Something More Than Ink: Some Reflections on College

It has been quite some time since I have felt moved to write here. More precisely, when the mood did strike me while at school this past semester I usually also felt creatively drained from my courses. With the exception of one class, the remaining three each involved weekly writing assignments, varying between six-seven pages of history research to two-three pages of Islamic studies responses. Furthermore, I did not want to have this blog revert to something a la what has become referred to as "fratire;" check it out on Wikipedia. Not that there is anything inherently bad with devoting your blog to your latest sexual/drinking binge; I thoroughly enjoyed Tucker Max's I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell just as much as any other twenty-something male. With that said, I see little purpose in airing any party stories for two reasons: 1) most of them are really about others, not me; 2) I am not a huge partier.

So in the long silence that has occured since my last posting, several important things have occured in my life that came to fruition after returning from Cairo in December. The first of these being that I quickly found my relationships with family and friends had changed dramatically. Some of these to the point of breaking apart, others evolving and adapting to the new me. Additionally, I found myself desiring relationships that required a greater deal of commitment than previously. For whatever reason I have had this feeling of wanting more mature interactions, not that they would be dry and passionateless, but ones that involved equality. I am aware I have little to complain about when it comes to attracting women, but often in the past these interactions have been very fleeting. It appears that I have some how by-passed the stereotypical, "be a d-bag twenty-something guy" stage, which I am very thankful for. Am I perfect? No, and frankly, I would not want to be; too many unrealistic expectations then would be constructed. I guess you would never believe this to be coming from a twenty-two year old's thoughts, but I am ready for something beyond high school romance, because to be honest, that is what a lot of college relationships resemble. I think I have said enough for a quick update.

Ma'salaama for now,
Andrew

Currently listening to:
Gorilla Biscuits "Start Today"

Cities of Echoes

As I had promised back on Thursday, I would continue to share my experiences from my trip to Palestine last week, this time focusing exclusively on my observations from the West Bank. To offer a brief history lesson, the area referred to as the West Bank had been part of the Kingdom of Jordan following the collapse of the British Trans-Jordanian Mandate following the Second World War's conclusion in 1945. However, the Israeli victory in the Six-Day War of1967 with neighboring Arab nations led to the occupation of the West Bank of the Jordan River valley and has since become part of the state of Israel. What followed this event is nothing short of a humanitarian disaster, referred to by Palestinians as al-Naqba, or "the catastrophe." While the term had originated initially after the establishment of Israel in 1948 and the subsequent mass displacement of Palestinians, al-Naqba has also been used to the physical occupation of the West Bank region in 1967. Additionally, in more recent decades, Palestinians have suffered significant infringement upon basic human rights, such as freedom to move freely, maintain property, and protect themselves. In an effort to gain some semblance of self-government and diplomatic recognition within Israel and abroad, various political groups have sprung up in the Occupied Territories, including Hamas, Fatah, Jibha, and the Palestinian Authority (new version of the PLO). During my travels through the various Palestinian cities, like Ramallah and Bethlehem, I had an opportunity to speak with members of these organizations and ask about their goals/outlooks for the future. A salient trait I found was that Palestinians would like to see an end to the demeaning process of check-points and ID cards, which are used as tools of intimidation and oppression. For instance, imagine if everytime you wished to leave Ocean City or any town for that matter, you had to wait sometimes up to an hour to leave or came to the check-point to find that it had been closed for "security reasons." I believe that you would eventually feel a sense of utter hopelessness and perhaps, great animosity towards the soldier on the other side of that fence. While I do not deny that Israelis do have much to fear from their neighbors, particularly Iran and Syria, and this may warrant some of their strict security measures, but I ask how does oppressing millions of ordinary individuals create any true security? If anything, as the numerous suicide bombings in Israeli cities attest to, oppression only leads to further violence and hinders any peace efforts.

