J-Term Diaries: Amy Bulgrien

So, I'm back from Egypt. I apologize for not posting while I was there; it was nigh impossible.

I had a PHENOMENAL time on my trip, as I know everyone whom I went with did as well. We climbed inside pyramids, took a ferry across the Nile, learned a little Arabic, and heard a whole bunch of interesting facts, such as the fact that the Egyptians use only 6% of their land. 94% is unused land (most of which is desert).

We traveled from the Mediterranean Sea to very close to the Sudanese border - the whole country. Egypt is a land of contrasts. The fertile farmland contrasts with the desert, the Muslims contrast with the Coptic Christians, and the city life contrasts with the rural life. The cities are like cities everywhere else - tall buildings, lots of cars, pollution. But when one gets outside the cities into rural Egypt, one is transferred back 3000 years. That's how little has changed.

Egypt was a one-of-a-kind experience, one which is not easily explained in words. Browse through my pictures, and maybe you will catch a glimpse of the real Egypt.

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Finally, winter! This cold weather as of late has me in great spirits.

That and the fact that I am going to Egypt tomorrow.

This morning my class took our final, which consisted of identifying slides and defining terms. It was a fair test, and I feel I did pretty well. We had the rest of the day to do last-minute things before we leave tomorrow. I have been busy shooting off emails and making sure things are set for my replacement RA (a temporary resident assistant is staying in my room while I am gone). I procured a temporary parking permit for my mom, who is going with us on the trip. I have said my goodbyes. All that is left is to call my credit card companies (to let them know why they might be seeing charges from Egypt during the next few weeks) and to watch the new "Grey's Anatomy" episode tonight.

I am trying not to be too hyper, but it's hard. How could I not be terribly excited? All the students were in fine spirits this morning. Everybody is feeling 100%, including me. 110%, even, or more. We are going to have the time of our lives.

Depending on whether or not there is accessible and affordable internet at the places we are visiting, this could be the last post you see from me for a while. However, there is no need to fear! If you don't get all the Egyptian goodies you were wanting to see on this blog, you can check out my regular blog after I get back at http://www.rmc.edu/currentstudents/blogs/amy.asp. While in Egypt, we are visiting Cairo, Alexandria, Thebes, Aswan, and Abu Simbel, as well as many other sites and cities. We will see the Sphinx and the necropolis (city of the dead) at Giza. We will see the Temple of Karnak. We will see the Mediterranean.

Be looking for updates from the land of the Nile but if you don't, know we are all doing just fine.

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Egypt: t-minus 3 days.

How exciting is that?! We leave for Egypt in just three short days! These last few moments are filled with last minute trips to the store, presentations in class, and studying for the final exam set for Thursday morning. But, I still haven't even started one very important thing.

I haven't packed. At all.

And I'm getting to it, but I just don't wanna. Figuring out what one is going to wear everyday for two weeks is exhausting. However, I shouldn't fear my suitcase too much; I'm going to Egypt, not Paris. I plan on wearing the same thing three or even four times. I plan on not showering and being a dirty kid. I will hide my greasy blonde hair under a shawl because, hey, it's a Muslim country, and that's what they do. When in Rome, do as the Romans, right? Or I guess Cairo in this case...

My classmates are equally excited as I am to begin our travels. Upon hearing something really cool or seeing a picture of some place really awesome where we are going, we oftentimes get goosebumps.

Wish me luck on my packing, and stayed tuned for pictures from the land of the Nile.

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My Egyptian Near Eastern art class started on Wednesday, and I have already learned so much. Recognizing that the class is Ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern Art and we have exactly one week to cover the time range of 400,000BC-400AD, the curriculum is not particularly in depth but is quite interesting. On Wednesday morning, we covered the prehistory period, on Thursday the predynastic period, and on Friday the Old Kingdom. We are running through the history of Egypt, or kemet, at breakneck speed.

On Friday afternoon's schedule was a map test, worth 20% of our grade, in which we had to label sites we would see while in Egypt as well as general areas relating to the history of Egypt. This weekend is taken up by working on a mini research assignment, also worth 20% of our grade, due Monday afternoon. The other components of the grade, all worth 20%, are a slide and term identification test (taken next Thursday right before we leave), a journal kept while in Egypt, and our behavior while in Egypt. Being a Muslim country, Egypt does not seem quite the place for our bawdy American nature, so we students must mind our manners.

Tomorrow, Dr. Fisher is having the class over for dinner at her apparently plantation-like house, where we will either have a special guest who is a tour guide in Egypt or we will watch a film on the pyramids.

We leave the country next Friday around 2:40pm and I am SO EXCITED! Stayed tuned as I count down to Egypt.

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My Ancient Egyptian art history class starts very soon. This means that very soon I will be heading to the land of Egypt. Today my professor sent us a list of terms to define and places to locate on a map of Egypt. Since class starts next week, I should probably get started doing my work.

But my birthday's on Thursday, so we'll see what happens.

During the two weeks of class I will have before heading to Africa on an extremely long plane ride, I will be tested on information found in both the textbook for the class and an Egyptian guide book. I will need to pack for 12 amazing days in a Muslim country. I've done the whole Europe thing and am excited to try something new. Heading back to good ole Randy-Mac on Sunday, I will keep you posted on the class and what I am learning.

Happy 2007!

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As the fall semester winds down, I am getting increasingly more excited to go to Egypt!

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