Arabic Courses

Another nice long stressful day has come and gone. So much! And we still haven't seen a single ancient Egyptian thing! :-P

Our intensive Arabic class started today. I have to admit I'm a bit disappointed, though I shouldn't have expected much. It's mostly an introduction to how to speak tourist Arabic. Very helpful since I don't speak any Arabic, but just not as intensive as I had hoped. We aren't even going to discuss the script! I asked the teacher if he would give us the words and phrases we learned today in Arabic script and he asked me why I wanted them! He seemed shocked that I even asked! For me it's easier, but that's probably because my first Arabic teacher forbade us to use transliteration, or to even transliterate in our heads. So I'm much more used to the Arabic script.

Afterwards we had a break, so Kenny, Kaz and Sandra and I went to a cafe around the corner for lunch. The rather unfortunately named Beano cafe had some pretty good food, and wireless internet too, so I think we'll head back there tomorrow too. Then we were bussed off to the IFAO, the French Institute for yet another library tour.

Ok, the IFAO is probably the coolest thing we've done so far. This little French guy gave us an awesome tour of the publishing bit of the institute. Call me crazy, but I thought this was awesome. He showed us old printing presses and how they made all the little letters and boxes and boxes of tiny metal letters. Mostly Arabic and hieroglyphs! We even got a little letter to bring home with us! So cool! We also got to see the room where they restore and rebind books. All by hand! Amazing. Pictures to follow on Facebook, I promise. I have a cap on my internet at home, but they don't have one at Beano's! :-)

Then, after finding our way back home, we went to dinner. Had entirely too much fun making fun of the menu (spageti polognes, for example, or applepay) and attempting to communicate with the waitress. Then home to study a bit, and stare blankly at the Nile.

This pace has got to stop! Maybe I've gotten spoiled with my leisurely-ly insane schedule back in Leiden. Sure I have a TON of work to do, but at least I don't have to schlepp myself across a writhing metropolis to get it done! I can wake up at 10am, literally roll out of bed, and get to work. Or, heck, who even needs to get out of bed! :-P Here, I have to get out of bed. At 7:30. Do not want.

Tomorrow: More Arabic, More Beano, American Institute, Free Time, Lecture. Whoo.