Moreover, the open defiance of Israeli settlers in close proximity to Palestinian communities, as in Hebron and Bethlehem, towards obeying their government's orders to cease expansion is another dimension of the conflict that I witnessed first hand. Just a few days before visiting the city of Hebron, which is considered holy by all 3 monotheistic religions for its relation to Abraham, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) forcibly removed Jewish settlers from a house that they had seized illegally from Palestinians. Instances like this are fairly commonplace in the West Bank where settlers, through Israeli government loans and special programs, establish compounds sometimes right ontop of exisiting Palestinian communities. As my group toured Hebron with a local resident I could not help but notice that home's had had their windows broken and doors spray-painted with Stars of David. Making matters worse is that many of these settlers are now entering the ranks of the IDF and manning posts in their settlements. To make it clear, these settlers are, in my opinion, akin to any other religious extremist, whether it is an evangelical Christian detonating a bomb at an abortion clinic or a Muslim jihadist strapping on a dynamite belt to blow apart a bus. All of these individuals should be equally treated as terrorist and tried for disturbing the general peace. It is hard to argue otherwise when you meet Palestinian families that had their door kicked in the other night or had their relative's tombstone decicrated and broken.

Check-Points and Chapped Lips

"I pledge allegiance to the world nothing more, nothing less than my humanity I pledge allegiance to the world until the last lock breaks none of us are free" -Strike Anywhere "To the World"

Over the course of this past week I spent my vacation traveling through Israel and its occupied territories in the West Bank region with a group of friends. All of us have become extremely interested in the current situation regarding the treatment of Palestinians within Israel, who have become dispersed across the area following Israel's numerous wars. Prior to the establishment of Israel in 1948 and the partitioning of Palestine, much of what we now refer to as Israel was occupied by Arab Palestinians (Muslim and Christian) and Ottoman Turks, along with a significant Jewish minority. I do not wish to make it seem like I am trying to pass judgment on the emergence of the Israeli state; that is not for me to decide upon considering that I have not done serious research. Rather all I can speak about are the personal experiences and observations that I have taken from the past week spent trekking through Israel and the West Bank.

When crossing the border at Taba in Egypt to Israel the contrast between the two nations became very apparent, very quickly. On the Egyptian side the process of exiting the country was fairly relaxed and completed with the usual Arab casualness that I have come to appreciate greatly over these past months. A mere 150 feet away laid the Israeli border crossing station, enclosed by fences, turrets, and processing terminals. One of the first things that made me uneasy when entering Israel was the amount of security personel roaming the terminal, randomly picking individuals to interview to determine their threat level. Dressed in plain, civilian clothing the Israeli security personel pulled two of my friends aside to inquire about their reasons for entering the country. One friend, an Indian named Afsar, was drilled by an officer about his studies at the AUC, why he had a special entry visa (Indian citizen have to get a special visa prior to crossing, whereas Americans and Europeans do not), and if he knew anyone in Israel. Another friend, an American named Taylor, was approached because he had traveled to Israel several times during the past year, which apparently is circumspect to Israelis. As a result of my friends being interviewed and me traveling with them, all of us received a special yellow sticker on the back of our passports indicating that we were of a higher threat level than others - I guess now I can say I am a real rebel or something haha. From the terminal it was onto another processing area where our bags were x-rayed, phones scanned for explosives, and drilled about our itininaries while in Israel. Luckily, my group had developed a detailed itininary, which left 3 days at the end of the trip open-ended. To the Israeli border officers we said that we had left some time open so we could decide if we wanted to stay in Jerusalem longer or travel to Haifa - in reality, those 3 days were when we visited the West Bank.

Nearly an hour later we were on our way to the city of Elilat, where we then caught a bus to Tel Aviv, which is among my new favorite places to go. Situated along the Mediterranean Sea about half-way up the coast of Israel, Tel Aviv is the recognized capital of the country and its cultural headquarters. It reminded me very much of a mixture of the Jersey Shore and Philadelphia, in that there was burgeoning nightlife scene and beautiful beaches. My group was fortunate to have had a day at the beach and enjoying the 75 degree weather, then going out at night to a cool litte place called the British Pub. Located right in the middle of the nightlife scene in the city, our group got to meet a number of locals. During the course of the night I met 3 Israeli girls, all in their early twenties and living in neighboring communities. All had served in the military and had recently been discharged after 2 years of mandatory service. One girl, named Shira, now works on a kibuttz right outside of the city teaching English and French pre-teens. It was interesting to hear an Israeli perspective on the conflict in the country and gain knowledge about growing up in Israel. During the upcoming semester I may interview her formally as a source for my senior thesis concerning the Arab-Israeli conflict - something that will surely set my work apart from others.

