Music times!

Hello! I will post more in a little bit, but for right now I wanted to quickly share some music I am totally in love with. I am too lazy to go about posting the music links here, but you can just as easily visit some other sites and maybe discover some new music, too!

First, go here. There are some fantastic remixes posted on this blog.

Next, go here and search for Hot Chip, and listen to the first song, 'Take It In'. It is fantastic. Then, search for a song by Hot Chip and Peter Gabriel. It is a Vampire Weekend cover, and it is totally wonderful.

Also, is it wrong that I am totally into the new Lady Gaga song? ('Bad Romance'). You decide!

Everything is true!!!

So, I found on Google Books today a book I read sophomore year that totally changed my life. It is this super silly hippy anarchist type book, but I love it. Here is an example of why I love it so (because it says things that are so wonderful and scary):

Everything in nature is perfectly real including consciousness, there's absolutely nothing to worry about. Not only have the chains of the Law been broken, they never existed; demons never guarded the stars, the Empire never got started, Eros never grew a beard.

No, listen, what happened was this: they lied to you, sold you ideas of good & evil, gave you distrust of your body & shame for your prophethood of chaos, invented words of disgust for your molecular love, mesmerized you with inattention, bored you with civilization & all its usurious emotions.

There is no becoming, no revolution, no struggle, no path; already you're the monarch of your own skin--your inviolable freedom waits to be completed only by the love of other monarchs; a politics of dream, urgent as the blueness of sky.

I love this book the way I love poetry. It's not like I believe everything it says, I just love the way he says it, and the wonderful crazy ideas that are in the book. Examples:

POETIC TERRORISM: Weird dancing in all-night computer-banking lobbies. Unauthorized pyrotechnic displays. Land-art, earthworks as bizarre alien artifacts strewn in State Parks. Burglarize houses but instead of stealing, leave Poetic-Terrorist objects. Kidnap someone & make them happy.

Awesome!

In other news, I went to Siwa again!!! I promise (really I do!) that I will post about it tomorrow. I may even start writing tonight and save a draft so I can have all my ideas down! It was a totally magical trip. Ok, time to go watch '17 Again' (that movie is seriously awesome)! Goodnight!

The sky gathered again

I feel immensely guilty about my lack of insightful posts recently! I have been reading other people's blogs, and they say much more interesting stuff than I do. So, since I can't organize my thoughts right now, I'll instead post some random...tidbits? Items? I don't know. Anyway.

The Tram
Every day we ride the tram to school and then back home again. The tram is this rickety old metal train thing, generally with three cars, that trundles along a mostly straight metal track (there are cables above it, too). The cars themselves are quite past their prime, and there is not that much seating room so I generally stand. The tram is generally not super crowded in the morning, but in the afternoons and at other times it is super crowded, to the point of being ridiculous. It's like rush hour on the most heavily trafficked subway system, or something even worse. All this, only with the added benefits of being in a mostly hot climate and being filled with women wearing far too much clothing who are inclined to shower less than I would deem necessary. It is quite the experience. Social norms on the tram are super bizarre to me, as well. For example, sometimes I will get on the tram, and be greeted by just flat out hostile stares from women. It is like the very fact of my presence is offending them. I thought maybe it had to do with how much skin I was showing, but apparently not, as some days I am super covered and I get it even worse. Then there are the girls who will just unabashedly stare and talk about me and whoever I'm with. It's really super uncomfortable to be subjected to that, so I just make a game of staring back, not looking away, and maybe throwing in some arch glances and eyebrow-raising just for good measure. People will also try and cheat you out of your standing space if you are lucky enough to get a spot next to the wall or window. It's so weird.

Weather
So, last week or so, we were having this weird spell where it was super ridiculously humid, and there was horrible smog or something everywhere. It was like Texas weather. It was gross. Now, after some normalcy, we have been having rain! We had some on and off rain recently, and then at the end of last week (I think) there were some thunderstorms, complete with lightning and everything. It had already been chilly (or just cool) in the evenings, and now it is even chillier. It rained like monsoon style yesterday (imagine those news clips of hurricanes, or a rain storm in Texas), and it is still damp and cool outside. There was sun earlier, but intermittent clouds have been hanging around in a very serious fashion. Last night I was actually cold, and right now in my apartment I feel a bit chilled. Craziness! Is there truth to this rumor of Alexandria actually having a winter?!

