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Learning some topics before the trip through the sociology classes was really helpful in preparation for understanding the revolution, people, and overall culture. The two places that I was probably most amazed by were the Pyramids, in El-Giza, and the Valley of the Kings, in Luxor.

When I thought of the Pyramids before this trip, I didn’t and couldn’t fully grasp the entirety of how amazing they truly are. Just to give you an idea, the blocks that made up the Pyramid of Giza weighed 2.5 tons each, while the entire pyramid was made up of 2300000 different blocks, stacked to a total of 480 feet high, and its base 764 square feet. Looking at these numbers might help you imagine the pyramid, but to be standing next to something so incredibly huge and ancient gave me the chills.

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It’s hard to picture an ancient civilization that believed the pyramids would help one ascend into the heavens and would spend 20 years building such a place. Each block was 5x8x12 feet, which left it as tall as someone, or very close. It’s most definitely mind boggling to wonder how humans were able to maneuver carrying each block, and increasing the height to over 400 feet. Seeing this wonder of the ancient world at only the age of 18 has been a blessing and a once in a life time chance.

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One place I never really knew about before the trip was The Valley of the Kings in southern Egypt. This is the place that the Egyptians decided to place the 64, and

counting, tombs. This was decided because the top of the mountain was shaped similarly to a pyramid, which as I stated before, was believed to help the humans ascend to the heavens and into the next life. It’s really impressive that these tombs are about 300 miles south of the pyramids in El-Giza. One of the main reasons the Egyptians decided to make the tombs more discrete is because thieves would try to break into the pyramids and steal the Pharaoh’s things, such as the large amount of items that are buried with each Pharaoh.

So basically this means that the Egyptians had to travel through the desert for many days to try to find a new place for the tombs that the thieves would not be able to find. These tombs are very neat in the way that they are holes in the side of the mountain and there’s a stairway that heads further down, which then leads to the tomb. Along the walls there is paint everywhere, that has lasted since the tomb was built. Mostly the colors consist of a stunning blue color and a strong red. These colors are not technically paint, but they are minerals that the Egyptians gathered and still lasts today.

 

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These are only two places out of many that I saw throughout the trip to Egypt this year through ARAMFO. There are so many more wondrous places in Egypt and every single part of me wants to travel back to Egypt. Some of these places are the Library of Alexandria, Fort Qaitbey, Cairo Museum, the Red and Mediterranean Seas, seeing and meeting students at various universities, the Nile, the different Mosques, and really just seeing so many ruins and ancient objects. Besides the places and things in Egypt, I miss the very kind Egyptian people, the food, the amazing group I traveled with, my group leader and sociology teacher Abeer, the bus I spent hours upon hours traveling on, the amazing five star resorts, and learning about ancient and also modern day Egypt.