The Things Wrong with this Place

The Things Wrong with this Place

1. Guards that don’t do anything, except look like they’re doing something important- Let’s start with the story of my friend waiting in front of the AUC library because she had left her student ID card at home and the three incompetent guards wouldn’t let her in. She is obviously a student, but no they did not want to let her in. She had to already have signed in just to get onto campus and been “scanned”, so they know she doesn’t have any bombs. Yet, they still wouldn’t let her in.

Every time I enter the library, a few students always beep and the red light goes off (meaning their cards didn’t scan or they didn’t actually use their ID cards to get in). They tend to do this when it’s rush hour so the three incompetent guards can’t figure out who just entered the library that had beeped. But, my friend didn’t want to do this. It is not that difficult to try and prove that she is a student at AUC, but no, the guards just wanted to be lazy and not let her in, not thinking that she needs to use the library for more important matters than just standing around and guarding nothing. If people want to steal books out of the library, it already happens right under their noses.

The guards that scan us before we enter campus aka: Most useless and ineffective quality of service

For about hundreds of students using this entry point every hour, there is a small checkpoint station where you have to put your bags in to be scanned while you show your ID card. So many students bring in what they’re not supposed to on campus (aka: alcohol). Except, guards don’t detect it, because they’re scanning for “weapons”. One case, they didn’t let my friend bring in his drum, which he wanted to use for an evening event. What type of harm will he try to make with his drum? If people want to bring in weapons, they can do that easily without being detected.

The guards at the dorms—They “check” our bags by looking at the top of our bags, and sometimes actually searching inside. Soo many students sneak in things they’re not “supposed” to. Shisha is not allowed in the dorms, yet smoking in dorms rooms is. You get points for sneaking in “shisha”. Lame! Once again, guards want to seem what they’re doing is important and effective.

2. The internet and dryers and washers in the dorms- The main reason why I’m trying to move out of the dorms next semester. I feel like I’m in dial-up mode again of the early 1990’s. I wait and wait for a page to upload, and then when it doesn’t fully upload, I have to refresh. This entirely sucks when you’re dealing with time sensitive information (like paying your bills or booking flights).

The RA’s have said that they’ve been working on this matter this semester for the longest and this issue only occurred this semester. Honestly, it shouldn’t be that hard to get some decent internet in the dorms, while every other place in Egypt has great internet. Constantly, we have been told that they’re working on it, and while it has gotten a little better (understatement), the internet is super slow. Their definition of fixing doesn’t make sense. They have so few routers in which so much traffic is going through. They need stronger routers with wider range capacity, not to mention, more routers if they can’t do the former. Yet again, they can’t figure that out.

Stated by an RA: “This is the only place in the world with free washer and dryer service for students’ dorms…It wasn’t even supposed to be a service provided by AUC, it was extra.” Completely incorrect. Dickinson, like other colleges have free washer and dryer services, with even both on each floor of dorm buildings. AUC dorms in Zamalek do not want to fix or get new ones because they believe it’s pointless because they’ll just break anyway and students aren’t putting lighter loads in the machines. Maybe, if they got some better machines, it wouldn’t be a problem. How do other colleges and universities have these services for free? But, they want us to use the launder services in the basement because they assume all American students at AUC are rich. My friend asked the receptionist when they would be getting new laundry machines, and when the receptionist said they wouldn’t, she asked why. The receptionist was surprised and responded in a scoffing manner, “Why, don’t you pay for doing your laundry back in the States?” No, not all of us take our laundry to get it done by someone else. We still do our own laundry.


The Things Right with this Place (and that I’ll Miss)

1. Housekeeping Services- For Sure!
The best thing about this place: calling the Receptionist and asking to get the room cleaned. Three to four women come with buckets filled with cloroxed water, a sweeper, and clean sheets. They conquer the room instantaneously. Five minutes later, you’re left with a clean bed and a spotless floor.

2. The Receptionist-
Transfers you to any place—all for food delivery of course. That speaks for itself.