بكم؟- Haircut/facial/massage/threading...

I got a haircut today. You're votes definitely supported this decision, but I probably would've gotten one anyway. It was just getting too long, and with all the sun and warm air, it was starting to get spoofy and frizzy. Not then ideal.

After grabbing some 1 LE pastries from a bakery for breakfast, I went with my صاحب (so-HAAB - friend) Ben to a barbershop a couple of friends had told us about just a few blocks from the dorm. I had actually gone solo the night before to get the deed done, but the place was closed, even though it was 5 pm, well within the posted hours of operation. Oh well.

Ben and I entered, greeted the barber and sat down. He then fixed me up some  شاي (SHAAY - tea) and we began telling him what we'd like done with or hair. He didn't really speak any English, and I hadn't really been schooled on barbershop terminology in Arabic, but I made due with several hand motions and repeated قصير قوي  's ("very short"). We then settled in to our chairs, ready for the first-class treatment that awaited us.

Our friends who had visited before made us well aware of what to expect upon a visit to the barber-shop. Apparently, the idea of simply stopping in for a 15 minute hair cut was absolutely unheard of. It was a full length production, that involved a lot more than simply some scissors and a comb.

The first part of the process was my first ever facial. Our barber took some grainy looking powder (which I think he said was mud from the sea), added some water, and then began lathering our faces with it. It was cool to the touch and had an earthy, natural feel/smell to it. After the mud had been applied, he gave us each a quick head massage, and then got down to the meat of the matter.

I was originally planning on simply getting a buzz, but I was convinced to let him manually trim me down. His work was quick and meticulous, and he soon had sheared most of my damaged, sun-dried locks off. After the cutting was complete, he applied an uber-healthy amount of green glob to my head, and began rubbing it in. The picture at the top of this post encapsulates my appearance at this point, along the lines of what I'd imagine a zombie German punk rocker to look like.

After we'd both been cut and shampooed, he began massaging the mud off of our faces, and then took us to a sink where he rinsed our hair. This was followed by a nice, relaxing back massage. I was beginning to feel comfortable. A big mistake.

The final part of the process was something known as "threading." I'd never heard of it before, but apparently it involved taking string and plucking hair from your face. Our friends who'd gone before us informed us that it was quite painful, but I shrugged off their warnings. How much damage could a little thread due?

I settled back, and waited for him to go to work. He grabbed a nice length of thread, looped it, and put the open ends in his mouth. He then positioned the string above my eyebrows, and let a rip. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't this. It honestly felt like tiny scissors tearing at my skin. Each pull of the string brought an intensely sharp sting. He worked above my eyebrows, below them, my hairline, my cheeks, and finally my ears, by far the most painful area. When he was done with one side, I realized I was half way done, bit my teeth, and gritted it out. Little did I know, he'd saved the worst for last: my nose. While doing my nose, he latched on to a stubborn piece of hair that wouldn't come out initially, causing him to tug forcefully on the string, pulling my head with it before the follicle finally came out. Needless to say, by the end of the entire procedure, I had tears welling in my eyes.

But all in all, it was part of the experience. I'd never had a facial, a massage, or threading before, and it was simply something I had to do while in Egypt, where a service like this was far cheaper than it would've been in the US.

But how much cheaper? That's for you decide. In this week's edition of the بكم؟ Game, your challenge is to guess the total cost of my barbershop visit in Egyptian pounds (LE). Just a refresher: about 5 LE equals $1.

 Additionally, let's revisit last weeks contest. I asked you to guess the price of a packet of Borios, which contained six, cheap, imitation Oreo's. Once again, no one was correct. Robin Soukup came the closest with a guess of 1.25 LE, but she was still significantly off the actual price of .50 LE (1/2 LE). That's right...a pack of six cookies costs half an Egyptian pound. In other words, less than 10 American cents! That's absurd!

So, since you guys seem to be hitting a dry spell with this guessing-the-prices thing, I'm going to revert back to "closest guess wins." We'll keep the prize from last week, and say winner gets 10 packs of Borios. Have at it.

Going to Mass in Misr...

 You might imagine that it'd be difficult to locate a Catholic church in the heart of the Muslim world, especially in a country like Egypt, where, unlike in Catholic-populated Syria and Lebanon, the only significant Christian presence allegedly consists of Copts.

In fact, this couldn't be further from the truth. Although I'm not sure how numerous Catholic parishes in Cairo are, there happens to be one conveniently located just a few blocks from the dorm. Even more fortuitous, they offer a 6 pm. English Mass on Sunday, which suits me just fine considering I have classes until after 3 pm. We've even been able to put together a nice little Sunday crew, consisting of 2 other Domers and 3 kids from other schools.

If you're expecting the name of this Catholic church to be exotic or "Egyptianized," I'm sorry to disappoint you: it's name is St. Joseph's. Yes, just like the medical center in Brainerd, or the church in Crosby, and even the county where Notre Dame is located. Pretty unoriginal, really.

