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.