'Abu Rabi'a, hereafter to be referred to as Abu Rabiyya since I'm lazy and slur the 'ain into a yaa, is a restaurant chain in Alexandria. You can get falafel, beans, shwarma (meat sandwiches), egg sandwiches, and awesome awesome sausage and bean sandwiches. They also have burgers, egg burgers, cheese burgers, and cheese egg burgers. None of these burgers resemble an American burger, it's the Egyptian style and worth trying. Also, try the sandwich named "The Abu Rabiyya", because it will change your life. It's not a sit-down restaurant, and it's a bit of a walk.
Why the info? Because pretty much every school day we send one or two volunteers with a list of food and a handful of money to the Abu Rabiyya by the campus to get us our lunch. The guys there recognize us and sometimes let us cut in "line", and generally give us the reciept if we ask for it (giving the reciept is not an Egyptian-restaurant thing to do). I recommend this for those that won't be staying in the dorms and thus won't be eating there either. Sometimes the staff messes up the order or gives someone a hard time, but in general it's a good system.
Also, it's kind of a family thing to do. Saba had a translation class yesterday, so I made the run for her. I had translation class today, so she made the run for me. You'll take turns and help out everybody in the program, and in turn will be helped out when you need it. It's nice. Also, non-students like Robyn and Karima participate, so don't forget to ask them if they want anything when you go get food.
If I could leave you any words of wisdom, just one thing that would help you the most while you are here in Egypt, this would not be it. But it's what I got right now.
So we actually make quite a few jokes about our name here in the Flagship program. We make a lot of references to ships and flags and such, and we have officially named our resident director the Captain of the Flagship.
We really have embarked on a journey of learning, and one out of the ordinary. How many Americans get to say that they spent a year in Alexandria studying Arabic? More importantly, however, how many Americans would want to? Clearly, we are unusual, trying to avoid monolingualism. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, many of our fellow Americans (except for first- and second-generation immigrants and people who like learning languages) just learn English and sail through three years of mediocre high-school Spanish only to forget everything they ever learned. But they don't need to learn anything other than English. It's anyone's guess whether the USA has reached the peak of its influence and the focus of the world will soon move to another locus such as China, but seriously, we have an easy barometer: which language are people learning worldwide? ENGLISH!!! Why? Because it is an easy language to learn, because people seem to love American things. So they learn English.
This leads me to think of two points. First of all, why should any American learn any language other than English (and learn it well)? Second, if an American were to learn a foreign language, why would they want to study Arabic?
Well in response to the first question, there really is no good answer. Everyone learns English so they can come to us, so why is there any need to meet them halfway? To cross a river you need only one bridge, not two. But I know why I learn foreign languages and why the U.S.G. is paying for us Flagship students to learn a foreign language well. It is not just that the gesture counts-- although the gesture does count, as I can attest because of the number of times people have expressed how amazed and touched they are that I am here in Alexandria to study Arabic. Learning foreign language teaches you to think about communication in different ways and opens up other worlds for you, and rich ones at that.
So why Arabic? The man who owns the stationary shop across the street from my apartment building in Rushdy told me that Arabic is not useful to an American, for the reasons I just elucidated above. I laughed, but he was right, sort of, if only in a very general sort of way. I could have learned Chinese instead, and I am not denying that, had I studied Chinese, I probably would have loved it just as much as I love learning Arabic. But I see a big picture here.
There is something very strange about the way Egyptians approach the English language and the American culture. As a friend of mine said to me recently, they "wear the culture" (i.e. clothes and music) very well but do not necessarily understand it. And have no doubt that many Americans of non-Arab descent, and specifically foreign policymakers, are really lacking in education about Arab culture and all of the subcultures that constitute it, so there is a potential for making HUGE mistakes when dealing with the Arab world! I am not saying that I understand Egyptian culture in its entirety, by any stretch of the imagination. What I am saying is that I am trying to gain enough of a baseline comprehension of what Egyptian attitudes are toward everything that I can deal with them in the most respectful way possible. Plus, Arabic culture is a goldmine, especially for me, the self-proclaimed music aficionado. Each person has their reasons for learning Arabic, and it is important to be able to explain those reasons, so we can make learning and being functional in Arabic a worthwhile goal.
