Bria gets kicked out of school....WHAT?!

So, as today is the last day of school before Halloween they told us that we could wear black and orange instead of our usual uniform, but yesterday I was talking to a few friends and they all said they were either going to skip or just wear normal clothing. So, me not being able to skip decided to wear normal clothes all the while sarcastically thinking the worst they can do is kick me out. So today when I go to school they FREAK and guess what they do? Kick me PLUS 25 OTHER STUDENTS (including the whole senior class) out of school. Saying "come back in black and orange, your uniform, or don't come back at all!" The hilarity of this situation was too much to control so I pretty much just giggled uncontrollably in the face of the loving women who yelled at us all! In the background you could see the other teachers trying to hold it in, by covering their mouths or sternly scouring at us, but you could still see the twinkle in their eye, and the wish to laugh out loud! I was just scared that because we are "American" that they were going to "let us stay in school" I was praying they wouldn't, and something must have worked because they let us out...RUNNING! So I didn't go back...spent the whole day cafe hopping and walking around town! What could be a better day? and who ever thought I would get KICKED OUT OF SCHOOL?!
After that I crammed into a car and headed to the 6th of October...on the outskirts of Cairo. It was a blast, and a beautiful site. I have passed through and even stopped once, but that was in the first two weeks I was here, meaning that I don't remember ANYTHING! It's a really nice place, with no traffic and real houses.... It was super fun!
Last Thursday I went to a concert sponsored by the U.S. Embassy. I was supposed to meet some AFS people at the main gate of Cairo College, but me not being Egyptian, and not knowing enough Arabic to ask the driver exactly where it was, I got dropped off somewhere near Cairo College with a dying phone battery (my only connection to the people I was meeting and my family.) So I called my friend and asked where I was supposed to be...they were stuck in traffic...3dy. I wandered aimlessly, hoping my phone wouldn't die, and trying to avoid the stares of too many men. I went and stood by a wall overlooking the street, only to be bugged by a beggar boy. Don't get me wrong, I do feel for them, but I can't help everyone. He kept bugging me until finally I had had enough saying "Bes ya Baba!" ( stop ya father)...so he finally imshied a la tool... After about 15-20 minutes waiting by that wall this lady motioned me over. She talked to me in a mixture of English in Arabic, offering to help me. I was so grateful, just to know that someone was there that cared! She helped me find my friends. So, we got in the concert hall just as the doors were closing, realizing that our fellow students were going to be locked out. They, being crafty Americans told the guards at the gate that they were "employees of the U.S. Embassy," showing them their U.S. drivers license! (I knew that would come in handy somewhere...!)
Anyway, to get to the main event...Wast el Belad was playing along with an American blues band that I had never heard of in my life... Wast el Belad was by far the better, but the blues was interesting. There were 7 or 8 of us exchange students and we danced the whole time! Something I didn't realize...Egyptians don't dance in public! So we were the only ones, we certainly got a lot of stares, but it was worth it for the fun we had! After, we left with the crowd of people but on the way out some lady came up to me and said "mumkin busik?" (can I kiss you?) I didn't really know what to say to that, so she went right along and did it, giving me a nice big kiss on the cheek and a cheery hug, thereafter repeating the same thing on the other side. I turned beat red =). So, after all this adrenaline was pumped through my veins I decided I wanted to skip, and who better to skip with than Kevin? So, we skipped, forward and backward, even practicing our turns, until we had a minor "accidental" collision with Izzy.
That about sums up my wonderful life ( for the time being), though I expect tomorrow's AFS Halloween Party to shake up my world a little more! Happy Halloween Everybody!