Roots

My roots go deep
Beneath the surface

To the mantle,
The diffuse and indifferent layer
Which churns beneath all landmass.

My roots extend from East and West
And connect
Deep beneath the Ocean.

But they’re strained,
Stretched between two plates
That move ever farther apart
Repelled by a widening rift.

My roots will have to grow stronger,
Dig deeper,
To the core,

For the plates will continue to drift
Until they collide
On the other side of the World…

--Sara ElShafie

Morsi vs. The Court: This is No Time for Rash Actions

The political unrest in Egypt has surfaced again in the last few weeks. President Morsi is desperately trying to gain control of the situation and move the country forward. Unfortunately, his recent strategy had the opposite effect.

Here is a recap of the recent turn of events:

- On November 22, 2012, Morsi declared that his word as President is final, and that his decisions are above the court.

- Part of Morsi's decree called for the draft of the new constitution to be expedited and put to vote.

- Morsi's decree elicited severe backlash from protestors: violent clashes ensued between protestors and police, resulting in several deaths.

- Morsi agreed to rescind the decree, but insisted that the constitution still be proposed to the populace on schedule.

- On December 15, 2012, half of Egypt voted on a referendum that will decide whether or not to ratify the draft of the new constitution. The other half will vote next week (they had to split up the election due to limited resources).


This sequence puts Morsi in a negative light. It looks like he made a bid to turn his presidency into a dictatorship. Of course, you need a system of checks-and-balances in a democracy.

But consider the events that preceded: Many officials in the court are still loyal to Mubarak, and since the day Morsi took office, they have been doing everything in their power to hold up whatever Morsi proposes. Morsi cannot accomplish a thing with the court constantly shooting down his initiatives.

I am not justifying Morsi's recent move. I think his play was too reactive, and that he underestimated the consequence it would have. I do sympathize with his motivations. But he would have done better to be patient.

This process of establishing a functional presidency that can work efficiently with all branches of government will take time, regardless of who is stalling progress or for what reasons. There will always be some hold-up. The US established its government after its revolution over 200 years ago: We're stable, but look how much time and work and argument still goes into getting anything done. Imagine if the US President (Obama or anyone else) tried to announce that the US President is above the Legislature and the Supreme Court. Wouldn't solve anything.

Egypt is deeply divided over this new constitution draft. Many are not necessarily opposed to the new constitution, but do not agree with the rushed manner in which it was proposed.

If the new constitution does not pass the referendum, I'm afraid Morsi's days in office are limited. While this wouldn't be the end of the world, it would be a shame because having to redo the presidential election would be a huge setback to political progress in Egypt. Morsi is a new leader who faces enormous challenges, and I'm prepared to give him a lot of slack, but I can't say that I've seen substantial leadership qualities from him yet. I believe the potential is still there, but he has some tough negotiating to do if he is to realize that potential.


On a positive note: The majority of voters in Egypt yesterday were women. It was a record that set a new precedent. Anyone afraid of Islamists taking over the country should take a look at the photos of the voters waiting in line yesterday (see below). Women in Egypt will never stand for an Islamist society. Women who wear hijab do so by choice, and would never accept a government that would try to enforce it. Egypt will not become Iran. And frankly, this fear has been overinflated in the media.

http://www.gosanangelo.com/photos/galleries/2012/dec/15/top-photos-dec-15-2012/20675/

What Egypt Can Learn from Turkey

I returned from Istanbul last week with a new vision for Egypt. Istanbul – and, I’m sure, the rest of Turkey – can be a wonderful model for Egypt to follow as it begins the overdue process of full modernization. Standardized systems and  policies. Efficient and expansive public transportation. High work ethic and accountability. Initiative for innovation. Healthy economy and job creation. Tourism management. Conservation of monuments. Environmental regulation. Or even something as simple as clean streets.

Perhaps the most important lesson that Egypt can learn from Turkey is comfort with diversity. Turkey has a very mixed population, and though the majority are Muslims, you would never know it except for the prevalence of headscarves and the widespread festivities during Ramadan. Turkish Muslims are very modest in their observance of Islam. Religion is a major part of their daily lives, but it remains a private matter. Moreover, Turkish Muslims do not feel at all threatened by the presence of other religious groups, and other religious groups do not feel out of place or intimidated among the Turkish Muslim majority. The society is completely integrated and unassuming. 