Siwa
We're going back to Siwa this weekend!!! I'm super excited. Pretty much half our group hasn't been before, so that's going to be interesting. We're staying two nights in a hotel and one in the desert, and doing the bus rides there and back during the day (as opposed to our crazy night bus trips last time!). I'm just excited to run around in the desert. I do love being in the desert, particularly in the late afternoon and close to sunset. It's just so fun and pretty. It's going to be pretty cold to sleep outside, though, so I'm getting ready for some epic cuddling.

Classes and confrontations
Today there was a semi-epic throwdown in my translation class. We have all been complaining about it, but we never actually complained to the teacher, and so she found out from one of the directors. She's pretty disappointed in us, meanwhile, since a lot of us didn't hand in some assignments, and lots of people have just been not giving the class a lot of effort. It's a tricky subject, as it is both hard to teach and hard to do (translation, I mean). I don't want to go into the specifics, but there was some ranting in class and the teacher took it quite admirably, but still did not handle it that well (a main complaint against her is that she does not explain things, and she handled this by...not explaining things). Oh well. The point is: I still don't understand Arab social norms. I just don't. I was so surprised that she didn't lose her cool or yell back when things were getting heated in class, and she mostly seemed upset that we didn't go to her first. I just don't know. Maybe I'll write more about this later.

The whole education system here is different, of course. The teaching style is much more different from what we are used to, as are just the social interactions in school or office situations. Teachers always want complaints brought to them directly, but I have not met that many Arab teachers who I felt comfortable bringing complaints to. They also all have a very lecturing style (by this I mean that they talk and talk and you sit there and, I don't know, absorb or something). We have one teacher who just talks the whole class and then sometimes says that he knows he talked throughout the whole class just this once but there was good reason. He never lets us talk, and tells us semi-interesting stuff about literature and history, which would be acceptable if the class was not in fact an Arabic language class in which we are supposed to be learning and using the Arabic language. It is quite annoying.

My roommate and I have been watching spooky movies lately, since we both got into the Halloween spirit and decided that it was time to catch up on scary movies. It has been going well so far, except that we've watched very understated and atmospheric creepy movies, which does unsettle the viewer some. This was not helped by the super creepy howling wind yesterday.

I've kind of run out of coherent thoughts for now, so I'm going to go and try to get started on my homework for this weekend. We leave for Siwa tomorrow after class, and we're coming back Saturday night. Hopefully I'll have all sorts of good pictures and such to post then!

I hope it is nice wherever you are, and that you are having a good time!

Spooky Towne!!!

So, we had a Halloween party. I know I should post other, more interesting things, but honestly, life is not all that interesting lately! I get up, I eat sleepily, I take the tram to class, I sit in class, I have my internship or I go home, I don't do homework, I do homework, I eat food, maybe work out, go to bed. Repeat. And then it is the weekend and we have parties! ...like a Halloween party!

Everyone dressed up in admirable costumes; the only one who wasn't wearing a costume was a last minute friend of a friend who got a free pass as this was her first time here. Everyone else? A+ efforts! There was dancing, spooky Mafia games, a costume contest, and general fun times. Example:





Notice how my roommate and I are matching sexy lumberjacks. Well, at least, that's what we were aiming for, and what resulted was an infinitely more awesome, like, 1920's or 40's but also French Canadian explosion of fantastic, complete with party mustaches on sticks. Win.

Anyway, I just wanted to share all that (oh, the picture of the skeleton? That was, and still is, on the front door of our apartment...). We're off to have dinner at a super awesome teacher's apartment, so I'm excited for what is in store. Also, the weather is starting to act like it might be getting cooler. It's very lovely and fall-like in the evenings. Yay?

All the sun long

Hello! I have a confession to make. Today, I listened to christmas music. And I sang along. And I'm okay with that.

In other news I am having a formal party tonight!!! I hope it turns out super classy. We all painted our nails last night, and I'm baking a cake, and apparently the boys are having some surprise classy clothing or whatever, I don't know (they just keep telling me that we are going to need to 'bring our A game' and such). We're also going to play mafia, and charades, and that hat game! Oh boy. I'm gonna wear heels!!!

