By Adar
A hallmark of the Middle East is the outdoor food market. Yesterday afternoon, our group of newly-arrived international students got on a chartered bus and toured a bit of our new city. We experienced stunning views of the Bahai Gardens, sloping narrow streets driving down the mountain, and the natural beauty of Haifa mixed with historical quiet neighborhoods. But the part of our trip that was really memorable for me was the market. ...continue reading "Market Day"
By ahblackwell
I’m currently on a plane en-route to Paris. In about five hours, I will land at the Charles de Gaulle airport where I will catch my connection to Rabat. Once at the airport in Paris, I will hopefully meet up with several of the participants in my program who are on my flight to Morocco. My arms are sore from bag-carrying and I am exhausted from standing in lines all day, but I cannot sleep because I’m far too excited. Instead, I am passing the time by reading, Morocco: The Islamist Awakening and Other Challenges, by Marvine Howe. ...continue reading "A Blank Canvas"
By ecirrincione
Hello everyone! I'm back- after a big drama with the internet providers here in Jordan! Cheap and abundant wifi/3G is one thing I will definitely be a lot more thankful for once I am in the states. It is a big hassle here to get yourself situated with a good company, and mine just went out of business so I have been internet free the past few days.
I am leaving Jordan on Monday to spend three weeks in the US before coming back. My experience in Jordan has been overwhelmingly positive, and that is why I decided to stay for the whole academic year. Undoubtedly, my time abroad was only enriched by the experience of volunteering at the Mubarrat.
To backtrack, this semester I volunteered twice a week at the Mubarrat Um El Hossain. From their website : ...continue reading "Goodbye from Jordan!"
Along with most of AUC’s students, I’m in the midst of finals. I’ve been holed up in my room studying, occasionally emerging so my friends and I can quiz each other on material. When we need a break from verb charts and Pharaonic timelines, we play with the kittens that live in our dorm. I’m sad to leave, but I will be back next semester. Mostly, I’m going to miss all the people that I’ve become close to. But lots of my friends are staying the year, too. ...continue reading "Ma’Salama, Misr!"
Mumkin is probably the word I hear and say the most. My friends and I use it when we’re discussing homework, dinner plans, travel plans, and politics. It even slips out when I’m Skyping my family. It means “maybe.” People have been saying mumkin even more than usual in the past few weeks, in the wake of Morsi’s new declaration of power. Nobody knows what’s going to happen, and predictions are running rampant. Many people are confident that people will check the president before he takes any more control, or at least that the Muslim Brotherhood will find a solution to the dissent. Others are more pessimistic and see this as a blow to the prospect of Egypt being a “real democracy.”
Following Morsi’s decree, students and professors alike have been a little on edge. For better or worse, our neighborhood is isolated from most of the action. We’ve been following updates on our computers, when the internet connection is working. People’s personal politics differ, of course, but everyone is comparing this situation to the last revolution. Even people who voted for Morsi are outraged by his actions and see it as a power grab that is too reminiscent of Mubarak. I’ve spoken to women who are worried that Egypt’s constitution will not protect them from discrimination. At the same time, Morsi has huge support from the Muslim Brotherhood. Violent clashes have happened between them and the more liberal protesters. ...continue reading "Another Revolution? Mumkin."
By ecirrincione
I am now coming into my last two weeks volunteering with the Mubarrat Um El Hossain. This week in class we are busy doing class presentations and we will have our final exams next week. I am excited for it, but I hope that they will prepare! It is hard because we do not have that much time together.
Teaching English was the volunteer opportunity that I was hoping to get; I have such a passion for language and I know that English is in high demand. When I arrived in Jordan, I noticed how eager people were to practice their English with me. The amount of students that tried to get into the class also confirmed my belief that it is important to teach English. ...continue reading "2 weeks left!"
After a tough few weeks of school, some friends and I decided to spend Thanksgiving weekend in Dahab, a beach town on the Red Sea. The overnight bus ride there took about ten hours, including security checks. Bleary-eyed, we stumbled off the bus and were told to get into the bed of a waiting pick-up truck, which would take us to our hostel. I’ve reached a point where I don’t even question requests like this, so I grabbed my backpack and hopped in. After the dark bus, the bright sun and strong wind were welcome. The road was just as bumpy as Cairo’s highways, but we were wedged in so tightly that nobody bounced out of the truck. ...continue reading "Black Friday on Mount Sinai"
I am lucky enough to be in Cairo with M.A., my best friend at GW. We’ve helped each other through almost three months in Egypt. But I’ve had to figure lots of things out myself, by experience or by trial and error.
It’s often said that students like to slack off while abroad, but I think being here has made me a better student. I have the responsibility of getting all my work done well and on time. That seems like an obvious statement, but it’s something I’ve had to work on. It’s hard to stay on task when someone’s always going to a party or trying a new restaurant, so sometimes I have to take a pass on fun. But whether it’s through field trips or all the real-life applications of class material, the distinction between school and fun is blurred anyways. I’m very invested in my classes here. Wanting to do well in them- to work as hard as I know my professors are working- is what keeps me focused. It’s worth it when I see a temple and know exactly what pharaoh built it, or when I get to use new vocabulary in conversation. ...continue reading "True Life: Egypt Made Me Grow Up"
By ecirrincione
I have decided to extend my stay in Jordan to a year long stay; Jordan truly has become like home for me. I am incredibly connected to the people and Amman, I couldn't imagine leaving.
I am still volunteering at the Mubarrat Um El Hossain, and we are entering our seventh week of classes! I am beginning to really feel connected to the girls. They are always so eager to learn and ready to absorb new information. I try and keep the class light because in my opinion, no one wants to learn when they are bored! I hope I am having a positive impact on them. I will really miss them at the culmination of this volunteering experience. The staff at the Mubarrat has also been incredibly helpful. I feel like I can talk with them about anything. I am really grateful I found this experience. ...continue reading "Updates from Jordan- Protests and Pronouns!"
I’ve gotten used to thinking of Egypt as a city- a vast, congested sea of humanity. However, there’s much more to the country than Cairo. During the recent Eid al Adha, I traveled to Upper Egypt with my mom, who flew in from Chicago ostensibly to see me but actually to see various dead kings and their monuments. I’m fine with that, incidentally.
A professor told me that the years don’t pass very quickly in Upper Egypt. I understood what this meant as soon as I stepped off the train. If it hadn’t been for the tourists’ fancy cameras and the pop music playing in cafés, we could have traveled back in time. The countryside was lush and peaceful. Buffaloes and donkeys sauntered through the streets, unfazed by the motorcycles. Men sat leisurely outside stores sipping tea and chatting. Teenagers hacked enthusiastically at the bodies of strung-up animals in preparation for eid dinners as bone shards, blood, and bits of meat flew everywhere. We took a three-day cruise, visiting tombs and temples during the day then docking at night in Luxor, Edfu, and Aswan. ...continue reading "Death (and Life) on the Nile"