Before I begin: the website (http://www.nuphotoegypt.com) is now fully functioning and features a 90-image gallery page for each photography student (plus Rob!). I invite you to check it out, and relive the dialogue with us!
I wrote this as a reflection paper for the dialogue class, and thought it would be beneficial to share:
My trip to Egypt began in a whirlwind. When I first heard about the new photography class being taught in Egypt, I immediately decided I had to be a part of it. I applied right away and anxiously waited, tentatively allowing myself to dream about the experience of being in Egypt. I’d always wanted to go to Egypt, ever since I can remember. My grandparents went to Egypt themselves before I was born, and all my life I’ve listened to their stories about traveling the world. I’ve been interested in the pharonic side of Egyptian history for years, and I’ve memorized the Ancient Egyptian exhibits at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. But it was only last summer, when I took Modern Middle Eastern History at Northeastern, that I began to learn about the more recent history of Egypt – and I was even more hooked than before. So, naturally, when I heard about this trip, there was no question in my mind that I had to go. I had been worried that my major would not allow for any study abroad opportunities, so this trip was a perfect fit. It would allow me to spend some time overseas, study something I’m interested in, and finally visit the place I’ve heard and learned so much about.
Fast forward to the week before we left for Egypt. I had just finished my spring semester classes, and was frantically gathering things for my trip. I packed, repacked, and then repacked again, trying to get everything organized. This being my first trip overseas, I wanted to make sure I got it right. I began writing in my journal, mostly about how nervous and excited I was to embark on such a life-changing experience. However, as you may have heard, I lost this journal on the flight from Boston to Frankfurt. I panicked at the airport, and grieved for those long lost journal entries. When we arrived in Cairo, I purchased a new journal, and began fresh. Before my trip I definitely would not have said this, but I’m glad I started a new journal. It allowed me to neatly package all my nervousness and worrying, and then to begin anew and enjoy the new experiences for what they were. The trip, as it came to be, was all about spontaneity and change – which, somehow, losing my journal prepared me for a little more.
Egypt itself was like a dream. On Day 1, when we visited the Khan el-Khalili for the first time, it felt like a mix between Disney World and Hollywood. It just didn’t seem possible that after a (relatively) short plane ride that I could really be in Egypt, interacting with locals and just being there. My head was spinning. That night, we left for Aswan on an overnight train, and I found myself so overwhelmed that I just accepted everything that was happening without thinking about it. Now that I’m free to relax and reflect on the experience, I’m amazed at how much we accomplished on the trip. The train itself was a jarring experience, one that didn’t feel altogether real. I enjoyed seeing the view of Egypt’s countryside after the quick tour of Cairo. Riding the overnight train did give me a sense of distance, something that the plane ride back from Luxor to Cairo did not. It gave me time to think, and time to really experience how far it is from northern to southern Egypt. It is a very big country, and it was important for me to digest that fact as we rode the train.
Aswan and Luxor were more amazing than I could have ever imagined. Visiting the Valley of the Kings was one of my favorite experiences in Egypt. Although it was brutally hot that day and full of tourists, my time there was untainted. It was incredible to be inside the tombs there, which featured artwork that completely blew me away. I had no idea how well-preserved and fully colored the tombs still were. It was well worth the long climbs up and down the narrow shafts crowded with people. That day we also visited Hatshepsut’s Temple, which I had learned about time and time again since childhood. It was amazing to see in person, and was much larger than I had imagined. That day happened to be my 21st birthday, and was the best birthday I could have ever asked for.
It was a relief to be back in Cairo after our five days in Aswan and Luxor. Cairo was a bit cooler, and was also not completely inundated with tourists (whose appearance and behavior had begun to become irritating). I was so glad that this trip was about living in Egypt, not being a tourist there. I was also glad that we had been given time to be tourists, so we could get it out of our systems and explore other aspects of the country. Our visit to the pyramids at Giza was one such touristic moment. It was unbelievable to be able to ride camels through the desert to the pyramids. Even though I definitely felt like a tourist, I still enjoyed the opportunity thoroughly. It was nice to feel relatively alone in the desert, it was just our huge group and really nobody else. When we got to the Sphinx, however, we found the tourists. It was unfortunate how busy the place was, and how blocked-off a lot of the routes were. I would have liked to see the pyramids and Sphinx from different angles and from a closer viewpoint, but I’m sure a lot of other tourists would have liked that, too.
