I really want to dive in the Red Sea!!! I'm doing a TopDeck Pyramids and Beaches this summer and it looks like our only opportunity to dive is in Dahab. Do you have any suggestions as far as specific dive locations or companies go? I'm an advisor at the KY branch :)

Thanks for the message!!! Honestly, most of my pics are kind of old. I first went to Egypt on a Study Abroad program in 2001. It was before they stopped allowing cameras in the Museum. So, I got pleanty of pictures without much of a problem. It is a shame that you missed Luxor. When you go back, definately let me know. You can call 800-218-6583 or 800-777-0112 and just ask for me. I love to talk about Egypt. : ) Hana

There are 3 important tips in bargining in Egypt. 1. Dont ever just buy at the first shop you find something at. Take your time and walk around, get a feel for what people are quoting for prices, be willing to walk away and you will see how far down they come on the price. 2. Dont compair how low you get the price with how low other people get the price. Simply find the price that you are willing to pay. Many tourists get caught up in feeling that everyone is out to screw them over so they compair prices and feel upset that they paid more than someone else. But, there could be many reasons for the difference in price. But, you have to remember that this is their livelyhood and this puts food in the kitchen for their families. If you think that it is worth $10 for that gorgeous statue, then why fret over $2 that could buy the guy lunch for the next week. 3. Once you have an amount in mind that you are willing to pay for an item, secretly move exactly that amount of money into one pocket and the rest somewhere else. Then you can admire all you want and even stroke the guys ego by saying that you like it but you really only have X amount of Egyptian pounds left for this trip. One thing that Egyptian salesmen cant stand is a customer who obviously wants something but might walk out and not come back because it is too high of a price. And, over all, be prepared to take a little time with it. It is not usually something you will work out in 2 seconds. The larger the item, the more haggling you will need to do. So, if it is something larger and/or costs more, expect to sit and have a drink before you walk out with the item. If you follow these tips, you will be suprised by what you can accomplish. It is not just about the price, but the entire experience. I actually have gone shopping so much that my Egyptian friends will take me with them because I get better prices, and many of the guys there even recognize me after being gone for a year or two. One final note on shopping in the bazars of Egypt, the Khan el-Khalili is the largest and most popular of tourist bazars. It is a fantastic experience. Chances are you will find something there for less than at the pyramids or tombs. But, if you find yourself overwhelmed while in the Khan el-Khalili, dont hesitate to go in a shop and ask to sit down. The men who run the shops are part of a union of sorts. They are very hospitable and watch over things closely. Yes, they are out for a sale, but they also want it to be a pleasant expierience. I have known shop owners to track down people that have left a purse behind or call the police of some punk kids does something stupid. So, dont feel that they are just out to get your money. Most of all, just have fun!!!!!

That is an easy answer my friend. Since I was about 8 years old, I have always wanted to see the world, primerly egypt. That year, we started learning about anchient history amoung other things. I fell in love with eygpt's mystery and history. This coming spring, i will hopefully be able to study abroad at the American University in Ciaro.... Money allowing. :)

Haha, no worries about the Middle East Studies/Islamic Studies thing. I use them pretty much interchangeably too (my major is officially Middle East Studies, but most of the courses I need to take at McGill are in the Islamic Studies Department). And yeah, I definitely do have a lot of ideas in the works. Someone just mentioned Vagabonding by Rolf Potts in a blog entry- one of my favorite quotes from that book goes something like, "we all do what is fundamentally most important to us." Travel is what's fundamentally most important to me, and pretty crazy amounts of my time, energy, and money are dedicated to making that a reality in my life. :)

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.

Thanks so much for the support! Lovely photos, by the way.