Sotto il Cielo di Roma!

Well more like a couple nights… whatever.

Making flight reservations seven months ahead of time can be both good and bad for several reasons. Clearly, the earlier you book reservations, the cheaper it will be but who knows seven months later what will actually occur during the semester and how home sick one will become.

I wouldn’t say I was incredible homesick, however, I neglected to bring winter clothing to Cairo so therefore, on my voyage for four days to Rome I had a blast (sans winter clothing).

I left Cairo Wednesday the 19th with Meghan and we headed off to Cairo International Airport – clearly after a fight with the cab driver – before finally saying goodbye to Egypt. I traded the remainder of Egyptian pounds before going through the final checkpoint and “officially” leaving Egyptian soil. We waiting in the terminal for an hour or so before boarding (also having to pay 22 LE for a small thing of Pringles – almost $4!!). We left Cairo aboard Alitalia and had a rather disappointing meal, but the quick hop (3 hours) across the Mediterranean was rather simple… until landing. We were, say 200 feet, off the ground and about to land on the runway when all of a sudden, we took a nose dive UP towards the sky. With the engines roaring we began circling around back over the Med and tried again. According to our Italian neighbors, the pilot, who shouted over the intercom while it was happening, said that another plane crossed the runway we were supposed to be landing on, oops.

We took the train and then the metro into Rome and it was rather chilly. We eventually found our hostel (right near Termini Train Station) northeast of the centre of town since there is no official downtown in Rome. We put our bags down and got ready and headed out for our first night on the town. We took a bus along one of the main corridors in central Rome and found a cute little trattoria where we were the only foreigners. I got a salami, tomato and mozzarella calzone and Meghan got spaghetti with meat sauce. It was excellent and we split a cheap (but good) bottle of wine. It was so cute being there at Christmas time with all the families out in their best (well that is normal, Italians are stunningly dressed year around), with kids, grandkids, cousins, the whole lot out to eat.

After dinner, we went to Campo de Fiori, a nightlife area right near where we ate. We went to a few bars, enjoyed happy hour specials, and just relaxed before our big day on Thursday where we had to see all of Rome in one day since Meghan was only in Rome for one day.

The next morning, we got up wicked early (6:45am) and took the bus to the Vatican. Vatican City, or the Holy See, is the head of the Catholic Church and is the smallest independent state in the world. It is completely surrounded by Rome (and Italy) and there are no border checks to get in/out of the country. We got there early and were some of the first people to enter Piazza San Pietro or St. Peter’s Square as the sun was rising. The square was virtually empty and a huge Christmas Tree was located near the center. We first decided to go into St. Peters Basilica, which is one of the largest (second only to one in Africa somewhere) cathedrals in the world. Built in the 16th & 17th centuries, the dome was designed by Michelangelo and is still one of the largest and most beautiful in the world. We saw the Swiss Guard that protects the Vatican, as well as Michelangelo’s famous Pieta which stands near the entrance to St. Peter’s, several tombs of popes as well as the soaring architecture of the Basilica itself.

A funny few notes: first, I accidentally swore in the Basilica. One reason for me getting deported from the Vatican. Then, all of a sudden something fell and I said: “that scared the sh-Krap out of me.” Reason two. Then, I said “there is probably a ninety-eight percent chance I won’t ever become Pope, but should I, I want to be named Leo (after my kitty, of course).” So I took a photo posing as Pope Leo and I got yelled at in Italian. But clearly I didn’t get deported, but it would have been a nice story.

After visiting St. Peter’s Basilica and St. Peter’s Square, we grabbed a quick espresso while we waited for the Vatican museums to open. I may not be the biggest coffee drinker, but the espresso was pretty awful. Later, we had a decent cappuccino and I had another espresso which was better, but I was kinda disappointed.

At the Vatican museums, the first room we saw was Egyptian Art. I wanted to shoot myself. The Vatican Museums have artwork and relics from all over the world, not just unique to Italy or Rome, so we basically tore through this section and found the ancient Greek and Roman section before heading off to the Cappella Sistina, or the Sistine Chapel, which is where all the Cardinals meet to elect a new pope (once one dies, clearly). The ceiling is the most famous ceiling in the world, with Michelangelo painted as scenes from the bible including the Creation of Adam, which is where G-d had his outstretched finger almost touching the outstretched finger of Adam. Michelangelo’s Last Judgement is also in the Sistine Chapel, and I took photos even though I wasn’t allowed to. Along the walk to the Sistine Chapel, some incredible artwork including one of my favorite pieces of art is just painted on a random Palace wall. School of Athens by Raphael depicts Plato and Aristotle and other important figures during Greek antiquity. I can’t believe I got to see it.

After the Vatican, we ran to the Spanish Steps and grabbed a quick bite to eat for lunch. The Spanish Steps are a tourist attraction unto themselves. It has become increasingly popular among tourists and locals alike as these beautiful steps link the Trinita dei Monti, a famous church and the Piazza di Spagna at the bottom. This is in one of the main upscale shopping areas of Rome and the street directly at the bottom is comparable to Fifth & Madison Avenues in NYC and Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. The Steps are also a popular site in many films that feature Rome.

We then walked along through the shopping district, seeing all the beautiful holiday windows of Versace, Valentino, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Gucci, Prada, amongst others, until we got to the Fontanta di Trevi, or Trevi Fountain, which was made popular during the film, Roman Holiday, and a visit to Rome isn’t complete without a visit and a toss of a coin over one’s shoulder. It is the largest of all of the fountains in Rome designed under the Baroque architecture.

We then walked the two kilometers from the Trevi Fountain towards the Roman Forum and the Colosseum. Along the way, we saw one of the Imperial Forums and a large crowd of people gathered, with tons of photographers focusing on a few gentlemen. Clearly, I took a few photos because this is Europe and you never know who is going to show up in the papers the next day. It turns out, that the Portuguese Prime Minister (and rotating EU-President) Jose Socrates, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Rodriguez Zapatero, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, and Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi. Unfortunately, French President Nicholas Sarkozy was meeting with the Pope. He is my favorite European leader so I didn’t get to meet him.

We then went to the Roman Forum, which was the centre of Ancient Rome. A little disappointing because much of the ruins are barely recognizable but it was pretty cool. The archways and Roman columns were my favorite part basically, but I love Roman columns with anything.

