This ain't how they do it in Kentucky...

Last night, I attended the Cairo Derby. Instead of showcasing horses running around a circular track, this annual event pits Zamalek and Al-Ahly, Cairo's most renowned sporting clubs and bitter rivals, against each other in a soccer match that almost always carries significant implications. Yesterday's contest was no exception.

Aside from bragging rights, the title of the Egyptian Premier League was on the line. Al-Ahly, comfortably sitting nine points ahead of second place Zamalek in the standings, would extend their advantage to an insurmountable figure with a victory, essentially guaranteeing themselves the title.

Now, you'd think that a match-up of such epic proportions with so much on the line, (between the two best soccer clubs in all of Africa, mind you), would have quite a weighty price-tag, but we were able to obtain second-class tickets for only 30 LE a piece (under $6-- crazy). Despite its myriad of shortcomings, there are just somethings about Egypt that are almost too good to be true, and being able to get a ticket to the premier sporting event of the year for chump change is one of them.

So after downing some koshari, I departed for Cairo International Stadium at 5 o'clock along with three other friends. Although the game was slated to begin at 8 in the evening, we'd been warned by Egyptian students that the gates would probably be closed sometime between 6 and 7, making early arrival a necessity. We took a cab to the Nasser metro station and then rode the line to Kobri al-Kooba (for 1LE, mind you; metro is definitely the way to travel when in Cairo), where we got off and proceeded to make our way to the stadium.

Upon our approach, I wasn't sure if the stadium was about to host a soccer game or a speech by President Mubarak himself. There were military personal as far as the eye could see, forming a human wall around the stadium complex and lining the surrounding streets. Some sat atop horses while others were decked out in imposing-looking riot gear, shield and baton included. I suppose it shouldn't have come as a surprise to see such security measures in place; with almost no opportunities to vent their frustrations in the political realm, Egyptians pour all of their passion into their fanatical following of soccer. Understandably, their emotions sometimes boils over.

We waited at the gate for a bit for another friend to show up, and then we made our way in. Unbeknownst to us, we had entered on the Al-Ahly side. I guess this wasn't a huge deal, but as we were all actually pulling for the White Knights of Zamalek, we though it'd be a good idea to move to a different section. After talking to an officer, who agreed it was probably best for our bodily well-being to relocate, we were allowed to cross through the "DMZ" (an empty section of the stadium with riot lines on either side), as Josh from ND put it, and join our Zamalek brethren on the other end of the stadium.

There were still 45 minutes to kick-off by the time we found out seats (mine had a piece missing from it), but we were able to keep ourselves entertained thanks to the back-and-forth chanting between the red-clad Al-Ahly supporters and the white-wearing Zamalek fans. We were also exposed to what could quite possibly be the worst sound a large group of human beings can make: a high-pitched, hemorrhage-in-your-eardrum inducing whistling noise that collectively sounded like a cave full of shrieking bats. This was the noise either side emitted whenever they didn't like something (an opposing chant, an opposing goal, a bad call, etc), so, needless to say, we heard it quite often.

The game finally started up and it wasn't long before things got exciting. To the delight of the 30,000 people seated immediately around us, Zamalek scored in the first few minutes to take an early lead. The crowd went bananas. Things were off to a good start.

Al-Ahly answered back a while later, but the first 20 minutes or so of the game were really dominated by Zamalek. They had numerous shots on goal that just barely didn't squeak in, including this direct kick off a penalty that was thwarted by a great save by the goalkeeper. But despite the plethora of opportunities Zamalek provided for themselves, they couldn't capitalize on enough of them, and went into halftime with the score knotted up at two a piece.

The teams remained deadlocked for much of the second half until Zamalek took the lead in the 78th minute, going up 3-2. The throngs around us were in jubilation. With about 15 minutes left, it looked like Zamalek would earn a coveted victory and inflict a demoralizing blow to their despised rivals.

As the time continued to tick off the clock, the exictement and anticipation around us grew palpably. When the 90th minute had elapses, an official held up a sign digitally informing the players and everyone in attendence that their were four minutes of injury time, four final minutes for Al-Ahly to mount a comeback and possibly salvage the game with a tie.

I was just about to turn on my camera and film the final few minutes when Al-Ahly struck, knotting up the game 3 to 3 with no more than 270 seconds left to be played. As the goal-scoring player whipped off his shirt and ran across the field to celebrate in front of the ecstatic Ahly supporters, the members of the Zamalek section sat in stunned disbelief. They had been so close to pulling off a crucial victory, only to give up the equalizer in the final moments of the game. This type of outcome probably hurt worse than a loss would've.

