The New Campus- First Impression

After taking an hour bus ride and passing massive future developments, earth excavations and upcoming commercial business parks, we arrive literally, to the desert/new campus, again. Huge walls separate the desert from a very large-scale construction endeavor that is the new AUC campus. Upon walking into the campus though side entryway, myself and my fellow bus passengers walk into a large open courtyard, that despite its openness and exposer to the sun, seems cools and tranquil. Not knowing our bearings, Egyptian and foreign students alike look to find someone, anyone, that can show them the way, to wherever they need to go. For me, it was the Arabic Language Institute’s office. For once, in my life, I did not know which direction was which. Which is ironic for me, as this new journey to a new school is seemingly one of the most important times in my life and I should know which way to go. The good thing for me was that I was not the only confused student in the crowd, as today was the first day for all 5,500 students at the AUC. Soon, I saw a large lone tent at the edge of the courtyard, with two Egyptians basking in the shade, watching everyone looking at the sky and the large buildings surrounding them. I noticed a small sign by the tents that read in small letters, "Information."

This being the first stop towards getting my bearings back, I approached the tent to ask where the ALI office was. The reply I received, which, until my trip to Egypt, I would normally think abnormal, was “we don’t know.” I laughed and asked for a map of the campus. I was promptly handed one, but even though it was neatly drawn and professionally printed, I the map lacked two important things, a legend and a compass. Seeing the lack of directions on the map, I asked the students at the desk, where exactly we were on the map to get a base starting point for myself, and got a similar reply. “We don’t know. Asif."(Arabic for sorry).

So, all in all, I considered finding my way around just another challenge in my ongoing gauntlet of making sense of the Egyptian way... I just started walking and soon I found the office I was looking for, I was promptly disappointed to see, that my department has not even moved into the offices here at the new campus. So, my quest to find out my schedule and which rooms my classes would be in, I would have to wait, again, until probably the last minute, just like the Egyptians, like it is here...

I continued to walk around the huge 260-acre campus to make the best of my first day and to find my way around and enjoy the beautiful architecture that some great minds, somewhere, had created in order to make this campus a beacon for education for Egypt and the Middle East.

Upon sitting down to record my thoughts, an older man sat down next to me in one of the bamboo chairs scattered about the giant courtyard, and asked me what I thought of the new campus. I was glad he asked, because I was looking to find a sentence to describe this place that I could convey my thoughts on paper (cleaned it up a little ☺). “Simply, the new campus, is everything the AUC has dreamt it would be, as the school has a second first chance to build an oasis institution of education, where the best aspects ancient and modern architecture, design and technology converge, all alone, in the desert, far from the congestion, chaos and honking of cars, in the heart of Cairo, that was the old campus." I think he liked the answer, but I don't think he understood it as I did. The AUC was about to face new challenges as it propelled itself into the mainstream. This old man may not have been ready to hear that.

Being on the new campus made me excited for the potential the school has to be modern, edgy and new. I am excited to spend my time here, and I think that things will get even better as time goes. Truly, I envy those student that will attend the AUC when all of the wrinkles have been ironed out and become distracted by the periphery disarray.