Hey everyone! Well, firstly welcome in Egypt!!! You'll probably hear this about 1000 times per day around here from people who might think theyre being funny or ironically think their oh so smart and nice for welcoming a Foreigner with 3 words of broken English... Some are really just tryin to be nice, and yet the majority and I do mean the majority are just playing and being annoying!!! Dont mind them!!! I SHOULD be taking my own Advice, however I do not... I take it personally EVERY SINGLE TIME... I was born in America, yet being of Syrian origin, and having spoken the language for a long time, makes me feel annoyed that they think im a foreigner, its just weird to me.. Anyway, I am a foreigner and its not a bad thing at all, but again its just weird to me, I've never experienced being a foreigner anywhere before. Also the Egyptian dialect SO DIFFERENT than the Shami Dialect; so different in fact that I sometimes get very pissed or embaressed when I say something wrong that I KNOW IS WRONG but I dont know the word in Masri. So, whats the point? Well, being a foreigner has its advantages... U'll see when you get here... Maybe not immediately but you will eventually... And ALWAYS BE OPEN MINDED AND FLEXIBLE...
Aso, you'll reach a time in the middle of the year and be like "Oh, this Language is too hard and too much work" Or maybe not those words exactly, it varies from person to another, but yeah you'll have a moment where you'll evaluate why you even came here in the first place. If not, PERFECT!!!If yes then dont worry, that's VERY normal. You'll prob hear this at Orientation(the W curve) but Im hoping that youll take it to heart when its from a fellow student whos experienced it first hand. But stay focused, and beleive me when I say "You are so strong for doing this" Think about it for a minute, coming over from your home country where you are so used to everything going one way and coming half way across the world to learn a whole other language and interact with a whole other culture... You should ALWAYS keep your head up high and be proud of what your doing here. I am. Also, remember people would do anything to even have half the opporunity that you got. Think about it!!!
Also, there's this mini train, its called a TRAM, that takes you to the many stations in Alex. Its 25 piastres which is 1/4 of a Gine (Literally Nothing!!!). So, we use it to hop from place to place, its pretty CONVINIENT. It not the cleanest of places, and you might not find a seat 95% of the time, but its ok, you'll get used to it...
Ok... so after the summer in the dorms youll get to choose between a) staying there b) being in a host family, or c) renting an apartment. Whatever you choose is gonna give you a TOTAL DIFFERENT EXPERIECE. Me, I am renting an apartment with two other girls, and personally being the first time renting any apartment, its taught me alot.
Last thing, get to know one another... Pretty soon, you'll be like brothers and sisters and help each other through the hard times.
Yalla, Good Luck ya Shabab! ;)
BTW, I am very Happy to be sharing this info with you, because frankly we WISH there was somebody to tell us practical detailed things like this, SO hope you'll benefit from it...
Although I am of Egyptian descent and have been exposed to Egyptian culture my whole life, I can’t count how many times I’ve found something to be absolutely ridiculous. Let me explain… It was late August when I was returning to Alexandria from my vacation in Dubai. Naturally, I flew Egypt Air because it is the cheapest and most efficient when your destination is, indeed, a city in Egypt. WRONG. Just as I drift into a light nap when I’m on the plane, the pilot makes an urgent announcement. He said the airport was CLOSED. Egypt Air has somehow failed to communicate with Alexandria airport and confirm that a flight would be arriving at 9:00AM. So, mid-flight the news is that we are no longer landing in Alexandria; we’re going to Cairo! I was a little disappointed…
The Egyptians on the flight were not very happy as well, so there was lots of yelling. Of course, there was a passenger who knew a guy, who knew a guy, who worked at the airport. He pulled some strings and got someone to open the airport just for our ONE flight. Passengers, again, were upset because they “informed family/friends/their rides” (in mid-air, yeah…okay) that they will no longer be landing in Alexandria, but in Cairo. The mood never quite shifted back to happy and loud, like Egyptians normally sustain. They were so anxious to get off the plane that they couldn’t wait until the pilot directed us to remove our seatbelts and begin exiting. Nobody listened. It was a bit hectic. So, what’s the solution? Hmm, well since nobody was cooperating, the pilot decided to turn off the engine (in the middle of the runway) and threatened to not move the plane until everyone was in their seats. I couldn’t help but laugh. Not only did we change our destination TWICE, but we were being treated like five year-olds because of our non-cooperative behavior.
