The Egyptian Experience
by Jessica O'Higgins
I traveled to Egypt during the fall semester of
2008 to gain a better understanding of the country that I would be
studying as part of my master's thesis. As it turned out living in
Cairo, Egypt turned out to be one of the most rewarding experiences
of my life.
It is a country rich in culture, history, and
politics that I believe everyone should visit at least once during
their lifetime. I set two goals for myself while traveling: practice
my Arabic language skills, and collect research for my thesis.
In achieving my Arabic language goals I attended
the Arabic Language Institute at the American University in Cairo
where I took classes that challenged my ability to speak, read and
write. Through total
cultural immersion in Egypt, I was also able to conduct face-to-face
interviews with Egyptian school teachers.
The information gathered from these interviews will be used
in my thesis and helped me gain a better understanding of how
education plays a role in democracy building.
Even with all the research and studying, I was
still able to enjoy the many great sites that Egypt has to offer:
from the great Pyramids; to
the historical cities of Luxor and Aswan; to climbing Mount Sinai;
to enjoying Egyptian cuisine in Cairo.
Through it all the Political Science Department
has been extremely supportive in helping me achieve my international
goals.
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