Day 4 of Egyptian Protests (cont): The world is reeling; The nerve of Mubarak...

11:30pm

Things have calmed down now. The army has officially taken control of the country and everyone is waiting to see what happens. People are walking freely in the streets. Even the army seems to have disregarded the curfew completely, as they haven’t done anything to enforce it thus far. Egyptians are glued to the news channels, as they have been all day (unless they were on the streets), waiting to see what will happen next…

Everyone is reeling. Egyptians are reeling. The entire world is reeling. Everyone in the world and especially in Egypt is trying to process exactly what happened today and how we’ve arrived at this point. No one has any idea what will happen next…

Needless to say, this will be a long night… though I’ve lost all sense of time at this point as events have been unfolding so unfathomably rapidly… I’m so grateful that I had the presence of mind to document events by the hour as of this morning…

12:20am

BREAKING NEWS: HOSNI MUBARAK HAS FINALLY SHOWN HIS UGLY FACE… I was totally wrong. I don’t believe this. I honestly thought we would not see him again until he was found dead or in a rabbit hole. But here he is, clean cut in a suit, delivering an address next to the flag of Egypt, talking out of his ass… I fear that Egyptians are about to show the world what anger really is.

My cousin Osama just called, very choked up, with news that Amr was FINALLY able to contact them.  He’s safe and ok and he’s on his way to Zagazig to be with the family. THANK GOD. My nerves can relax a little.

Day 4 of Protests (cont): The questions we've been asking for years; Contingency plan; Never before...

11:00pm

Just watched the press conference with Robert Gibbs. 

SUMMARY: It is perfectly clear that the US government has not been in touch with the Egyptian government; They, like everyone else, have no idea where Mubarak has fled, and it looks bad on their part because the FACT that they haven’t been in touch with Mubarak yet makes it all too obvious and all too quickly that there was never any relationship with Mubarak to begin with – they’ve been bribing him the entire time. He was never an ally, he was a dictator that they were paying off. THE US IS FINALLY ON THE COALS FOR LYING TO THE MIDDLE EAST AND TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FOR YEARS.

OMG GIBBS IF YOU CAN’T SAY ANYTHING NEW JUST SHUT UP!!!!!!!!!!! Please just say “We don’t have any answers yet but we’re working on it” and get off the stage, you’re boring us. 

But the journalists were asking questions my family and I have been asking for years!! Music to my ears...

I am really freaking out about Amr. Every other member of our family has been accounted for and is safe except for Amr OH GOD I HOPE HE’S OK – AND IF HE IS WHY HASN’T HE CALLED ANYONE YET??? Please God let us hear from him soon. Please watch over him and let him be ok. 

Tanya called to tell me the new contingency plan: 1)Everyone stay in one place until the country is stable; 2) Hopefully the students will be brought back on Sunday, and when they do everyone will stay together as a group, and I will rejoin them as soon as it makes sense to. For now I stay with my family, I am in a very good place. Al hamdu liAllah. At this point we can’t plan beyond that. We are waiting to see what happens. If things turn for worse and the Mubarak regime is unseated, they will most likely move us to Paris, but they really want us to stay as long as it’s safe and they will do everything they can for us to remain in Cairo…

I’ve never had a nervous breakdown before. I have never felt utter fear before. Nor true anxiety. Nor overwhelming happiness that goes far beyond myself or even the people in my life and extends to meanings I can’t even comprehend yet. I will be learning to understand the effects of today and my experience living through it for the rest of my life.

Egypt's first DEMOCRATIC vote: A litmus test for the new political scene

Egypt had it's first truly democratic vote in... ever, this past Saturday. The vote was to decide about a proposed referendum to the existing constitution., and it ended up being an important litmus test for the new political scene...

The Ballot

YES: Accept the referendum, i.e. modify the old constitution with changes like limiting the presidential term to 2 terms of 4 years each, voting to be supervised by the court rather than the government, and emergency laws cannot be extended w/o referendum. This ballot also included moving the parliamentary elections from September to June.
This option was favored by people who want a constitution in effect sooner rather than later, and would compromise for a revised constitution. I was also favored by conservative parties who would have candidates ready to run in the parliamentary elections by June.

NO: Reject the referendum in favor of drafting a new constitution from scratch; Wait until September for parliamentary elections.
This option was favored by the young educated liberals who initiated the demonstrations in January, who want a new set of laws entirely, and who fear they would not have candidates ready to run for an election in June.

