1 Week In

So I have been here a week. My friend Kendra and I have been fb messaging back and forth, and on my bad day earlier in the week, she sent me this disgustingly inspirational quote:

“So, look forward to the future and take it one day at a time. Congratulate yourself for seemingly small feats each day - like finding the right bus, or using the metro correctly, or making a new friend - those are really big accomplishments in a different country and every small success will make life easier overall!”

As much as it made both of us want to puke, she, after living in Korea for a year, is right. It’s the little victories that count. So, I shall recount my little victories of the past couple days.

Tuesday (yesterday?) I went to the AUC new campus to get my ID and bus pass. I also explored the library and campus a bit more. The campus is just SO big. It’s small enough to just be a walking campus, but if it were any bigger they would need a shuttle of some sorts, at least running down the main thoroughfare. It also seems big because of the architecture- it’s incredibly imposing. Very blocky, straight lines, forceful fonts on the signage. As I wrote in an earlier post, the bus stop is like 5 minutes from my apartment, so getting to and from the bus was no issue. However, I tried to go to campus on Monday, and the bus never came, and that was no fun.

Today I took an exploration walk- with the mission of going to the bank to take out my first month’s rent, which was a success. I walked down Street 9, the main drag, and then took some side streets back to the apartment. The problem with going out during the day, at least during this time of the year, is that it’s so hot. After that short walk, which ended around 10:15, I was drenched with sweat. I also conquered my kush (corner store), and picked up some water, some mango juice, and my first package of “Borios,” aka, “Not Oreos.”

Truthfully, I haven’t really done much. I have not really gotten past Maadi (my neighborhood), and to tell you the truth I am completely fine with that. I am here for 2 years, meaning a couple things. First- I have time. I do not need to see everything and do everything at once. Second, my primary goal is to be comfortable in a place so as to make a life. For me, that means getting to know my neighborhood. I will do all the touristy stuff with my sister when she comes in December. That way, it wont be 100 degrees when we go see the pyramids, it’ll be in the 70’s. Much more agreeable, don’t you think?

Unless I’m at AUC, I’m probably sitting in the apartment. Especially during the day it’s just too hot. However, once it gets cooler I will be expanding my horizons. I will also start looking for an Arabic tutor or class. Its just not worth it to take it through AUC. I’d have to be on the new campus (which is an hour out of the city) every day, when my grad classes would be on the old campus (downtown). Also- AUC classes would be MUCH more expensive. Accredited, yes, but expensive. Much better to have the skills and be able to prove it and use it than sit in a class and learn textbook. With a tutor, I can go walking around town and learn things that I need to get by.

Also, I was talking to Hisham, Jenny’s boyfriend, about getting books and stuff for class. Apparently, nobody gets a booklist until the first day of class. Uber annoying if I do say so myself.