On the east-side of the forum is one of the most famous and recognizable structures in the world: the Colosseum. Actually called the Flavian Amphitheatre, this ancient feature of Rome was one of the largest built in the Roman Empire and is a must-see on every tourists visit to Rome (I actually saw it three times). Much of it was actually sacked during the centuries following the fall of the Roman Empire and a lot was taken for use elsewhere in Rome and Italy so much of the original theatre is actually gone. Most, if not all, of the entire upper level was gone, much of the interior was destroyed and the original floor, under which was dressing rooms and animal pens for the Gladiators, is now exposed. However, in my opinion, the current state of the Colosseum is actually more beautiful than it would have been two-thousand years ago. We walked around a little outside before heading inside to view the site.

We then went back to the Vatican to see St. Peter’s Basilica at night, which was incredible, especially right before Christmas with the tree in St. Peter’s Square. We then grabbed another great Italian dinner in a trattoria and then we went out to a pub crawl. Along the way, we walked by the Trevi Fountain at night, which was also incredible.

The next morning, Meghan went to the train station to head to the Airport since she had a very early flight out. I slept in and for the next two days was on my own, although I had incredible fun in the hostel with some great people from Turkey, Brazil, Australia, and Missouri.

Friday, I took it easy hanging out around Piazza della Republica, which is one of my favorite squares (especially at night). I chose to go out and see some of my favorite works of art and visit some churches all over Rome. I first walked back to the Spanish Steps, then walked around the upscale shopping areas around the Spanish Steps.

Rooftops of Rome from the top of the Spanish Steps. You can see the Dome of St. Peter’s Basilica in the distance.

I love Roman architecture. Incredible. I then stumbled upon the Pantheon, which is an ancient Roman basilica with the most incredible dome, which is the largest unsupported dome in the world. It has stood for nearly 2,000 years and remains a beautiful site, despite how ugly it is outside.

Friday, I just walked around Rome a lot, since it is a very walkable city. I then went to the Piazza Navona which is a central square in Rome. A giant cathedral is on one side, while the Piazza is occupied during the Christmas season by a huge Christmas Market, which was so much fun but kind of an eyesore against the Roman backdrop.

Within the Piazza is Bernini’s famous fountain, Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, which is gorgeous but was under reconstruction. The fountain is also featured in Dan Brown’s novel, Angels & Demons, which centres on the incredible works of art that make Rome one of the most incredible places I have ever been.

I walked around a little more, before going to the Pizzeria da Baffetto, which came highly recommended by a friend (Molly) who studied in Rome for the past semester. It was a flat, crispy crust but was great (and cheap too). Then, I walked around Rome at night stopping at the Pantheon and the Colosseum before heading back and going out with a few people from my hostel.

On my final day (Saturday, December 22), I walked around Rome all day, seeing tons of churches and incredible works of art as well as just the incredible architecture of Rome.

St. Theresa in Ecstasy by Bernini.

A cool fountain by my Hostel.

I love the blend of yellow paint/stucco with the white/grey marble that is ever-present all over Rome.

The Chains of St. Peter, and below is the Tomb of Pope Julius II, which is an unfinished work by Michelangelo. The central figure is Moses.

I then walked around near Capitoline Hill, which has the Capitoline Hills and centers around the Piazza Campidoglio and a grand stairway designed by Michelangelo. Yet again, I love the mix of yellow paint and the white marble decorating much of the exterior of much of Rome.

Then, I walked around Il Vittoriano, which is the monument to King Vittorio Emanuele II, the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and also the most hated monument in all of Rome. It is very large and unimposing and is considered by most Romans as unattractive and cannot stand the site at the Piazza Venezia. It, however, does provide nice views of much of Rome.

I did some more walking around, since most of the churches were closed right after lunch until mid-afternoon. So here are just some photos of the beautiful buildings and streets of Rome.

I then went to see some Churches because of the incredible artworks that are just scattered everywhere throughout Rome.

Afterwards, I grabbed a bowl of pasta and a glass of wine to celebrate the holidays and heading home. I was at an Irish pub and they ended up showing American college football so I had a couple of Guinnesses before walking around Rome and heading back to my hostel to say goodbye to Rome.

Welcome back to America

So, in lieu of the inevitable post about Rome or my grand finale on the semester, I finally made it home. Only ten hours after I was supposed to but, hey, at least I made it.

My flight from Rome got in on time, although we had a wicked hard landing. We basically fell out of the sky onto the runway because the wind was devastatingly strong. A couple of the oxygen masks fell down into the cabin (yes, they do exist) and some Italians began shouting, so it wasn’t a pretty scene. After claiming my luggage, I walked out of Terminal One at JFK into a torrential downpour with near-horizontal rain as the wind was blowing the rain in every direction. Needless to say, I was happy to be back in the United States.

I made my way to the Jet Blue terminal only to realize… that my flight scheduled for 10:15 had now been delayed until 1:15am. Great. After checking in and waiting for twenty minutes to check my luggage (and getting lectured on how to travel by myself by the ticket agent: “okay. So walk upstairs. Make a right. See your gate on the ticket? Follow the signs for the corresponding gate. Go through security. You will need an ID and your boarding pass. Don’t lose any of those. They are important. Once you are through security, find your gate. Blah blah. I wanted to deck him, but his nice little blue Santa hat [for Jet Blue, clearly] would ensure my ascent to the non-existent Jewish hell), I looked around for a place to eat. I settled for a Sports Bar and ordered a salad and a burger and a beer. Oh wait – I’m not 21. Whoops. I got carded and felt like such an idiot. I waited in the restaurant for two and a half hours, talking with friends on the semi-manageable free Wifi before heading out and reading a bit. By that point, my flight had been delayed to 1:55am, and eventually 1:56. I slept a little until about midnight when I walked over to the monitor to discover another delay: 2:51am.

After kicking myself for coming home from abroad right during the middle of the holiday travel season and flying through JFK and flying on Jet Blue, I glanced up again to see: Jet Blue #1057 Pittsburgh: Canceled. I ran to the customer service line to get re-booked when they tell me they are providing a bus for us. I thought, oh how nice, a bus to the hotel. No. A bus from JFK to Pittsburgh Int’l Airport. A mere seven hours away. I was clearly delusional as I traipsed down to claim my bags (which took another thirty minutes) and eventually followed other people with PIT luggage tags to the other side of the Departures terminal. This was at 1am. The buses didn’t arrive until 2:30. We didn’t leave for another fifteen minutes and arrived in Pittsburgh at 9:45am, passing my house and my town along the way, with my dad driving a few cars behind our buses.