A few stats to consider...
Population of Egypt: ~80 million (last census - it's probably much higher than that because many of the poorer population do not have birth certificates)
Population eligible to vote: ~40 million
Percentage of eligible population that voted: 40% (about 19 million)

The Final Count
YES: 77%
NO: 23%


Ultimately, less than 4 million people actually voted to reject the old constitution entirely. The overwhelming majority of voters accepted the referendum and voted in favor of having parliamentary elections in June.

This was a major wake up call for the young educated liberals that started the demonstrations in late January. Apparently, many of them expected the vote to be pretty much split 50:50. Now they are realizing that the 18 days it took to overthrow Mubarak was just the first step. The real challenge now will be political activism, educating people and encouraging them to vote, learning to pull as much influence as the conservative parties do.

Some of my cousins were complaining that the conservatives must have used coercion to get that many people to vote in their favor. We said, "Bush was re-elected because of gay marriage and abortion rights. Coercion is part of the game."

Welcome to Democracy, Egypt. It's a wonderful thing, but it's also a bitch.

We have no time for your crappy journalism Fox News

Erratum: There was no hostage human shield around Gadhafi's compound.
Facts: Reporters were bused in by government officials to survey the wreckage of Gadhafi's bombed compound (Gadhafi's attempt to gain sympathy), the reporters were quickly shown in and out of the sites, and then shoved back on the bus. Some civilians were present at Gadhafi's compound as well.
The Fox News (surprise, surprise): Gadhafi bused in civilians to form a human shield to protect his compound from allied forces.
Seriously. We do not have time for bad journalism. Thank you Nic Robertson for clarification. 

So much news, I can barely keep up... First up: Gadhafi vs. The World

History is unfolding once again, this time in Libya.

I have not written for a while, partly because I was dealing with some family matters, and partly because I've barely been able to collect my thoughts as I try to keep up with the news.

I'm elated that the allied forces have finally, FINALLY begun their assault on Gadhafi's forces. This should have begun a long time ago, but at least it's happening now in time to prevent the imminent massacre in Benghazi that would have happened if Gadhafi's forces had reached the city. GADHAFI IS INSANE. He's been bombing his own country and his own people without focus or aim other than to terrify everyone. He bombed an airfield full of Air Libya planes just for the hell of it. Gadhafi didn't want to attack Misrata, he wanted to destroy it. Now as he's resorting to recycling leftover WWII weapons, forcing civilians to act as human walls around buildings he cares about, and trying to make the allied attacks look like an assault on the country of Libya and rather than his government. Gadhafi would level the entire country and kill every last opponent before giving up. I will be floored if he actually steps down. More likely, the allied forces will pressure him short of assassination until they force him to come out with his hands on his head. I hope.

It's also a relief to see President Obama delivering an ultimatum. If only he was this decisive on all other matters. And he was reluctant about this one too - at first he was insisting that US forces would only focus on protecting civilians, and it was only after Gadhafi's forces continued attack cities after agreeing to a cease-fire on the record that Obama escalated the objective. Britain and France were right at the forefront of this effort, and the US was a bit slow on the uptake (for once, the US is not acting as the self-righteous self-appointed savoir of the Middle East). But overall, I think Obama has been handling this series of crises very well. Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain... these circumstances are an administration's nightmare.

Interesting that Qatar and the United Arab Emirates decided to support the coalition against Gadhafi. I think Obama was absolutely right to encourage Arab countries to participate, and I'm glad a couple rose to the call, but I also question whether this may be a strategic move on the part of those governments to prevent demonstrations in their countries by building some good credit.

Yemen seems to be next in line for a revolution - I hope. Demonstrations have been going on there since a week after Mubarak stepped down. 40 demonstrators were recently killed. President Saleh has been there 32 years, even longer than Mubarak held power in Egypt. His days are numbered too. I hope that the revolution in Yemen will not be bloody. Yemen does have an actual army like Egypt, but there could be some tribal conflict involved. The revolution there will probably fall somewhere between Egypt and Libya.

Morrocco announced that it will transition to a constitutional monarchy. Wow.

I wonder how long it will take Saudi Arabia to do the same...

Day 4 of Protests (cont): Heyya masreiya...

10:00pm

I’M OK. Dad finally called at 9:30 and calmed me down. I will remember that conversation forever. He assured me that the US Embassy will not evacuate US citizens – they haven’t done this since the Vietnam War. They didn’t even do it in Tunisia.

