Blog 5 by Ruthie Heavrin

Amanda Fields writes about a success in her efforts to adapt in a new culture. What's great about this piece is the surprise ending. Based on her negative language, the reader expects Fields to say something like, “Never ride the metro in Cairo,” as her conclusion but she instead makes a celebration of her benchmark. Fields is also using great imagery to show the great difficulties that come with Cairo traffic. I can personally attest to the horrendous noise that emanates from the street. There are so many vehicles that there are literally cars on the sidewalk. The drivers use their horns like signals. My Egyptian friend avoided the metro at all costs. If we had to go somewhere far, we took a mini bus then walked the rest of the way. Fields describes the cramped metro in a way that the reader can almost smell and feel the other passengers. Also, she includes a lot of information about Egypt without listing facts. The reader learns that Cairo has traffic issues, the women wear head scarves or burkas which indicates it is a Muslim city, and most women work low paying jobs. We also learn that there are some clear class differences as well as hygiene issues. Fields writes in an informative, yet interesting manner. Not all facts have to be boring. p.s. The photo for the article didn't make any sense.