"I'm BAAAaaaack..."

So, I just got out of yet ANOTHER Arabic test...
The AFS exam was today... Talk about heartattacccckkk...
Tomorrow is an even bigger heart attack. Oh yes.

The (dun dun dun) State Dept. Arabic Exam.
Yikes.

Okay, anyhow.

The soup, is called Mukhayya... or osmething.
There's nothing PEA-like in it, grandmom. Hahaha...
It's GREEN snot.
Like... (dorky:) the scene in the first Harry Potter movie, when Ron's wand goes up the nose of that troll...
Yea, the nastiness that came out... That's basically the soup.
I asked what it was made out of, "Leaves."
Hmmm.. Mulkhayya leaves.
Everyone says there's no English translation they;re aware of.
Scary, my friends.
---

Okay, my favvvorite teacher is talking to me, so I'll update later.

Thanks for the comments!!!

-Shhhteph.

Finally. An update. :-)

YESSS!!! INTERNETTT!!!! :-D

I hope everyone's doing great at home!!!

Sorry about not updating this for a WHILE, I've been extreeeemelu busy.

Arabic mid terms, ugh.

I have more tomorrow morning, and night and the dy after. Stinks.

Anyway, this has to be short because I need to study and my family is going to the mall, meeting friends, ect etc, Egyptians are always busy.

Appearantly my evaluation was great, eight points out of eight points.
I have more evaluation tomorrowq, so fear not, I still have a chance to MESS it up. lol Hate that.Anyway..

The other night... my politeness forced me to eat this soup...
Green, and slimy.
Mucus-like. I gagged only once, but I covered it up with a laugh, no one knew the difference (al-hamdulilah).

OKay, IU sgiyuld go. MOm's lurking.

Whoa

So, it's been a while since I've been online...


Marina was beautifullll!!! The water was so clear and bright blue.\
Absolutely amazing....
We went swimming, hung out with some friends... etc.


I swear... Egypt gets better everyday I'm here.

At first... Egypt was kindof iffy, honestly...
But everyday since... Two weeks ago...ish. It's been amazing.
Everything changes when you have made good friends.
It's kindof upsetting that I probably won't see most of them again after I come home.

Random Amsterdam jumping picture:
http://photos-c.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v81/180/16/1547700128/n1547700128_32230_2265.jpg

Another:
http://photos-a.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v82/0/120/1189470774/n1189470774_30201920_8905.jpg

I'm soooo tired at the US Ambassador's house party:
http://photos-c.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sctm/v99/91/75/755040701/n755040701_801938_3244.jpg

"Max, help me. I need food" "...Okay... Let's go.":
http://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sctm/v99/91/75/755040701/n755040701_801959_2435.jpg

"That's not food... Where's the Ambassador?"
http://photos-c.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v107/91/75/755040701/n755040701_796646_752.jpg

"Food...?"
http://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v107/91/75/755040701/n755040701_796671_6910.jpg

Fagnoon:

PLEASE NO MORE MUD!!!"
http://photos-b.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sctm/v104/91/75/755040701/n755040701_796109_2002.jpg

"Whoa nelly..."
http://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sctm/v104/91/75/755040701/n755040701_795875_7948.jpg

That's all for now folks....

-Steph

P.S. I had two mid terms today... 88 on ECA *sigh*
No clue how I did for MSA... But the teacher took me aside to tell me I was his best student, and to meet another one of his students... cause MSA is too slow for me or something... So that's good! (*cringe*: ECA)

Oh, and Heba (teacher other), said my evaluation was fantastic! Go me!

Thank you mom and dad for the snak food!!!
I was SOOOOOO happy to see that three food long junk food filled box on the floor!!! Deeelicious! Thank you SO much!

Marina

So, I'm going on vacation tonight.
My family's going to a place called Marina in the north.
My host dad tells me it has the most beautiful waters in the world.
Cool, no?
Anyhow... I'll be back on Saturday-ish. (You know, Egyptians and time.... ugh)

---Tuesday we're going toa party on a boat... On the Nile... and we have to wear... something I'm not sure how to spell... Something that starts with a G, and ends in an A.
Looks like a dress, but isn't really.