OH also I dyed my hair last night. Dark brown. Well, my roommate dyed it. And she did such an A+ job! It looks super good, except now I think the actual hairs need work, like haircut style. Hopefully I'll get that taken care of this weekend.

There is really not much else to report, unfortunately. My classes are really sucking right now! I feel like I am getting progressively more and more dumb with each passing day. This is because we do not learn things. And, also I guess my attitude is not too good right now. But it's really hard when you don't ever do anything! I need to step it up, I suppose. I did talk to our director about one of my classes, because while all of them are sort of so-so right now, there is one that is really really awful. The teacher uses English in class, doesn't give homework, doesn't give us chances to talk or do any using of language in class, and doesn't teach us anything really. He also seems to be under the impression that we are in first year Arabic. So, I talked to our director, and hopefully some sort of changes will be made.

Oh my goodness I am in such a festive mood right now!!! I'm listening to this ridiculous 'African Christmas' cd that I got freshman year, and it is probably terrible. It's all like 'African' flavored christmas classics, totally not authentic or anything I don't think, but it's just so awesome and festive! Plus, it's practically dark outside already, and it's only 5:30, so that is helping me feel like it is Christmas.

Anyway! I got distracted and didn't finish what I think I was going to say, but oh well. Maybe I'll write more tomorrow! Except how I always say that! Haha! ....aaanyway. I'm going to go bake a cake! And I'm wearing a polka dot dress!!! Good times ahoy?

Kisses!!!

Aww yiss

Oh look what I found! A poem that I wrote one time! I really am kind of into it, but I can't tell if that's just because I'm into myself or because it is really an okay kind of poem. So, you be the judge!!!

All Is Not Lost

The leaves were raining,
and the rain was leaving puddles
around my feet and misty imprints in the air,
and I have never felt more alive.
All morning the sun burned away at the fog,
leaving halos around tall buildings and church spires
--and I walked among the trees
and the people and the bus stops,
and I felt alive.
And then it's night and the stars are up and out and
I am four again.
I am four and I am in Australia, and
I am realizing the sky is just what it is
and you will always be right there,
right where I know to look.

And at least we're not drowning yet.
At least the skies have not swarmed down,
at least the rowdy sea has not decided that
enough is enough,
and seized the land once more.
For a time it is only just enough
and more than well enough,
for a time it is ok for waves to meet
rocks and for rocks to meet cliffs,
and for cliffs to meet grassy heaths
and heaths to meet roads
and roads to lace up the surface of the ground,
winding their way back to us,
to tell us of the sea.

Ok then. Let's go to work.


Thoughts???? Believe me, there is plenty more questionable creative writing from Freshman year where that came from! Oh boy.

Anyway. I don't really have much more to add, I guess. I can't remember when I last updated, but not much has been accomplished really in October. We've had some parties? I think maybe I'll think about this and post some more tomorrow. Right now it is really freaking hot, like sultry and irritating hot, like you want to turn on a small fan and not wear much clothing and sort of mope about in a sexy way, except how I am in Egypt so really all that is happening right now is my apartment is full of mosquitoes because the windows are open and I really do not feel like doing my homework. I wish I was somewhere sexy. Anyway! I should go eat some lentils or something. Will write more tomorrow! Kisses!

Back again!!!

So, I'm back in Alexandria. I know, I know, pretty much last time I posted was freaking back in the summer and I was all, "oh I'll post soon about Siwa haha", and I totally didn't, but yeah. I'm sorry! These things happen. I think that the link I posted to another girl's blog that one time about Siwa should about cover it for you, though, and if I ever think of anything I could just write it. But for now I have other things to tell you of. I went home for about 6 or 7 weeks, and it was lovely! Here are some highlights:
-Michigan: saw my cousin who is now in CAMEROON!, ate at Zingerman's (i hope that is right) in Ann Arbor, went to a wedding of a girl I hardly know, had an awesome family picnic in Grosse Pointe Park, and had some nice home cooked meals. It was basically a really good time, and my mum and I listened to a really good story tape on the drives, too.

