Classes have begun for students at the American University in Cairo, which means the grand opening of the New Campus in New Cairo. Until this semester, AUC has been located in the downtown area of Tahrir, where the buildings are spread out across city blocks in the middle of a busy area. The new campus is located in a relatively isolated area outside suburban Cairo, over an hour away from the old campus. So the feel of the two campuses is incredibly different. Despite being isolated, the new campus is stunningly beautiful and enormous. The architecture helps the campus blend in well with the surrounding desert. I'll take some pictures of it tomorrow, and maybe i'll put some up with my next post. It is a thing to behold!
My only class today was Sociology 450 - Third World Development. It is a seminar class mostly made up of international students. Due to the strange class scheduling, I only have this class once a week (on Sundays, the weekend here is FRI and SAT) for over three hours. The professor spoke a little about her background and it sounded like she had a lot of practical experience in third world development, so I am somewhat excited about the class. I have heard that classes here are MUCH easier than the kind of schooling that many of the international students are used to at their home universities. According to the student orientation leaders, the school is composed of lots of upper-class Egyptians who complain a lot when they are forced to work. So it sounds like a breeze compared to Colgate.
This past weekend I went on an AUC-organized trip to Alexandria, about a 3-hour bus ride northwest from Cairo. It is a beautiful city on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Compared to Cairo, the city is much more laid-back and socially liberal. Women are permitted to wear slightly more revealing clothing (but not bathing suits without overshirts on the beach, unless it's at the special Western beaches), there are more public displays of affection, and the people are generally friendlier on the street. But the most amazing part of the city is its hybrid historical identity. Throughout its history, Alexandria has been deeply influenced (and occupied) by Greeks, Romans, Muslims, and Arabs. This makes for a fascinatingly multi-layered history, which shows through in the art (sphinx-like statues with Helenic Greek heads), the architecture (beautiful Greek blues on mosques), and in the people themselves (a slightly more diverse population). Personally I loved the place more than Cairo, but that could just be because I had a hankering for some beach.
Some of the sights we visited in Alexandria were the library, the Qaitbay Citadel, an ancient Roman amphitheater, and the catacombs (an ancient subterranean tomb complex where Roman soldiers were buried). The library of Alexandria is a brand new take on a legendary historical landmark. The new library was constructed in the early 21st century by a team of European architects, who won a UNESCO competition. The architecture of the building represents the rising sun. My favorite element is the carving around the exterior of the building, which includes characters from every known language. The inside is equally impressive, with an enormous slanted reading room and an ancient manuscript museum. The original Library of Alexandria was destroyed in stages, with the last of it tumbling down in the 3rd century AD. So it took a long time for the library to be rebuilt I guess.
The Qaitbay Citadel is a large fort perched on a small isthmus overlooking the royal harbor. The citadel is located where the ancient lighthouse of Alexandria (one of the seven wonders of the ancient world) used to be, and it is equally intimidating as it is beautiful. We got to tour the inside and peek out from the archer holes that line the outside. The Roman amphitheater was a cool ruin site that we visited right off the bat. The acoustics in the theater have certainly stood the test of time, and when you stand on the stone circle in the middle of the theater your voice resounds in a perfect echo. But the coolest Roman landmark was the catacombs. Imagine the most spooky underground cave you've ever been in, and then pretend that it was full of ancient tombs of dead soldiers. BOO! I know I felt a little creeped out when I was deep down inside the complex admiring the tombs in which soldiers were laid to rest. The story goes that the catacombs were discovered when a donkey fell through the ground, which prompted an enormous excavation project. I'm sure the guy who first discovered the catacombs (and especially the guys who removed all the bodies from their resting places) is cursed for life.
Other notable experiences in Alexandria: I had some juice from a guy on the street and it made me sick, I swam in the Mediterranean which was really salty, I witnessed a car accident and the ensuing argument (remarkably, the first car accident i've seen despite the crazy driving), and I ate some damn good falafel at a seaside cafe. If any of you visit Egypt in the future, make sure you stop in Alexandria!
Chris,
It is great to read your blogs, I love the idea to follow your discovery in Egypt by reading you...by the way your style of putting it into words is fantastic, I look forward to reading more and knowing about your experience there. Take care of what you are eating or drinking, I told you about that on the plane I guess, if you remember. I am in Bodrum/Turkey now on my Honey Moon, sun, beach, great weather and love ... it's a perfect place to relax and enjoy, after Lebanon (-: . Cheers.
Posted by: Toufic Gebran | September 10, 2008 at 05:37 AM