But the Egyptian version of St. Joseph's makes up for its unextraordinary name with plenty of character. The church's high-ceilinged interior is beautifully designed, while maintaining a level of intimacy and approachability. Perhaps even more defining than it's physical characteristics are the traits of a St. Joseph's Mass. From the ancient old nun who leads the singing in, let's just say, "strained" English, to the sometimes indiscernible homilies, to the chaotic, disorganized rush for the Eucharist, Mass at St. Joseph's is a very unique experience.

But what I love the most about St. Joseph's is the congregation itself. Maybe because my home parish of St. Alice consists of probably 99% white people, I find it refreshing to be a part of a multi-ethnic gathering, comprised of a significant number of Filipinos, a decent number of Africans, some Caucasians, and a handful of Arabs (of course, I'm assuming most of the Arab Catholics go to the Mass held in Arabic. There's also one in French, and they have a Tagalog [language of the Philippines] service once a week as well). In fact, in about a month and a half here, I've attended Masses presided over by French, African, and Filipino priests. Pretty neat.

While racial diversity isn't exclusive to the Catholic faith, I really feel it is something that the Church stresses. Its message is the same to everyone and open to all who wish to participate. This is epitomized at St. Joseph's. No one is better than another, no one more worthy than the next. Everyone is truly part of one Body, brought together to celebrate Christ in the same way. Attending Mass here in Cairo has really made me realize what it means when we say that the Catholic Church is "universal." It's a reality that I embrace and am proud to be a part of.

Saqqara and Sequoia...

About a month ago, the Notre Dame kids got an email from Judy Hutchinson, the coordinator for the Egypt study abroad program, informing us that she, as well as the director of the entire Office of International Studies, would be coming to Cairo in mid-March. As such, they would be able to take us the ND contingency down here on an all expenses paid day trip to the destination of our choosing.

Upon hearing this news, I was like a kid in a candy shop, and immediately began thinking of what lucrative adventure we could cram into a day, all on Notre Dame's tab. Originally I'd pushed for a day trip to Alexandria, Egypt's fabled coastal city about two and half hours away from Cairo. But after receiving little support within the group, I gave way to the others, and we eventually decided to see Saqqara, the step-pyramids built a few kilometers south of Giza.

Following some solid planning by Ben and Shannon, the date was set and the itinerary determined. We'd booked a 6 hour excursion for March 12th with a group called Memphis Tours, which would include stops at Saqqara, as well as the pyramids of Dashur and the ruins of the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis. The day's events would also be capped off with dinner at Sequoia, an uber-upscale restaurant on the north end of Zamalek that I wouldn't dream of dining at unless someone else was footing the bill.

March 12th finally rolled around. I woke up early and was down in the lobby at 8:30, ready to take a cab with the rest of the ND kids (only 5 out of the 8 of us- conflicts prevented the other 3 from joining) over to the Semiramis Hotel, where Judy and Cathy, the OIS director, would be waiting. The 10 LE fare we split between the five us would be the last significant expenditure of the day.

We arrived at the hotel, met up with Judy and Cathy, and then began searching for our Memphis Tour representative. According to an email Ben received, he would be wearing a "pint tie and a pink shirt." We waited outside the hotel for him for awhile, and at about 9:10 we were getting a little worried. Fortunately, someone had to go to the bathroom and discovered that the rep had actually been waiting inside the hotel for us. He led us out a back door, and soon we were in a pretty comfortable and spacious van, on our way out of Cairo.

Our first destination was Saqqara. Saqqara is an expansive network of burial grounds that served as the primary necropolis for nearby Memphis. The main draw are the step-pyramids, specifically the Pyramid of Djoser, which is named for the ancient Egytpian king who once was buried within it. Built nearly 5,000 years ago, the structure is considered one of the oldest large-stone constructs to ever be erected. It stands 62 meters tall and consists of 6 mastabas, or layers, stacked upon each other. The step-pyramid marks an important historical point in the evolution of Egyptian burial sites, halfway between the flat, rectangular mastabas and the gargantuan, sky-piercing pyramids like the ones found in Giza.


The Pyramid of Djoser may not have been nearly as big as its decedents in Giza, which are truly monstrous, but it was still an impressive construct, especially considering it was constructed a few hundreds years prior. The pyramid was under some renovation of sorts during our visit, and the scaffolding was a bit of a nuisance. Nonetheless, it still merited some climbing action. Apparently, a wee little British fellow wearing man Capris wasn't a fan of this, and apparently let those on the ground know about this, ending his criticism with a typical anti-American barb.Yah, like you and your lot have always treated Egyptian burial sites and artifacts with respect and reverence.

Saqqara included some other cool sights, though I'm not exactly sure what they really are, given the fact that I preferred to wander around rather than listen to the explanations of our English speaking tour guide, Ahmed. We did get to go down into the burial chamber of the Pyramid of Teti. From the outside it looked like a miserable little sound hill, but the insides have been extraordinarily preserved, and included a wall covered in expertly chiseled hieroglyphics.

Following Teti, we piled back into the van and headed off for our next destination, Dashur. Along the way, we passed through a long swath of land covered in never ending forests of palm trees and lush grass, a stark contrast to the dry and dull look of the pyramid complex we had just come from.