He assures me that, despite the striking appearance, this is peaceful demonstration. He is actually amazed and so impressed with the Egyptians and how beautifully they have handled it thus far. He has seen demonstrations turn violent very quickly, back in his activism days when he was my age. This is not a civil war. This is not sectarian violence. This is Egyptians fighting the government. They will not raze the country to the ground. They are protecting the country. They are attacking the government only.

We are both in such disbelief about what’s happening, and everything that has led up to this point… We’re speechless, we can barely express all the overwhelming emotions… I love my parents so much…

Dad is overwhelmingly happy – he’s been waiting for this his whole life, and never thought he’d see a day like this – and as dire as the situation is, he is so happy that I am here with the family and so overjoyed that I am part of this… the whole family is…

The news is all over US news networks, and CNN is covering the events by the minute, and they’re based in Europe. When the US heard that the government cut the internet they were shocked. No government has EVER cut the internet to an entire country. This was the first major message that the government has crossed the line and is panicking and is FINISHED!!!

We’re waiting to hear from the White House…

Dad is SO HAPPY that I am here. Words cannot express all the emotions. He can’t believe what he’s hearing. And he’s jealous that I’m here!!! : D : D ; D

My family is so happy I am here too, and they are proud of me. They keep repeating “Di bint Osama El-Shafie. Heyya masreiya.” This is the daughter of Osama El-Shafie. She is Egyptian.

I feel that this was the final turning point. Six months ago, I feared I had lost touch with my Egyptian identity. Now I feel that this experience – in fact, this particular moment – is the culmination of my becoming Egyptian. I am a new person now. A true Egyptian-American. 

Day 4 of Protests (cont): NERVOUS BREAKDOWN

8:45pm

THE COUNTRY IS IN FLAMES. THE COUNTRY IS COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL.

People are looting stores and carrying merchandise in the streets. Fire has been set to the National Democratic Party headquarters, the Cairo Trade Center, and a hotel which has not been identified. Now I am REALLY FREAKING OUT. If they’re attacking hotels it puts foreigners in danger and now I am terrified that the Embassy will recall all American citizens and talk about evacuation. The US Embassy has already warned Americans not to travel to Egypt unless absolutely necessary.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE GOD DON’T MAKE ME LEAVE EGYPT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Soldiers are guarding the Egyptian Museum and the TV tower Thank God.

9:00pm

Tanya just called and delivered the exact words I’ve been praying to hear: We’re not going anywhere. We are waiting to see what happens. They are making arrangements to bring everyone back from Dahab on a bus. THANK GOD THANK GOD THANK GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

People are looting the streets and people are getting in the street and looting stores and hurting people and causing chaos WHAT IF THEY START ATTACKING APARTMENT BUILDINGS WHAT IF THEY ATTACK IN DOKKI

I HAVING A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN AND FREAKING OUT AND SOBBING I’VE NEVER BEEN SO AFRAID IN MY LIFE WHAT IF THEY MAKE ME LEAVE EGYPT??? I REFUSE TO LEAVE THEY CAN’T MAKE ME DAD PLEASE CALL ME NOOOOOWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Day 4 of Protests (cont): BREAKING NEWS

8:30pm

BREAKING NEWS ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS IT!!!!!!!!!!!!! ALLAHU AKBAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BREAKING NEWS ON CNN HEADLINES!!!!! THIS IS IT!!!!!!!!!!!! ONCE THE UNITED STATES OFFICIALLY ACKNOWLEDGES THIS CRISIS, IT COMES TO THE ATTENTION OF THE ENTIRE WORLD AND MUBARAK CANNOT RETURN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MOM AND DAD HAVE STOPPED EVERYTHING AND ARE AT HOME WATCHING THE NEWS AND ARE SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS THE END OF THE MUBARAK REGIME!!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I AM SO ECSTATIC I LEPT UP AND DANCED AND CRIED FOR JOY!!!!!!!! MOM AND DAD CALL ME FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!!!!!!!!!! OMG WE’RE WATCHING CNN LIVE!!!! ONCE IT’S BREAKING NEWS ON CNN EVEN IT’S BREAKING NEWS FOR EVERYONE!!!! EVERYONE IN THE WORLD IS NOW WATCHING EGYPT!!!!!!!! MUBARAK CANNOT RETURN AFTER THIS!!!!!!!!!!! WE WILL LIKELY FIND HIM IN A HOLE IN A WEEK JUST LIKE SADDAM HUSSEIN!!!!!!!