I’m not saying that Egypt is completely intolerant of non-Muslims or diversity. Indeed, many different religious and ethnic groups exist in Egypt. But the diversity is not nearly as extensive. It has also long been a source of tension in the country, largely antagonized by the actions of Mubarak’s old regime. Much of the tension in Egypt now exists between different groups of Muslims, especially between the Muslim Brotherhood and its rivals. Egyptians must learn to collaborate with opponents and engage in healthy but productive debate – something entirely new because, up until now, debate was never open in Egyptian politics.

I sincerely hope to see Egypt follow Turkey’s example in the near future. Of course, not all of the conditions that came with Turkey’s transformation can be replicated in Egypt. Complete secularization of the society, for example, or changing the language, or banning headscarves in government buildings - just a few of the reforms that Mustafa Kemal Atatürk imposed. It seems improbable to me that such measures could ever pass in Egypt (but then, I suppose the Turkish people may have said the same thing in the 1920s). But I believe that change is possible, maybe even in the next few decades. In fact, my dad tells me that Egypt was much more like Turkey in many ways when he was a kid – the streets were clean and free of trash, for one thing – and he remains confident that Egypt will overcome the harm and neglect of Mubarak’s regime. In my lifetime, I hope to see Egypt become the new standard for the Arab World. 

A Tour of Istanbul's Highlights

There is so much to see in Istanbul, it’s impossible to do everything in just one week. There are a few highlights, however, that are not to be missed, and it is possible to see Istanbul’s critical monuments in two or three days. Given more time, there is plenty to see in and around the city, depending on your interests.

Of all the sights in Istanbul, these are definitely the top (the first three are also conveniently located right next to each other):

Interior of the Ayasofya. Qur'anic calligraphy 

is visible on both sides, with a mosaic of Mary 

in the center.

Ayasofya (aka Hagia Sofia): A massive 1400-year-old structure that started as a pagan temple, was converted to a church by the Byzantines in the 5^th C, and was subsequently converted to a mosque when the Ottomans conquered Constantinople in the 15^th C. The decor preserves all of this history. The great hall features typical fixtures of a mosque (decorated wall in the direction of Mecca, platform for the Imam who leads prayer, low hanging chandeliers), as well as enormous wooden circles bearing the largest Arabic calligraphy in the world. But right next to the Islamic touches are Byzantine mosaics with images of Christ, Mary, angels and saints. These mosaics were initially covered up with plaster when the church was converted to a mosque, but when the Ayasofya was converted to a museum in the 20^th C (it is the only mosque in Istanbul that is now a museum), the plaster was removed and the mosaics carefully restored. 

The Ayasofya (right) sits opposite the Sultanahmet, or 

"Blue Mosque" (left).

Today the Ayasofya is a monument that truly represents the heritage of Islam, for Islam considers Christianity to be part of its foundations. The mausoleums of several important sultans and their families are also situated next to the Ayasofya, with some very beautiful mosaics and decoration. One of the mausoleums was designed by the master architect Sinan (see Süleymaniye).

Interior of the Sultanahmet ("Blue Mosque")

Sultanahmet (“The Blue Mosque”): This mosque stands opposite the Ayasofya, separated by a beautiful plaza. It was commissioned in the early 17^th C by Sultan Ahmet I, and built by a student of the Chief Architect Sinan (see Süleymaniye). The interior is stunning – completely covered floor to ceiling in blue decoration with red accents. The floral and geometric patterns are complimented by a border around the balcony wall composed entirely of blue Iznik tiles (Iznik tiles are a special type of tile with cobalt dyes and distinctive patterns, made in the town of Iznik not far from Istanbul). With blue light filtering in through the stained glass windows, the whole space is bathed in a soft blue glow – hence the name “Blue Mosque.”

A veranda in the Fourth Court of Topkapi.

Topkapi Palace: Of all the palaces in the world, I doubt that any can top the old Ottoman palace of Topkapi. Yes, I rank it above Versailles, Buckingham, and certainly above the Dolmabahçe (the newer palace the Ottoman sultans built in the 19^th C to impress their European counterparts) – all of which I consider disgustingly opulent. Topkapi has a different kind of elegance. It spreads horizontally and consists of four courts, each with an increased level of restriction and privacy. The first court was for public gatherings and festivals; the second for special processions and regular convening of court officials; the third for palace services (library, treasury, etc.); and the fourth strictly for the private affairs of the sultan’s family and other palace inhabitants.

