“I don’t like sand. It’s coarse and rough and irritating and gets everywhere.” Anakin Skywalker

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Egypt has this cute habit of reminding you that you’ll never figure her out.

 Like yesterday. I stayed up later than usual that evening, and on a whim decided to check my email. Waiting in my inbox was something I’d pushed out of my mind, not wanting to waste time in anticipation. You’re reading the blog of a Resident Assistant for the 2008-2009 academic year. Not only will I be living on Bay State Road again (arguably the most expensive address I’ll ever inhabit in my lifetime), I’m the new dictator of the Honors House, where freshman and sophomores from the program I graduated from last year reside. Things seem to happen when you aren’t explicitly waiting for them.

And apparently when it rains, it pours. I was repeatedly awoken by a frantic knocking at my door at 8, 10, and 11 in the morning. Had I rolled over at this last summons, they most likely would never have thought to break it down, thus saving me from whatever catastrophe they wanted to alert me to. Frankly, I thought it was my pal Hanan looking for a partner in crime.

Instead, I sleepily wrenched the door open, and as it so happens, there was a fire in the bathroom on my floor, which my friend Kinza extinguished without issue. AUC only decided it was a level A emergency about 1/2 an hour after the event, and ordered us to evacuate. I was more annoyed then happy at this turn events. Homework to do, don’t you know. Plus, for a staff that routinely sits and does nothing while the fire alarm sounds at 3 in the morning without cause, it’s hard for me to take them seriously.

I trooped dutifully, if not grumpily, to a cafe with my friend Mike, where I spent my afternoon in the anomalous activity of getting homework done. I have two midterms this week, and want to make progress on the papers I have due before spring break.

 As we sat down, the fourth strange occurrence of the day swept in on the wind over the Pyramids. Baby’s first sand-storm. I was confused by the weather, never having seen a sky with such a hue. Invisible in the air but forming a thin layer on the ground and parked cars, particles tickled at Mike and My throats and eyes as we concluded our study session.

 I text-messaged my friend Hisham to tell him about the day’s events. His reply contained no words of worry or condolence about the fire, probably thinking it was no big deal. Instead, he said congrats on the position, and to my query whether it was dangerous to go out with my friend Georgia to Khan al-Khalili, his response was simply, “duh.”

 Much to learn, Young Padawan.

Also, my Uncle Harry wanted to know whether I am engaged in any academic pursuits during my time here. To clarify, I am a full-time student at the American University in Cairo, taking an above-average course-load. My classes are Intro to Islam, Islamic Philosophy, Economic History of the Middle East, and a 6 credit-hour Arabic class that meets for 10 hours per week. This, compounded with play rehearsal (a play that is completely in Colloquial Egyptian) and teaching Sudanese refugees English makes me a busy girl during the week, even more so because I usually travel during the weekends.

I suppose that makes this “empty” weekend even more strange.

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