Category: How it works

So, the housing guys “fixed” our plumbing. With MORE goop. I ran the dishwasher, it seemed to function properly, but the water would not drain out of the bottom. This meant that the soapy water never went away, it just kept getting thrown all over the dishes. All the dishes were slimy with soap scum.… Continue reading Plumbing – deux

I get LOADS of questions, from friends, family and total strangers who have found my blog and are coming to Egypt. Most of the questions run in the same veins, so I am posting an edited version of what Jack lovingly refers to as “THE MANIFESTO”. Hopefully, this will help answer some of the most… Continue reading So you’re comin’ to Egypt?

Background: I learned to knit when I was on a semester abroad during college – that was 1987. While in Wales, I purchased some GORGEOUS charcoal grey alpaca yarn and started making a classically styled cardigan. At some point, about 3/4 of the way thru making the pieces of the cardigan, I decided I didn’t… Continue reading I *finally* finished it!!

We are living in a migratory population. The migration is not a wholesale yearly migration, as one sees with certain animal species, but is a fragmentary process that involves some AUCians every year. Some leave after 1 or 2 or 15 years, and every year new people arrive. The turnover is patchy, and in many… Continue reading Migration

“The administration has decided that because AUC does not acknowledge a D- grade a score of 60% shall be considered a D.”

We have been incredibly lucky to have the resources of AUC to help us get to know our new home. The Faculty Services Committee here arranges the newcomer orientation program and MANY tours and trips around Cairo and Egypt. The Arabic Language Institute (ALI) also arranges tours and trips – however these are primarily for… Continue reading The Citadel

Somehow, I got “finagled” into going to AUC’s winter graduation. REMEMBER, I’ve only been at AUC for 1 semester, I don’t know any of the students graduating. But, as is so often the case with faculty and graduation, most of the faculty DOESN’T GO. The AUC graduation is split into 2 parts: the awards and… Continue reading Winter Graduation

Imagine, for a moment, you have moved to a new place, one that you know little about, you don’t understand the language or the customs. You have been informed that all deliveries etc. must be escorted to your apartment by security. There is a knock on your door, and when you open it, there is… Continue reading Ibrahim