Cairo, Egypt
Located at the head of the Nile River delta, Cairo is one of the world’s largest cities with a population of 20 million people. The Nile River snakes its way through the city, adding to Cairo’s diversity and attractiveness.

Walking through Cairo, one encounters people of all varieties, and myriad shops and stands displaying the elaborate handiwork of Egyptian artisans. Streets are filled with buses, taxis, donkey-drawn carts, camels and brand-new Mercedes. Calls to prayer, high-pitched Egyptian exchanges and music fill the air and the smells of vehicles, animals, food stands, bakeries and incense greet the senses. Strangers to Cairo will find Egyptians ready to help, reflecting the hospitality of their country.

Israel/Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey**
Depending on regional conditions, each of these countries may be visited throughout the course of the semester. MESP usually focuses on three countries including two weeks in Israel toward the end of the semester. This provides a “holy land tour” of countries with rich histories of all three Abrahamic faiths—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—as well as the various streams of faith and culture within each tradition. Jewish life today centers each of its major streams in Israel. One result is that Jerusalem is a dynamic, intense and passionate place of contested sacred space. Eastern Christianity, for example, looks different in places like the beautiful Qadisha Valley [Maronite] in north Lebanon, Wadi Nasara [Greek Orthodox] in southern Syria, and in Old Cairo [Coptic Orthodox]. Islam looks quite different as well comparing Sunni dominated Cairo with the Shiite culture of Lebanon. The MESP experience promotes a broader understanding of what is “holy land” and who are “holy people” and introduces students to biblical lands and people who continue to play an important role in their religious and civic lives.

**Last two semesters Lebanon, Syria, and Israel/Palestine

The Biblical Cedars of Lebanon come to life to students in early spring.