Dashur is the name of the region just south of Saqqara, and holds two noteworthy structures: the Red Pyramid and the Bent Pyramid. For some odd reason, a military base has been constructed on the premises, and therefore tourists can't really get very close to the latter. I snapped a picture, but the conditions were less than conducive for good visibility. The origins of the Bent Pyramid's name are no mystery- just look at it. Apparently, Egyptian engineers made an error when calculating the angle, resulting in the bizarre lopsided look you see to the right.

Even though we couldn't take a closer look at the Bent Pyramid, the Red Pyramid gave us more than we could handle. First off was the ascent half-way up the pyramid to the entrance shaft. The path was steep and tiring, but if we thought that would be the toughest leg, we were way off. We began our descent into the Red Pyramid, down a shaft that had to be at close to a 45 degree angle. The 4 foot height of the tunnel made the going very difficult and I was afraid my back was going to seize up from all the awkward crouching. And the deeper we got, the more a very powerful musk began to seep into our nostrils. After what seemed like days, we finally reached the bottom.

But it didn't get any easier at that point. A pair of travelers, who appeared completely spent, breathlessly told us that there were no lights inside the chambers were about to explore. We would be completely on our own. While the others fretted, I pulled out the trusty phone I'd purchased a few weeks previously that, aside from coming with a great variety of entertaining, light-synchronized ring tones, also has a low-beam flashlight, and led the way. Even with the flashlight, the all encompassing blackness of the rooms we were in swallowed up the light almost instantaneously. We all had to resort to using the flashes of our cameras as emergency torches, and it was quite comical with everyone snapping pictures every few seconds or so. Here are some of those pictures from inside the (pitch-black) Red Pyramid:

Creepy tunnel connecting one chamber to another

l

Looking straight up at the vaulted ceilings of one of the chambers

T

The Ascent: without flash

And with flash

After we'd had enough exploring the various passages and compartments of the Red Pyramid, we backtracked and made our way back up the imposing ramp we had descended half an hour previously. I don't think I've ever been happier to see the desolate deserts of Egypt as I was when I emerged from that God-forsaken tunnel. The trek back down the pyramid, which had been difficult enough on the way up, was now made more challenging by the fact that we were all exhausted, light-headed, and prone to losing our balance and rolling on down. We somehow all made it down without any casualties, piled in the van and were off.

Our next destination took us to a carpet school, where young boys are taught the fine craft of making carpets from hand. We got a tour of the place before settling for the real reason we had been brought there: to get sales pitches thrown at us. The carpets were undoubtedly beautiful and the craftsmanship was exquisite, but I wasn't about to throw down 1000 LE's plus for one. I mean honestly, what use do I have for a carpet?

After we'd all taken turns turning down the carpet salesmen, we were shuttled off to a little restaurant in the middle of a lovely palm grove clearing. The food was delicious, including bread made on-site, an assortment of Middle Eastern appetizers (eggplant sauce, rice, potato soup, wrapped grape leaves and the like), and some freshly grilled chicken and khofta (which I, of course didn't eat because it was Friday). We also had some incredible strawberry juice (which was thoroughly overpriced at 15 LE- over 5 times as expensive as a juice bar in Zamalek).

Our final stop was Memphis, which had served as the first capital of united Egypt. I guess I was expecting to see ruins from the city, but was a little disappointed. All the site really had to offer were a handful of monuments. Even so, some of the were very neat, such as an enormous statue of Ramses II. The statue was so gigantic, that instead of relocating it, Egyptians opted to build an edifice for it on site. It's definitely had its share of wear and tear, but it's still an impressive display of Ancient Egyptian stonework nonetheless.

The Memphis site also housed an Alabaster Sphinx, some nifty sarcophagi, several more imposing Ramses statues, but not much else. I wasn't all that impressed; I guess I'm not much of an Ancient Egypt guy.

But overall, the day had been a success, especially considering I'd only spent about 2 LE's. Not too shabby. And with a 6:30 reservation at Sequoia, it was only about to get better. After dropping Judy and Cathy off at the hotel, the rest of us caught a cab back to the dorm and rested up for a bit. A couple of hours later, at 6:15, we met in the lobby before setting off for our dinner destination. 

The environment at Sequoia really makes the experience. It's situated at the northern most tip of Zamalek, right on the waters of the Nile. The eating area is under a long, billowy tent like cover, with open sides, providing an exceptional view of the of the river and the downtown Cairo on the opposite shore. A plethora of candle and lanterns, blowing slightly due to an evening breeze, really add to the ambiance. And rather than sitting in wooden chairs at a wooden table, patrons dine in plush white furniture around a low stone table. It's as much a lounge as it is a restaurant.

After settling down, we placed our drink orders. Unfortunately, although Notre Dame was paying for the meal, we couldn't order a classy bottle of wine for this very reason. Oh well. I ended up settling instead for a delicious glass of lemon juice with mint, which I proceeded to down in about a minute. Following drinks, we ordered nearly ten separate mezze dishes, including taboula, bubagounush, humus, tamayya, and of course, some Oriental sausage.

