Finals

So, I haven't written in a while because:

1) I can't seem to get the motivation - you know, when you keep thinking, "I'll do it later, just one more day." And before you know it you have a huge mountain of things to do which prevents you from even wanting to start, then you wait longer, and it piles up even more . . . you know the vicious cycle.

2) I've been traveling a lot (namely Jordan this past week) and trying to take advantage of every free moment I have to explore!

3) A little thing called FINALS!

I don't know how many of you remember the last finals week you were involved in, but it's always a little stressful. People have their own ways of dealing with the stress and being able to get organized and somehow make it through. I have never, however, been involved in a finals week such as this one. Why is this one so different? Well, it's not necessarily the exams themselves, the teachers, or even the subject matter. Although some of those are most definitely contributing this time. This one is all about the students. Picture the biggest over-achiever/perfectionist/ paranoid, worst-case-scenario-conjure-upper you can think of. Pretty formidable, huh? Good, now take 79 of those and cram them into one small living space for a week. Madness. Last night we finally got a study guide from one of the Old Testament teachers. You should've seen the uproar. There were tears, hair-pulling, and even bartering for study guides. People hoarding over information, attacking teachers, and afraid to share insights for fear of . . . I don't even know! Small tribal study groups are forming and entrance into them requires not only a new contribution of information but I fear some other strange initiation . . . And they're feeding off each other. Normally during finals week students are contained in their own private apartments or study room. You can just picture the insanity. I have to avoid the computer lab and library when possible just to avoid a headache.

What has been my reaction to all of this? Well, you can go one of three ways. Techinally I am graduated so I could blow off all of these classes if I really wanted to. But then you always have to keep the option for graduate school open so I can't really play that game. Also, it's just not me. I have to have some pride. So then two, I can join the madness and drive myself crazy, let alone feel really bad about myself if I don't make it into the "elite" study group . . . I prefer option three, just avoid it all together. Not avoiding studying and preparing myself to the reasonable extent possible, but just not getting sucked into the insanity and student peer pressure of it all. After a student-organized session where a teacher was dragged into a room (out of pure force) and grilled for a half hour, when the after commotion broke out I escaped to the 7th floor to watch the sunset and do cartwheels. Sometimes I wonder, "Am I missing something? Is this really that big of a deal? Am I being too carefree?" I don't really know but either way I'm happy with where I'm at. Moderation in all things, right? Which means that I should probably stop procrastinating by writing this blog post and get laundry and studying done for tomorrow. (But I have no idea what my Islam teacher wants for his test and his study guide and lecture notes are all over the place let alone the fact that I can't even understand him when he talks because of his crazy accent .... AAAAAHHHHHH!) Or there's the other, more simple solution to this whole stress dilemma:
I'll write more when this week is over. Updates with Luxor, Sinai, Jordan and many others. Even including the weekend when my family and friends were visiting! Thanks for your patience . . .

Cairo

In Egypt we made our way to Old Cairo where we went to the largest open-air market in Egypt called Khan al-Khalili Bazaar. If you remember the Disney movie "Aladdin" this gives a whole new meaning to walking through a market. "Fresh fish!!" "Pretty necklacke for a pretty lady!" These shop owners just attack you and the competition is fierce. If you even glance at something you have 5 men surrounding you shouting prices and offering other trinkets to buy. This is where avoiding eye contact and living in a bubble world came in handy. If you're a good bargainer you can get away with some steals. This video doesn't do it justice but it gives you an idea. Khan al-Khalili was basically a medieval shopping mall under Saladin and today offers tourtists and wealthy residents: jewelry, leather goods, brass and copper items, cloth, clothing, frankincense, myrrh and varieties of spices from East Asia.
Cairo is a very poverty stricken city and the the only nice structures or buildings are those dedicated to tourism, which comprises 90% of the Egyptian economy. There is a building code that states that one can begin to build on any spot of land but as soon as the building is completed, taxes need to be paid on it. So there are unfinished buildings riddled throughout the city and countryside.

