A Short One

So this is going to be a short one, since all of a sudden I am extremely busy and I don't know how that happened. cause before I didn't know what to do with myself. I guess having class from 9 AM til 5:30 pm (with breaks of course, but I can't come back to the apartment) helps pass the time. ;)
All right. So a lot of things have changed. A) I have become much happier here since realizing that I can have a good time without being able to completely be myself or do the things I did in America. B) I have started to worry a lot less. Both very good things.
Let's see. I went to church yesterday, which was actually really cool. I ended up leaving the service a little early because it was nearly two and a half hours long and I had other places to be. But it was really cool. I took the risk of going to the service in Arabic, and I understood a surprising amount, even though the format of the service is quite different than it is in America. The words are sort of similar, but much more about giving yourself up to God, and less about repenting. Also, the people get really into, like clapping and singing real loud (oh no, there goes my English), and the kids were playing this fake little guitar. It was pretty cool. And I guess there's going to be a big service with all the clergy from England, and like, the Archbishop of Canterbury, there, next Sunday. And I think I'm going to go. I sat next to this British woman who has lived here for a really long time and she translated a bit for me.
Then let's see. Yesterday I also walked around this neighborhood that seems to be composed almost wholly of open air souks. It was really really cool. I want to go back with not just myself, and hopefully with some Egyptians, because the harassment was much more prominent than usual since souks are a place where you don't really ever see foreigners. I'll try and take pictures once I'm more comfortable with looking like a tourist.
And then today, I was eating lunch by myself near the library of Alexandria, which isn't a loner thing to do or anything, I just like to think sometimes. But then this Egyptian girl like, descended upon me and was like, Where are you from? What do you study? You speak Arabic?!?! We have to go around the city together after exams! And then she took my number with her, and I also met two of her friends. Hopefully she'll call me, if not I'll call her once exams finish for the university students. Pretty cool. I feel like stuff like that couldn't or maybe just doesn't, happen very often in America. Part of the reason for that is that it seems that like, mental/interpersonal problems are not very open or obvious here, and when they are found they are usually between men and women. This translates into a lot of really bad things, such as no mental health care system to speak of, and a lot of mistreatment of women by their husbands. But it also means that it is fairly safe to make friends with just about anybody you meet.
Okay. That's all for now. I'm traveling to an oasis this weekend. oh snaaaaaaap.
love,
me

Not Whiny - I promise

So. After listing a lot of what I hate about being here, I have decided to list some of what I like. Also, having just read up on culture shock, I'm going to try not to romanticize anything, cause apparently that's what people do before crashing into a huge well of depression for four months. whew.
First, I like having like, a pretty full life. It's a little bit like high school, no lie, in that I've got a family I need to phone and let know when I'll be home, and I see most of my friends/people i know when I'm at school, and outside too, but mostly at school, and I don't party at all, and also, I don't talk to boys (except for the ones in the program, and a couple egyptian guys I'm friendly with). whew. But it's cool, because, I've got the family side of things, and the friends side, soon I'll have church, and maybe dance too. And we're going to an orphanage on Friday, which I'm like, wicked excited about. It's pretty much exactly what I would want to do on any given Friday. Like DREAM Friday. But Egyptian style.
Also, Alexandria is a pretty cool mix of country mindset with city stuff. Like there's markets that are just open air, and people are generally really nice and willing to help. But there's so much stuff going on here: concerts, plays, lectures, just tons and tons of stuff.
And I can't really describe what the attitude is like here. It's sort of like stuff is enormously unplanned. At first that drove me crazy. But now I like the fact that I don't need to know exactly what I'm doing and when and where.
Also, the teachers are really cool.
This hasn't really captured what Egypt is like. Like at all. Really. Um, let's see. I don't know if I can describe it. I'll post some pics soon.
love e.

Blog Number 2: Lots of Things

So. Here we go. Lots of things about my life in Egypt.
A) Most Egyptian people (especially girls) are ridiculously nice. Now it's just a matter of finding places to meet them, cause although you can just say hi to people in the street, like in America, it's just a little bit weird. Hopefully church?
b) I hate hate hate hate hate men on the street. Not all of them, but a lot of them. They do stuff like whistle and hiss and say, "welcome to egypt" in english. Today a guy went by me driving a vegetable cart and said "I love you I love you" both in English and arabic. ick.
Ok, so I'm about to vent about my troubles a little bit now. The man thing is just one small part of something that has bothered me a lot since coming here. I like, really really, stick out. A lot. It's twofold, because I'm white and blue eyed, and because my hair is short, so some people here can't tell if I'm a man or a woman. And people turn and stare at me ALL THE TIME. in the tram, in the grocery, on the street, on campus. EVERYWHERE. I hate it. But I was wandering around the mall a couple days ago after getting money from the atm, and I realized that all the mannequins in the mall look more or less like me. slicked back short blond hair, blue eyes, white skin. obviously, i'm not as skinny. nor am i made of plastic. but you know. that was kind of a cool realization, but a little weird at the same time, since it means that the west is clearly glorified a lot here. america in particular. there's stores here with all sorts of weird names, like Demi Moore and Marilyn Monroe, and Mickey Mouse is everywhere. somehow i don't think that turns into like, a revulsion of their own culture, but I'm not sure how.
But, that aside, in general, I'm pretty happy here. I'm new, so I know my life is going to change a lot in the coming months, but I think it'll be ok. I'd like to make some more egyptian friends, and more friends in general, i guess, I've got a couple, not super tight, and I'm not like, desperate for friends or anything. Also, I've stopped pressuring myself to go out and be social since getting here. And I'm actually finding it easier to talk to people because of that. Maybe the limited vocabulary cuts down on the potential for awkwardness a lot. oh weird emma stuff.
Also, I miss America terribly, but I'm still happy here. It's just soooooooo unbelievably different, it's like Egypt and America occupy different parts of my brain. And there's things I really like, but at the same time, I feel in my heart America's my home. But I felt the same way about Barre when I went to Midd, so maybe that will change. It's so weird to try and find a balance between being happy here and being happy to go home too. I shouldn't worry.
Other things. Let's see. I went to the pyramids like, four days ago. Pictures above. It was amazingly cool, but very touristy. i don't think it will be my favorite thing to do here. but one life goal down.
um yeah. so in general, i'm happy. i just feel like i don't really know that much about living here yet. but i want to go out and explore this weekend. in sha' Allah. in sha' Allah.
alright alright. bye my loves. drop me a line if you have time.
e.

First Entry

So this entry going to be a little boring and short. It's really just here so there is something here. I've got a lot of stuff to write about, mostly about adjusting to Egypt, of course, but that's been somewhat hard and I don't want to dwell on it too much right now. Maybe on a day when I'm not feeling sorry for myself. Basically, I'm fine, I'm learning a lot and I think I will learn even more as time goes on. And the country girl has survived two weeks in the big Egyptian city (ok, so I can't really claim the country girl naivete, but it's sorta legit). In Sha' Allah (God willing) things will continue this way. Right now I miss America, friends, family, everything, hardcore, but I'm still happy here. I sort of hope that the time will fly, but I also hope I stop feeling this way soon. Anyway.
Also, the title of this blog is "No problem" in Arabic. I picked it because that's pretty much the thing I say the most while I'm here. I can't say too much, so it's good to have such a polite phrase ready.
Bye. love to all.