Today, we met Emily for breakfast and were able to exchange stories about our time apart. We heard about her time in Cairo and Luxor over the past two days and we told her of all of our adventures. We decided that we were all exhausted from the insanity that Egypt had presented us and I told everyone that I was planning on going right outside the port and buying some souvenirs and then coming back on the ship and laying out all day. Emily and Liz were relieved at the plan because they both had wanted to do exactly the same thing. We headed out to the little souvenir shops where I bargained like a pro and bought a lot of souvenirs for a really small amount of money which is good because I'm rapidly running out! After that we came back and I laid out for most of the afternoon and even swam in the pool for a little while which was a first for me. It was really salty though which was gross, but it was so hot that it was just nice to cool off in it.
We all met Paul and Lindsay for dinner and heard all about their 5 day trip and we told stories and laughed together like we always do when we get back together after long periods of time apart. It's hilarious that 5 days seems like a long time to be apart when we were really only apart 4 days. Even not seeing Emily for 2 days felt really odd and we came back together and greeted each other like it had been years.
I had felt as though I was losing my tan, but thanks to today apparently I'm darker than Aeriale has ever seen me and my face is definitely the most burnt it has ever been in my life.
My overall feelings on Egypt are really good. I don't want to let a couple minor experiences ruin my complete love for Egypt. I really did love it there. It was pretty dirty and it smelled bad and the pollution was at a maximum, but regardless, I really enjoyed our time there. Apparently on this trip it's either, have an amazing time in the country and then have a really bad experience as well, or just have a mediocre time the entire stay. The Egyptians were definitely the nicest people that we have encountered thus far and I feel as though it might be because of the fact that Americans don't have as bad of a reputation in Africa as we do in Europe. Almost all of the people we encountered along our way were extremely hospitable and helpful to us in every way they could be. We were prepared for men who were more forward than they were in Turkey and the constant feeling of uneasiness that we ot in Naples. Honestly, I didn't feel completely comfortable all of the time because people were always staring at us, but I started to feel relatively comfortable there after a little while and wasn't constantly watching my back.
I think it was a really good experience for me to be in a country that is so close to the Middle East and that is Muslim again. Because of our country's history we have stereotyped anyone wearing a turban or that looks of Middle Eastern descent as a terrorist and being in this country gave me a lot more insight. The people wear these clothes because it's hot here and just like we didn't want to give up our short shorts and spaghetti strapped tank tops when we arrived here, they don't feel like they have to give up their traditional clothing when they're in American either. And I really think that another big thing was the fact that they really don't have the money to go buy an "American" wardrobe.
It was really sad to me to see how poor so many people were here. It was unsettling to see stone huts in the middle of the desert where they ate the food they cooked over a small fire because there was no way they had electricity. I also was startled by the fact that when we got to the bottom of Mount Sinai there were people sleeping where the camels sleep under blankets. I was really rather sad to bargain with the men selling things outside the port because I felt as though they maybe couldn't afford to be bargained with, but they really do love it. As soon as I'd ask how much something was and would maybe hesitate or put it back they would instantly say, "What would you like to pay?" or "I make you a deal".
Another thing I noticed about Egypt is the fact that seriously half the population is part of the police force. Everywhere you look there is a police officer. It was kind of comforting, but I learned that you can't always trust the police in foreign countries.
I think here worse than anywhere else I was questioned on my nationality the most. Don't get me wrong, I've been asked in every single country what nationality I am, but here it was seriously every person we encountered. And then they would look at everyone else and say, "Friends?" as if there's no way that these American born people should be friends with a Korean. But the end of our trip when someone would ask, after I'd say Korean, Liz would just say, "We're friends!" with a smile. I'm not sure why the concept is so difficult for people to understand or why people keep thinking I'm Phillippino, but I guess I should just get used to it because I doubt it's going to be any different in Morocco.
It's really hard for me to believe that we're already on our way to our last country. I really never thought the day would come when I could actually see the prospect of going home in the near future. I still have really mixed feelings about the whole thing. I'm happy to go home and see my family and friends and be back in America and be around an almost completely English speaking population and have my familiarity, but at the same time, I've come to love traveling and learning about new cultures and meeting people. And this ship has become my home away from home. I have gotten used to living here and this has become very normal to me. I also love my friends and professors and crew and it's hard to think of life without it. We've also all kind of come to the conclusion that the hardest thing about being home is the fact that no one understands what it's like living here other than SASers. Even though I'll tell people stories and show everyone pictures, you never understand what an experience like this unless you yourself get to have the same experience. Even when I tell my friends here stories about what we've done when we weren't together, they don't fully understand what it was like, but they have a better idea because they understand what our general experience is. I'm definitely preparing myself for the fact that I'm going to have a culture shock going home and that it's going to be very different for me than I would expect it to. This trip truly is life changing, but not necessarily in the way you expect it to. I guess I expected to be suddenly hit in the face with this big revelation or epifany about myself or my life, but it's more of a slow changing thing. When we talk about things is when we really realize how much our views have changed and our overall perspective and feelings.
I would definitely say that Egypt is one of my favorite countries if not my favorite, but we still have a great last hurrah in Morocco to wrap up a simply amazing experience. I wish I could put my feeling into words, but it's impossible. There's no way to put into words the things I have done and experienced on this trip.
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