Also in Old Cairo we visited some coptic churches in the old Christian quarter. Including one built over a cave where the holy family supposedly stayed during their flight to Egypt for a period of three years. We also visted the oldest Jewish synagogue, Ben-Ezra synagogue, in Cairo. We saw the Cairo Citadel aka Mosque of Muhammad Ali, where we were required to take off our shoes as we entered in. Our tour guide was an Egyptian muslim so it was interesting to see his point of view on things. In the Islamic religion there are five essential pillars of practice one of which being daily prayer. Five times a day muslims gather to pray, kneeling toward Mecca. We also visited the Egyptian Museum where artifacts from King Tut's tomb were located as well as a royal mummy room where the likes of Ramses II lay. We also took a stop at the Hard Rock Cafe in Cairo to enjoy a burger and fries. Sad to enjoy one without lettuce and tomato (the fresh vegetable rule... sigh). ;)

Safari!

I got to ride a camel! Just had to share. While we were in Luxor (anciently the city of Thebes) we were able to stay at the beautiful (and bright orange I might add) Sheraton hotel which sits right on the Nile. Gorgeous. We took a falucca ride to the other side of the Nile and a small camel safari. My camel was named Cassanova and when I asked my camel driver how old he was I was told that he was seven years old. He then added that he'd be 25 years old by the time I left Egypt. To which he added, "I'm serious." Gulp. Good thing the security guys were close. ;)
We rode by sugar cane fields and into a small village. There were a ton of small children who would come out to watch us pass by. Camels are actually really soft (who woulda thought) and I loved their feet! They are like little sponges and I couldn't stop watching them. Anyway, kinda fun. Just a few shots of the Falucca ride and the camels.

EGYPT

So I can hardly believe that I've been here for over a month. Time goes way too fast and as could be expected, I'm not doing a very good job of keeping up with everything. But after a week of catching up with classes and relaxing, I can now talk about EGYPT. Yes, Camille has now officially been on the African continent and in Egypt of all places. There are no words... So I had forgotten what it was like to be in a third world country again, but I was defnitely reminded within just a few hours of being there. As soon as we crossed the border at the Taba Border Crossing we were followed through the desert in our buses patrolled by trucks loaded with armed men; one of the guys on our bus had his weapon at all times. We were not allowed to make long eye contact with people or touch the water there (this included getting water in our faces while showering... I won't mention the two crazy students who jumped into the Nile) and fresh fruits and vegetables were out of the question. Basically if it wasn't cooked, and cooked well, we had to avoid it. We were responsible for providing our own toilet paper and cleaning materials in any restroom. Everyone got sick. I think it was because we breathed the air. You can imagine that by the end of the week, nothing was sacred anymore. We bonded with our sickliness. ;) But I digress.... I couldn't really complain though. If you were going to do Egypt, this was the way to do it. We were so spoiled and were able to stay in some beautiful hotels and our guides and instructors were very nice and accommodating.

The conditions set aside, Egypt was incredible. It wasn't too hot and we saw so much. We first headed for Cairo where I saw my first glimpses of the pyramids. THE PYRAMIDS! They came out of nowhere and I was shocked at how close they were to the city. I was expecting a huge long camel ride in sand or something in order to get to them yet there they were. We got up close and personal with the pyramids that evening at a sound and light show. They still felt like a nice backdrop until the following day when we actually went inside. And wonder of all wonders we got to go inside the oldest and largest of the great three pyramids at Giza, that of Khufu (in the Greek Cheops)! The great pyramid measures 756 feet on the side and stood 481 feet high. It has about 2,300,000 limestone blocks each weighing an average of 5,000 pounds! The pyramids were tombs built for the Egyptian pharaohs of the Old Kingdom. The pyramid of Khufu is the largest, next is the pyramid of his son, Khafre (in whose likeness the Sphinx was made), then his son, Menkaure. Father, son, grandson. We were able to go up the small shaft and into the king's chamber where his sarcophagus would have laid. Those who are chlostrophobic would have had a seriously difficult time. There is no ventilation in the pyramids, so you are breathing in the exhale of everyone else who has come before you. I'm not sure exactly how many millions of gallons of water are circulated through the pyramids each year in this way which restricts tourism for them. While we were climbing up the narrow shaft I heard singing to what I thought was "Come, Come Ye Saints." I thought I was going crazy until I made it into the chamber where I found all the students gathered together and singing. The pyramids were standing 800 years before Abraham even came into Egypt. It's pretty amazing to be in these places and get an idea of what our forebearers have seen and experienced. Egypt had a big role to play in Old Testament history and it is so neat to follow it around and see it first hand.