Visiting the U.S. Embassy in Cairo the next day was disappointing. It had been something I was looking forward to, a chance to see a little chunk of home in a foreign land, and to ask important questions, and to hear about what it’s like to work in an embassy. However, the presentation we were given seemed like one that had been scripted and heavily edited – we never really got our questions answered. It was fascinating to contrast this experience with our later visit to the Arab League, where our questions were answered respectfully, eloquently, and truthfully, without any hint of cover-up or politics. I was dismayed that an American embassy would feel the need to not share completely with us as American citizens, while a representative from the Arab League (of which the United States is not a member) felt freer to tell us the truth. It was a shocking revelation, but it made sense, especially as I learned and experienced more about the Egyptian culture as an example of the Arab world as a whole.
A couple of days later, we visited the Egyptian Museum in Cairo in smaller groups. I had been expecting a western museum like the ones I was used to, but I was rapidly realizing that many things in Egypt just didn’t fit the western mold. The museum was extremely confusing to explore on one’s own, and there were many guides outside who seemed very excited at the prospect of taking your money to show you a few key things in the museum. We elected not to get a guide, and instead wandered on our own. Because of this, we didn’t see a few things that I would have liked to see (even though we wandered what we thought was the extent of the museum). Even though I was disappointed with the museum as a whole, I was extremely happy to see the collection, especially the treasures from King Tutankhamun’s tomb. We visited his tomb in the Valley of the Kings (which still contains his body, in a display case for all to see). I was amazed that all these treasures (and more) fit into the tiny tomb that we had been in just a short time before. I felt like I had my pharonic quota filled that day, and was happy with the excursion overall.
That night we attended the Red Bull X-Fighters motocross event at the Sphinx in Giza. It was an entirely different experience than ones we had been having, but I was excited to be part of a crowd of Egyptians around my own age. As we pushed through the crowd to get better to a better view of the action, I found Kareem, Abduh’s son, and his friend. They took me under their wing, and we enjoyed the event together. I was very excited to spend some time with Egyptians, which I had not previously had the chance to do. The event played a collection of American rock songs, which I was surprised at, this being an international event in a completely foreign country. As I spent more and more time in Egypt, I was able to see the pervasive nature of pieces of American culture. We heard American music (mostly music from the 1990’s and early 2000’s) played everywhere. There were many American restaurants, especially at the City Stars mall in Heliopolis. We ate at McDonald’s and Hardee’s with some frequency, and we decided that this fast food was better in Egypt than it was back home.
People ask me how the food was in Egypt. I tell them it was delicious – when we ate it. Most of the time we found ourselves eating western food, which definitely kept me feeling healthier while I was in Egypt. Now that I’m back in the states, I regret that we didn’t eat more Egyptian food. I feel like many of the choices I made in Egypt were ones related to self-preservation and weren’t future-focused, which was a necessity at the time. It was hard to think about diverse eating when you were busy thinking about feeling better.
Our day trip to Alexandria was definitely educational. The new Biblioteca Alexandrina was incredible, and so western! I couldn’t believe it! Here, in Egypt, something that looks like it belongs in Paris! By that time, however, I had gotten used to the somehow familiar and homey look of the run-down buildings covered in brown dust. This clean, polished, expansive library just didn’t fit in, and seemed odd in that landscape.
By the time we left Egypt, I felt homesick for the place. Everything there had become so routine, so familiar, that it just felt weird to be heading home. I was excited to tell friends and family all about Egypt, but knew that I would miss actually being there. The first time I saw a group of Americans out for ice cream in my hometown, I kept getting confused. Here was a group of people, all Americans, all Caucasian, and all speaking English – and they weren’t members of our Dialogue group. I kept doing double-takes, thinking I was seeing members of the group in the crowd. I even mistook a friend for a dialogue member! I know part of it was the jet-lag and exhaustion from traveling, but it definitely threw me off for a little while.