Gamal and Ala’ Mubarak have left the country, and still no word from the Coward in Chief Hosni Mubarak. Mark my words, this is the end of the Mubarak regime. I am SO PROUD to be here to witness the day of Egypt’s independence!!!!

Day 4 of Protests (cont): The city is out of control; First taste of true fear...

8:00pm

The situation is getting worse. The city is out of control. Apparently the police have retreated from the streets, but the army has been in the streets for two hours and they haven’t done a damned thing to control the situation. Someone just robbed a bank in Tahrir. A famous movie director came up to a camera and begged the soldiers to protect the Egyptian Museum from being robbed too.

No way to know if the looters and violent people in the streets are protesters or government people creating chaos to threaten the protesters…

I am fighting back tears and praying more earnestly than I have ever prayed in my life. My excitement is once again being overcome by fear, and stronger than before. Wa Nabi, I did not know true anxiety and fear before this week, and it’s taking all my nerve to keep it at bay. Thank God I am with family. I would have had a nervous breakdown by now otherwise.

Just announced that people have broken into the Television headquarters. This is exactly what we feared. If they take over the TV tower, they could cut TV reception for the entire country. Then we will REALLY be in crisis. The TV networks are our last outlet. Without them, we have no way of knowing what’s going on…

The curfew has officially been extended to all of Egypt, including Sinai. However, it is not helping to calm the violence.

Oh my God I can’t even keep up with my thoughts. The news networks can barely keep up with the events either…

Day 4 of Protests (cont): The best possible outcomes...

7:00pm

Still no word from Mubarak. We’re all awaiting his speech. 

It was just this past Monday, four days ago, when I remarked to Lenah that the day Mubarak goes will be the happiest day in Egypt’s recent history. People will dance in the streets. Perhaps we will see that day sooner than I thought. In sha’Allah. We are all praying that these demonstrations will end in Mubarak’s removal. At this point, the protesters won’t stop until he’s gone. God forbid he should try to hand power to his son. The city would literally be in flames.

Lenah remarks that no one anticipated that the demonstrations would reach this point. This is the biggest event in Egypt in 33 years.

Amu Ayman says that this is only the third time for the army to enter the streets in 60 years. It happened in ’77 with the Bread Riots, and it happened in ’86 when the government tried to make obligatory military service 5 years instead of 3 and the young men of the country took to the streets in protest.

If Mubarak doesn’t show his ugly wax face soon, it will be worse than if he had made no promise of a speech at all. Selfish coward. The man has horns.

I am shocked to hear that there are still police in the street shooting people. They have truly lost their minds. They’ve turned into rabid animals. I wonder if the army will have to call them off or even remove the police themselves.

Half a million protesters reported in Alexandria. Several police stations have been set on fire in Cairo.

At this point, here is the most ideal possible outcome I can hope for: Mubarak steps down; Everyone cheers and cries and dances in the streets; The world celebrates and supports and congratulates the Egyptians; The military peacefully takes over and appoints a reasonable figurehead; My friends return safely from Dahab on Sunday; We all remain in Egypt and continue the rest of the program as planned; Change begins in Egypt, slowly but surely; Egyptians rapidly mature and realize their ambitions; Lenah gets a visa to study at the Oriental Institute at University of Chicago; Conditions become safe for me to claim dual citizenship…

Gadhafi is committing GENOCIDE, and Libya desperately needs help

The revolution in Libya cannot be left to play out the way it did in Egypt. Lack of American intervention was a very good thing in Egypt, and the Egyptians were able to topple Mubarak themselves because the army sided with the people. But Libya's situation is far worse - Gadhafi's has surrounded himself with his family and tribespeople and paid militia that will fight for him to the death.

I'm watching Anderson Cooper interview a reporter right now, Alex Crawford, who has been documenting the events in Benghazi - it's remarkable that she got there, as reporters are being severely harassed and thwarted from entering Libyan cities. She's describing the chaos and firing in the streets, and commenting that "99% of the protesters are civilians, and people are being killed every day... If this is not a massacre, I don't know what is."

Al-Qaeda drugging Libyan teenagers with hallucinogens?! Foreign infiltrators? American communist agents? Gadhafi and his regime are still DENYING that a revolution is happening in Libya. Gadhafi is actually psychotic. He makes even Mubarak seem rational. If there were any hallucinogens involved in this, Gadhafi used them all.