-Illinois: I relaxed, saw friends, had a special classy evening hosted by Sasha and ending in a drag show at a gay bar (the drag queens! they can dance! like, they will own your shit! in a dance contest, and otherwise!), went running, read books 4-7 of Harry Potter, had Netflix!!! and watched several really good movies I'd missed, and had an all around good time. There were shenanigans, it was awesome. Oh! And I had a bath!

-Austin: Woooo! Ate at some of my favorite places (although Sao Paulo's chicken was not amazing for the first time in recorded memory...), saw my awesome friends, saw old friends, played drunk mini golf, accomplished goals, and basically was forcibly reminded of how totally wonderful Austin is. Then I drove back to Illinois.

So now, that leaves me in Alexandria. I got here, oh, Friday? I think? I left America on last Tuesday, arrived in London (!) on Wednesday, and had a lovely day around town with a boy (!). Then Thursday I did whirlwind shopping and then, weeping dejectedly, boarded a plane for Cairo, where I just got progressively more and more disillusioned and angry. On the plus side, I read The Time Traveler's Wife? It was pretty okay. Crazy premise!

My apartment is nice, so that's a plus. I am feeling really uncertain guilty shadows of feelings about not doing a host family, because I know it would be so nice to have a family just ready made and there to take care of you and love you. Maybe I would come out of this year being the kind of bubbly, exuberant, large-close-family-having person I've always dreamed of! More likely, however, is that it would be rather stressful for me, I think. I'm just not used to that, and however beneficial it would be, at the outset of all of this business I promised myself that I would get an apartment. I figure that I am going through a time (not a rough time or a bad time, but certainly a time) of change, perhaps, or a time of uncertainty or volatility in my personality, so I'd better do what I can while I'm here to ensure success. If that makes any sense. And I already made this decision, so I'm going to stop being wishy-washy and pretending like I regret it, right now! Ok.

Although, honestly having an apartment is weird right now. I haven't really lived with other people much! I mean, there's two years of dorm rooms, and then there's a summer of total stress and other people in an apartment, and then there's a year of solo living/dorm rooms, and then a year of what was basically solo living with an ever-absent roommate. So, I don't know what to do with two other people who I care about liking me. You know? And, plus, I'm all jetlagged and confused, so I keep having these feelings like, what am I supposed to do now? What do we do with our time? It's really stupid. I'm sure I'll get the hang of being a person soon. I mean, I better, because man!

Anyway. Oh, news! The boys got quarantined! It was a stupid swine flu paranoia thing, involving one of our number getting taken to the hospital against his will, breaking out of the hospital, and then getting a whole floor quarantined. And, because Egypt is so great, the staff in the dorms was trying to stop them using AC or showers, because those are things that will make you get sick! (.....) But, good news, I don't think anyone actually has swine flu, and I just got word that the boys organized a breakout in order to go drink beer by the sea. So, good news?

Food is another weird thing right now. I'm not obsessive about my food, by any means, but I am particular. I'll seriously eat anything if I'm hungry enough, but I do like what I like. I like having access to good quality, healthy food, preferably with minimal artificial things in it. Lately, just the idea of tons of extraneous ingredients in food makes me feel weird. But, so far, this kind of thing is going to be difficult to come by here. I mean, I can get vegetables (what's in season, anyway...peppers, tomatoes, some basics). I can get seasonable fruit. I can get bread. I can get white pasta. I can get low fat plain yogurt, juice from concentrate, skim milk, and (from the right places) tuna in water. There are loads of lentils and beans and peas and such. But, I am having a hard time with the following: lack of good cheeses that I am used to, lack of meat that I trust (where is the good old organic chicken behind it's reliable fly-proof counter at Central Market?!), lack of whole grains. I don't know. I know I'll get used to this, but it's hard right now. Little things like this really throw me off kilter. I splurged and paid way more than necessary for brown rice, but am sadly without any kind of hard cheese to grate on top. I'll figure it out?

Speaking of rice, mine has been sitting on the stove for a while, so I should go eat. Oh, we have a gas stove! Which I guess is desirable? Although ours is quite...not modern. Anyway. I'll update soon with more exciting insights (haha)! Chances are, I miss you!