Grace Crema's Semester in Cairo, Egypt

Grace Crema
SUNY Cortland Senior
Communications Major and Double Minor in International Studies and Anthropology
From Amityville, New York

This week's interview features SUNY Cortland Senior Grace Crema, who is studying abroad in Cairo, Egypt, for a semester at the American University in Cairo. Grace shares with us what her experience has been like so far. She has made some amazing memories already, such as dancing on a Nile River boat cruise and exploring the beautiful city of Cairo. 

Where are you studying abroad, and why did you choose that location?

I'm studying abroad at the American University in Cairo (AUC) in Egypt. I chose Egypt because it has so much history, and I enjoy traveling to places that are very different from my home country. I have always been interested in the Middle East, and this felt like the perfect place to experience an intersection of Middle Eastern and North African culture as well as the history of many major empires. Plus, it's easy to travel from Cairo! Over our month-long break, I plan to visit Jordan, the UAE, and hopefully Oman. 

What has been the best part of studying abroad?

The best part so far has been the city. I love the bazaars, the Nile River, the food, and the architecture. Uber is so easy to use, so we can safely get anywhere in Cairo for under $10 for an hour-long ride. 

The biggest difference between SUNY Cortland the American University in Cairo?

The biggest difference between SUNY Cortland and AUC has been campus life. At Cortland, I am used to doing lots of outdoor activities like climbing or hiking, but here it is much more like city life. Also, the weather is so sunny, though it can get cold. AUC probably has one of the most beautiful campuses in the world. 

What does your average day at AUC look like?

On an average day, I will wake up and make some breakfast, read outside in the sun in our courtyard, and hang out with the vaccinated rescue cats. Then I'll go to class. I like to walk through the gardens to get to my buildings. The gardens have tons of palm trees and an orange grove that you are free to take from. Most days, I'm in the ceramics studio, so on my way, I get a croissant and a coffee from the bakery on campus. All of the buildings are open-air, which is nice when it is warm. There are even fountains inside most of the buildings. After class, I make dinner, and on the weekends, we'll Uber to Cairo to get dinner or go dancing on a Nile River boat cruise with other students from campus.

What's your favorite memory that you've made so far?

 I think so far, my favorite memory is watching the Semi-Finals of the African Cup in the mall across the street with a thousand Egyptians and then winning the game. Egyptians are the friendliest people I've ever met out of all the countries I've traveled to, so we made a lot of friends at the game who taught us the chants and made it a really fun experience.