For most of the night, I was trying to be optimistic about it. Oh, it’s the weather both in New York and in Pittsburgh. Oh, the plane isn’t here yet. Oh, it’s Christmas. But by the end of the night, I nearly lost all respect for Jet Blue since it was clear they didn’t have their act together. It took over two hours once they canceled the flight until they got us buses, there weren’t nearly enough pillows or blankets, the bus drivers didn’t know where the airport was, the sassy ladies at baggage claim shrugged us off AND all other airlines canceled similar flights earlier in the day. If Jet Blue had just canceled the flight during the evening, it would have given us more opportunities to figure out alternatives.

It turns out all the flights the next day on Jet Blue were booked so going standby, on Christmas Eve, out of JFK, on Jet Blue, didn’t seem like the most plausible option. So I took the bus, sucked it up, and slept a little, whilst this guy tried talking to me about how awesome the full moon was or how good cashews tasted after you heated them up in the microwave. Welcome back to America.

Stuck

Well my Alitalia flight from Rome to New York was an adventure in itself, culminating in a near-falling out of the sky – luckily onto the runway – because of the incredible winds around the New York area.

With that said, 90% of the Jet Blue flights are either delayed or canceled this evening.  My flight – originally scheduled in September for 8:30 has been pushed back several times over the past four months finally scheduled for 10:15 – was delayed as soon as I landed to 1:15am (on the 24th, meanwhile), now delayed again until 1:55am, arriving in Pittsburgh at 4am.  Beautiful.

And I didn’t sleep because the personal in-flight entertainment system (the only good thing about my flight to New York) had so many good movies I have been dying to see but don’t want to actually pay to rent.  So I got no sleep on the nine-hour flight.

Now I am suffering.  I just want to get home.

What I Will Sound Like When I Return

Immersing myself in a new culture for four months means many things. Some bouts of Egyptian culture I will bring back with me to the United States, while others must be left here. Here are a few phrases (both in modern standard Arabic and Fusha Egyptian Arabic) that I most likely will say all the time when I get back:

In Sha’Allah: which means “God-willing.” I will probably use this phrase the most because it is something that I frequently add to phrases which, in my vocabulary, closely relates to hopefully. I say it all the time and when I am talking with people on the phone or online I keep having to stop myself from saying it and instead replacing it with “hopefully.”

Yahnee: means “like.” I don’t say this as much but sometimes when I am stuck with a word I don’t know how to say, I used “yahnee” and wave my arms a little, hoping that the person understands what I am talking about.

Yalla: one of the most important words because I have said it even before I came to Egypt. It means “Let’s Go.” Everyone says it here and everyone in Israel says it as well. Great word. You should use it to.

Mumkin: means “maybe.” Let’s go to the park later, mumkin. That is exactly what we use it for here and that is exactly what I will use it for at home.

Shukran: “thank you.” Plain and simple. Just like I said Merci after returning from France or Todah when I came back from Israel, it will be a nasty habit to break for the first few weeks, but slowly I will settle in.

La La La: “no no no.” This can be used in many ways. It normally is used in relation to telling a taxi driver that I will not pay him more money because of the color of my skin. It also is used for people trying to sell me something or when someone misunderstands what I want to eat or drink or smoke.

Shwaya: “in between” or “kinda.” The best example is anytime anyone asks if she speak Arabic (Tetekelim Al-Arabia?) we reply “shwaya, shwaya.” It’s that “well sorta” “I do, but I don’t” mentality.

A Depressing Feature of the Third World

In another instance of “do as much as I can before I leave next week,” we decided to head to the Giza Zoo, if only for the reason of playing with lion cubs. Yes, with a little bribing (i.e. 10 LE) we can hold a lion cub and take photos with it. We also got to play with some monkeys and feed some other animals. Fun? Sorta.

For you see, the Giza Zoo is a place of utter horror by western standards for a place to keep animals. First, the zoo has very rundown facilities, no apparent maintence staff or upkeep, and the habitats for the animals are atrocious. Case and point: as we are walking along, we see a dozen or so lions being held in cages. Not in a natural habitat (or even an unnatural habitat, for that matter). Simply barred cages with loud music playing, kids screaming wanting to hear the lions roar, and in some instances, several lions in one cage. At one point, three younger male lions began pacing around inside their cage and – reminiscing about my Lion King days – looked like they were getting ready to attack. It was horrible. They simply don’t know how to take care of these animals.

Once we bribed the zookeepers to play with lion cubs, we walked back and saw caged tigers and the zookeepers did as much as they could to provoke them! Yelling, singing and poking fun at them, to the point of utter annoyance to the animals. I have videos but I can’t seem to figure out how to put them up on here, so go to my youtube site to view all the videos: http://www.youtube.com/somedude535http://www.youtube.com/somedude535

We walked around a little more, got mobbed by little Egyptian kids (and big ones too) and played with some monkeys before being disgusted enough to leave. I was appalled at the conditions but how often do you get to play with lion cubs?

It was incredibly interesting to say the least. Now back to studying! Don’t forget to check out my videos: http://www.youtube.com/somedude535.

(screech) Mr. Adam (screech)

Little men, cruising through the heavy Cairo traffic on their mopeds.  No, this isn’t an unfamiliar scene to anyone who has been in Europe, or even some congested American cities.  What is unique is what they have on the back of their moped.  No, not a family of five (although you can catch that on a regular moped), but a metal box with an advertisement attached, displaying a five-digit number to, what else, but McDonald’s.  Or Pizza Hut.  Or Euro Deli.  Or Fuddruckers. 

One aspect of Western culture that is evident all over Cairo is the advent of the food delivery service.  Western food in particular is a sign of social status and in a place where a Radio Shak can employ ten people at any given time or a sports restaurant can support two dozen employees, restaurants galore offer delivery service all over Cairo.  For a small fee (less than $1 usually) or no fee at all, most establishments offer quick delivery to your door, regardless of how far away you live. 

One website, however, that I didn’t learn about until about a month ago, was otlob.com.  Check it out if you like.  It is the ultimate food delivery website in Cairo.  You pick your neighborhood, it comes up with several dozen restaurants that deliver to your area, and you pick from thousands of items on the menu.  Since a delivery surcharge is usually added, a tip is not required.  Thus far, I have ordered Little Caesars Pizza, Fuddruckers, Hardees and Euro Deli (two of which are within three blocks of where I live), but I still don’t feel like getting out of my pajama pants and walking.   

But clearly the best part is when the delivery boys arrive at the dorms.  They tell the person at the front desk who ordered and the attendant shouts into the microphone (which echoes around the entire first floor common area): (screech) “Mr. Adam” (screech). 