We then placed our main-course orders. Even though a calendar would've told you it was still Friday, I decided to observe my Lenten fast Jewish style, meaning Friday had really ended when the sun had set. Therefore, I was free to order the mixed grill option, which included chicken, khofta, veal chops, as well as a 70 LE price tag (that's basically how much I spend on dinner over the course of 10 days). For some truly bizarre reason, they brought my food almost immediately. I tried waiting for others to get theirs, but when it became apparent that there had been some sort of mix up, I dug in. Good, hearty stuff. After everyone had finished off, we took a peak at the dessert menu. I opted for the orange konafa with clotted cream and syrup, which was scrumptious.

The total bill for all 8 of us (we had gained another Domer who couldn't make the day portion of the trip), after the 12% service and 10% tax, was well over 1000 LE, our roughly $200. Not too bad for one of the classiest restaurants in the country.

The day had been a real treat, and a lovely little escape. It also allowed me to ponder about the nature of the Notre Dame study abroad experience. Though it may be true that ND tends to be very restrictive and limiting in what you can and cannot do while abroad on an ND affiliated program (such as not renting your own apartment or traveling to countries with a State Department issued warning [like Lebanon...oops]), there is no doubt that ND has our best interests at heart. The day's trip and dinner were just one small example. After talking with many of the kids out here from other schools, it's become apparent that ND treats study abroad very differently from other places. I'd liken it to a protective, yet loving parent. 

Anyway, that's that. Oh, and if you're a fan of the "guess the price" contests or if you're interested in seeing what I do with my hair, tune in on Tuesday for a post that will feature both.

To buzz or not to buzz...

You know that place where your hair is in between being manageably short and lusciously long? Yeah, I'm there.

Unfortunately, in this state of flux, my hair isn't exactly pretty. It's lengthy to the point where it gets dry and wispy quickly, but not long enough to bring along the aesthetic benefits associated with thick, blonde locks. It's kind of similar to that uncomfortable period when your face is no longer clean shaven, but you don't exactly have a goatee or a mustache or anything coming in strong yet. As a result, you look dirty, unkempt, and disheveled. I like to think of it as hair purgatory.

Anyway, I've decided I have only two available options before me, and both are pretty drastic. I will either let my hair grow-out, unperturbed for the duration of my study abroad experience. Or I will proceed to buzz it off with a 3" blade. There is no in between.

A decision will be coming in the next few days. However, I'd love to get your input on the matter. To that effect, I've created a little poll that you can find at the top of this web-page (probably right above this post). However, in the spirit of the Egyptian political system, the results of the poll will be non-binding and I will probably do what I want either way. But your encouraged to vote nonetheless!

Also, little update. This blog has been very boring for a little while, probably do my lack of traveling/adventuring in the past week or so. But never fear! This weekend I'll be headed to the step pyramids of Saqqara and the ancient ruins of Memphis, followed by dinner at one of Cairo's nicest restaurants, Sequoia. And the best part? Notre Dame's footing the bill for the whole day! I wonder if they'll let me order entrees to take back to the dorm?

The good, the bad, and the ugly...

Well, if you haven't noticed, I've hit a lull in the exciting experiences department. Even here in the middle of the Arab world, the realities of being a college student have set in, and as such, I can't afford to be out and about every evening/weekend. In fact, this weekend, I have absolutely no plans at all, and intend to stay home and do homework and readings (read: sit around and do nothing productive). Boring I know. But to be honest, many of the classes here seem just as exerting as the ones back home, and some may even give me a serious run for my money (I'm talking about you, Women, Islam, and the State- why I signed up for it, I will never know).I want to have a good time and see everything the city and region have to offer, but at the same time, I want to make sure I'm keeping my grades up. As such, some sacrifices have to to be made.

Anyway, since I'm not up to too much this weekend, I figured it would be an appropriate time to sit back and reflect on my time in Cairo thus far, which has been about six weeks in total. I've gone ahead and put together two lists, both documenting things that are different here in Middle East then they are back home in the good ol' Midwest, some of them good, some of them bad. It may be a bit of a rehash of some observations and feelings I've already shared, but it's a healthy exercise nonetheless. I realize "The Bad" ones may outnumber "The Good," but don't take that as a reflection of my overall experience here in Cairo- I'm definitely having a fine time.

THE GOOD...
 The Cheapness- This has already been well-documented, but it is worth repeating: living in Cairo is extremely affordable. From the cheap taxi fares to the inexpensive dining options, Cairo is an ideal place for a poor college student to spend a semester abroad.
The Weather- Admittedly, if I revise these lists a couple months from now, "The Weather" may be one of the things I'm not a fan of. However, it is currently about 60-80 degrees everyday, so you won't hear me complaining for awhile.
The "Tuesdays Off" Policy- It's great to have a day off in the middle of the week to either catch up on homework or just to relax and wander around.
The Arabic- Suffice it to say, there are lot more opportunities for me to use my Arabic here in Cairo on a daily basis than there would be back in Pequot Lakes or South Bend.
The Appreciation Factor- Cairo has a lot of shortcomings, but I guess if you look at it one way, this is a positive, as it makes you realize all the things America does differently that you appreciate. The dining halls at Notre Dame are something that comes up almost daily. I will never complain about SDH ever again, that is a promise.
The Relative Freedom- I still have all of the responsibilities that go with being a college student, but being one here in Cairo is a lot less restrictive than being one inside the Notre Dame bubble.
The Geographic Location- Let's just say that if I were at ND for the semester, I wouldn't be going to Lebanon/Syria/Jordan/Jerusalem for Spring Break.