Now that I’ve had some time to readjust, I still find myself seeing the American version of things and thinking back to how it had been in Egypt. The first time I went to a restaurant since being in Egypt, I was surprised to see tap water served with ice in glasses. Part of me was struggling with the “duh” factor, and part of me wanted it to be more like it was in Egypt. I had gotten used to the slow service in Egypt, the fact that your check would never come until you asked for it. It was somewhat endearing and fun to make an order at a restaurant using a mixture of hand signals, (extremely) broken Arabic and English – then hoping, somehow, you would get something resembling what you ordered. Cairo had become home, and it was a bit unnerving to be thrown headfirst back into the efficiency and cleanliness that is American suburban life. I was confused and unhappy for a while, while at the same time I was excited to be catching up with friends and family. When people asked me “how Egypt was” I was literally speechless. What could I say? How could I possibly sum my entire experience into just a few sentences? And would anything I came up with possibly give justice to the experience? I’m sure some of my responses were less than eloquent. I found I could better talk about my trip when something jogged my memory specifically, like when I went to a movie for the first time since coming home from Egypt. I couldn’t stop talking about the cinema experience in Egypt, and I’m sure I was babbling like a lunatic.
I haven’t caught up with the people from the dialogue yet, and I wonder what it will be like to be back here with them now that we’ve shared what seems like a lifetime overseas. I hope we stay in touch, because to each other, our stories are memories and not just stories. Regardless, our trip to Egypt really happened, and there are real artifacts that reinforce that truth. Sometimes I worry that I’ll wake up one morning and it will all have been some crazy dream. It went by so quickly, but it was such a life-changing experience. I feel like I’ve been given a new set of eyes to look at the world a little differently. Since being in Egypt, I feel less like an American and more like a member of the international world. I am thrilled and overwhelmed that I was able to participate in this program, and it’s one that I’m sure I’ll reflect happily on for years to come.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Upon reflection...
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Final Book
It's been a little while since I last updated, I'll get some thoughts about my re-entry to the US up here soon.
In the meantime, check out the book I made as the final project for my photography class!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Our last day in Egypt
I just finished packing for the trip home. It seems so weird to be heading home tonight - pretty surreal! How did five weeks go by so quickly?
Class today was spent doing last-minute book edits and website gallery uploads. All the students (and Rob) now have 90 images each in the gallery, which hopefully gives viewers a more complete sense of what we've been seeing and experiencing here.
We had a shorter class today, because it was our last day. The school threw a little party for us - complete with an Oud musician and his band, and Egyptian sweets (which I love!). There was singing, dancing (by Denis!) and relaxing - everyone had just finished their finals, so there was a lot to celebrate!
Right before the party, Rob had us present our books on-screen to everyone with the projector. I think they were well-received overall, and I think it was definitely important for everyone to see what we've been up to - especially because this is the first year for the photo class in Egypt. Rob definitely feels the need to quantify our work for people, which I can understand totally. That's why I worked so hard on the website - it's so important to show people that we weren't on vacation for five weeks in Egypt, we were working just as hard as everyone else (but still having fun doing it!).
I was so exhausted by the time we got back to the hotel (I'm definitely ready to get home!) that I missed the lunch caravan and instead took a mental break for a while. I really can't believe I'm going home tonight (we leave the hotel at 1:30am). If I had the opportunity to make the decision to come here again, I absolutely would. I had the best time here in Egypt, and I've definitely grown as a person. This trip has taught me a lot about myself and my place in the world, and it's definitely put me out of my comfort zone consistently. I'm excited to be heading home, but I definitely will miss it here.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Wrapping up
May 31, 2010 - 11:00pm
We spent class today working on our books. By Wednesday or Thursday, Rob wants us to have 90 photos ready for the website, which I'll code asap and put up in the gallery. For Thursday's class, our final class, Rob also wants to see rough drafts of our final books.
We had individual meetings in class today (outside - it's getting quite steamy here as it approaches June!) and Rob suggested I show my architectural photos in black and white for my final. I'm intrigued by the idea, and I'm definitely happier with them overall, now that I see them in a different way.
We got Munch & Bagel delivery (everything can be delivered in Egypt, on the back of a Vespa) for lunch, then spent the rest of the afternoon editing and writing our book reviews for The Yacoubian Building. Avery, Meg, Maddie and I had dinner at the hotel bar, and had a pretty relaxing night overall.
June 1, 2010 - 10:45pm
Today, we were planning on going to the Pharonic Village for a shoot during class. Unfortunately, tickets were unreasonably expensive (and completely different from what the website and our guide books said), so we scrapped that idea. Four of us (plus Rob) went "back to the office" and worked more on editing. I got a decent amount of work done in class today, and spent the rest of the night editing photos and designing my book. After class, a few of us went back to Euro Deli for lunch, which took so long that I ended up skipping my last Arabic class. I didn't feel bad about it, because it gave me a good chunk of time to spend on my photo final.
