A normal day...

So, recently I have heard some concern over the safety of living in Cairo. Yes we are having some fresh protests and police violence over the upcoming elections and the military still being in power but I see none of this! The only affect we feel is that traffic can be horrendous during protests =P So, I’d like to go over what my typical day in Cairo is like…

Me and my amazing Egyptian friend Mariam

view from my AP

Wake up in the morning isa (in sha’ allah=god willing) I don’t sleep through my alarm because I have to be up at 7am and morning class at 9 am the 4 days a week I have class =) So I wake up eat a quick breakfast usually a scrumptious hard boiled egg! And leave the AP…I say good morning to our Bowab (kind of like a doorman but he lives in the building and is also security and repair man…) I weave my way through all the kids/teens in school uniforms about to go to school and begin walking to class. Recently I’ve been listening to my iPod to class since it cuts out the weird things people say to me and the small bit of harassment I get. But my iPod makes everything ok =)

Its sunny and nice in the morning. I love passing the same old buildings and walking through the hazardous Cairo street traffic then turning down my side road that is filled with green trees and bright purple and yellow flowers. Oh and I pass that same building everyday that was a pit when I first got here but now has 3 stories! The occasional street kitty passes me…I love seeing cars that would never slow down for a human slow down for a street kitty =)

Another scary traffic filled street that I breeze through with barely a thought =P Oh Costa Coffee and Hardees looks like it’s the turn to my street where my classes are! I see the same people opening up their stands…it’s another peaceful side road full of bright green trees magically shooting through the concrete!

Qambiz - where I take classes

A little walk and I’m here at Qambiz Villa where I take my classes. I say good morning to the old man who waters the sidewalk (yes I said waters the sidewalk lol) and to our security men. You basically say good morning to everyone here =P 

Qambiz balcony

Up to the third and top floor of the small villa to take my first class (Intro to ancient Egypt Sun and Weds. And Hieroglyphics Mon and Thurs.) No one is ever there that early in the morning lol 9am is too early in Egypt for life. But when I get out of class around 10:20am people have arrived! Fellow classmates, our program director and our teachers all 2 of them hehe. 

Arabic class next! Whew stressful class great teacher though! Then quick break to grab lunch around noon. Usually I ate a HUGE navel orange but now I run down to the fruit stand and buy an apple. But there is also a great Waffle Shop next door where we sometimes splurge and eat a wonderfully decadent waffle with nutella and strawberries! But then of course I have my final class of the day (Colloquial Arabic Sun and Weds. And Media Arabic Mon and Thurs)

Me and Libby in Siwa

Time for my walk back to home =) Sometimes I’ll walk with Libby since we always have our last class together…we’ll talk about everything family, friends, pets, home, Egypt its always a fun walk with her =) But often I’ll be on my own which is peaceful after 3-4 hours of hardcore Arabic classes! 

My lovely juice store

Same way back except this time a lot more cars! Cairo has woken up! Close to my AP I swing by my juice store! What would I do without my strawberry juice! All the guys in the store know me =) I walk in and hear 3 guys say “Aseer farawlah takeaway!” Which just means strawberry juice to go! They all smile at me and I say hey =)  No matter how rough a day I had I can’t help being so happy when I drink my juice the trees seem greener the sky bluer and life seems a little bit better =D

Apartment time! Relax with some lunch and a TV show. Maybe some laying out on our wonderful balcony and some homework or reading a book. Usually homework everyday =P Then off to the gym…I go to the gym about 4 days a week! It is wonderful! 30 seconds away in a 5 star hotel called Safir. 

A few of us got memberships to their health club and pool but mostly for their epic showers! Hehe I love it there. They all know me there too. The quiet nice woman who says little but is very nice and the guy with a mustache who always likes to talk to me in Arabic and asks me how I am. A few hours there and back home again to hang out with the girls, do more homework, bake something, read or watch a movie. Then bed!

There we go! Not a terribly exciting life but I love it! No protests or riots no danger (except maybe crossing the road lol) But we do have fun, go out and take incredible excursions throughout Egypt about every other weekend =D  The moral of this story is…COME TO EGYPT IT IS AWESOME!