THE BAD...
 The Rip-Offs- When an Egyptian salesman sees a group of Americans coming, there's only one thing on his mind: "How much can I swindle from these khwagas?". Maybe it's a bit of a blanket statement, but most of my experiences thus far reinforce it.
The Lack of Milk- Petty, I know, but I love me some milk, and it seems to be difficult to come by here in Misr. Imagine how much better a falafel sandwich would taste with a big glass of the white stuff...
The Bus Ride- The bus ride from Zamalek to AUC dorm is, at times, unbearable. I suppose in the morning it's fine because you can just sleep, but at night, when the ride takes sometimes over 2 hours, it makes me want to go crazy. I hate all kinds of waiting, whether it be standing in line or stuck in a traffic jam, so you can imagine how the bus ride effects my temperament.
The Dirtiness- I'm not known for having an acute fondness for cleanliness (heck, my nickname is "The Trucker"), but the conditions here in Cairo are disturbing. Trash is everywhere. You get used to it, but you still wish they had some sort of functioning waste disposal system.

The Sports Deprivation- I definitely get by with internet resources, but not being able to flip on the TV and watch some college hoops or some Sports Center is a little irritating. March Madness may be a difficult stretch for me.
The Bed I Sleep In- I've always had difficulties with getting to sleep, but the bed I have here certain isn't helping me. Instead one, solid board that the mattress lies on, it's a series of smaller ones, that leave gaps in between. When these mini-boards spread out, as they tend to do, the leave gaping holes where the mattress sags down.
The Laundry System- There is a washer and dryer on each floor in the dorm, but if they aren't already being used, they're usually out of commission.
The Time Difference- It's bearable, but being 7-8 hours ahead of everyone can be difficult, especially when corresponding with professors and staff back at ND.

THE UGLY...
Well, I wasn't sure exactly what to talk about under this title, but I had to include it anyway for the sake of conformity. Anyway, my 21st birthday was this past Tuesday, so I guess I'll put up a few pictures from the night's celebration.

 The beautiful blueberry and snickers cake from Pumpkin. Thank you Helen, Rosie, and Chelsea!

 Ben feeding me birthday cake

 

Christopher, William, Robin, and friends wishing me "Happy B-day" from Florida. Thanks guys!

بكم؟- BORIOS...

First off, some congrats are in order. In last week's contest, David Liedl guessed close enough to win a prize! The phone and sim card were 185 LE and David's guess of 175 LE was within the 15 LE margin of error I provided. مبروك (ma-BRUK - congratulations), David.

Now moving on to this week's question. Our topic of inquiry is what is rapidly becoming perhaps the most significant staple of my diet here in Egypt, even giving koshari a run for its money. I am referring to Borios, Egypt's answer to Oreos. Although each individual Borio is probably about 2/3 the size of an Oreo, and the ingredients may not be as of such high quality, Borios are an excellent, tasty little treat. Borios typically come in packs of 6 cookies (although you can get them in 3 and also in a jumbo size), in festive purple wrapping.

Your task is to guess how much one pack of Borios (which contains 6 individual cookies) costs in Egyptian pounds. Just a refresher: One Egyptian pound is roughly $.20 (that's twenty American cents).Additionally, if you get this one right, you won't be receiving some mystery gift that I would've probably gotten for you anyway (sorry David); you will be receiving 10 packs of Borios!!! (subject, of course, to how many I can fit in the suitcase and customs restrictions) Alrighty then, get to it!

Shoes full of sand, sky full of stars...

This past weekend, I experienced my first adventure outside the confines of the City Victorious (Cairo). Along with four other guys, I would be partaking in an overnight adventure in Egypt's Black and White Desert, which lays four hours southwest of Cairo by bus. So Thursday night, with preparations made and bus tickets bought, I went to bed, eagerly anticipating what the next couple days would bring.

Things got off to a rough start. Even though we had planned on meeting in the lobby at 6:00 am sharp, and I had set my alarm accordingly, I somehow slept through it (or possibly set it wrong). I was awoken at about 6:10 by a phone call from Ben, telling me that everyone else was waiting for me downstairs. I hadn't packed the night before (obviously), so I ended up rapidly throwing a few articles of clothing into my back-pack before bolting out the door.

Of course, in the hustle and bustle of getting out of my room as quickly as possible, I forgot my camera. Now, if you're only really interested in pictures, don't fret, because my friends still had theirs and they took plenty of pictures which I will share with you (Thanks, guys!). And, as it turns out, forgetting my camera was about the best thing that could've happened; nearly everyone else's sustained some pretty serious damage from exposure to the sand.

