You are currently browsing the daily archive for October 9th, 2007.
On the upcoming docket of the Supreme Court, a case will be tried that is incredibly important to the well-being of a few, without taking into the account the opinions of millions, emulating previous terms in which decisions have been made with complete disregard for public opinion.
In Capital v. Capital, the elitist that I am, decides upon which capital is better: the American one (Washington DC) or the Egyptian one (Cairo), since I have now lived in both for a reasonable amount of time. In doing so, I compare not only the city itself, but the institutions of higher education that I have attended in the aforementioned capitals.
What Cairo (+AUC) Has Goin’ For It
Prevalence of taxicabs, free delivery services (i.e. McDonalds, Hardees, Euro Deli, etc), attentive drivers, convienent (and cheap) ethnic restaurants all within walking distance of my building, coffee shops that offer items other than coffee (soups, salads, sandwiches), caring pedestrians, Bars, always someone being paid to clean up your mess, cheap food and water, helpful front desk, it’s always flip-flop weather, Football (the real kind), nightlife, Shisha, blend of Colonial, Mediterranean & Egyptian style architecture, Fanta, minibuses, Backgammon, exchange rate, Tomader (head of ISSO), AUC Travel Office, bargaining for anything (including gasoline and shoes), friendly tourist police, Vodafone and free laundry facilities
What Washington DC (+AU) is Doin’ Well
Paper towels, public restrooms, computer scanners, seasons, crosswalks, menus with prices, no “In Sha Allah” attitude (G-d willing; it just happens in DC), street signs marking street names, relatively clean air, ability to wear what I want (read: shorts), online course registration, credit card machines that are not only fast, but they also don’t double or triple charge ya, green salads, no tourist-only prices, laundromats, gender integration, staplers, printing bucks!, ability to obtain change for cash, students who actually care about classes, reliable postal service, an expansive network of relatively cheap transportation, observance of religion freely, not a confusing telephone system, voicemail, and eSuds.
The the Verdict is: Jury is Still Out.