Back at the Mids: Still in Awe

Exactly one week from today I will be doing as the Romans do, and not as the Egyptians do. With less than seven days left, clearly we are cramming as much as we possibly can in, still not quite ready to believe that we are all leaving here soon. Between my final days of classes (this past Monday) and my only day of finals (this upcoming Sunday), I have five days of no official academic commitments, so I am free. Free to lounge around and hang out with friends. Free to sleep. Free to procrastinate. I have set up goals for my papers and finals so that I can do one fun Cairo thing a day and study. Yesterday, I went to the Egyptian museum, which was rather disappointing, although the King Tut exhibit was pretty incredible. Much of the artifacts I simply have seen, in action, in temples, tombs and monuments elsewhere in Egypt, so just being thrown into a warehouse-museum with little or no labels doesn’t quite do it for me.

So with seven days left, we went back to the Pyramids, to say our goodbyes.

We got up early and were the first ones into the Pyramid complex this AM (yes!). We spent a little more than we bargained for but hey! how many times do I live in Egypt? We were there early enough to go inside the Great Pyramid of Giza, which if you recall from one of the posts the first week or so, is the only remaining ancient wonder of the world. It was incredible. We walked around all three of the huge pyramids and then took a camel ride to an incredible overlook (much better than the last time) and I managed to stay on the camel this time. Enjoy!

USAID

So as school ends, this post just sat in my draft box for much of the semester.  I don’t know why… but here goes.   

The American government is notorious for spending our money. By no means do I oppose big government – reasons for government tend to outweigh reasons against it – but rarely do I actually see my tax dollars at work. Yes, everyday when I drive down the highway, or turn on the faucet to clean water, but those basic tenets of my life aside, actually seeing American tax dollars hard at work is very relieving. The U.S. Department of Defense just asked for some ridiculous amount of money to fund the “wars” in Afghanistan and Iraq (to the sum of $150 billion, I believe), so clearly I am not seeing results there. A bridge to nowhere in Alaska is also a waste of my tax money. But interestingly enough, I have had the pleasure of utilizing several gifts from the American people. The USAID, or United States Agency for International Development is the group responsible for the dispersal of billions of dollars worth of aid worldwide, and lucky as I am, I now classify myself as a benefactor of American aid here in Cairo!

The “reputable” institution known as the American University in Cairo is a private institution and considered by most the best school in the Middle East. Funnily enough, this private institution receives millions of dollars worth of American aid. Adorned on one of the walls in the lobby of my building illustrates that my building is a gift from the people of the United States. Congratulations! your own private instutition cannot even afford to build housing in one of the cheapest cities in the world. They are reliant on the American taxpayers, who clearly don’t need health insurance for the poor children, voting rights for the most oppressed people in a democracy (DC residents!!), or bridges that don’t collapse into mighty American rivers. My school can afford a new $400 million campus in New Cairo but they can’t even afford housing for its students (let alone maintain it to livable, American standards, since this school seems to preach “The American Way” of education).

Don’t worry – it’s not only my multi-million dollar residence hall that has been donated by the American people. Walking on Greek Campus downtown, I notice another plaque… this time on the side of our library. Yes, the big, ugly, hulking building on campus was built by the American taxpayers. This, so I am told, ensures the freedom of the word (i.e. Hosni Mubarak’s censors can’t walk in and shut it down), but I think that the University would have enough clout that should we actually build our own library and fill it with books that are uncensored, we would be able to do it. I mean, my professors regularly talk about their hatred not only for the Egyptian government, but also the American one, as well. So the library is a gift from the American people. Guess what else is? All the library scanners are. And most of the computers are. The projectors. The laptops. Most technology around here has a USAID sticker slapped on it, as if we are supposed to appreciate the donation from the Americans and forget about how the whole administration has created more of a problem than they have solved, both in Iraq and all around the world. It sickens me on both ends: the fact that a private institution in Cairo – one that charges $15,000 a year in tuition, when the average family makes about 10% of that a year – cannot afford to deliver a world-class education to its students ($$$) without the help of the American people? And that the American government allows this to actually occur.

Since when did Gucci-wearing, Egyptian millionaires need to use Microsoft Office 2007 with the super-updated image library and internet servers on par with the Pentagon? American University in Washington doesn’t even have Office 2007. Furthermore, half the students here don’t even use the technology provided; it’s the international students who actually do work and utilize the library. The only reason the local Egyptian students ever use the library isn’t even for educational purposes! since the library provides a sort-of natural sunblock for those sitting in its shadow. Imagine if America knew their tax dollars were being consumed by a bunch of rich snobs as a form of sunblock?

Man, they would be upset.

Only to be surpassed by realizing that more of their tax dollars are being wasted on an unwinnable war. But hey – at least some U.S. tax dollars are going towards blocking something.  Cause it’s not like the Democrats are even making a valiant effort to blocking the war. 

Spring Internship

So I got an internship for the spring semester at The Middle East Institute.  Very exciting.  I applied for three and had my interview from MEI and I am actually very excited.  It is really exactly what I wanted to do.  I will be working in the communications department and I will edit press releases and opeds, scour news sources from the U.S., Europe and the Middle East, cover congressional hearings, maintain media lists, amongst other things.

Very excited.  I had a great day today.  Two finals, two papers to go and I will be in Rome in 9 days!  Have a great week.

My Routine

So this post is finally coming to fruition (ironically now that all of my classes are officially over).

On the two days a week that I have classes, I have yet again fallen into a manageable routine. So here goes:

Every Monday & Wednesday, I wake up on the dot at 8:20am and check my email before hopping in the shower. I tend to catch the shuttle at 8:55, which takes twenty minutes to get to Downtown. After getting off at the third stop, I swing over to the Fateer stand on Faliki Street where I get a fateer (thin pancake with sugar) and a bottle of water from the market. From 9:30 until about 10:45 I have my Introduction to Political Economy class, which is one of my favorite classes. After that, I sit on the cafeteria terrace on Greek Campus and chat it up with friends or grab a cup of coffee from the Aroma Coffee stand on campus. I putz for awhile, either reading The Economist or just relaxing ignoring any work I may have to do.

From noon until 1:20 I have my Comparative Politics of the Middle East class, which is the most painful since the professor has no idea what he is teaching. Yet again, being a former ambassador doesn’t qualify you as an academic. I am sorry. No matter how close you were with Slobodan Milosevic, you have no right to teach at AUC. After class, I grab an ice cream cone with Katie and we walk back to Greek Campus where I grab a beef luncheon sandwich and another bottle of water for lunch – yet again – on the cafeteria terrace. Since most likely I haven’t done my work for my next class, I walk up to the Mac lab on the 3rd floor of Social Sciences building where I read articles from Foreign Affairs, New York Times, and Washington Post, amongst other media outlets from Pittsburgh, Murrysville, and Washington DC.