After having spent 3 days in Tel Aviv, my group headed to Jerusalem and the West Bank. As soon as we arrived early Sunday evening we dropped our backpacks and scrambled across the Old City to get to the Mountain of Olives for sunset. According to the Bible, the Mountain of Olives is where Jesus frequently met with his Apostles and would eventually share his last days with them leading up to the crucifixion. From the top of this steep hill you are provided with one of the most amazing sights: a total view of the Old City. On the way back down we visited the garden where Jesus and his Apostles met the night before his death and he prayed to God, asking why he was to be killed. Upon entering the Old City again we toured the Arab and Christian quarters, which consist of narrow cobblestone streets lined by stalls selling everything imaginable, from shoes to pastries. My favorite place was a pastry shop called Jafar's Sweets, which sells the best kenafeh (traditional Palestinian pastry - akin to baklava) in the city. During the following days we visited the various holy sites in the city: the Wailing Wall, al-Aqsa mosque/Dome of the Rock, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Each one was breathtaking and caused me to well up because of the strong spiritual presence found within them. At each site I prayed for friends and loved ones of all the faiths, making sure not to exclude anyone.

As for my adventures in the West Bank, I need some time to reflect more on them before putting anything in my blog. Also, I am extremely tired from my 12 hours of traveling back to Cairo, which begun at 10 PM last night.

Ma'salaama for now,

Andrew

Close to Home

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Contrary to what you might think, it is possible to have a classic American turkey dinner in Cairo. A number of butchers and grocery stores stock turkeys for the holiday season since there is a significant American expatriate community living here. This evening I will be sharing a dinner with friends in their apartment - it should be great! What I miss most about being here for Thanksgiving is not so much the food, rather I long for the family component to the holiday. Specifically, the fact that everyone gathers together for numerous hours and engages in lengthy conversations about all sorts of topics. I guess being removed from this reoccurring event has shown that it does truly mean something to me. Being here in Cairo has caused me to take a more serious look at what I am thankful for this year than in the past. Foremost, I thank God for having a very loving "family," which is not limited to blood-relatives but also friends and other loved ones. My safe travels and life experiences in Egypt are also something that I thank God for this Thanksgiving. Well, I am off to enjoy turkey and the fixings with friends at their apartment. Cheers!

Ma'salaama for now,

Andrew

Currently Listening To:

City and Colour "What Makes a Man?"

My March to the Sea

Judging by my last post you might have gotten the impression that my enthusiasm for being in Cairo had been spent and all I was doing was counting the days until home. While this remains partially true, particularly the increased longing for home and loved ones, some of my past week's experiences have reaffirmed my affinity for Egypt. Two things have caused this drastic switch in my demeanor within the span of a week: friendships that I have developed here and a trip to the Black and White Deserts.

Of all the things that I will most miss about Cairo are the friends that I have made over the course of the past 4 months. These individuals, whom I could easily consume pages with describing their personalities, come from diverse backgrounds. Some Muslim, some Coptic, some atheist. The cliche of "variety is the spice of life" has never rung truer for me than being here. Provided my upbringing in the bastion of white, middle-class suburbia that is South Jersey, it may appear that I am simply experiencing the effects of living in a major city. Yes, there is no denying that I have grown more accustomed to "big city" life than I am used to. However, something is unique about life in Cairo and the people I have met here. Of all the people I have met while being here I find myself becoming closest with Arabs and Egyptians, especially my Palestinian friends. Their personalities seem to match mine much better than many Americans in that we share a more communal outlook on life and put greater emphasis on pursuing causes beyond our self-betterment, whether its secular or spiritual. It is not that I do not still appreciate my friendships back in the States, if anything my closest ones have been put to the test and seem to have withstood it. Rather I have begun to recognize that when I return that I will approach friendship in a different way. What that exactly entails and what are the repercussions, I have not the slightest idea. All I do know is that being abroad and meeting friends from diverse backgrounds has widen my outlook on life beyond the horizon of suburban New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Being abroad has been the culmination of my desire to experience life outside of Ocean City, and as a result, I may be different than before but I still hold dear my love for family and friends that helped mold me back home.