Fortunately, despite my tardiness, we made it to the bus station with plenty of time to catch our 7 am bus (even though there was nary a taxi in sight- typical Friday morning in Cairo). After locating the correct terminal and boarding, we got comfortable and set off.

Our target destination was the quiet oasis town of Bahiraya, which was the location of a hotel where the tour agency we had booked was located. The bus ride itself was pretty uneventful- except for two separate, but equally bizarre, events: hitting a speed bump at 70 mph and the guy directly behind me throwing up on the floor for about five minutes. Mumtaz!

Anyway, for most of the ride, I either tried to catch some Z's or just stared out the window at the landscape. If you're not familiar with the topographic features of Minnesota/Indiana, there aren't really any deserts (What!?!), so I tried to make the most of the relative foreign scenery that unfolded outside my window. I was really shocked by the sheer emptiness of it. We honestly went for hours at a time without seeing any sign of life, save for the railroad that ran parallel with the highway. Another observation of note, was the relative variety of the desert expanses: rolling sand dunes gave way to jagged cliffs, followed by endless waves of gravel and dirt that turned into plains of sand, punctuated by mini-mountains.

Even so, it was still a boring bus ride, and I was eager to get off. After calling up our contact to determine exactly where we should get off, the five of us stepped off the bus and into the streets of Bahiraya.

Oh, Bahiraya...what a strange, strange little town. Dusty, dirty, and broken down, it (unsurprisingly) reminded me of similar small towns I had happened upon while living in Mexico.In keeping with Egyptian tradition, there were at least as many unfinished building throughout the town as there were ones that were lived in. Oh, and lots of useless trash littering the streets, another Egyptian hallmark.

After getting off the bus, we were collected by the man who we'd set the tour up with, Sayeed, and whisked off to the hotel for stage one of our desert excursion: lunch. We were all famished, and we dug into the bread, eggs, chips, and cheese with gusto. Post-lunch, we went out to the front of the hotel, where we met the guy who would actually be taking us throughout the Black and White Desert over the next 24 hours. His name was Boobas and he didn't speak a lick of English, but he was certainly nice enough. We piled into the Land Cruiser (pictured at right-thing's a beast) and set-off, desert-bound.

We headed out of Bahariyah on a narrow desert high-way. It wasn't long before Boobas had suddenly whipped the Land Rover off the paved road and we were bumping along the desert floor at about 40 mph. After cruising around for a bit, we came to a stop on top of a dune. We were about to participate in an event that I had heard a lot about from some other friends: sand-boarding.

It's a pretty simple concept: climb to the top of a steep sand dune, strap a board to your feet, and slide down at exhilarating speeds. Easy in practice, but not in application. For whatever reason, our boards seemed more inclined to sink into the sand than to actually slide down it. It was a little disappointing but it was still loads of fun to run around the sand dunes. We even decided to trek up to the top of a little mountain, which was probably close to a half a mile walk. If you know how hard it is walking up hill in sand, you know this is quite a feat. Anyway, here our some pictures from this portion of the day:

 

Shredding some sand

 

We climbed this puppy and then some. The speck at the bottom is the jeep.

 

King of the mountain

 

Ben on top of the mountain, to really give you a feel for how high it was

After we had sufficiently filled our shoes with sand, we returned to the jeep and continued on our sight-seeing journey.The first leg took us through the Black Desert, which is named due to the plethora of little, black stones that cover much of it, including the volcanic-looking mountains that jut up from the earth, like this puppy below:

After an hour or so, it seemed like we'd seen all the Black Desert had to offer, so we got back on the highway and headed south to its fairer counterpart.

While the Black Desert was interesting, the White Desert was flat out amazing. It was home to some of the most impressive geological sights I have seen. Again, why use words when you can steal pictures from your friends?

 Benji in front of these big rocks- he's more photogenic

After exploring some of the sites in the White Desert, we came to the main attraction: an endless sea of funky looking white rock structures (apparently chalk rock, the product of sand storm sediments). It was like being on an alien planet. Take a look at some of the pics (which really don't do it justice):

 

  

  

Known as "The Chicken and the Egg"

 

 

 The whole gang in front of "The Mushroom":

Matt from American, me, Patrick from GW, Matt from Baylor, and Ben

We explored the White Desert for a while, but it was soon approaching dusk. Setting up camp before the cold desert night set in was a must. After finding a suitable site, we parked the Land Cruiser and began unloading and assembling. Within half-an-hour, what had previously been an empty patch of desert was now a make-shift living area, complete with a kitchen, dining room, and sleeping quarters (sort of). Here's a peak of Camp Victory:

 

Pitching in

 

 Boobas is a master at his craft

Camp from a far

 

The dining room

 

The kitchen...believe me, Boobas didn't need much more to whip up an incredible dinner

 

The sleeping quarters- which we ended up not even using

  

After setting up, it was time for dinner. We sat down at the table and helped ourselves to some tangerines and chips while Boobas prepared the main course. Boy, does he not disappoint. We feasted on endless helpings of rice and potatoes stewed with veggies, as well as some delectable grilled chicken (which I realize now I consumed on a Friday during Lent). I must've had at least three full plates of food. Easily the most satisfied my stomach has been in Egypt, amazing considering the circumstances in which it was all prepared.

