Relatively non-exciting day. I'm finally starting to get settled into a routine. Woke up sick, got ready, went to campus to study outside, took Arabic quiz, came back and got tamayya for a pound (about 20 cents) then ran to Alfa to buy some random stuff like shampoo, water, and Cadbury bars. Studied a little, talked online, chilled out around the dorm, contemplated with people about how little gets done each day in Egypt, ate some of my ten dollar box of Fruit Loops (ridiculous purchase I know, but when you need them you need them. . fast fact: I could have bought 56 lunches of tamayyas for that price!), then wrote emails, walked around a bookstore, and did some Arabic interviews and homework and am now reading political science after having MFCR discussions online. They told us before we came that the slow pace of the culture and the heat really hinder productivity and not to expect to get as much done as you would at home, but we all thought we wouldn't fall into the trap. . .it's nuts!

At first I enjoyed the relaxation pace but now am starting to feel bad about it. For instance going out for dinner (what is "lunch" but it's not until at least 2 in the afternoon) or supper takes an hour and a half MINIMUM! Since we have to eat every meal out, I've been trying to run to fuul and tameyya counters (basically the only food Egypt has to claim for itself. . it's just not Lebanon or Syria or Morocco) or to the grocery store. But when we go out. . .usually once every day. . .it takes half an hour to get to the place then about two hours to eat since there is usually a big group and to get the food, the bill, and divide up all the extra taxes, service charges, tips, and cover charges is always a process.

While I am enjoying the relaxation of the summer, sometimes it's hard to reestablish your life when it's hard to get settled into a routine that feels nonproductive. However, at least now I have a routine for studying, class, and I know where more food places are! Hopefully I will be done being sick soon so I can put working out back into my schedule like the first week of classes.

Oh no. . .everyone has been warning though that the July heat is about to begin!

On a positive note, I may have spent 10 dollars on Fruit Loops, but my dry cleaning was only three dollars for three pieces. I think it'd be cheaper to ship my clothes to Egypt to get done, and they did an awesome job! Oh, but when the front desk told me to stay in the lobby because the dry-cleaner was coming right away it took thirty minutes from that point. Let me tell you, you think the UP is slow? You haven't seen this before!