I finally get to my work during my hour and a half off, and print for free since the Mac lab doesn’t charge for printing. Beautiful since the Library charges about the same rate as they do in America. At 3pm, I head to my class down the hall, where I still have mixed feelings about the class. Issues in Middle East Politics is taught by a world class intellectual who knows the Middle East inside and out but a lot of times I just wish he would stop asking us so much and just give us an insight into his brain. He actually just took us to the Arab League where we got to hear one of the ambassadors speak.

After my Issues class, I have to hot-foot it over from Greek Campus to Faliki Campus (we have three campuses in Downtown). I then hafta book it up four flights of stairs to my Survey of Arab History course from 4:30 until 5:50. This class is interesting, however, I didn’t sign up for the “History of Islam” which is essentially what the class was. We talked for 2/3 of the class about the rise of Islam and the Muslim Empire and then briefly touched the thousand years prior and the thousand years after. It also helped that I read The Economist during class under my notebook. Had I not, I probably wouldn’t have survived.

After class, I would run down Muhammad Mahmoud Street to catch the 6pm shuttle, which I made half the time and the other half I didn’t. So yes. Two days a week of classes and I’ve fit into my routine. I take the same hallways, go thru the same doors, get the same food, sit at the same areas basically every day.

I guess I will just have to get into a new routine when I return to AU in January.

Why I Won’t Make Aliyah

With the creation of the State of Israel in 1948, Jews finally had a homeland. And with that, came the inevitable question: how do I move there?

The Right of Return – as it is unofficially known – is the right of Jews to return to their ancient homeland, Eretz Yisrael or the Land of Israel. Enacted under David Ben-Gurion in the 1950’s, it basically guarantees automatic citizenship for any Jew that wishes to move to Israel. Not only does it do that, but many organizations have been established that provide certain benefits to those that make Aliyah (move to Israel) like job-training, Hebrew language courses, financial assistance, housing help, amongst others. Also, Israel’s laws require military conscription so depending upon the situation, those that make Aliyah must also serve in the armed forces.

Not a bad deal, right? Well…

For me, it is a very complex situation. For multiple reasons (since I am sure you are aware of the complexities that amass around me).

First, I am adopted. Second, my mother wasn’t raised Jewish. Problems A & B. First dealing with the second problem (wow I confuse people): As long as my mother has completed the conversion process, I am considered a Jew and therefore am eligible for Israeli citizenship. And since I have successfully been converted as an infant (my parents took me to a Mikvah as an infant. To digress… “A Mikvah is a specific type of bath designed for the purpose of ritual immersion in Judaism.” Thank you Wikipedia. So I was basically converted – against my will as an infant [I kid... pun intended?] – but I have basically affirmed my religious beliefs in Judaism. I had a Bar Mitzvah, I was confirmed, I know Hebrew, so basically I am Jewish… digression ending…) I am eligible to become an Israeli citizen! Although I can’t marry in Israel… minor details… but yes.

Should I want to, I can walk into Israel tomorrow and become a citizen.

Now that it’s settled the biggest question is: do I want to?

I have pondered this ever since January when I went on Birthright. I have always been taught (unconditionally, of course) that everything Israel does is right. From Hebrew school to regular school (in some instances), American support for one of their best friends is essential. Israel does no wrong. Every act – define it as you wish – is justified in the realm of protecting the Jewish state from the atrocities experienced by the Jewish people. I mean we are the most oppressed people in the history of the world. Don’t we deserve some leeway?

Like any good salesmen, Birthright has a pitch. I don’t know… free ten day trip to Israel, all expenses paid, in return for ten days of learning the history of the land, experiencing the rich culture, interacting with society, and, oh don’t forget, BLATANT DISREGARD for the facts. I won’t divulge any raunchy details because I respect the integrity of the program (read: I like free things. I’m Jewish). Birthright is a program meant to entice Jews to Israel, which really just adds another element to the evolving political crisis in Israel. Yes, I said crisis.

For the organizers of my trip in particular, I don’t hold any of them accountable for the overall “selling me Israel” deal. We are all involved in something that is opposed to something or critical of something else. That is the complexity of human thought, but my blame is more reserved for the ideology associated with entirety of the present function of Israeli immigration. I can’t think off the top of my head of any nation that accepts any new citizen simply because of their religion. I don’t disagree with the notion of Jews attaining automatic citizenship, but I wholeheartedly disagree with utilizing new citizens as a political bargaining chip. I am pretty sure you can’t find that anywhere in the Talmud.

Blame is a harsh word, and clearly I blame no one because it is life. We all make decisions for our well-being. Do I think they are only making the situation worse for the overall peace process? Absolutely. Lets put the pieces together. Give a Jew a free trip. Check. Encourage them to make Aliyah. Check. Help them settle. Check. Provide services and benefits. Check. But… the more new Jews that settle in Israel (both in legal and illegal settlements) only add fuel to the fire.

In an article today in The Daily Star out of Beirut, Israel is yet again building settlements in East Jerusalem in an attempt to tighten Israeli control over Jerusalem. Declared illegal or not, I honestly cannot see any purpose other than trying to undermine the peace process. What reasoning could Ehud Olmert have to continue building settlements when he just declared in Annapolis the intentions to create an everlasting peace? My opinions aside about Jerusalem, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that if you continue to build settlements in areas that are set to be under Palestinian control that a problem will arise. Quick background note: Jerusalem is located high up in the mountains and the settlements being built north & south of the city centre are sometimes government sponsored and sometimes just Israelis (mostly Jews) that go into the areas and buy land and build settlements. So it isn’t all the responsibility of the government, but Israel is very westernized and has laws. Israel continually cites previous plans for years or decades illustrating their right to build these settlements. That’s fine. Israel has the right to do whatever it wants. It still has authority over the land. But you may have the legal right but that doesn’t calculate into a moral right.

Plain and simply: Israel will not give up Jerusalem. They have been establishing these settlements for decades and in my honest opinion, the Israeli government will not give up Jersualem – either as an international city or East Jerusalem. And since the Palestinians want some part of Jerusalem as their capital, by the transitive property of equality, no peace. Digression. I apologize.