  

Veggies and potatoes stewing

Me, Matt, and Ben ... and no, I don't smile in pictures

  

We had an unexpected, but certainly welcome dinner guest- a little nocturnal fox with the biggest ears you will ever see. He really loved the chicken we gave him, but not so much the tangerine peels.

After our bellies were stuffed, it was time to get to bed. We had tents set up, but we decided to go for the authentic experience and sleep out under the desert stars. We each laid out a mat and made ourselves comfortable with multiple layers of blankets. I had a sleeping bag that went up to my chest, and then a large blanket that I put over that. 

The night started out well. It wasn't that cold at the time we got into bed (about 8 pm) and I was warm and toasty. However, after a little while, things got a little more unpleasant. First off all, off in the distance we heard the incessant banging of drums, no doubt from other camping groups in the desert. They would not shut up. Even worse were the mosquitoes. I was apparently the only one in the group that was pestered by the them, and the little buggers would not leave me alone. It wasn't being bitten by them (which I don't think I was), as much as it was the gosh-awful buzzing of the mosquitoes in my ear. If you've ever been to Minnesota in the summer, you know what I'm talking about. Which is kind of ironic, because the experience kind of reminded me of sleeping at the cabin in the spring, except you couldn't just jump in a car and drive home.

Also, as the night progressed, it started to get quite a bit colder. I soon realized that stripping down to just my t-shirt and boxers was not necessarily a wise idea. However, I managed to tough it out, usually sleeping in 45 minute spurts before waking up for 15. It was an experience I'd repeat again (although probably with a little more preparation/clothes on).

We woke up early in the morning, at about 6 am. We first had breakfast, which consisted of thick Egyptian bread with an assortment of jams and spreads. Sounds simple, but there was plenty to go around, and it was just what the doctor ordered. After breakfast, we packed everything up and hit the road.

The rest of the morning was uneventful. We drove to a natural spring, but it wasn't all that exciting. After that, we headed back to Bahariya, just in time to miss the 10 am bus back to Cairo. Mumtaz! We were informed that there was another bus back at 3, but if we wanted, there was also a micro bus that would not only depart a couple hours earlier, but would save us 5 pounds a piece. Sounds worth it, right?

In hindsight, maybe not. The little bus was absolutely crammed. My seat had no back, I wasn't able to sleep on the wall, and the Egyptian guy next to me reeked of BO and insisted on invading my personal space. It was one of the most miserable rides of my life. To compound it all, we were dropped off in the middle of Giza, quite a bit a way from the comforts of Zamalek. We located a subway, rode it back to Zamalek, and then took a cab to the dorm. We were dirty and exhausted by the time we got back, but there was only one thing on our collective mind: a big ol' bowl of koshari from Alex Top, our favorite haunt. The weekend in the desert was awesome, but after the first bite of koshari, it sure felt good to be "home.

On monsoons and deserts...

Today in Cairo, something weird happened.

It rained.

I suppose, in all honesty, I have felt a few drops on other occasions. But not much. Definitely nothing like today.

I first noticed raindrops falling on my head early in the morning, just before 8, as I made my to the bus stop a few blocks from the dormitory. At that point, it wasn't anything really to get excited about- a few drops here and there.

We arrived at campus just before 9, and as I headed into my class, the precipitation picked up a little bit. Our teacher (who's Egyptian), excitedly told us that it was raining, but us Americans didn't feel it deserved the full effect of the word, so we simply told her it was "sprinkling."

The "sprinkling" was done by the time class was over, and I assumed that was the last we'd seen of precipitation that day. But the skies remained overcast and dreary for much of the day (kind of like South Bend- on a good day).

I went into the library at 6 pm to finish up some work before the weekend. When I emerged only 45 minutes later, rain was coming down- hard. It was by no means a torrential downpour, but it was certainly enough to get you wet.

Though it certainly wasn't anything extreme by American standards, it was pretty evident that rain in Cairo simply did not come in these amounts, and they sure as heck weren't prepared for it. This was certainly reflected in the insanity of the traffic that night, as measured by the amount of time it took for us to get home. Usually the return trip is anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half. Tonight, it was approaching two and a half before a few friends and I decided to hop off and walk the remaining mile. We beat the bus by a long shot (although the lack of adequate drainage systems in the streets necessitated that we circumnavigate small lakes at times).

I later found out that the rainfall of today was more than Cairo had gotten in the last two years combined. Oof-tah.

Anyway, if you've been bored with my lack of adventures recently, I've got an exciting excursion coming up this weekend. Four friends and I will be taking a bus to the oasis of Bahriyah, and will spend two days exploring the Black and White Desert, including an evening camp-out under the stars. I'll have a lot of pics and some decent stories when I get back, insha'allah (the insha'allah applies to both acquiring pictures and stories as well as making it back alive).