Tomorrow night is our last overnight in Egypt - we leave the hotel Friday morning at 2am for the airport! I can't believe it! I've been thinking a lot about all the things I'll miss about Egypt. I'm definitely ready for some reverse culture-shock when I get home.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
More pyramids, and a free day
May 30, 2010 - 12:15am (May 31)
Yesterday, the photo-fluids group went to Sakkara, Dahshur, and Mit-Rahina (Memphis). At Sakkara, we saw the famous step pyramid, then climbed down into the tomb of a smaller pyramid. We had to bend over significantly to enter the tomb, and to move between the rooms. The rooms themselves were plenty big, though, and the entrance ramp wasn't too long. I was able to handle it, despite my claustrophobia.
Dahshur was a different story altogether. This pyramid was huge, and I decided to not even attempt to climb down in because everyone was having trouble breathing in the stale air, and the ramp was tighter and went much further down. There's no way I would've made it. Still, we got to spend some time sitting on the side of the pyramid, which was a cool experience in itself. It was brutally hot that day, but I kept pushing myself because I knew it would be worth it! We visited the bent pyramid (near Dahshur), and walked all the way around. The fluids guys were able to hold a policeman's rifle and pose with his camel for photos. Afterwards, the "tourism and antiquities" policeman kept demanding more baksheesh - Rob shut him up real quick when he suggested blackmailing him with the photos. He felt safe doing so because we had our own security guard with us, carrying a machine gun. The police are so corrupt here, it's just amazing.
Today, we were able to sleep in for the first time in a while. I got up around 11 and met with Kelly and Clancy unexpectedly. They invited me to go see Iron Man 2, because we had a free day. It was showing at the Nile City Towers, which cabbies inexplicably can never find (it must have a different name in Arabic). We had a lot of trouble with our driver and with traffic - we were in the cab for 45 minutes (versus 15). Luckily, we made it to the theater just in time, the movie had just started. The ticket vendor tried to charge us double for some reason, but we ended up with 25 LE tickets, less than $5. Can't beat that! The movie was really good, and was free of the usual cultural interruptions, minus the intermission. After the movie, we explored the mall a bit, then hailed a cab to get back to Zamalek. This cabbie was awesome, he was this funny old man who laughed at everything and gave us his card. Afterwards, Clancy left her wallet in the car, and he returned it to the hotel. He was a really good guy.
Around 8, Rob, Avery and I went to the Hard Rock Cafe, which was an interesting experience. Our server tripped when bringing us food, and I got some salsa dumped on my lap. They were really concerned and brought me a ton of wet-naps, and stood there as I scrubbed my pants. They made sure I was happy before they would leave. We got some good American burgers and listened to music for a while. Our cabbie on the ride home had no idea where our hotel was and was loudly talking on his call and driving pretty recklessly (even for Egypt). We just hopped out in a random spot on Zamalek and walked from there.
This coming week is going to be super packed with editing, website stuff, and final book work. We've got some time to finish things up before grades are due July 1.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Alexandria
May 28, 2010 - 10:55pm
We spent the day in Alexandria, which is north of Cairo, on the Mediterranean Sea. The drive there took a little over 2 hours, and on the way we stopped at the Lion Village for fatir, which consisted of giant filo dough wedges served with honey and cream cheese. The food was awesome, but the atmosphere was a little strange - it was like a real-life Rainforest Cafe.
There were the tables, the women making the fatir, and then there were animal cages around the perimeter. There were some zoo animals like lions, monkeys, and ostriches that were in cages. Next to these, however, were cages with chickens, rabbits, deer, and dogs! There were many different dog breeds, and they were all over the place. Some of them were tied up individually, and some were in cages with a few of each breed. They were definitely domesticated, and accepted petting happily. Some of the bigger dogs were leaping out of their pens, only to be roughly dumped back in by some of the children working there. There was a german shepherd who jumped in and out by himself a few times. When the dogs got loose, the lions all started roaring, which made the dogs go crazy barking. It was just a wild place!
The animals seemed healthier overall than they did at the Giza Zoo, and the whole place was shaded and the cages were bigger overall. Not that the Lion Village was treating the animals well - but they definitely weren't guilty of the same stuff that was happening at the Giza Zoo. The animals were also in cages that were shorter, so you could touch (or be touched by) them. It was definitely a weird little cultural experience.
