Here is a link to a map that may help you visualize what is going on: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=216380991696683396607.0004b2770f98f5a4c91b3&msa=0 click on the little symbols to get an explanation.

I didn't want to re-write a blog post about this, but I hope this letter to my family will be good enough for now.

Family,

First of all I am offended that you would think that I would run away from tear gas. You did not raise a son who flees from a few tears. While those were running away around me I was calmly walking back to fresh air thinking only of not throwing up. And you were right mom about the lad who was running with his head down; I think it is some natural reaction to put your head down when something is burning your eyes and throat. So if I had the urge to run, I probably would look like that.

Second, I am sad that you would think that I would not participate in the million man march. Actually, you were right to some degree, I wasn’t planning on going especially because the news said that they arrested three foreigners earlier in the day; however, after I heard the words of the leader of the military council, I could not keep myself from going. On the train, I was taking a little nap when some Egyptian guys sat next to me which woke me up. I noticed that they were headed for Tahrir so I asked if they were going to the demonstration and we started talking and it turns out that they all work for one of the members of the church here in Cairo. What a small world! I mean just think about it, the metro is like 8-10 cars long with four doors on each car, not to mention the fact that trains were running like every five minutes. Anyway, I decided to stick with them since I figure it is better to be there with Egyptians rather than me by myself, just I look less spyish with a group of Egyptians than I would if I were alone just creeping around the square. The station itself reeked of tear gas and there were plenty of people selling surgical masks. About five steps out of the station, our eyes started burning, it took a few minutes to get used to small amount of tear gas hovering over the square. I was surprised that there was any tear gas at all. From the tv and the pictures, I just thought that people were wearing the masks as a safety precaution. The two guys I met on the train were Yassir and Ahmed. Yassir is older and is the manger of the swim teams at two rather large sports clubs here in town and Ahmed is around my age. We met with Ahmed’s twin brother Hossam and his friends standing in front of the Mugamaa (you can disregard the word Mugamaa but I decided that I will keep this email as a journal entry). Hossam then took me and Yassir around the square in the direction of the university, but the closer we got the stronger the tear gas became. It was strong but not as strong as I felt on Saturday since I had no urge to throw up. After standing in the tear gas for a few minutes, I turned to Hossam and asked him if we had to stand here, to which he obviously replied “yeah…lets head back” We stood mainly in the back of the crowd next to the street talking. Every few minutes ambulances came from the center of the crowd carrying what I assume to be victims of a little too much tear gas. At one point those protestors standing in the street in front of the main gate of the university (where the clashes with the police is strongest as well as the tear gas) shot of fireworks to the cheer of the crowd. The protesters were down that street making sure that the police did not try to make another run on the square like what happened yesterday. I don’t know if you saw the video yesterday of a policeman dragging the body of a dead protester and just leaving him on a pile of trash, but it has definitely become a popular clip here. Yassir and I decided to leave at like 11:00 but decided to walk through the square to the metro stop after Tahrir. I felt like I was in some post apocalyptic movie. The streets with littered with trash and about every maybe twenty feet there was a fire burning. Supposedly the smoke reduces the effectiveness of tear gas. everyone was wearing gas masks and the people that were heading towards us toward Tahrir and the street clinic and ambulances were often either carrying somebody passed out in their arms or on the back of a scooter. We walked into a few pockets of tear gas but kept pressing forward trying to avoid the police and the more volatile streets. Also, the streets were dark thus giving it that perfect eerie feeling.

Anyway, to say the least it has been hard to study the past few days with all of this going on. But Arabic will sadly come and go, but somehow I think I will always look back fondly of these past two days. I am sure that we will finish out the semester. I am just sad that I might miss some of the good protests while I am with you in Utah. B