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Egypt: Student Comments
“Attending school and living in Cairo, being in constant contact with Egyptians, Ugandans, Palestinians, Arabs, Ethiopians, Europeans, and other North Americans has been an experience that I will never forget. Endless discussions with fellow students over strong coffee or tea have caused me to question more and probe deeper into a myriad of issues concerning the region and the Third World in general. It has enabled me to better understand the Arab-African perspective (although the two are far from being consistently the same), particularly in regard to the region and its role in the world.” —EAP Student “My EAP experience in Cairo, Egypt, broadened my worldview; introduced me to a foreign language, people, and culture; and is the foundation on which my career in Middle Eastern Studies is based.” —Peter Crowley, UC Santa Cruz “On numerous occasions in the past ten years I have been asked, 'How did you initially come to Egypt?' I always go back to EAP and my junior year abroad. For it was then that what was to become a profoundly intimate relationship with Egypt and the Middle East began. It contributed not only to a continued scholarly interest in the region, which has found form in graduate studies and professional work, but it led me to a life partner with whom I raise two daughters who call themselves Egyptian.” —Linda Herrera, UC Berkeley “While studying at the American University in Cairo I had the great experience of being an anchorwoman for the school's television station, which airs live throughout the entire school five days a week. Being the anchorwoman and the only American on the entire World News crew left me with all the responsibilities of editing stories before going on air. I was also responsible for the speed of the auto cue, confirming spelling and pronunciation of complicated Arabic names and words, all on top of being the anchor. The stories were in English (with a few Arabic words or terms) so students in the AUC community could improve their English skills through listening. There were also special visits by Nile TV and ART (Arab Radio and Television) who came to see how the Adham Center for Television Journalism was run. It was an experience I will never forget.” —Jacquelene Malcolm, UC Berkeley “Every day in Cairo is like living a page from 1001 Nights: There is always another story to tell. Spending time in the Middle East is a relevant, powerful experience. I have returned with a greater appreciation and respect for the diversity that surrounds me. I am more confident in myself, armed with passion and knowledge, and ready to change the world. EAP provides us all with a chance to explore this world of ours and truly find our place in it.” —Michelle Sandhoff, UC Davis “Doing the EAP program in Egypt was the best thing I have ever done for myself-for my academic as well as personal development. I have learned so much after spending the year there and have had the opportunity to get to know intellectuals from so many different places. I can't put it in words how much I appreciate EAP, every time someone asks me how my year was, I just smile, not having the right words to express my feelings” —Guru Singh, UC Davis “I feel like studying abroad gradually became more living abroad than 'studying,' and the experience of making my home within another culture and another language has really opened my eyes to the world. I'm not sure I can explain it, but I have a better concept of what is going on in the world outside of my own life and American borders. My beliefs and personal knowledge have been changed-broadened-by Egypt and the people who it has introduced me to. I feel like I see things with a better perspective: the world, the United States, politics, poverty, the generally privileged status of people in the United States, even myself. This is especially true in an Arab country during the second Intifada and September 11. After living in Egypt for a year and a half, it's not possible for me to categorize Arabs as the evil Other, and I think that view is one desperately needed today. Being abroad has affected my entire self, and I hardly recognize who I was when I left. It's been a year and a half of highlights. One of the many is the time I took a feluka from Aswan to Edfu. I signed up for the trip alone, and ended up on a boat with a middle-aged American man from New York, an older British woman, and an Argentinean woman and her Eastern European boyfriend. We would sail during the day (for three days) and more during the evening. During the day we would all just lay back in the boat and talk, read, write in our journals. The Nubian captain and his co-pilot would cook us dinner and force us to drink more tea than one should when restrained to a boat. Vistoria, the Argentinean woman, belly danced on the prow of the boat, and the Nubian co-pilot sang us a traditional song, complemented by a drum. After listening a little bit I realized that it's the same song I have sung during five years of Girl Scouts at camp in California, but had never known its origins! Everything was just so peaceful and beautiful and perfect. ” —Leslie Warden, UC Davis
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