My first Egyptian all-nighter...

It's 5:20 am and I'm awake.

My bizarre, nonsensical sleeping habits are the stuff of legends. At ND, I routinely pull NARANs, no-apparent-reason-all-nighters. That is, sometimes I stay up all night for absolutely no reason. Literally, ALL NIGHT. Another appropriate term for it is one I just coined while wandering around the bathroom at 3 AM, and that is "unproductive insomnia." This one is especially apt, because not only am I up all night, but I don't do anything worthwhile. No reading, no studying...usually just aimlessly browsing the internet and writing up stupid blogs.

Well anyway, I am in the midst of my first all-nighter on this side of the Atlantic. Certainly, a contributing factor to this all-nighter is the fact that I woke up at about noon. For some reason, when I've slept recently (slept in, took a nap at 5pm, etc) I find it extremely difficult to get to sleep. Ironically, the less sleep I get, the more likely it is that I take a nap the next day. If I take a nap the next day, I am more likely to stay up very late that night. If I stay up very late that night, I am likely to take a nap the next day. If I take a nap the next day, the more likely it is...

It's an irreversible cycle of death.

But believe it or not, I actually have a good reason for pulling an all-nighter tonight. You see, back at ND, resident assitants for the 2010-2011 school year were selected tonight. And when I say tonight, I mean 10 pm tonight...Eastern Standard Time. Which translates roughly to 5 am here in Cairo. Any way, I had applied back in January and was so anxious about being accepted or not, that I couldn't sleep, and figured I might as well just stay up all night.

Now, for some of you, getting so worked up about something as silly as RA selection may seem a little bizarre. But RA at Notre Dame is a really unique position. Because we have no Greek life, our single sex dorms often take on many of the qualities that a frat or sorority would have. I.E. each dorm has its own traditions, its own history, its own personality, its own colors and mascot, its own chants... really, you're residence hall on campus defines you collegiate experience. The dorm itself is more of an encapsulated community, and the guys you meet inside usually become your best friends. That's why it's no surprise that over 50% of the student body stays on campus for the duration of their Notre Dame careers.

Anyway, all of this makes the RA position extremely important, an integral part of ND experience. It's also something that I've really wanted to do since I was a freshman. So there I was, sitting in my room in downtown Cairo, awake in the wee-hours of the morning, waiting for an email from halfway around the world. I took a half hour shower at 4 am to ease my nerves, came back, and stared at my computer. At about 4:55 am, I got an email from Paul Doyle, rector of Dillon Hall. I'd been accepted.

It's 5 am and I'm stoked!

Actually, the fact that I'll be an RA next year is highly significant for my plans this summer. You see, I'd really like to stay in the Middle East after the current semester concludes and attend a language institute to really kick my Arabic into overdrive. Besides being contingent upon a grant from the ND Center for the Study of Language and Culture, this would only be a possibility if I could somehow make a bunch of money this summer-- or, owe a bunch less.

Enter RA. RA's at Notre Dame get their room and board paid for. That's nearly $12,000 that I don't have to worry about next year. I told you RA was a big deal.

Being selected now opens the door for me to do something this summer and not worry about making money for school. Now I just have to make sure I can pay for whatever I end up doing...

بكم؟- new cell phone and sim card...

First thing's first. You all (with the exception of Phil, who had an unfair advantage) were horribly off when it came to guessing the price of 2.5 kilograms of bananas. Most of the guesses were in the 3-6 Egyptian pound (LE) range, which is madness. That's equatable to paying just over one dollar for nearly 6 pounds of bananas.

I think the problem was that you guys took my constant jabbering about the cheapness of Cairo a little too far. Yes, Cairo is very cheap. It's not that cheap, though. In fact, if a pound of bananas is actually $ .33 back home, then bananas here in Egypt are actually I bit more expensive. I got my 2.5 kgs of bananas for 15 LE, at a rate of 6 LE a kg. So doing some rough conversions, that's 3 dollars for 5.5 pounds. Meanwhile, at $ .33 a pound, 5.5 lbs would cost just under two dollars. So wow. American bananas are a lot cheaper (if William is telling the truth...I did a little independent research and found the average for bananas to be about $ .49 a pound, which would be about $2.75 for 2.5 kgs, a little more reasonable).

Anyway, maybe that one was a little too tricky and counter-intuitive. So here's the next one: how much did my new cell phone cost (sim card included)? It's a Nokia, pay-as-you-go.To make things fair, I'll say you win a prize if you come within 15 LEs of the actual price (of course, if two people do, closest gets the prize).

Click on the picture below to get a little sneak peak of the phone in action. Despite the fact that it is a model from circa 2000, the ring tone/rhythmic vibration and light show are very entertaining.

NOTICE: MAKE SURE TO GUESS IN EGYPTIAN POUNDS (LE)! THE CURRENT CONVERSION RATE IS JUST OVER 5 LEs per 1 AMERICAN DOLLAR.