My door DOES have a lock!

And a really cute key:


I just got back from a 2 hour sojourn around downtown Cairo. My idea was kind of to find the main AUC building, but I had trouble finding the street signs I was looking for (I'm quite good at reading those I don't need to find, however), and I didn't want to keep taking out my little guidebook to stare at the map. Instead, I decided to enjoy wandering aimlessly on this beautiful day, with a casual eye out for FOOD. At some point last night I lost track of a lovely bag of fruit and goodies from a British flight attendant :(

I wandered and I saw: The Nile, the Nile Hilton, lots of cars, lots of dust and bricks, some piles of trash, one stray dog, one thin (possibly stray) cat, lots of guards and police men, lots of banks.

Note: it is impossible to blend in! In Europe,one can always pretend to be European, as long as one's mouth is shut.

Most women I saw today were wearing hijab, but it is also Friday, so I'm sure there were more than usual. I got kissy noises from many men and a few women, and lots of pssts. I gave some American tourists directions, based on the two streets I know: this one, and the one diagonally across the square.

One nice young man walked alongside me for a bit and told me all about his new hotel and bar, how thrilling. He gave me his business card, and encouraged me to come on by later tonight - I think not. But perhaps when I am settled in and have a phalanx of fellow students, I will indeed stop at Pharaoh's Palace for some shisha.

I bought some falafel for 10 piastres. Which reminds me, must find out how many piastres go into 1 pound. For that matter, must find out what the hell a piastre is.

Bought cheese, pita bread, Sprite, bubbly water, and cookies for 15 pounds, 15 piastres. I have no idea if the man gave me correct change, but for today it doesn't matter. Must figure out how many piastres are in a pound.

Also, I know very little practical Arabic and zero Amiyya (Egyptian Arabic). I was talking to Amir (one of the lovely hostel dudes, very sweet and round-faced), and he said "kayf al-hal" (how are you) is Syrian or Lebanese, and "they don't even speak real Arabic" - so I think I will refrain from speaking too much until I've picked up a little of the local vocabulary.

For the record: How you doin' is "izzayak" for dudes, "izayeek" for gals.

Mom and I are Skyping! It's fun. Nevertheless, I've already used more than half of my first phone card on international calls...much find out a cheaper way to do it!