Lunasea, I'm Egyptian, though not from Cairo, but i've been there a lot. Don't worry about being a female in Cairo. I'm a female myself so i can tell. Cairo will probably be the safest place you have ever been to, mainly because it is very very crowded. Just take care that the Egyptian community is a conservative one. So, if you are walking alone downtown, a skimpy top or a mini skirt will get you stared almost by everyone passing by. But don't worry, these guys are harmless. AUC has recently moved to a new campus in New Cairo, which is a little bit far but i know that it provides daily bus services from downtown. The other thing you should know is that fees for most services including taxi fares are negotiable , so there will be a lot of people who will think you are a tourist and will try to charge you 50 times the price. Ask an Egyptian about the average fare before you take a taxi. People are very friendly here. Feel free to ask me about anything specific.