Friday, September 7, 2007

Classes Commence!

After more than my share of waiting and frustration with the ISSO bureaucracy, I finally registered for classes, one day before they began. All international students are required to see the ISSO advisor before getting permission to register. This method does not sound that bad until you realize there is only one advisor for about 300 students. To make matters worse, international students cannot register online, so everything moves like molasses, and problems arise near the end as classes fill up. Luckily, I had very few problems despite my late registration appointment. My classes include:

1. Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic
2. Introduction to Egyptian Colloquial Arabic
3. Comparative Politics of the Middle East
4. Egyptian Government and Politics

I was very glad to see the start of classes. I’ve been in Egypt two weeks, and although I was happy for the time to explore the city and visit Ain Soukhna, everything was interrupted by orientation sessions and ISSO registration frustrations. I’m very much ready for the routine of classes and the intellectual stimulation they bring.

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