Self-congratulations to myself for final uploading a video to YouTube and embedding on here. Yay technology!

On our way out of the stadium complex, we each bought a Zamalek flag to demonstrate our solidarity with the White Knights. However, after seeing the following scenario unfold, we tucked them away until we were a few miles away from the stadium: two kids walking a few feet in front of us, with Zamalek flags draped on their back, were swarmed by a group of 20+ teenage Ahly supporters who proceeded to rip at their clothes and push and shove them. Things looked like they were going to get absolutely out of hand before a responsible adult stepped in and calmed things down (he coincidentally happened to be 6'8 and 220- I wonder if that had anything to do with it). We liked to think we were Zamalek supporters, but we weren't staunch enough in our new found loyalty to be on the bleeding end of a blood bath.

All in all, it was a heck of an experience, and for only $6, definitely one I'd be willing to repeat in the future. I've got over three months left here in Cairo, so I'm sure more opportunities to indulge in soccer mania will present themselves.

By the way, here's a news write-up on the game in case you're interested in the finer bits.

بكم? - dinner...

Come and get it boys, dinner is served! Contents include: big ol' bowl of koshari and marinara sauce, two packs of strawberry flavored wafers, and a liter of cola. Now that's a paper-writing meal right there.

Just to refresh your memory, $1 equals about 5.4 Egyptian pounds. Whoever is closest without going over will be the winner, and they'll receive some trinkets from foggy old Jerusalem town. Guess away.

No, they don't just hand out A's here...

A lot of people think a semester abroad is a time to slack-off and relax, as the academic standards of the host university usually aren't up to par with ND's. Admittedly, this allegedly diminished and less challenging workload was something I was looking forward to. However, if what I've got in store for me over the next five weeks is any indication, this type of thinking needs to be done away with It looks straight up Tough with a capital T. So here's what's facing me head-on (and no, I haven't started on any of it).

• A 3,500 word research paper for International Relations in the Middle East (due May 5)
• A 3,500 word research paper for Comparative Politics in the Middle East (due May 5, as well)
• Two 4 page reading responses for Women, Islam, and the State (one due this Thursday, one due in two weeks)
• An outline and annotated bibliography for my final paper for Women, Islam, and the State (due next Thursday)
• A day of leading class discussion in Women, Islam, and the State (sometime in May)
• A 15 page research paper for Women, Islam, and the State (due May 20)
• Four final exams (IR in the ME, CP in the ME, Modern Standard Arabic, and Egyptian Colloquial Arabic)

As you can see, not quite the walk in the park I was expecting. While I guess I'm not complaining about the workload (after all, this is college), I'm still pretty surprised. From what everyone's said, studying abroad, particularly at AUC, was a piece of cake. I'm quickly learning that may not be the truth.

Still on the list...

Well, in case you haven't heard, I received a grant from Notre Dame that will allow me to prolong my stay out here in the Middle East. I'll be taking part in an intensive Arabic program this summer in none other than Cairo. Should be home in early August. But I'm sure I'll talk more about all this later.

Anyway, with an extra two months out in this neck of the woods, my opportunities to travel have just expanded immensely, especially considering the fact that I have three weeks in between the end of the spring semester at AUC and the beginning of my summer program. That's a lot of time that needs to be killed. Here's a brief collection of destinations I'd still like to cross off my list before I head back to the Land of the Free:

 Alexandria, Egypt: Located only two hours away from Cairo, Egypt's second biggest city offers a discernible change of pace from the country's hectic capital. Although the seafood the city is renowned for isn't likely to suit my fancy, I'm sure I'll be content with the Roman ruins, the Qaitbay Citadel, and just the refreshing Mediterranean air. I'll probably make my way up there over a weekend in the summer.

Luxor, Egypt: Luxor is an absolute treasure trove of ancient Egyptian wonders. You need at least three days just to scratch the surface. It's a bit of a trek (10 hours by train, straight south from Cairo), but I plan on getting down there sometime later this month. And the sooner the better- it's supposed to be 110+ F in the summer months.

