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This will be a scattered, random and unorganized blog entry.
Lot's of things I need/ want to say but have nothing to do with one another. Here we go!

Egyptology 101: 
I am currently enrolled in a wonderful Egyptology class- Neolithic cultures through Middle Kingdom (Basically homo-erectus through Pharaoh). The class is awesome, every morsel is deliciously interesting. The ancient Egyptians were ingeniously advanced, their transition from separate cultural groups to a unified state was natural and smooth, they understood astronomical relationships to their river, they built monuments that have survived thousands of years... I mean... well they were light years ahead of the world.
Anyway, the moral of the story is now... well now they might be a little behind. A few nights ago some friends and I were out dancing at a very "trendy" club where the DJ played Akon... and then Backstreet boys. At Pub 28 we heard the Spice Girls. On campus I saw a guy wearing an "I'm with stupid" shirt. Hello 90s.

And Allah forbiiiiid any modern Egyptian might want to do something in an efficient manner. 

Can I get a coke? -Oh sure maybe in like an hour after my cigarette break. 

Dr. Fahmy, could you make a study guide or a review session? -Ahh, insha'allah maybe I'll think about it this weekend. 

Why don't the streets make direct turns instead of making everyone make a U-turn everywhere? Why don't we make a straight path from the entrance to the dorms? Could you e-mail me back maybe? My school back? No? Ok... Do you think we could form a line here at this Mcdonalds? No? Ok.... 

And could you walk faster?? I'm trying to get to class and you're walking like a snail in the very middle of the staircase. Stop. Ohhh helloooo habibi, kiss kiss, lets talk for an hour and block the walkway. It's awesome.

Ah. It felt good to get that out. Moving on.

Sound it out- kuh oh kah ko l ah =D

Arabic!

Arabic is very difficult. But I love it. Because it is beautiful. I have (pretty much) memorized the alphabet, and am now able to recognize words!! Which is reeeeaaaaaalllllly exciting. Usually when I get it I scream it excitedly, and its something like "AQUAFINA! YES!!!" or "AHHH!!! Allah akbar!! Wooh!!!"

This one says "Kjrstin loves Alyssa"
and it is a doodle on my notes

Quirks!!

My group of friends has adopted a beautifully simple slogan that encumpases a world of answers. "T.I.A." 

This. Is. Africa! Why doesnt this elevator have a door?... TIA. Where is the toilet paper?... TIA. Is that a goat? Ah there's no power in my room! What is that smell? Is there a drinking age? Why are you grocery shopping in the middle of the night? Does anyone ever get in trouble for traffic violations? Are there such THING as traffic violations? Why is the bus an hour late? Are there police men here? Did that guard just whistle at you?......... TIA

- It's from the movie Blood Diamond, which is a brilliant movie... and nothing like the part of Africa I am currently in (humdidAllah). Sometimes we say TINA to be more clear, this is NORTH Africa.

So I'll be standing on a roof like this, 
23 floorsup, surrounded by broken 
glass, stacks of bricks, a ridiculous
 amount of satellite dishes, stepping
on cans of food...

... and looking at a view like THIS.
And it never ceases to amaze me. This place is beautiful.
In it's own, very unique way, Cairo is absolutely gorgeous.

 Ancient Egyptians worshiped cats! They were beautiful, they inspired art and fashion, they were glorified! Here I'm going to tell you... Egypt is physically covered in cats. No, but you don't understand. No, they're everywhere. I mean literally everywhere. I've seen more cats here than all the cats I've seen in my life. Some are cute, some cry all night and keep me from sleeping, some quite possible have rabies and all quite assuredly have mange. So when you tell me about your new cat, forgive me for not being that excited. I'm sure he's cute!! We did see a litter of new born kittens today though, soo cute!! =D But literally they're allllll over, its crazy!

Also, lets talk about smoking. If I die from second hand smoke, you can blame Egypt. EVERYONE here smokes. Every single Egyptian I know. It's kind of tragic really. I do really like the boxes though. Others have pictures of nasty teeth, or a limp cigarette, or they say things like "your doctor or therapist can help you quit today!" Big huge LOL.

Khan el Khalili X2

Today my friends and I ventured back to the bazar, Khan el Kalili. We had an awesome day! We saw a lot, bought some things, got great pictures, a successful day! But today the reality of Cairo's poverty hit me a little harder than usual. We are usually approached by a few begging children when we go out. It's pretty common and we usually just give them a few pounds and they're on their way. Sometimes they just wave or come up and hug us, sometimes their parents have taught them in english "I need money to eat" or "I need money to live." It breaks my heart, I wish I could take them all home with me. Today it was a little heavier to me somehow. Today I saw a braaand new born baby, probably less than 7lbs, and her mother was walking the very busy streets holding her and asking for money from the tourists. Honestly, the baby looked drugged, and apparently that is not uncommon. When I was in Rome, we were warned that gypsy women will drug their babies before going out to beg so it looks unhealthy, or even worse they will hand the baby over to you and run away. And then what could you possibly do? 

I can't get wrap my mind around a lot of the things I see. I can't comprehend how a mother could be so desperate to use her child like that. And now that child will never know anything else. =/

This picture is of Sophie and a little girl who was trying to sell us keychains. We said no thank you and paid her anyway, and she gave us each about one hundred kisses. Why can't I adopt her? She was so sweet. Gwen and I also noticed one of the little boys who sells bracelets was crying so we bought two from him. He'd probably just been scolded or threatened by whoever runs the show =/

I hate that there's nothing I can do, and they're beautiful sweet children.

Reading back over this post I'm feeling kind of hesitant to post it, but I feel like they're all things I've been needing to make a note of. I can't just come on here and talk about how happy and rosy and sunshiney everything is. I CAN however, end with this:
Cairo is beautiful, and my life is BEAUTIFUL. I am so so greatful for all the blessings I receive every day and all the amazing things I get to see and do and experience and feel.