And of course, there’s the Harem, where the Sultan, the Sultan’s family, and the court folk in training (concubines and page boys) lived in seclusion. The Harem has long been the subject of great intrigue in the West, simply because it housed the private lives of the imperial sultanate. Orientalists imagined the Harem as a forbidden world of indulgence and often eroticism. In reality, access to the Harem was strictly limited merely to permit the Sultan, the Sultan’s family, and the small population of courtiers and staff persons some privacy. The protocols and etiquette that evolved within these palace walls is fascinating and unique among imperial societies of the 15^th-19^th centuries. Also unique is that the Ottomans did not perpetuate the aristocracy by birthright alone: many of the young denizens that were taken into the Harem to be reared as politicians and specialists were originally slaves or prisoners of war. In what other society could a slave potentially become the Queen of an empire? Furthermore, after the Sultan chose from among the women of the Harem, the rest were free to marry and leave the palace after several years of service (e.g. as a teacher, cook, nurse, etc.). Their dowry and wedding were even paid for by the Sultan. Some of their customs might seem peculiar (e.g. making all visitors to the palace bow their heads with hands behind their back in the presence of the Sultan), but I would call their customs progressive compared to the norms of their contemporary monarchies. 

Example of an Iznik tile from Topkapi.

Although not as extensively lavish as other palaces in Europe, the decoration inside Topkapi is truly stunning. Every wall of the Harem and the verandas of the inner Fourth Court are covered with Iznik tiles (see Sultanahmet) and hand-painted with breathtaking detail. The palace also has a very pleasing spatial balance, with its large rooms and series of large courtyards. And with its Tower of Justice, the tower in the Second Court from which the Sultan could surreptitiously listen in on the court viziers' proceedings (ala the Glass Penopticon – they never knew if he was listening or not), the palace is easily recognizable as a landmark from almost anywhere on the Bosphorus (indeed, I was even able to spot it from the plane). It is truly a treasure of the ancient world.

Interior of the Süleymaniye Mosque.

Süleymaniye Mosque: This mosque is not part of the typical one or two-day pre-packaged tour, as it is a short distance from the area of the first three monuments, but I definitely rank it among the top sites to see in Istanbul.

The Süleymaniye is regarded as one of the architectural feats of the Ottoman Empire. In my personal opinion, it is the grandest and most elegant mosque in the world. Commissioned by Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent in the 16^th C, it’s interior has a striking balance and harmony between spatial grandeur and elegant but minimalist décor unlike any other mosque ever built. The Süleymaniye is the masterwork of Sinan, the Chief Ottoman Architect for almost 50 years, whose genius I would equate with Leonardo Da Vinci. The Süleymaniye sits atop a hill with a grand view of the city and the Bosphorus Straight. It also functioned as more than just a mosque – it was a dynamic public service facility complete with a school, soup kitchen, hospital, and hospice. The mausoleum of Sultan Süleyman sits behind the mosque, as well as that of Sinan himself. 

We visited other sites in Istanbul as well – the Museum of Science and Technology in Islam (which was fascinating – Muslims have contributed to every field you can think of), Prince’s Island (a beautiful summer residence island in the Sea of Marmara), the Naval Museum (lots of model ships and artifacts from Ottoman naval history), and several additional mosques (all of them gorgeous), as well as a day trip to Bursa (the old Ottoman capital before the conquest of Constantinople in the 15^th C). And there was plenty we didn’t get to. In the course of my life, I hope to comb through every level of this marvelous city. 

Istanbul: A Gem for the World

My parents and I are on a week-long vacation in Istanbul, a hiatus from my month and a half in Egypt this summer. Returning after a previous visit a year and a half ago in December 2010, I have decided that this is my favorite city in the world.*

Istanbul is an incredible place with a very unique mix of cultures. It at once mirrors many cities from both Europe and the Middle East. It is truly where the East meets the West. The streets, the transportation, the residences and shopping districts are distinctly European thanks to measures the country took to meet EU standards (lucky for Turkey, it was still rejected from the EU). But in contrast to the European feel, the city is strewn with mosques – as many as there are churches in Rome. Turkey and the Middle East have always had a strong influence on each other. The regions have much in common in terms of language, food, architecture, décor, and customs. With its geographic and cultural proximity, it’s no wonder so many Arabs come to vacation here.

