Spring Break
Senior speaks about spending a summer abroad in Cairo
Amy Schellenbaum
Issue date: 10/30/09 Section: News
The Middle East isn't every student's number one choice for studying abroad, but for Joel Angle, a year in Cairo, Egypt gave him valuable academic and cultural experiences.
Angle, an 8th-semester political science major and writer for The Daily Campus received the Boren scholarship and was able to enroll at the American University in Cairo and immerse himself in a community bustling with Arabic culture.
"Egypt is the cultural center of the Middle East," said Angle. "As far as Arab culture and history, even the media and the arts, a lot of it comes out of Cairo."
After spending fall 2008 and spring 2009 in Cairo and regional locations, Angle learned about politics from a perspective distinct from traditional American values and ways of thinking. Through this, Angle became cognizant of Egyptian perception of American culture.
This wasn't Angle's first trip to the Middle East; he was stationed there while working for the military before coming to UConn. His limited experience while there stimulated an appetite for knowledge of the complex political, social and economic systems of the Middle East and its involved relationship with America.
"I was looking to get out of it a better cultural understanding of Egypt," said Angle. "I wanted to get a more human understanding of …the people in the Middle East."
The courses he took while in Cairo included Arabic, Arab-Israeli relations, international law and political theory and economy. Angle also participated in a language exchange, Cairo International Model United Nations and volunteer work in Uganda.
"You get exposure to a lot of scholars," said Angle. "[There were] guest lecturers, Egyptian state leaders and diplomats from around the world."
Angle engaged in recreational activities, like visiting bazaars, museums, tombs and enjoying the nightlife. He even participated in "Hashing" an event hosted by expatriots at locations around the world. In it, a runner leaves a flour trail leading to a series of food and drink installments nicknamed "Embassies." As a group of runners follow the trail, they stop along the way at, for example, the "German Embassy" to have German food and drinks and at the "American Embassy" to eat American barbecue.
Angle, an 8th-semester political science major and writer for The Daily Campus received the Boren scholarship and was able to enroll at the American University in Cairo and immerse himself in a community bustling with Arabic culture.
"Egypt is the cultural center of the Middle East," said Angle. "As far as Arab culture and history, even the media and the arts, a lot of it comes out of Cairo."
After spending fall 2008 and spring 2009 in Cairo and regional locations, Angle learned about politics from a perspective distinct from traditional American values and ways of thinking. Through this, Angle became cognizant of Egyptian perception of American culture.
This wasn't Angle's first trip to the Middle East; he was stationed there while working for the military before coming to UConn. His limited experience while there stimulated an appetite for knowledge of the complex political, social and economic systems of the Middle East and its involved relationship with America.
"I was looking to get out of it a better cultural understanding of Egypt," said Angle. "I wanted to get a more human understanding of …the people in the Middle East."
The courses he took while in Cairo included Arabic, Arab-Israeli relations, international law and political theory and economy. Angle also participated in a language exchange, Cairo International Model United Nations and volunteer work in Uganda.
"You get exposure to a lot of scholars," said Angle. "[There were] guest lecturers, Egyptian state leaders and diplomats from around the world."
Angle engaged in recreational activities, like visiting bazaars, museums, tombs and enjoying the nightlife. He even participated in "Hashing" an event hosted by expatriots at locations around the world. In it, a runner leaves a flour trail leading to a series of food and drink installments nicknamed "Embassies." As a group of runners follow the trail, they stop along the way at, for example, the "German Embassy" to have German food and drinks and at the "American Embassy" to eat American barbecue.
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