But yes. How can I honestly support Israel and their every move when they are blatantly disregarding necessary steps towards creating a peaceful solution? I will admit both sides have undermined the peace process with Israel building settlements and the Palestinians utilizing suicide bombers, but much of that – as of recent – isn’t government sanctioned like settlement building is. Like I mentioned earlier, I would love to live in Israel, in an uncontested area doing my thing. Maybe a kibbutz. Maybe in Eilat with a view of the Red Sea. Maybe in an apartment tower overlooking the Mediterranean. Or maybe in an apartment in Jerusalem with a view of the Old City (with access to the Kotel, of course).

I just recently had an internship interview with the Middle East Institute in Washington DC (I think it went well… I will keep you updated) and one of the main reasons I have decided to study the region is because of the unconditional support one way or another that people have regarding Israel and Americans opinions about the Arab world and Muslims are based on – yet again – blatant lies. I feel like it is almost my duty to prove everyone in America wrong. Islam isn’t evil. Arabs don’t hate Americans. We need to stop being so hateful because it is our own hatred that is the real problem. We have been a society of open arms until recently and our perception of Muslims is flagrantly based on terrorist attacks and radical Islam. Muslims here are able to distinguish between the American government (support for Israel, the disaster of Iraq, and Bush’s pure stupidity, until recently, with Iran) and the American people and welcome us with open arms and kind hearts. Americans, however, blame every atrocity committed by a handful of religious extremists on the entire Muslim population and refuse to admit fault in that thinking. It’s wrong. And un-American. And un-Christian. And un-Jewish. It is anti everything that we should believe in as Americans.

I still believe in a lot of the same things I believed in prior to coming here but I have become so much more accepting of everyone from here. I can’t blindly stand behind anything anymore. No longer can I stand behind an American government that has no respect for a human life. Or no longer can I stand behind an ignorant American public in their brash opposition to Muslims. And no longer can I believe that everything Israel does is justified.

At the present time, I will not be making Aliyah because I don’t unconditionally support every action the Israeli government takes (not that I do for the U.S. either). But in a situation that has so much gravitas, I simply wouldn’t be able to stand as an idle citizen in a situation that I knew I put myself into. So for the time being, I will only continue to hold one passport.

—Comments are much appreciated on this post. Anonymous or not, this is an important topic that I want to hear your feedback on!

My Favorite Economist Article Ever

So back in September of my sophomore year, I found this article in The Economist and I put it on my door. I was just recently thinking about it so I backlogged the issues and found it. I thought I would share the comedic humour of my favorite newspaper. It really has nothing to do with being abroad at all but I think it is hilarious.

Welcome Aboard

In-flight announcements are not entirely truthful. What might an honest one sound like? Welcome Aboard

“GOOD morning, ladies and gentlemen. We are delighted to welcome you aboard Veritas Airways, the airline that tells it like it is. Please ensure that your seat belt is fastened, your seat back is upright and your tray-table is stowed. At Veritas Airways, your safety is our first priority. Actually, that is not quite true: if it were, our seats would be rear-facing, like those in military aircraft, since they are safer in the event of an emergency landing. But then hardly anybody would buy our tickets and we would go bust.

The flight attendants are now pointing out the emergency exits. This is the part of the announcement that you might want to pay attention to. So stop your sudoku for a minute and listen: knowing in advance where the exits are makes a dramatic difference to your chances of survival if we have to evacuate the aircraft. Also, please keep your seat belt fastened when seated, even if the seat-belt light is not illuminated. This is to protect you from the risk of clear-air turbulence, a rare but extremely nasty form of disturbance that can cause severe injury. Imagine the heavy food trolleys jumping into the air and bashing into the overhead lockers, and you will have some idea of how nasty it can be. We don’t want to scare you. Still, keep that seat belt fastened all the same.

Your life-jacket can be found under your seat, but please do not remove it now. In fact, do not bother to look for it at all. In the event of a landing on water, an unprecedented miracle will have occurred, because in the history of aviation the number of wide-bodied aircraft that have made successful landings on water is zero. This aircraft is equipped with inflatable slides that detach to form life rafts, not that it makes any difference. Please remove high-heeled shoes before using the slides. We might as well add that space helmets and anti-gravity belts should also be removed, since even to mention the use of the slides as rafts is to enter the realm of science fiction.

Please switch off all mobile phones, since they can interfere with the aircraft’s navigation systems. At least, that’s what you’ve always been told. The real reason to switch them off is because they interfere with mobile networks on the ground, but somehow that doesn’t sound quite so good. On most flights a few mobile phones are left on by mistake, so if they were really dangerous we would not allow them on board at all, if you think about it. We will have to come clean about this next year, when we introduce in-flight calling across the Veritas fleet. At that point the prospect of taking a cut of the sky-high calling charges will miraculously cause our safety concerns about mobile phones to evaporate.

On channel 11 of our in-flight entertainment system you will find a video consisting of abstract imagery and a new-age soundtrack, with a voice-over explaining some exercises you can do to reduce the risk of deep-vein thrombosis. We are aware that this video is tedious, but it is not meant to be fun. It is meant to limit our liability in the event of lawsuits.

Once we have reached cruising altitude you will be offered a light meal and a choice of beverages—a word that sounds so much better than just saying ‘drinks’, don’t you think? The purpose of these refreshments is partly to keep you in your seats where you cannot do yourselves or anyone else any harm. Please consume alcohol in moderate quantities so that you become mildly sedated but not rowdy. That said, we can always turn the cabin air-quality down a notch or two to help ensure that you are sufficiently drowsy.

After take-off, the most dangerous part of the flight, the captain will say a few words that will either be so quiet that you will not be able to hear them, or so loud that they could wake the dead. So please sit back, relax and enjoy the flight. We appreciate that you have a choice of airlines and we thank you for choosing Veritas, a member of an incomprehensible alliance of obscure foreign outfits, most of which you have never heard of. Cabin crew, please make sure we have remembered to close the doors. Sorry, I mean: ‘Doors to automatic and cross-check’. Thank you for flying Veritas.”

—And you wonder where I get my irreverent sense of humour?–

Israel: My First Earthquake

So I managed to get across the Jordanian-Israeli border with ease and very little questioning. I bypassed a tour group so I didn’t have to wait several hours like I did at the Egyptian border. I then found an Arab bus that was leaving in thirty minutes for Al Qads, which is Arabic for Jerusalem. 32 Shekels ($8) and another forty minute drive through the West Bank, I was just outside of Jerusalem. I saw the “Apartheid Wall” that divides much of the West Bank and Palestinian Territories from Israel but my opinion will follow…

As we headed out of the West Bank into East Jerusalem, we drove up a highway (since Jerusalem is high in the mountains) that was lined with Menorahs celebrating Hanukkah. I completely forgot that it was the Hanukkah season and was overjoyed to be returning to the holiest city in the world. I arrived at the Damascus Gate of the Old City at about 1pm – with my huge bags in tow – where I fought my way through the Arab Souk in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City. I finally managed to get through into the Armenian Quarter (familiar territory) before realizing it was still Shabbat so everything in the Jewish Quarter would still be closed. I grabbed a quick shwerma before heading to the Christian Quarter to see the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is one of the holiest sites for most Christians.