Anyway, so what’s the moral of the story? Follow instructions on an aircraft. No, but seriously, don’t be surprised if anything’s “off”/unorganized/delayed, even if it may seem like the most miniscule thing. Don’t get upset or frustrated over it, because chances are, something even more ridiculous will most likely happen again. With all of that being said, living in Alexandria adds a bit of excitement and adventure to my life everyday and I find it quite amusing. For prospect students: Just remember, it will be okay. Sit back and relax, or as the Egyptians would say, “ma3lesh/معلش.”
Alright.So it’s my turn to blog.Unfortunately I was not blessed with the creativity of some of my colleagues, so I’m just going to tell you, dear reader, a little story that many are familiar with but that I think reveals some helpful information regarding life in our lovely city of Alexandria. So, here we go.
The other day, maybe a couple of weeks ago, we’re sitting in the ‘dar’—our conference/study/sleep/computer room on campus—and a female colleague mentions that she isn’t feeling well.Being the chivalrous lad that I am, I head out onto the streets of Alexandria in search of Excedrin.Now, we’ve been here for several months, so trips to the pharmacy are pretty normal by now; today, however, was not because, well, sometimes I’m stupid.
Here we go, getting some Excedrin.I’m on the street, check the wallet, of course, no money.Lesson One: carry cash.Very few places in the city will accept credit/debit cards, and even those that do are unreliable.“No worries,” I think, I’ll just use the ATM that is conveniently located at the door to the School of Business—I’ll be back at the dar with plenty of time to spare before my next class.
I walk the short distance to the gate only to find the ATM is out of order.Ok, I know for a fact that across the street, in front of the gorgeous library of Alexandria, there are a couple of ATM’s.So I head that way, dodging taxis and Germans with fanny-packs (God bless ‘em).Naturally one is out of order and the other will not recognize my card.Lesson Two:if you find an ATM that works, use it and remember its location.
I decide to walk to a bank that I know has a working ATM. After a short walk, I arrive and notice a gentleman in a suit smoking a cigarette who waits until after I’ve made a fool of myself trying to open a locked door to inform me that the bank is in fact “clues-ed.”I ask him in Arabic which I’m sure makes his English sound like the Queen’s Own when the bank will be opened again because I need to use the ATM.Thankfully he is a bank employee so he understands the term ATM (do you know how stupid you sound when you try to explain this particular banking innovation in a foreign language???) and informs me it will be some time(lesson 2.5: banks/post offices/anything that you might think should hold convenient hours often close in the middle of the day).Does he know where another ATM might be?Of course he does.And its not far either—only 5 blocks down, on the left.
Gather round kids, here comes Lesson Three: after receiving directions, confirm, confirm, confirm. Ask as many people as you want, that won’t be a problem.It seems that, aside from soccer, there is no Egyptian past time more favored than direction-giving.People love to help here.I’ve seen arguments over who has earned the right to be the direction-giver.It is extremely helpful…if they actually know what they’re talking about.I’m not sure where this desire comes from, but rather than saying they simply don’t know, some people will just guess… Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I myself am not entirely innocent of this crime.Anyway, 30 mins and I don’t know how many blocks later I am still without cash or medicine.
