This was my first full day in Cairo, most of which I spent getting oriented with my neighborhood (Zamalek) and the area around the university campus in downtown Cairo. There are numerous shops and restaurants in Zamalek, including a regular coffee shop nearby that also serves sandwiches and other items. As well, there are two coffeeshops down the street from the university campus, though there are options for eating and getting coffee within campus. A shuttle bus takes me between Zamalek and the university campus.

The American University in Cairo is located in downtown Cairo, near Tahrir Square. The university buildings are not all connected and located together. Instead, there are two “campuses” located down the street from each other. The university is well-protected with security and ID checks when coming in. While at the university this afternoon, I was able to get registered and was placed in the intermediate level.

I am having some difficulty with speaking, due to significant differences in spoken colloquial Egyptian Arabic and the Modern Standard Arabic that I have been learning. For now, I have a small pocket dictionary with Egyptian colloquial to assist me, and slowly getting the hang of it. When courses start, one of them will be focused on colloquial Arabic, so I should get much better at it soon.