The situation is far beyond "condemning Gadhafi's actions." Are we really going to let "strategic interest concerns" prevent us from enacting a No-fly Zone, from doing what we can to end this genocide? Gadhafi will kill the entire country before giving up power himself. We need to help the Libyans while there are still Libyans left fighting.

Erratum: Pawns and Officers

I learned something yesterday, and I need to make a correction to things I said before.

The policemen who were beating demonstrators in the streets during the first four days of the Egyptian Revolution were not defending Mubarak. They were following orders. Perhaps they were not as malicious as I took them to be. My initial assessment was right: they were pawns, following orders under threat of God-knows from their officers.

I should clarify that the "policemen" in Egypt are really just conscripts, like Marines in the US, and they're referred to as 'soldiers' just like those in the army. The actual trained policemen are the officers who were abusing their power, and who were defending Mubarak during the demonstrations.

Dad told me that he watched, on CNN, demonstrators and soldiers of the riot police throwing rocks and tear gas canisters at each other. Finally one man approached the soldiers with his hands raised in the air. Everyone stopped throwing things. The man reached the soldiers... and hugged one of them. They realized that they were all Egyptians, and they didn't want to fight each other. This is why the system of the riot police dissolved after just four days.

The real villains were the officers who were intimidating the soldiers into following orders. When it became clear that the protesters could not be suppressed, the officers were the first to flee. And it was they who released all the prisoners on the city. Some even took part in the looting themselves. And it is these people, starting with the Minister of Interior who gave the orders, who are now being tried for their crimes. 

Day 4 of Protests (cont): I was meant to be here

6:00pm

Protesters are welcoming the soldiers to the streets and celebrating the departure of the police. I watched a crowd rocking an armored truck and pushing it towards the Nile. One man climbed up the cockpit and was dancing on top of the truck. Then they set the truck on fire.

Army tanks are moving through the streets.

It is really shaking to watch all these events unfold in places I recognize very well, very close to my apartment in Dokki. Places I have been many times already. It’s hard to imagine. I wonder if I will find scorch marks or blood stains on the pavement when I return.

People don’t seem to be adhering to the curfew very much. There are still plenty in the streets, welcoming the soldiers, burning abandoned police trucks, and taking pictures with their cell phones and camcorders.

Kareem just called and confirmed that he is safe at Wafaa’s apartment, and that he was not in the streets today. Al hamdu liAllah. Thank God. Still no word from Amr. I pray that he’s ok. Rabbina ma’ahu. God be with him.

Just talked to Tanya again. Sara Abou Bakr returned safely from protesting all day. She survived the tear gas and the action. I’m so glad she’s ok. I was praying all day that I wouldn’t see her face amidst the crowds on TV.

Tanya says they’re having a meeting in Chicago right now to decide on a contingency plan. They will wait to hear what Mubarak says and to find out how long this curfew will last before deciding whether or not we will go to Sinai tomorrow. I seriously hope that we don’t. I don’t want to go anywhere. I want to be here witnessing the news with my family. I expressed this to Tanya. I also expressed my concern about the impression it would give if the University of Chicago study abroad program sends its students on an excursion the day after a military-enforced curfew. Tanya agreed that these are very legitimate concerns, and she values my perspective and sentiments. Another concern, however, is the safety of the group as a whole. If two-thirds of the group is in Dahab (on the eastern coast of Sinai), the program might decide to send the rest of us to St. Catherine’s or straight to Dahab for the sake of reuniting the group. I understand this concern, and it again makes me angry that they still decided to go to Dahab for a vacation at this time. If it complicates their return to Cairo or mandates that I leave Cairo on their behalf I will be very upset. I’m really hoping that they postpone the trip to Sinai until next weekend. I do not think going to Sinai tomorrow is the right thing to do at all.

Tanya also said that if worst comes to worst and UChicago has to pull us out of Egypt, they will move us to Paris. I would certainly prefer that to having to return to Chicago early, but I dearly dearly hope it will not come to that. I will weep if we have to leave Egypt. However, I will still be grateful for the incredibly profound experience I will have had thus far.

Once again, and now more than ever, I firmly believe that it is no coincidence that I am here in Egypt at this time. I was meant to be here, to witness this with my own eyes, at this turning point in my life. 

Day 4 of Protests (cont): The point of no return...

5:00pm

Things are turning violent. Footage is now showing people stealing guns from police, throwing rocks at police trucks, overturning them and setting them on fire. The air above downtown Cairo is grey with black smoke and white tear gas. I saw one man get hit by an armored truck. Some have bloody wounds on their heads. Utter chaos.