M

Dahab, Egypt: When the summer heat rolls in, I can think of nothing more appealing than a get-away to the lazy Red Sea resort town of Dahab. It may not have the glitz and the glam of Sharm al-Sheikh, but that's really not what I'm looking for. A few days of swimming, snorkeling, and plain and simple relaxation are all I need. A celebratory trip to Dahab (which means "gold" in Arabic) appears to be in the cards following the end of classes.

Mount Sinai, Egypt: Located smack dab in the middle of the arid and rugged Sinai Peninsula, legend maintains that this is the location where Moses received the Ten Commandments. Regardless of the merits of this claim, the sunrise from Mt. Sinai is supposed to be quite a spiritual experience in its own right. I'll probably make my ascent on the way back from Dahab to Cairo.

Istanbul, Turkey: Well it didn't look like I was going to be able to fit Turkey in, but now that I'll be in the area until late July, I really have no excuses. I'm not sure what all I'll be able to see in Turkey (it's a massive, fascinating country that you'd probably need to spend a few weeks in to do it full justice), but Istanbul is definitely a necessity. Simply put, there is no other city in the world quite like Istanbul. It is the only city to straddle both the European and Asian continents. It has served as the crown jewel of the Byzantine Roman Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and is currently the cultural and social capital of one of the Middle East's most powerful players. Only decades ago, it was the seat of the Islamic Caliphate, but now is championing Turkey's push for admittance into the European Union. Caught somewhere between the East and the West, Christianity and Islam, and antiquity and the future, Istanbul is one of the world's most fascinating places. I'm planning a trip in early June.

Kurdistan, Iraq: What! I want to go to Iraq? But isn't there a war going on there? Isn't it ravaged and unsafe? Isn't travelling there a death wish for any white-skinned American? Well, perhaps partially true. Much of the country is highly volatile and dangerous, completely unsuitable for travel. However, the same cannot be said for region in the northwest that's controlled by the Kurdish Regional Government. Since the '91 Gulf War, this area has been essentially an autonomous country, only loosely affiliated with Baghdad and the rest of Iraq. While the rest of the country fell into chaos following the aftermath of the 2003 invasion, Kurdistan remained relatively calm and tranquil. "The Other Iraq," as it's happily referred to by locals, has undergone a bit of a boom in recent years and now has an emerging tourist economy. The draw for me is the area's beautiful natural landscapes, as well as the simple fact that I'll be able to say, "I've been to Iraq." I'm thinking about working a visit to Kurdistan in as part of my trip to Turkey.

Is that a sandstorm or are you just happy to see me...

This morning, as the bus that shuttles us to school plodded its way through Cairo, I took a peak out the window at the urban sprawl around me. This in and of itself is a bit of a novelty; normally at this point in my day, I'm asleep with my head uncomfortably resting on the back of the seat in front of me, attempting to milk the hour long bus ride for all the sleep its worth. But today, I had to cram for an Arabic midterm that I had, of course, neglected to study for the night before, and was therefore wide awake.

The view outside my window was one I had grown accustomed to: ungodly amounts of traffic, alternating between a crawling pace and pure, unadulterated stagnation; the sea of faded gray and tan, flat-roofed buildings, as far as the eye can see; and, of course, a thick layer of all-enveloping smog.

Yet today, the smog seemed even more suffocating than usual. I thought this could be attributed to even higher levels of air pollution (which, honestly, would seem impossible; I already feel like I'm living inside factory smoke stack), but as we made our way further and further away from the downtown area and the heaviness in the air still hadn't begun to recede, I knew something else was up.

When I stepped off the bus, my answer hit me in the face- literally. A healthy mix of sand and dust, borne by the wind, pelted my skin. Soon my eyes and mouth began to feel the effects and I was forced to turn my back to the on coming tirade. Al-Khamsin had arrived.

Al-Khamsin is a dry, dust-bearing wind that sweeps across North Africa every spring. Its name is derived from the Arabic word "خمسين",  which means "fifty," the length of time the wind generally blows. Although it's usually nothing too bad, just some sand here and there, I've heard that it can get so bad on occasion that the sun becomes completely blotted out and you can't even see your hand in front of you.

The sand and wind seemed to die down as the day went on, but somehow a significant amount managed to subtly sneak in through my mouth, causing irritation to an already sore throat. If the untold amount of air pollution in Cairo didn't provide a good enough reason to keep your mouth firmly closed when walking around town, getting a mouthful of sand and dirt certainly seems like a strong compelling factor.Oh well, only 49 more days of this (khamsin, that is).