This Church is built on the site in Jerusalem where Jesus is believed to have been crucified and also buried. Also, there is the Stone of Anointing which was the place where Jesus’ body was placed following his crucification. It is also one of the stations of the Cross, but I didn’t really understand what all was going on and most were unwilling to really explain it to me. I touched the Stone (hopefully I am allowed to) for anyone who is Christian and who will be unable to do so in their lifetime. It was incredibly powerful seeing Pilgrims making the voyage to Jerusalem, and although it isn’t a pillar of my religious beliefs, the power that it brings to others is truly inspiring.

After wandering around the Old City for a little more, I hailed a cab (a Mercedes one of course, Israel is $$$) to go to Mt. Scopus, where I was staying with a friend for the weekend. I actually was staying with a friend of a friend and we kinda knew each other and so it ended up working out really well. My friend attends the Hebrew University on Mt. Scopus which is technically in East Jerusalem and has incredible views of the Old City, West Jerusalem (New City), and most importantly, the Kotel, which is the Western Wall, the holiest site in Judaism.

And most of the time, I just hung out with friends in their apartment or hung around the campus area. It was so much fun just hanging out, watching movies, COOKING, going to the market, and just sitting around goofing off. It also nice not having gender segregation… one thing that is horrible about AUC. I honestly wish here in Cairo I could just go to female friends rooms, if only to watch a movie in pajamas or sit around and talk in the privacy and comfort of someone’s bedroom.

Anyways… Saturday night we went to an incredible restaurant/book store in Downtown near Ben Yahuda Street and then we went for a drink and to smoke some Houkah nearby. We also got ice cream and I got to hang out in the part of Jerusalem that I love so much. Then, the group of us returned to Mt. Scopus and watched a film.

The next morning, I awoke early and laid in bed for awhile until about 9:30am… when… the room started to shake a little. I didn’t think much of it; I really thought my friend was under the bed or pounding on the walls or something, so I went back to sleep. A couple hours later at breakfast (MILK & CHEERIOS!!!) one of her roommates yelled “there was an Earthquake this morning!” To which I replied, wow that was an earthquake. Kinda cool. It only measured 4.0 but I could definitely feel it. After putzing around for a little, Jen and I took one of the buses into downtown and went to the Shook (Israeli outdoor market), where I got some candy and sweets. We went to lunch at a deli (clearly delicious) and coffee on Jaffa Street before she had to return to campus for a quick class and I headed off to the Old City to visit the Kotel.

Just a quick note that I hadn’t even thought of. Earlier in the day, when we were deciding upon plans, I was asked if it was okay that we took a bus. I replied of course, before realizing the severity of the question. There are several students who live in Jerusalem that refuse to take buses anywhere because the Israeli bus system has been a favorite target amongst Arab suicide bombers. At least forty buses have been bombed in Israel in the past fifteen years, but there haven’t been any suicide attacks in Israel since 2005 (sans one in Eilat in January) which is why I actually think the Wall built between Israel and the Palestinian Territories has been effective. It does serve a practical purpose, which has been to protect the Israeli citizens. It has done just that. I understand some questions about the legitimacy of it, but how is it truly any different than an electrified border fence.

Back to my trip. So I walked through the Jewish Quarter before heading to the Kotel. The Kotel, or Western Wall or Wailing Wall, is the holiest site in Judaism. It is the only remaining wall of the walls that held up the Temple Mount, which is where the First & Second Temples stood. It is the only wall that remains from the Second Temple Era, which was destroyed two-thousand years ago. Now, atop the Temple Mount, sits two mosques. One the Dome of the Rock is one of the most famous mosques in the World and it is the Golden Dome that everyone sees when they think of Jerusalem. The other, al-Aqsa, is less recognizable, but the whole site represents the place that Muslims believe Muhammad ascended to heaven. So yes, three of the holiest sites in the three most important monotheistic religions. And you wonder why Jerusalem is such a hot topic?

During the 1948 War of Independence, Israel lost control of the Old City and the West Bank as it was annexed by neighboring Jordan. In 1967, upon the success of the Six-Day Way, the Jews gained control of the Western Wall for the first time since the Romans destroyed the Second Temple. So I went down, went through security, grabbed my favorite prayer book and put on my yarmulke and touched the wall. Every time I see it, sometimes inside me lights up. I can’t really explain it. I read some prayers at the wall, before saying a few prayers and touching a few items to the wall. It is also custom to write wishes or prayers on a piece of paper and place it in the crevices of the wall, as many believe the wall is a direct connection to G-d. After praying, I thought about it for awhile, and decided against walking up to the Temple Mount to see the two mosques. I don’t know if it was a lack of desire since I have seen so many mosques or my Jewish distaste for not being allowed to build a Third Temple, but I chose against it.

I walked around a little more, through an open-air mall before heading back to Mt. Scopus to head back to my friend’s apartment. That night we had pasta and meat sauce before lounging around for yet another night: hanging out, watching movies and just being lazy.

Monday was a continuation of Sunday night as I didn’t really leave the apartment since it was cold and dreary. I watched a movie or two with friends, had great food (including DR. Pepper) and just enjoyed my time, which was reminiscent of freshmen year in college. Community life was very important so it made it quite fun.

Monday night I took a bus from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv and then an overnight bus from Tel Aviv to Eilat, where I slept for most of the ride. I went through customs quickly and found a bus back to Cairo that left at 10:30. So I was back in Cairo by 5:30. I left Jerusalem at 9:30pm and twenty hours later, arrived back in Cairo, with only two weeks left in the Egyptian Capital.

Sorry for the lack of photos from most of my journey. They always say that when you are truly enjoying yourself, a memory is so much more important than a photo. I would agree. So yes, I leave two weeks from today (12/19) from Cairo and will be heading to Rome for four days. The last fourteen days I will be here in Cairo, finishing up the semester both academically and socially. I will be home in 18 Days! So excited, yet so sad at the same time. It has been quite a semester and I will begin in the next few days to wrap it up.

