It is a very interesting group here on campus. I live on the New Cairo campus. There are about 500 students living here. Then there are students living in the old dorms in Zamalek - the very "American" ex-pat part of Cairo with I think a thousand or so students and then most students live in housing for a semester or year and then find an apartment in Cairo to experience Cairo life more fully.

Here there are about half Egyptians and half international. I've met 40 or so Americans so far that are either doing grad studies or their undergrad studies here. But I've met like 200 Americans that are doing semester and year-long study abroads. There are students here from 62 countries including all 29 Egyptian states and something like 30 U.S. states. Although being from the Midwest is somewhat of a commodity. The vast majority of the Americans I have met here are from the coasts.
I have met Japanese and Italian, one of my roommates is Korean, and most of the Arab countries are all represented. Its the most diverse campus I've ever been on - and I love it.

I've been shopping a few times and stuff is pretty cheap. We went to the biggest mall in Cairo - City Stars, which is a 7-story ridiculously plush mall with a huge, but cheap supermarket on the first floor. I was able to get pots, pans, cups, spatulas, silverware, etc and 5 bags of food for about $55. Because there are plenty of food options on campus, but an average meal is $5-$6. Why pay that every day, when I can just pay for groceries and have more money to spend out. There is a horseback riding trip to the pyramids tonight at 9pm, but by the time that me and my friends tried to sign up, it was already full. But one of our Egyptian friends, Ahmed, said we can go for half the price that they're charging so we're going to go another time. Also, all of the trips they organize each semester and I'm here for at least 4, so I think I'm good.

I am signed up for a trip to Old Cairo on Saturday which is the centuries old area of CAiro with old museums, mosques, etc. That should be a great picture day. Throughout the semester there are many great trips planned. So I plan on taking all that I can! I'm going to Rehab again today to get my phone unlocked so it can take my Egyptian sim card. So hopefully I'll have an Egyptian number soon!

And remember I do have a skype number so you can call it anytime as an Indianapolis number and it will ring me in Cairo! If I'm online - I'll answer, and if not (it is 7 hours difference) than you can leave a voicemail! So feel free to call! 317-353-3233