Carl in Cairo

Setting about reading for my class on Palestinian refugees, I have nothing profoundly culturally interesting to report. My current view of Egypt is obscured by the walls of my air-conditioned bedroom, where suitcases still lie on the floor not entirely unpacked. The challenges of Egypt have mostly left me alone even if they haven't been so kind to some of my friends (Cynthia has a strange bruise on her arm at the site of one of the several injections they gave her after she went to the hospital with her left eye swollen shut from an ant bite). I'm running a steady course and trying to be a conscientious student. Boring, right? I begin work at the Writing Center next week. I'm looking forward to it despite the added time commitment.

News & Issues

Egypt

· Down the street from my apartment is Tahrir Square, home of the infamous Mogamma, the insides of which I hope never to see. An American journalist tells his story of navigating the infernal Egyptian bureaucracy there with his infant in tow.

· Israeli PM Netanyahu and President Mubarak met to discuss peace efforts. No deal has been reached on kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. Meanwhile, Daily News Egypt, has reported findings that Egyptians are more open to peace with Israel than their other Arab neighbors. Given past actions and agreements, I should think this would be obvious, but wars and discord between the two countries are far from passing from Egyptian national consciousness.

· Egypt destroys tunnels used to transport contraband to Gaza

· A/H1N1 fears continue to impact schools

· Possibility of father to son power transition has opposition leader Ayman Nour calling for united front against handover