Additionally, over the past weekend I had the opportunity to travel for two days to the western deserts, specifically the Black and White deserts. Situated about 4 hours southwest of Cairo, small oases dot the otherwise arid and khaki landscape of the Western Desert region. My group, which consisted of fellow AUCers, were fortunate to avoid public transportation and hire a microbus to take us back and forth from Cairo. As we were leaving Cairo the surrounding environment quickly devolves from a sprawling metropolis to an endless sea of caramel colored sand. Having endured the 4 hour trip in the microbus we arrived in one of the oasis, whose name slips my mind at the moment, deep within the desert. In some ways the town reminded of the feeling you get when visiting the Outbanks, particularly Ocracoke Island, in that both areas were isolated geographically yet seemed busiling with tourist activities. The biggest attraction of the oasis was the neighbouring Black and White Deserts, which true to their names, are huge expanses of sulfur and limestone sand, respectively. To tour the area you transfer everything into old Land Cruisers 4 x 4's and head out of town with bedouin guides/drivers, who are among the coolest people in the Middle East. Having once been exclusively nomadic, the bedouin, who are found across North Africa, the Levant, and Arabia, have now settled into sedentary lifestyles on the fringes of industrialized communities. In this case, the bedouin population had become the custodians of the deserts' beautiful sights and developed successful tourist companies in the oases. It was clear from the outset that our guide, who was a man of about 40 years, enjoyed his profession, judging by him singing a lot and chatting with us. Not to scare everyone, but the best part of trekking in this way was the way in which the guides handle driving. Although we probably topped out at 80 mph going across the desert and 100 on the roadways, I felt like our guide was always in control and sensed that all of us enjoyed the thrill of driving this fast. I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that we are used to being told to drive cautiously; well, out there what is there to really worry about.

After having driven for nearly 8 hours, touring various parts of the deserts along the way, we finally arrived in the rock formation fields of the White desert to pitch camp in traditional bedouin style. Some of these formations, like the one I have provided in my photos, resembled all kinds of animate objects, like chickens, rabbitts, and heads. More impressive than this was the night sky. I have never seen the sky so vividly at night - I actually got to see the Milky Way clearly, with its green tint and all. Also, the silence that accompanied being here allowed me to clear my head by taking in the awesomeness of nature without distractions. If you ever get the chance, please take the time to come here.

Ma'salaama for now,
Andrew


Currently Listening To:
Baroness "Wanderlust"

Comin' Home

Just the other evening a friend and I had a lengthy conversation over dinner about our experiences in Cairo and what we expected going back to the States. Taylor, a junior at American University in D.C., has been here longer than I have, since last February, and had returned home for the summer vacation. Through a history course and our involvement in the university's Palestinian activist group we have become close friends, often listening to each others' thoughts about all sorts of things: girls, politics, our undiagnosed neuroses. While our conversations often drift to the subject of longing for home, this time we dwelt on the topic for most of our dinner. Both of us had had busy weeks and in Taylor's case, a particularly stressful talk with a girl he hoped to start something with while here. For as much as each of us loves Egypt and the friends we have met here, we have both reached our breaking points and are ready to return home. Unlike the feelings of wanting to stay I get while on vacation, I now count the days until flying home. This is not to say that I do not still have amazing experiences ahead in the last month. I mean I will be traveling to the Sinai Peninsula and Israel/Palestine for my upcoming breaks, which will surely be epic in every sense.