-Steph

The Mango Adventure

So, Ethan, Alex, and I just madea video documentary of how to eat an Egyptian mango...

It's very interesting. When I get back home, you people are all watching it... It's educational.
It's surprising how difficult it really is... eating a mango in Egypt.

"We should have a cooking show." -Steph
"Yea... how NOT to cook." -Ethan
"....and mangos." -Alex

We're awesome, that's that.
----

Classes today were especially easy.
I shouldn't have been really (seeing as I didn't have time to study last night)... but it was.


"I love how this computer has to catch up with my typing."
"Really? Cause I would hate that."
"....I know, I hate it too."
"...Then... why did you say you loved it?"
"...sarcasm."
---

Here at school... You can either burn as many calories as you eat, by dodging cars and running through streets to KFC, or Pizza Hut... Or...! You can walk upstairs to eat some BORIOS! Kindof like.. Oreos... Only Borios.

Today the cafeteria guy featured in "How to Eat a Mango," asked me my name in Arabic, and IO totally responded in Arabic...
OKay, it's not impressive, but it's a start.
For the record, his name is Ahmed... His name, and just about every other egyptian male in the world.
Ahmed, Mohammed, Mustafa, and Khaled. They're popular names, I guess.


I'm here at school until 6PM, because we're all taking a bus to a party at the Counselor of the USA for Press and Culture.

Okay, I should write e-mail and postcards because people are hanging over me like impending doom.

-Not starving so much (Borios!!!) Steph

Day ? Tuesday...

On break from ECA again.

I'm not exactly sure what's happening tonight, but...

There's a grand possibility that I'm going to Khan Il Khalili.
The father said he'd take me, but I think we might go as a group now...
So I dunno.

Alright... I should go back to class.

-Steph

School again, school again.
It's only few hours but I'm stuck here for another hour before maaaaa come to pick us up.

I'm drinking something called Mirinda... It's apple flavored bubbley stuff... Kindof like a liquified jolly rancher.

Anyway, I learned how to count today.
Kindof... Really I learned how to ount within the first three days of semi-starvation...
Buying food is a good way to learn how to count... wahid, it nein, taleta, arba. Good good.
I think I may have bought oo much food though, since I learned how to count, becauseI feel kindof fat now.

But ya know, I found my underwear ths morning. The cleaning lady took them, appearantly.




What else can I say...
This reading and writing class is really boring, if you already know how to read and write.
I end up like... helping the people sitting next to me the whole time.
But it's good practice.

The other class, ECA is cool.
What elsssee....

Appearantly I forgot to mention that I went to the pyramids, and in the pyramids, and to the sphinx.
Well, there you have it. I did.
The first pyramid we went into... I ran into the person in front of my, with my head...
And the person behind me, ran into my rear with his head... Domino effect.
It ended up being free or something.
We all gave money, and then they gave ita all back.
...I love money.
I always feel like I'm running out.



The other day we had a welcome party, and Carl's family bought us all fiddles.
Egyptian... fiddles.
Hahaha... They're cool. Meg? Brighton? :-p

And I found out that one or two of my relatives here sings opera, Katie? lol

-Steph

Day !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!? Pt. 2

Hahahahaha...
I love these comments, I really, really do.

"I love that guy."
That guy... Now listen here, ya fools!! :-p
He's a volunteer, on the bus ride near the pyramids...
He said, "PLease tell me if any of you have a faint feeling! This is serious because you may have been stuck by the sun!"

We all laughed, had a good time...

And speaking of... interesting statments...
I was over Lucy's house today, when her brother, Mina (Meena?) came over to me...

"She's a killer... She kill thr peace pidgeon and drink it's blood..."
Me: ".....Mina, what are you talking about? What the heck? A Peace pidgeon???"
Mina: "YEs, you know, the peace pidgeon, the bird. From Noah."
Me: ".......Wh-...Mina... DOVE. It's the DOVE."
Mina: "Yes, this is a bird. Like Oh. Peave dove. They're the same. Peace pidgeon, peace dove, peace chiken. I am the peace eagle!"

*sigh* Yea, and he tells me that these pidgeons are purple...