I end up walking to an area known as Sporting, and along the way I get a lot of stares.Now, as a foreigner, you’re going to stick out—whether it’s your clothes, the way you cross the street, whatever, you’re different.There are some in the program who are constantly confused with Egyptians.I am not one of them (Think Jim Gaffigan, more hair, just as pale). For the melanin-challenged out there, take heart, you’ll get used to it.
Finally I found an ATM, and I’m off to the nearest pharmacy.I walk in and ask the nice young lady for something for a headache “you know, Excedrin, acetaminophen, whatever.”Blank stare.Not unusual, people don’t expect a white (seriously, really white) guy to speak Arabic (or what somewhat resembles it), so I get this a lot.I repeat…so does she.Then she slowly lifts her hand and points to an older gentleman sitting behind the counter.I walk over and I’ve barely begun repeating my request when he reaches into a drawer, tosses me some pills and says “15 pounds.”Now this is way too much to pay, but I’ve had a long afternoon and, for whatever reason, this guy does not seem like he wants me in his store, much less like he’s in the mood to haggle.So I leave with a cheery goodbye and I’m on my way.
A few blocks down I can’t shake the feeling that something was weird about that encounter.He seemed to not understand my speech at all, but somehow knew what I wanted—things are rarely ever that easy here… So I check the medicine packet… I don’t recognize the generic name, no surprise there.Then I notice some fine print on the packaging, reading “do not use without advice of psychiatrist…” ok that’s weird for Advil ….”or Urologist”…what the… I should buy something else.
Lesson Four: if a situation feels weird, whether its getting into a particular taxi, a bill that doesn’t seem to add up, or someone asking for your number, it probably is.Go with your instincts, and you should be fine.That’s what I did. I followed my instincts to the internet and looked up this mystery drug that a grumpy pharmacist was sure I needed.
Lesson Five: apparently, Viagra is really easy to buy in Egypt.
Disclaimer: If you need the valuable information stat, skip my ramblings and jump to the second part of this blog.
Did you know that oranges are winter fruits? I always assumed they were summer fruits, but since seasons are generally irrelevant to the supermarkets I frequented in America, I never really paid attention to the fact that fruits are, in fact, seasonal.
Well, I'm certainly paying attention now. Right now, we are having a "cool" season in Alexandria. Oranges, dates and bananas are readily available. I haven't seen plums in ages and mangos are available but very expensive. Buying fruits in Egypt is almost anachronistic. I feel like I jumped back in time 50 years and now small mom and pop stores actually exist. On my street, there are bakers, butchers and fruit sellers in small open shops and you have to visit each one individually to get the items you need for the day. Sometimes, you might need to go to the stores everyday and certainly more frequently than once a week in order to get your groceries. I'm not sure where I was going with this, but I don't think anybody ever told me that Egypt could be like this. It's different, but I like it. At any rate, if you need to go to a supermarket, there is always Carrefour which has so many imported items you'll feel right at home when you need to.
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We just spoke to the University of Michigan Flagship students and we promised them to give them a list of things that we wish we brought/are glad we brought.
Hair Bands/Hair Accessories/Clips--It's difficult to find good accessories here and if they are imported they are quite expensive/5 dollars for 10 hairbands etc.
Ear Plugs--Bring several. Egyptians have different sleeping schedules and depending on your neighborhood you might have weddings in the streets which can be loud.
Sunblock--lots of it!
Deodorant-bring a ton and buy the best quality you can get. I guarantee you won't regret splurging on deodorant
Tampons
If you take Birth Control Pills, bring the supplies with you. BCP is not sold to women who are not married. Welcome to Egypt!
A good pair of sunglasses
A hat
English books, movies just to keep you going when you miss the motherland
Bug Repellant
Lots of contact solution and several extra cases for your lenses
Copies of all your prescriptions/drugs/prescription number for your eyes
An extra pair of glasses
A laptop! If you don't own one, get a micro computer, but you NEED a computer if you want to be able to do work after 7 p.m. or talk to your family at some point.