Enjoy the holiday season. I miss the snow and lights and shopping and food and time with friends and family, but I will be back soon! Best!

Jordan: What’s My Hotel Called Again?

Just days after returning from an exhilarating trip to Luxor and Aswan for Thanksgiving, I packed my bags again, this time heading elsewhere in the Middle East. I decided to travel by myself to Jordan and Israel for my last trip around the region, mainly because I had to get to Petra in Jordan and since I am so close to Israel, it was very important that I return. I had planned to meet up with friends at certain points during the trip, so I wouldn’t be alone all five days.

I left Wednesday evening from the Sinai bus station in Cairo. After dodging through the herds of Egyptians taking overnight buses to the Red Sea resorts (Sharm el-Sheik, El Gouna, Dahab), I found my way to the bus heading to Taba, which is the border town along with Israeli border. After a six-hour bus ride (in which I slept for most of it), I arrived at the Israeli border at 4:30am. Thinking “oh this should be a piece of cake” I took my time walking to the border, fiddling with my passport and crossing into no-mans land. Upon reaching the Israeli border, I realized a tour group had just been let off before us and it would probably take several hours! I went through the usual border procedures (where are you from, how long are you staying, why are you coming to Israel, who do you know) and the inevitable: “are you Jewish?” If so, “what was your Torah portion from your Bar Mitzvah”, which, if answered correctly, is your automatic gateway into Israel. I was in by 7:15 and took a cab to the bus station, only to realize that no buses went to the Jordanian border until later, so I met up with a couple of guys and we shared a cab to the border. In the one hour I was in Israel, we drove along the beautiful Red Sea, saw the area I went snorkeling in, passed by the mall and the beaches, and drove through one of my favorite places, Eilat. I reached the Jordanian border, crossed through effortlessly, and obtained my free visa without any question.

After crossing, the two guys I had taken the cab with were also going to Petra, so we hired a modest cab for the two-hour ride north through the mountains to Wadi Moussa, which is the town located outside of Petra. We stopped along the way and got great Bedouin tea (as usual) and made it to the town by 11am, where I checked into the quaint Valentine Inn, before heading with our driver to the entrance of Petra.

Petra was an ancient civilization – over two-thousand years old – where the citizens carved out a city into the mountainside. It is located in the southwest portion of Jordan, in a valley, surrounded by mountainous peaks. The entrance is nearly a kilometer long, and consists of a natural valley pathway that was enlarged. It also contains an elaborate water system and some carved out rooms in the mountain.

By far the most recognizable site at Petra is the Treasury, which is considered by most a tomb, carved out of the rock. Other than a little restoration work, the entire Treasury was carved from the single mountain and no additional rock was added. Again, I resort to photos to best display the ancient city.

We sat around for a little and I had tea with a few Bedouin women who graciously offered their tea and food. I guess I hadn’t realized that walking down into the valley to see the ruins would result in me having to walk back up at the end of the day, which I had to take in several stages. I got back to my hotel and took a quick nap, followed by some light reading, a decent, yet tasteless buffet at my Inn. I read a little more in the common area, but took an early night, since it was freezing and I had slept for only a few hours on the bus ride the previous day.

I got up relatively early the next day and I had been told that the only bus for Amman (capital of Jordan) would leave at 6:30am. I felt that was a lie so I woke up at 8 and walked to the bus station, where low and behold, there were a few minibuses waiting around until they were full to head to Amman. Best part: if I had taken the “lone” 6:30 bus, it would have been 15 Jordanian Dinars, or $20. But this minibus (which also only took 3 hours instead of 4) only was 3 Dinars, or $5. Brilliant.

I arrived in Amman and shared a cab to my hotel. I was exhausted at check in and did some more leisure reading before heading out to explore the area around my hotel. I had not planned to come to Amman to begin with, so I had no expectations. The only reason I came was because one of my Fraternity Brothers, Jake Patoski, was in Amman on business. So before we met up, I walked around a little, grabbed some tea, and bought a backgammon board! I have been meaning to buy one and I probably paid a little more than I would in Egypt, but it is great quality and I can’t wait to bring Towla back to the United States.

I ate dinner at Midan Abdoun (Abdoun Square) at a restaurant where all the writing was in Arabic and I had a decent shwerma wrap before grabbing a donut, across the street, before hailing a cab to meet Jake.

One side note, however. In Egypt, a lot of locals try and speak to me in English and so I have to force them to speak to me in Arabic. But in Jordan, as soon as they knew that I spoke some Arabic, they refused to speak to me in English. They kept saying “yanee” (like) or “lets figure it out. No English” which was great for my Arabic. Plus they speak the dialect I am used to. Anyways, it was great using my Arabic and the people actually understanding exactly what I was saying.

Jake and I went to a quasi-diner with great shisha and drinks where we caught up for awhile before heading across the street to a bar, called Blue Moon Pub. Didn’t expect much, however, this place was borderline American strip-club. Tons of women dancing around in skimpy clothing, dancing all over what seemed like high-powered business men. But first, no money was being exchanged and second the girls really seemed to enjoy it. We couldn’t understand if they were being paid or not by the bar or if they were just girls that come and play at the Bar. So weird.

After wishing farewell, I realized that I didn’t have my book on me so I therefore couldn’t remember what my hotel was called. I got in the cab and was like “oh man, where am I staying?” It also didn’t help that I had no idea what street I was staying on, what neighborhood it was in (other than just Downtown) or any landmarks within a ten-block radius of my hotel. The closest thing I could tell him was the Roman Theatre, which was a good 2-3 minute drive past my hotel. So we just went and I eventually told him to go down Shariyah Malik Hussein (King Hussein St) until I recognized where I was, and SUCCESS! I made it home and crashed.

I was nervous about Saturday since I wasn’t too positive of all the plans to get to the Israeli border and then from there into Jerusalem. Plus, my friend had been MIA in responding so I wasn’t sure of where I was going to stay. But I got up, took a cab to the “new cab place” where I could catch a service taxi to the Israeli border. It wasn’t too bad and the trip took only forty minutes. At the border, I took the necessary steps to leave Jordan only to realize I had to pay another 3 Dinars to take a bus to the border. The actual customs & passport facilities are 4km to the border, and you have to take a bus. You can’t walk. So I scrounged together 3 Dinars and was off to Israel…

I was in Jordan for a little over two days and thoroughly enjoyed it. Jordan is quite modern for an Arab nation and parts of Amman reminded me of a cross between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. It is definitely a more open society than Egypt, but is still trying to catch up to its Western, mini-America nation next door.