A purple peace pidgeon.
---

I have to tell you people... I was so sick last night. Ugh.
I don't know what came over me... thank god it was short because I was in SO much pain!!! -and I felt like I was about to throw up or something, it was terrible.
Oh well... Things happen.
I just went to bed, everything was okay when I woke up.

---

*sigh* It's starting to get hot in here.

Here's something that's quite troubling...
My host mother did the laundry the other day...
Hung everything out to dry, and then gave it to me.
She gave me everything that she washed... except my socks, and my underwear...
I've been looking around the house for them... but no luck.
I'm going to have to ask her soon.
*deeper sigh* What kind of person doesn't return underwear?
That's just wrong. Where coiuld they possibly be? Seriously.
*shudder* I haven't looked in the fridge yet.,... 0_0

Hahaha, it's been a lot of fun... and.. not so much fun.
But... yea, mostly fun.

-Steph

Day !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!?

Alright... So, I'm at school right now.

TOTALLY fried.
So, so tired.


Yesterday morning I went to the pyramids, went in, saw the sphinx, etc, etc.
Then we went to Fagnoon art center.
My sister threw a balloon filled with paint at me.
Yes, comfortable. Believe me. =_=
So, we had a color war.
And then had a mud fight.
...In front of step pyramids.
Fun, fun times.

I was talking to Katie, Sara, and Rachel on the phone yesterday...
Sitting on a bridge between some goats, the pyramids, and a giant group of belly dancing fools, over a large stream...
When I saw the bushes move, and a GIANT RAT came out.
Gosh, it was the size of Mille, my cat back at home.
Ridiculous.


Oh, oh! I rode a camel, it was frightening...

And at Fagnoon...

Yes, I rode a donkey.
It was so cute. -but I rode a donkey.
Life is pretty much complete.


By the end of the day... Man did I reek.
I mean, I SMELLED.
Yes, yes yes.
IMagine, camel, goat, sweat, paint, mud, goat crap...
MMmmmMmmmmGood.

Then I changed my clothes (ewwww), and went to a party... Hahaha...
Yea.
My brother's birthday party.
Where I met a guy who told me he didn't like Americans...
And then I told him I was American...
And he apologized, and pretended to shoot himself in the head.
He was nice though, after a bit.


Other than that..

Family life is good.
I've been able to find more food now.
I stole some frozen bread for breakfast this morning, it was SO good.



...What else.... mmmm...

Gotta go to classes!
("ismi, ismak, ismik, ismoh, ismaha, ismina, ismuku, ismahum...")


-Steph

P.S.
When visiting the pyramids, drink tons of water, even if you're not thirsty! If you feel faint tell someone because you may have been "stuck by the sun." .....Hahahahaha. Love that guy.


I MISS AMERICA. .Love Egypt though, really.

Day 2

Story of the Day:

So, all this morning we had orientation.
One of the things they told us was pretty much common sense. To me anyway.
The basic thing is... If someone talks to you while you're on your way somewhere, and you DO NOT know them...
Ignore them.
It's simple.
So, after this lonnnnggg streched out session on HOW to ignore people (I was practicing in class)...
My roommate and I started out for the internet cafe. Here.
Well, needless to say, I totally forgot how to get here... But I figured.. Eh, why not at least try.
(Obviously I made it, don't worry.)
So, we started out... I saw a stairwell and thought... Maybe it was here, we walked up and some guys were speaking English at us, so... Well, we ignored them!
Not good.
Finally we realized they were truely just trying to give us directions because they had seen us go to the internet cafe before... *sigh*
Here, my friend, Tessa and I were in a slight panic about being yacked at...
Oh well... Oh well...
---

Other than that!
I woek up this morning around 7AM.
It was so smoggy out that we couldn't really see the pyramids, but right before I left the room to head out for here, I could see them quite clearly.
There's something about seeing something great... It always makes my day.
-

Also, I had to go buy water today.
Crossing the street is NUTS!
Ken was right when he compared it to playing Frogger.
I swear those cards SPEED up when they see you trying to cross.
We asked about it at orientation... They told us that Egyptians are just joking.
The general reaction in the room was, "....JOKING!?"
"Oh yes, they may speed up at you, because you're a foreigner... But they won't try to actually hit you."
I can't imagine when I have to deal with more than two lanes, and just PRAY I don't run into that fourteen lane highway Ken told me about in Heliopolis...