Clothes--bring what you can here. Egyptian clothes are the same price as America and are not that great quality-wise.
The What to Wear/What Not to Wear post is coming up so stay tuned!
There are a million more things that we all wish that we had brought/are glad we brought and I invite my fellow flagship bloggers to post something they wish they brought. Yes, this post was incredibly easy to write, and I promise to write more involved stories when I'm not limited to only two hours of internet a day. Gripes and complaints about internet will be saved for another day.
By the way, I hope this does not happen to you, but my English has fallen apart. My friends and family think I am getting increasingly dumber studying Arabic because in my emails I confuse words such as through and threw, write in run-ons and can never remember how many e's are in consequently. I think I spelled it right this time, but who knows what will happen in the future. It doesn't help that I'm not fantastically articulate in Arabic. Just in case this happens to you, remember that your brain is currently reorganizing itself to deal with the incredible amount of knowledge you are gaining. You may forget how to spell certain words or forget certain words in English, but you my friend, are not dumb. Once you get back to America, your old skills will come back so take advantage of your time here and don't worry about the language that was our first love. Old flames never die. Well, that was a weird end to a weird blog. Here is to future weird and hopefully useful info!
This scholarship is not only an opportunity for a priceless year of study, it's also a validation of the hard work, talent and commitment it takes to pursue Arabic seriously. You know and I know that they generally only give scholarships, especially one as generous as the Flagship, to smart people. Egypt, however, does not know that.
My greatest challenge this year has been a near constant feeling of stupidity. I regularly tell my host-mother I would like some garbage for breakfast (in my defense, it's remarkably close to the word for yogurt). At my internship at a weekly Alexandrian magazine, every article gets "edited"--read, obliterated--within an inch of its life. Today, in the acting class I take with regular Egyptian students at the university, (I thought it would be fun?) my professor essentially patted me on the head and told me it was nice that I was trying hard.
Because of the mistakes we make with language, many Egyptians simply assume that we are the mental equals of particularly gifted sea-sponges, and treat us accordingly. Unable to express ourselves properly, we are at a loss to contradict them.
It's part of life here. You can't get around it--as we all know, the only way to one day be eloquent in Arabic is spending a good deal of time being inept in it. Unfortunately, it's easy to let the resulting pessimism seep into your brain and affect your work, relationships and general attitude towards life and this new country of ours.
So a couple of days ago, full of this kind of pessimism about my progress here and sick of being treated like a child, I walked into my host family's kitchen and announced my intention to make sweet potatoes for the Flagship Thanksgiving Dinner on which we feasted Saturday. At first, it was the same old story--my host dad proceeded to pick up all the ingredients I needed though I asked him not to, my host mom steamed the sweet potatoes for me thinking there was no way I could manage that alone.
And then, something magical happened. In the midst of measuring out amounts of brown sugar, slicing apples, chopping walnuts, etc, it occurred to my family--and to me--that this was something I actually knew how to do, and if possible, knew it better than Egyptian adults. My host parents bounced around behind me squealing like little kids at the idea of combining apples with cinnamon or putting black pepper and sugar in the same dish. I learned about Egyptian sweet potato preparations (which frankly sound gross, but I'm keeping an open mind) and discovered about 4 new spices hidden in the depths of our cupboards that I had never seen before.
"Isn't it too fat?" my host mom asked me after the second addition of butter and cream--in English, like she does when she doesn't think I can understand her otherwise.
"That's why it's delicious," I replied in Arabic, and I think she laughed for about 15 minutes.
We sat down to eat it, and my host parents discovered how right I was. It was delicious. I am now regarded in the Madgavkar-Ahmed household with new respect. I think soon I might be allowed to wash my own underwear.
Most importantly, I felt awesome--I learned about 15 new words related to cooking, contributed to the household and made something I could be proud of. So here's my secret to creating real cultural exchange, learning from your Egyptian friends and feeling in control of your life: do something you love and are good at. It helps if you can eat it afterwards.
