Night 0 — Cairo?!
So far, my favorite thing about studying abroad at the American University in Cairo has been telling people where I’ll be for the semester. Every single person invariably reacts in one of two ways:
Scenario #1 (occurs most often with fellow Haverford students, and the occasional relative):
Other Person: “So where are you studying abroad?”
Me: “Cairo.”
Other Person: “Cairo! Are you serious? That’s so awesome! Oh my god, you’re going to Cairo! Make sure you get to the pyramids, and I’ve heard Luxor is incredible, and you’re got to get to Mt. Sinai … you’re going to have such a great time. I’m SO jealous*”
*Note: The person professing their jealousy often chose to study abroad in a vanilla locale such as London or Sydney, or nowhere at all.
usually, though, it will look a little more like this…
Scenario #2 (occurs with many family members and friends, including Haverford President Steve Emerson):
Other Person: “So where are you studying abroad?”
Me: “Cairo.”
Other Person: *2-3 second pause while their eyes scan my face for signs of mental derangement*“Cairo?”
(I never know why they put the city name in the form of a question. Perhaps they think I forogt to complete my sentence and actually meant that I’ll be studying in Cairo, Illinois.)
Me: “Yes, I’ll be studying abroad at the American University in Cairo for the semester.”
Other Person: *Another 2-3 second pause. This time, their eyes scan my face for ticks or other visual indicators of insanity. After determining that I’m really not kidding and unable to confirm that I’m crazy, the conversation proceeds* “Huh. I see. Well, stay safe then.*”
Me: At this point, I attempt to comfort the concerned individual by informing them that petty or violent crime is much lower in Cairo than in virtually every major American city. Therefore, the only threat I face is a terrorist attack, which are actually quite rare. This almost always fails to reassure them.
*Alternative #1: Since Israel began it’s air and ground campaign againist Gaza one month ago, the conversation often takes a different turn at this point. It will look more like this…
Other Person: “Isn’t it dangerous in Cairo right now?”
Me: At this point, I’ll usually note that the violence is occuring hundreds of miles away in southern Israel, Gaza and the northern Sinai pennisula, and therefore shouldn’t affect me, especially since I’ve cancelled my spring break trip to Gaza City. I’ll continue by pointing out that Israel and Egypt have been at peace for 30 years, and therefore, Egypt will not be a target for Israeli attack. Thus, the only thing I need to be cautious for are rallies in downtown Cairo, and I do plan to abide by the first rule of study abroad and avoid such demonstrations of political unrest, no matter how interesting they might be. Again, this almost always fails to reassure the concerned individual.
As crazy as it sounds, I find such conversations immensly enjoyable — albeit predictable — and will greatly miss having them.
Tags: Cairo, reactions, study abroad
January 22nd, 2009 at 9:28 pm
I enjoy reading about the enthusiasm with which you approach studying in Cairo and look forward to your next posting.
January 24th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
I studied abroad at AUC last year and literally had the time of my life. It may be a noisy, busy, crowded, dirty city, but immensely beautiful at the same time. The call to prayer is haunting, the coffee shops feel like the doorway to another era, and the general goodwill among the people is so foreign from what you generally experience in the states. My recommendation? Take a jeep trip to the black and white desert; it looks like Mars. Have an amazing time, and don’t let the chaos of the city prevent you from meeting people and continuing to explore. I wish I was there!
February 26th, 2009 at 8:08 am
I am the voice of the “Other Person” : “Cairo! Are you serious? That’s so awesome! Oh my god, you’re going to Cairo! Make sure you get to the pyramids, and I’ve heard Luxor is incredible, and you’re got to get to Mt. Sinai … you’re going to have such a great time. I’m SO jealous*”
Cairo and those hot sands call to everyone who has a speck of intelligence in their head!
March 22nd, 2009 at 10:10 pm
Count me in for Scenario #1