Alexandria, on the other hand, was beautiful! It was much cooler than Cairo because there was a strong sea breeze. The air was salty and moist, which felt so weird for Egypt. We were dropped off by the bus at a fort at the end of the Corniche (the road that went along the ocean). We spent hours walking from there along the Corniche to the new library, where we all met at 4:30 for a tour.
We stopped for lunch at the Fish Market restaurant. We all had to go up to the fish case to pick our fish, which were arranged on ice with the heads and tails still attached. I chose sole and had it fried - it came with the head and tail still on! It wasn't very big so I was able to eat it quickly, plus it was cheap. It was so good, and was definitely fresh! The fish came with all the "salads" we're so used to now - pita, hommus, tahina, baba ganoush, etc.
We walked some more, and passed the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. There's a lot of Roman ruins in Alexandria, which I'd like to see if I ever went back. There's a lot of history to the place, but it was overwhelming to try to see too much at once, as we were walking to the library. When we finally got there, we stopped for gelato, which was definitely welcome after the long walk.
The library was incredible! It featured numerous permanent exhibits and museums and a planetarium, along with the massive reading room and stacks. They had an impressive supercomputer and an "expresso" machine that could print books on-site. The architecture was beautiful, and was designed for optimal environmental standards and comfort for people reading and visiting. The library was full of modern art, too. What a place!
We were there until 6, then rode the bus back to Cairo. It was a really long bus ride, 2+ hours at least. I tried to sleep, but it was no use. We got back around 9, and a few of us went to Dido's, where I had pesto pasta again. The waiter barely understood us, even when we pointed at the menu, and there was loud American rap music blaring. It was quite a place. Cultural experiences are all over the place here!
The Citadel, Military Museum, and Oud music
May 28, 2010 - 8:45am
Yesterday, we went to the Citadel of Salah al-Din for a photo shoot during class. Within the Citadel, we saw the mosque of Muhammad Ali. It's a huge place, and it's on top of a hill (which is near the hill of Al-Ashar park, where we saw the sunset). The mosque was so impressive. It was massive, and was so gorgeous inside. The mosque's inner part, where the quttab (the niche that points to Mecca) is, was elaborately decorated and the ceiling was high and ornate. There were circular lights and chandeliers strung around in circles. The chandeliers were catching the breeze from outside and were making quiet twinkling noises, which added to the sense of calmness about the place.
There was some intense haze yesterday - the weather report read "sun and sand." When the wind picked up a little, the sand was pretty rough on our eyes and equipment. The view from the Citadel was pretty dismal, as a result. On a good day, you can see the Pyramids at Giza from the Citadel. Still, it was an amazing experience to be there and photograph the place. So relaxing!
Also in the Citadel complex was a military museum, which was so very Egyptian! We paid 1 LE to bring our cameras in. It was full of models of weapons, buildings and automobiles - some of which didn't look very professional or legit. There were some cool paintings and dioramas of war scenes and rulers, and examples of weaponry and military uniforms hung on mannequins. There were sections of the museum for all the important military and political happenings, which was cool to see as a sort of walk-through timeline. The building itself was like a palace (it may have actually been one). The museum had a roped pathway that led you along hallways and up and down stairs. It was one line, and you had to go through to the end - at which there was a portrait of the current President of Egypt. Outside the museum were old airplanes and tanks. Rob commented that, being Egypt, these probably weren't even fully decommissioned. They were impressive, though.
We headed back to the hotel, and Rob and I went to Alex Top for koshary. The fluids guys have had Alex Top koshary for most of their meals this past week, so we figured we'd try it, too. I hadn't had koshary since Luxor, and it was nice to have real Egyptian food again. A lot of the food here is American or European, so it's easy to be lazy about what we eat.
At 7:30, we went to the Culture Wheel to see Oud music. The show started at 8:30, and I got a good amount of it on video. All the speaking was in Arabic only, and people were laughing at jokes we didn't understand. The crowd was definitely engaged in the music, and would clap along when the tempo increased. It was a good show, but it went on for so long! After about an hour and a half, we decided to leave - only to learn later that there was an intermission after we left! Outside the Culture Wheel there was a craft fair going on, which Alexis and I visited after the show.
