Bad news, amigos

According to my counting, I have 8 papers and 4 exams that fall within the month of May. With that said, I'm afraid I won't be writing much about my last month in Egypt (although I'll make time for silly tidbits).

I still have many exciting stories to share and can't wait to tell them in person, which is coming sooner than we know.

Byblos, Lebanon

Notes from April 8, 2009

On plane. 

Crazy man looking at me and talking excitedly. Seats are nice. Crazy man loose, runs to back. Sitting next to lavatory. No smoking on plane, why ashtray in bathroom? Crazy man offers me candy tray. Crazy man apprehended and restrained. Candy tray returned. I am the only one with candy.

Take off.

Egypt fact:

The general populous is incredibly hospitable. 

Egypt fact:

Dead animals are an all too frequent find.

SB '09

Alas, it is Spring Break in Egypt land. I will be leaving for Lebanon on the 8th and traveling to Syria around the 12th, returning to Cairo on the 19th. I will have limited internet access and will be using these fleeting moments to notify my anxious parents of my safety. I look forward to recounting my adventures, which should, inshaalah, include wine tasting and castle climbing. 

To rectify my upcoming absence on the net, here are a few recent happenings:

• My professor admitted to being hungover in class. I provided him with 4 pain killers.
  
• Yesterday I woke up to several swollen mosquito bites. On my face.
  
• We were wrongfully accused and chastised by everyone on our floor for leaving garbage on the stairs. Patronizing lessons on how to open chute ensued.
  
• I found an embryo in my chicken egg. I subsequently lost my appetite for the only source of protein in my diet.
  
• I discovered the lone cafe on campus that has lattes, as opposed to warm flavored milk. Caffeine addiction commences.
• I made friends with the children in the flat facing ours. They now throw rocks at our windows.

In summary, I'm still thoroughly enjoying myself here, and am tentatively planning to return in 2010. (!)

Egypt fact:

It's true: the pyramids are on the brink of suburbia.

Egypt fact:

THERE ARE CATS EVERYWHERE.

Accidents

In a city where the road resembles a major department store during the holiday season, I've become fairly numb to the absurdities I see on the way to school and back: three people on a one person moped, children plopped on their mother's lap, disuse of indicator lights and lights in general (even at night), disuse of seat belts, etc. Combined with the lack of speed limits in Cairo, the road is a perilous place.

I knew it was only a matter of time before I got in a car accident, and I prayed it would fall on a day where I found a working seat belt. Fortunately, it did. I've been curious about how an accident would be handled, since all transportation in Cairo seems to be in shambles. After a young man on a moped attempted to squeeze in between two cars (one being my friend's) and promptly failed (securing his handle bars and hands into both cars), my friend got out of his car, surveyed the damage (removed the man), and drove off. No exchange of numbers, names, or information - it was rather painless (although I can't speak for others).