Finally the weekend!

Wow! The weeklong orientation period is over! While it was very helpful I think we are all glad it is over because it was exhausting! So we finally have a night off and can sleep in on Friday! Now when school starts we will be having 3 day weekends but Fridays especially are the days we can sleep in...on Fridays the biggest call to prayer happens (which all call to prayers are projected over loud speaker throughout the city) however it doesn't happen until noon so everyone sleeps in and the streets are actually quiet for a short period of time! Which helps the sleeping in =D So yes we sleep in and I went over to the smaller girls AP to hang out with/get lunch with Lauren, Allegra, Christine, and Shama. After a day of wondering around we head back to get ready for the potluck!

Potluck at my AP! Wasn’t really told about it but the girls I was with got texts so I guess I was invited as well =P EVERYONE comes over =) New friends from the program, new arab friends, and even Salma our very cool assistant program director! Tons of food and a great time! Unfortunately that meant we got to bed late and we needed to get up early for the Pyramids trip!

Up at 8am...have to hurry need to meet the grp at the bus for the trip to the pyramids! Of course 4 of us accidently went earlier this week but we knew this experience was going to be amazing! So Cairo is pretty warm and you would think going into the desert would be even warmer...hmmm were we wrong! It was freezing when we got there and I was definitely shivering but luckily shortly after we arrived we go inside...the air was warmer inside and we went up and up and up and up! Omg was way out of breath and the air was so dead inside! Super creepy but definitely a very cool experience! Started coughing up a storm tho, which I am STILL coughing from, so i was glad when we left the inside of one of the most amazing monuments of the world!

A short bus ride to the view where we can see all three of the pyramids! This is also where we will begin our 30min camel ride down to the Sphinx! We sit on the camels as the rise and wow are they really high off of the ground! I of course squeak and scream. But we all become some what comfortable on the camels as we are led through the desert. The comfort fades somewhat when the camel behind me (pooka) takes a liking to my leg and enjoys spitting on me!

Now back in the states I live in two states where it rains a lot. I love the rain. Of course coming to Egypt I knew not to expect rain especially not in the desert...seems the rain follows me. Because on our camel ride through the desert it starts raining! Hahaha I loved it! The others weren't as happy. And our ride got interesting when we started lagging behind and our guide starts the camels trotting! Soooo scary!!! Of course there were more squeaks and screams our guide finally slowed us down. We make it to the Sphinx with sore legs and pet our camels goodbye. After many photo opportunities we drive back home and all take naps in preparation for our first day of classes tomorrow!

- KC