Anywhere I should go when I'm there...any tips to not dying on the Trail...really anything you want to tell me. I'd love any and all information I can get before I go.

Haven't done the midnight sun in Sweden... but saw it in Alaska last summer. Beautifully strange, strangely beautiful.

AUC is very much like any university here. You have lectures, a couple of exams, some readings, maybe a paper or two. Everything on campus is in English except the specifically Arabic classes. Students that are enrolled for a full degree do have to take Arabic as well as Arabic Literature and stuff as well. All other classes are in English. If you happen to take a class where there are very few foreign students, sometimes the professor and students will interchange between Arabic and English. On the streets, many people know English and love the opprotunity to practice their English. So, I found it very difficult to learn Arabic there. I most know know colloquial Arabic surrounding specific topics like giving taxi drivers directions, ordering food in arabic, shopping at markets, and the daily niceties. However, I did not take classes in Arabic. I know many people who took the Arabic Intensive program and thought it was fabulous. They learned so much, that they felt more comfortable making people speak Arabic with them, they would read the local newspapers and books, and of course watch tv in Arabic. That helps give them the practice. One major thing to point out though is that you will get a very different look at Middle Eastern studies there. Even if you dont take the Arabic Intensive program or work on expanding your Arabic, there are other things to do. AUC students are usually from a higher level of society than the average college student here in the US. It is a subculture of its own. But, they dont forget what is going on around them. AUC students are some of the most politically minded students I have ever seen. They have Model UN, Model Arab League, political leaders giving lectures, organize protests, volunteer organizations that support Palestinian children, and more. Life there is so different from what you are used to here, but at the same time, there are many similarities. Most of the time it is opposite of what you expect. I suppose that is why people have a hard time there. It is a crazy, busy, dirty city full of people who dont care about lines or politely waiting for something. But, the university is a quite haven from the chaos and a great grounding stone to explore and learn about the Middle East from. LOL, I think that answers it all. If you could not tell, it is a bit layered and complicated, but I still love to talk about it all.

Hi there again, You seem to have lots of ideas in the works. So, about Egypt, I first went to Egypt on a semester study abroad with AUC, then went for a one year internship with AUC. Both time I was living in the AUC hostel in Zamalek (first in a student room, then in a faculty apartment). After finishing some stuff up here, I then went back to Egypt for one more year and worked as a teacher at an American style school. That year, I lived in Maadi. So, I know AUC fairly well. If you are looking to pursue a degree in Islamic Studies and Arabic, I would assume that you want to pursue a career in that field as well. If that is the case, here is what I would recommend. Go to AUC for a semester or year long study abroad program from your school. You can go either for general course work and Islamic Studies courses, or for a language intensive program in Arabic. This will give you a chance to try things out in Egypt before committing to the move. Egypt is one of those places that you either love or hate to live in. It is best to figure that out on a smaller trip. Then, you can finish your degree where you are. After that, if you loved Egypt like I did, you can apply to AUC for a Masters program in Islamic Studies or Arabic. If those are the career choices you are looking at, graduate school is a must. Then you can hang out for the longer time period of finishing your Masters. After that, you can look into almost any PhD program you want if you want to go that far.