Glossary of Terms and People
ALI
The Arabic Language Institute, administrated by the AUC. ALI is also one of the two major classifications of AUC students, the other being Study Abroad students. I'm an ALI student.
AUC
The American University in Cairo. This is where I chose to study after completing my undergraduate degree.
Baraka
Our favorite shawerma joint. The guitar I bought here in Cairo is named for this restaurant.
Chris recently graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in philosophy and linguistics. We met on our first night in Cairo and became fast friends. After the winter break, Chris returned to the United States.
My roommate-now-apartmentmate is a fifth-year (victory lap!) undergraduate at the University of Illinois. He's had several years of Arabic, and he even spent a month in Cairo two years ago, so he helps me out when we venture into the city.
I met Danielle in the dorms, and she is now my apartmentmate along with Colin. Her vodka sauce is excellent.
An ALI student and friend of mine whom I met in the dorms. Eric's one of those guys who's very easy to hang out with. He is also extensively traveled.
Eric is my younger brother, with whom I traveled parts of Europe before arriving in Cairo. He drums like a madman.
Kofta
A sort of sausage-shaped lamb meal. Occasionally served in a bun. I think it has Greek origins.
Lesley lives with Madelyn and Sara in an apartment near ours. We've hung out in Dahab, gone bowling, eaten meals, and are planning to visit Thailand together. She's good people.
Max was our nextdoor neighbor when we lived in the dorms. He's an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He's kind of like Kramer from Seinfeld, but we like him. Rumor has it he's a good dancer, too.
An ALI student and friend of mine. Max lives in an apartment with Eric Eggleston. We sing songs from Aladdin together.
I met Molly at Saqqara, and we became friends quickly. We've since hung out in Upper Egypt, Istanbul, and the Sahara Desert. My guess is she's a closet nerd.
Rafit
The largest and jolliest of the Reception clerks, Rafit never fails to be helpful and cordial. I liked him immediately.
I met Sara in my first days in Cairo when we both lived in the Zamalek dorms, and we became friends quickly. Also, she's sassy. She now lives with Madelyn and Lesley in an apartment not far from ours.
Shawerma
Delicious. That's all you need to know.
Sheesha
Recreational hookah (water pipe) smoking, flavored to the smoker's taste. Fruit flavors, like apple and apricot, are quite popular.
Study Abroad
The other major classification of international students at AUC. They outnumber us ALI students by a large proportion.
The Daves
A group of my closest friends from high school, consisting of myself, David Transano, and Dave Rajczyk. Individually referred to as Laws, Trans, and Raj, respectively. We lived together in a house in Santa Cruz, California, from August 2003 to August 2004.
For some reason, there are a clutch of Norwegian students at AUC every year. I got to spend some time with them on my Thanksgiving trip. They're a fun group. From left to right, we have Jostein, Thor, the left third of Jostein's head, Martine, and Maria.
Zamalek
The neighborhood the dormitory is located in. Zamalek is the northern half of an island on the Nile. Many foreign countries have located their embassies here, so guards with guns patrol most blocks. Students in the Zamalek dorm call it simply "Zamalek."