I think at the heart of Taylor's and my longing for home is the fact that we have become overly frustrated with particular aspects of a society that remains foreign to us even after all these months. For instance, personally speaking, having had food poisoning nearly 7 times, with the latest occurrence happening this past weekend, has definitely put a damper on my experience in Cairo. Likewise, as a result of this, I become more easily agitated by otherwise minor annoyances, like attempts to make me pay more for whatever, be it a taxi ride or food. I guess you might say I am wrestling with trying to make sense of my experiences here and gain insight from them. To be honest, I am afraid of returning home in some ways. I know that I have changed, whether for better or worse. I am probably a bit more lazy than before and will miss going out for coffee and sheesha. At the same time I have found new internal strengths that I never knew existed previously. Considering this whirlwind of emotions I expect my transition back into American culture to have its hardships. Having lived under a dictatorial, conservative society I am sure some aspects of the States will seem just as foreign as coming to Egypt back in August. The one thing that is very clear right now is that the way I was living before coming here will never be the same. I recognize that in many ways I had been extremely selfish, like filling my closet and drawers with clothing I wore only once and then forgot about. Or praying to God for more of this and that.

Ma'salaama for now,
Andrew

Currently Listening To:

The Lawrence Arms "100 Resolutions"

Still Searching

This past week has been pretty hectic, which would explain the lack of posts recently. As a result of my involvement in numerous student organizations on campus and my classes' workloads, at times I was lucky just to enjoy a few moments to myself. It seems to be a reoccurring trend throughout my life: show enthusiasm for helping out, then watch my time evaporate. While I do not mind participating in efforts to improve the university, be it through activism or serving as a student representative to the administration, I have grown increasingly weary. To attend several meetings a week and maintain the image of the "non-traditional khaagid (Egyptian slang for "foreigner")" is extremely taxing and leaves me thoroughly exhausted when the weekends come. In many ways this situation reminds me of experiences back home, in any setting imaginable: church, Boy Scouts, workplaces, etc. Perhaps I put more pressure on myself than others do, well, yes, I know I do that already - it is what drives me. At some times I have wished to curse God for creating me in such a way, where I feel like I can never truly relax and accept medicrocy. However, I recognize that the fact that I do care so much about living life to the fullest always sets me apart from not only my peers, but also a great deal of adults. Yes, it may be naive of me to state this, but I perceive many people letting others direct their life choices and burdening them with regrets. I cannot point to a single text or person who has led me to this observation; rather it is the culmination of life experiences, of both the physical and spiritual sorts.

Speaking of spirituality, in addition to a busy week of meetings and courses, my mind has been wracked by a crisis of sorts. Living in a predominately Muslim country, studying Islam, and having numerous Muslim friends, there has been a great deal of pressure on my spiritual outlook since arriving in Egypt. I wish to make it absolutely clear that my friends have not made any attempts to convert me, so please do not assume what I am about to discuss was forced upon me. If anything, they have encouraged me to do as much thinking and research as I can before deciding on a religious path. As I have alluded to in previous posts, I had been questioning my faith in Christianity prior to even considering study abroad in Egypt. In actuality, my spiritual search had evolved over the course of my years spent at Ursinus, where I was exposed to new philosophical ideologies and presented with challenges to my faith. The way in which these challenges manifested themselves varied greatly, ranging from in-class debates to being out at parties and confronted with decisions about alcohol, sex, you fill in the blank. Then with coming to Cairo I really began to question whether my Christian upbringing was still fulfilling my spiritual needs. And to be honest, while I have decided against conversion, I remain perplexed by certain aspects of Christian doctrine, namely the concept of the Trinity. It is my plan to speak with my minister when I return home and hopefully through this, gain some clarity. While for some people it may be enough to simply accept faith, I must be true to myself and pursue more in depth explanations of theology. If I am to devote myself fully to God and live as he has prescribed, then it is only possible through uncovering the basis for accepted doctrine and understanding it.

Ma'salaama for now,
Andrew

Currently Listening To:
Thursday "As He Climbed the Dark Mountain"

P.S. - The first photo was taken this past Friday in my apartment with my roommates and our friends during the weekly Friday feast. The second photo is from Halloween; my friend Amanda and I went as Mrs. and Mr. Palin.