Culture Shock

Every time I travel, I cant get over "how different everything is" and then I rebound ten minutes later and go for something like "wow but even after that, we're all the saaame" (And you're all nodding your heads right now, yes Kjrstin, you do that...)

Well here I am in Egypt, and everything is SO different, but we're all the same.... (YUP!)

We've experienced a lot of culture shock this past week, even on campus. (Maybe mostly on campus)

I love it, you know this about me. I love being outside of my comfort zone, I LIKE culture shock. I love walking down the street and seeing people in western cloths, girls in hijabs and women in burkas. I love how the whole neighborhood crowds around the smallest TV out on the street with an extension cord coming down from the roof to scream obscenities at the algerian football team. And I love the kids, cuuuuuuuute kids man. A few nights ago as a group of us was trekking through the desert we noticed a group of 8-10 year old boys waving at us. Now normally, you do not waaave at an egyptian male. No no nooo. But they're kids, we thought we'd make their day, and we did =)

Which brings me to my hardest task while in Egypt. Ok. Eye contact is BAD. (Whaaaatttt??) Women who make eye contact are being forward and muuust be interested in the Egyptian man that has caught their attention. Ugh. So growing up in North Dakota where its normal to wave out the window of your car to strangers, being taught that its is rude to avoid eye contact... well it's hard for me. I have a staring problem too, I literally will STARE at people just out of curiosity, Im a big people watcher. So this has been very difficult for me. A few nights ago I accidentally even smiiiiled out the window of our taxi and the car began to follow us!! They eventually left us alone and we didnt feel unsafe or anything, but it was crazy.

Another thing we have to get used to are the very strict rules of the muslim community. On campus, violations warrant a certain number of points, we start with seven, and when you run out you're kicked out. I dont think any of the rules really bother me, but it is hard to get used to. We have a dress code, shoulders and knees covered at all times, no cleavage, and then obviously no midriffs and stuff. That rule would be fine if it wasnt literally 3000 degrees out everyday. But that's fine, there are muslim girls in our suites and classes and Im happy to respect their standard of decency. Another weird weird thing is the checkpoints and the guards! I feel like we live on some kind of military base... we go through a big guarded gate to get onto campus. We swipe our card and our picture comes up and they search our bags and smell our water bottles and we walk through a metal detector. Just to get onto campus (which actually makes me feel super safe obviously, so its all good). And we have checkpoints in front of each sex's dorms to make sure no one smuggles a boyfriend in or anything, which is 7 points and would result in immediate action, off campus, bags packed in 30 minutes. Soo weird. Also no alcohol or drugs on campus, no big deal.

The weirdest thing that none of us can wrap our heads around is a rule against PDA. There is absolutely no hand holding, cuddling or kissing on campus. Espeeecially if one of you is egyptian, the guards will fliiiiip!! Its absolutely no problem for me personally but I just feel so bad for anyone who might meet someone here, especially those students who will be here for ayear or longer. Sheesh.

Anyway. I better see the pyramids soon, hahahaha. I think we're going this weekend.

Heres a cool panaramic picture off of the balcony next to my room, this is the outside of the dorms =)

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