I also found out this morning (AKA: I looked at the map.) that our school is on the other side of the nile...
I could be wrong about this, but... I don't know, do I have to catch a ferry to the other side every day? Hahaha...


---
My schedule so far is iffy.
I know that my host family will be pick me up at 5:30-6:30ish.
I know that on Saturday we'll go to the pyramids, and inside if we want (duh).
And... then we have tons of school.
--School starts tomorrow. The fourth of July.
Which is interesting because they have the twenty-third of July here, which we'll all have to do a presentation for.
Comparing and contasting the fourth and twenty-third.

That' s all I really have for today, I think.

--I hope someone is drinking water/tea/coffee for me back home.
All I have is water, and it has a slightly... different flavor to it.
It's kind of thick actually.
Has anyone ever experienced thick water before????

Right, I coulf definitely go for some tea right now... You'd think that there would be some hanging around. Hahaha...

Right, so... a bunch of these kids just can't WAIT to go home.
I don't get it, myself.
I love it here.
It is the PERFECT temperature.
I mean, PERFECT.
Not hot, not cold.
Honestly, in this room it's a bit chilly.
Egyptians so far AC you to death.
Outside it's wonderful.
Nice and sunny.
The breeze is always warm.
I just love it, that's it.

I do miss everyone at home though.
I miss Mugs a lot. I mean... The food is getting worse here.
The beans... Fuul.
Good lord.
NO MORE PLEASE! Seriously now.
How can you people do this to me? They're SO GROSS! *gag*

:-p The potatos are good or... whatever they really are (if anyone knows, don't tell me.)

-Steph

P.S. PLEASE SEND BLUBERRY BAGELS WITH CREAM CHEESE.

:-D

Day 1

Alright...
This is EIGHT hours of sleep in THREE days.

Eh emm...

I've been having a WONDERFUL time here in... Egypt.

Yesterday/This morning I was in Amsterdam.
That was absolutely amazing.
We basically used the buddy system and wandered off on our own.
They had some crazy music festival while we were there too, which was cool.
Cait and I accidently ended up in a very interesting area...
I deffinitely had a woman shake her botty in my face, and... there was some serious exposure.
---Oh, and... That city is really beautiful.
I mean, the buildings and statues, just everything...
We saw so much there... I wishI had brought my journal here withy me in the cafe.
I had a huge list of things we saw...
I'll have to add it later on.
I only have so much time in here anyway.
---

Other than AMSTERDAM...
This is my first day in Cairo.
Our hotel room is interesting.
--The veiw is fantastic. We opened up the curtains and I think every jaw was on the floor.
We're right on the nile and you can see the pyramids clearly in the distance.
Just amazing.



Tomorrow our host families pick us up. YES! :-)
I'm so tired right now.
I have the worst headache, but... the food's good!
I have no idea what it is most of the time... but it's good.

I accidently used tap water while brushing my teeth.
Pray for me, or something.

No one has bottled water, so I'm getting a little thirsty after dinner here.
I've been chewing gum for salivation purposes, so that... at least I don't feel so thirsty.



The city is so crazy.
These women walk around like look just like everyone else, and then out of no where someone will be wearing full blown cover, and only their eyes willl show.
They, I must say, are incredibly scary.
Or in the words of Sharif, "I mean, you don't know what's down there."
Hahahaha...
---
Speaking of people....
I've made some good friends here. Some American, some Egyptian.
They're all great. --and Egyptians seem to be all full of energy, or maybe I feel that way because of my LACK of energy at the moment.

It's almost nine, and I should probably get to bed.
--Just wanted to update everyone on the current situation!!!!

Ah, and about pictures...
Maybe when I find a computer with a slot for the memory card.

I hope everyone is doing well back at home.
KNow that I'm havgin a WONDERFUL time here.
It's all new and exciting. :-)

-Stephhhh

P.S. Thank you so much for all the comments!!!
I need to hear from you all SOMEHOW! ;-)