The police are now retreating. The crowds are beating them back. Trucks are literally driving backwards. We don’t know if they were ordered to retreat or if they’re running on their own motive. We also don’t know if this means the army is on the way…

Demonstrations have now broken out in Luxor, Aswan, and even Istanbul.

The head of Al-Ahram newspaper, regarded by all Egyptians as a world-class douchebag (apparently the newspaper was supposed to be reliable but it’s actually been the biggest joke ever and no one trusts it), was at first criticizing the protesters and blaming the Muslim Brotherhood, and is now taking it back and saying ‘Actually, yeah, we need change’ [actually, I’m not sure exactly when he made the latter concession, but it was earlier in the evening, and yes he’s a douchebag]

Had to go through Tanya to relay the message to home…

Had a long conversation with Mom and Dad in Arabic! They were very impressed with how fluently I was telling them about the current situation. I was impressed too. “Shaklik inti masreiya!” “You sound like an Egyptian!” “Shukran! Aiwa, wa Nabi, ana masreiya.” “Thank you! Yes, truly, I am Egyptian.”

5:30pm

It was just officially announced, while I was on the phone with Mom and Dad, that a curfew will begin in 30 minutes. The army will take over the streets. Everyone is elated – people like the army much more than the police. Apparently the army is much more diplomatic and peaceful, while the police are just brutal and brainless.

Also just announced that Mubarak will be making an appearance soon. For the first time all week. Allahu akbar! This should be interesting. Though there’s nothing, nothing he can say that would appease the people. Egyptians are past the point of no return. This will continue until he is officially gone for good. The army’s arrival should be a good sign. Ibrahim said on Wednesday that Mubarak wouldn’t turn the city over to the army unless he had no other choice, as there’s no telling whether or not the army would simply overthrow Mubarak. 

There's no place like home! First Impression: Our country is so BIG!!...

After a long and frustrating series of airline mishaps, I finally FINALLY made it home to Chicago. I've never been so happy to be back here. There is truly no place like home. I feel I finally have my feet on the ground for the first time in over a month. I've also never been so happy to see Dad. It feels like years since I last saw him.

I still don't feel whole again. I won't feel whole again until I return to Egypt. My parents are feeling the same way. Now I really appreciate what they have dealt with since they married and settled in the US 26 years ago...

Oddly enough, my first impression upon reentering the states (aside from, "Oh hey, I can read the signs!") was, "Geez, our country is friggin' BIG!" It's ridiculously large. It spans an entire continent. The average American state is the size of an average country. In Europe or the Middle East, you drive for ten hours in any direction and you're in a different country. In the US, you could drive for days from coast to coast. It's no wonder so many Americans have never been outside the US - you don't even have to leave the country to experience something totally different from your own home! And each region of the US truly feels like a different country. One of many unique attributes that I've come to appreciate about the USA.

As fantastic as this entire experience abroad has been, I have also found myself longing to return to my favorite places in the States. I miss my family in Maryland and the Appalachians, I miss the Rockies and the Bighorns, I miss NYC, and I miss Florida. Hopefully I will be able to visit all of them in the next year.

For now, I'm going to sleep better than I've slept in weeks. No more anxiety, no more nightmares, and no more uncomfortable airplanes...

Paris, J'adore; Al-Qahira, ana bahibbak; Chicago, I'm coming home!!!

After two and a half long and unbelievable months, I'm finally returning to Chicago.

I was initially planning to return to Egypt once my study abroad program ended in Paris, but unfortunately the situation is still too unstable for me to go back right now. It was a very difficult decision to accept, but a necessary one. My parents and I are planning to return to our family in Egypt as soon as we can after I graduate in June. I'm hoping to spend at least a month, maybe two, living in Egypt in the next year...

I also hope to return to Paris in the near future. Paris has become home for me as well. It is such a fabulous city, and despite the difficulties I've had to deal with, I have enjoyed myself here so much. I look forward to returning under better and less stressful circumstances.

For now, all I want more than anything is to return to Chicago with Mom to be with Dad and finally have time to reflect and catch up properly.

I will also finally have lots of time to write in my blog and share everything that's been on my mind over the last month. I will also share memories from my life in Cairo and my life in Paris, and slowly upload all my pictures on Facebook - including some from Egypt that I've been waiting to post.

In the meantime, keep reading, as I will continue to post my journal from the Revolution. It's gonna get intense...