Into Condi's nest of flies...

State Department Transcript of the Speech

As many of you know, Condoleeza Rice is currently touring the Middle East, before visiting Brussels for a summit and then G8. Her travels were stated as including Jordan, Israel and Egypt, between 17 June and 23. But no exact mention of times or locations. For security purposes. Sure enough, Condi popped into the American University in Cairo this morning. Most unexpectedly. We were all taken by surprise. But when CNN reporters and secret service agents complete with wrap-around sunglasses, red and blue striped ties and bulging kevlar peel through the gates to the university...someone special has arrived. This photo was taken shortly before my camera, cell phone, and, the most dangerous weapon of all, TI-83 calculator were confiscated by secret service.

She spoke at 1pm local time in Ewart Hall, where most of our classes are held, and therefore, the clear diversion to other rooms in the early morning signaled preparations were underway...bomb sniffing dogs, cordoned off areas. The usual. Condi was en route from Sharm where she met with Mubarek, which nobody knew of as well until now.

During lunch, I snuck into Ewart Hall with a few other people. It was strange to suddenly see so many Americans bombarding our campus. The building had been converted into an intimidating maze through back stairwells and rooftops. I could splurge on paragraphs of detail...but the place was carefully orchestrated anarchy. All of the students were behaving like giddy children Christmas morning, rashly sneaking around, "pretending to be 'lost.'" But this game tired when more heavily armed guards took posts in the school. Crouching through stairwells whispering isn't the greatest of ideas in an building occupied by the US Secretary of State in the Middle East. So our party of four left.

All students were required to relinquish electronic devices by 11:30, or face the consequences.

We proceeded to class, then managed the miraculous. We illicitly gained a place to watch Rice inside the hall behind a speaker. How we did it, without embassy-issued tickets, press passes, any identification, is still beyond me. I can barely recall the speech, I could generalize and say porous and excessively uplifting.

And yet, we were asked to leave after 45 minutes when some agents came over, along with other students in various hide aways. I departed for my Quranic Reading class, with a perfect view of the ten armored suburbans below. We didn't get to see her, but she was whisked away for, well, and undisclosed location.

Here are links to stories covering the conference:
Rice speech promotes democracy in Egypt CNN
Rice Pushes Egypt on Democracy Fox News
Rice criticizes Cairo on violence, justice Yahoo/Reuters
Rice Makes Case for Democracy in Egypt Washington Post

Good publicity for the school. I feel my recent posts have been about "publicizing" outside my Cairo huddle. I don't know I like it.

POSTSCRIPT: As one may see, alterations were made in this blog for the sake of creativity. I thought the nod to Khomeini and the Iranian hostage crisis more provocative. I may make those changes from time to time.

And, a thanks to my dad for accepting my 4:15 am eastcoast time wake-up call from an AUC stairwell as I trembled in anticipation. Probably waking mum too. That's how excited.