Istanbul is, in my opinion, one of the most scenic cities in the world to visit. Istanbul's hilly horizon is a rolling sea of red terracotta roofs, tall minarets next to domed mosques, and satellite dishes. The deep blue waters of the Bosphorus Straight and the channel known as the Golden Horn reflect the sun by day and the city lights by night.

The weather here is sunny and beautiful this time of year. Temperatures can get up to 90 F with some humidity, but it’s bearable with the breeze from the Bosphorus. The weather wasn’t bad in the winter last time either – averages in the 60s, with some drizzling but never heavy rain. Pretty mild year round.

The food is also incredible. Typical Turkish cuisine consists of grilled meats and variations of kebabs, irresistible pita breads, rice or bulgur wheat, lentil soup, salads with cucumber and tomato and fresh olive oil, and eggplant. The Ottomans were very creative with their use of eggplant in meat dishes. The Turkish also eat a lot of lamb. I swear this is the best place in the world to eat lamb. Any style. I hear the seafood during fish season (in early fall) is also exceptional. And of course, dessert. Turkish delights, baklava, fruit preserves, and anything you can create with milk and honey… Sweets are definitely specialty of this country.

All of these factors and more - friendly people, beautiful sites, clean streets and facilities, accessible transportation, reasonable prices – make Istanbul a traveler's dream. I will definitely be rooting for Istanbul to win the next Olympic bid, because a) they are one of the few countries in the world right now who can afford it, and b) the entire world needs to witness the splendor and incredible transformation of this country – especially the Middle East, who can learn a lot from its policies and practices.

*Home doesn’t count, thus I exclude Chicago and Cairo from that ranking. 

The Current Political Chaos in Egypt

I had intended my first blog post upon my return to Egypt to comment on the current political situation, which is what I was most eager to witness and understand first hand. Over two weeks later, I am just as confused as I was before I left. What I can say is that Egyptians seem to be no less confused. I have heard tirades supporting and condemning Muhammad Mursi, the recently elected President from the Muslim Brotherhood. In general, the majority of family members I’ve talked to seem to at least think that his winning the election was the lesser of two evils, but they are still cautious to be at all optimistic. Many criticize his delay in assembling a cabinet or addressing any of the numerous pressing problems that Egypt faces (some as simple as the quality of subsidized bread for the impoverished 50% of Egypt’s population).

Everyone is pondering his strategy thus far for gaining popularity: continuing to live as an average Egyptian, and making himself very visible and accessible to the public. After he was elected, he refused to move into the presidential palace, the former residence of Mubarak. He continues to live in his apartment with his family. Some people recently met him while waiting in line for bread at a bakery. A friend of mine saw his wife walk into a mosque in our neighborhood. We passed his convoy on the highway: at least a kilometer’s worth of motorcycles and sleek black cars that held us up on the ramp for all of maybe three minutes. (This is shockingly modest compared to the ordeal Mubarak used to impose, which typically involved completely blocking several routes through Cairo that he may or may not use, often trapping people in traffic for seven or eight hours.) Mursi seems to be deliberately taking the opposite approach in order to distinguish himself from the old regime and give people the impression that he truly represents them. On night that he was elected, he stood on a platform in Tahrir Square and announced that he was not wearing a bulletproof vest. I would call this move both stupid and brilliant. I’m sure he’s just about given each of his security guards an aneurism, but regardless of his politics, I have to admire his courage and his gesture.

I have heard similarly conflicting opinions regarding Ahmad Shafik, Mursi’s opponent in the final run-off election and a former prime minister under Mubarak’s rule. Some Egyptians are still convinced that he would have been a better candidate, arguing that he demonstrated some honesty during Mubarak’s rule, and his questionable actions were pressured by his circumstance. Many others believe that a victory for Shafik would have been disastrous and a debilitating step backwards for the revolution. At least one cousin I’ve spoken to was prepared to leave the country if he had won the election. I may well have cancelled my trip to Egypt this summer if that had been the case, and I’m certain that having Shafik in power would have seriously complicated my personal and professional plans in Egypt for the immediate future. I for one am glad to see Shafik out of the picture (in fact, he fled to Abu Dhabi soon after the election was decided, because the court apparently decided to resurface the dozens of allegations against him that I suppose where conveniently suspended while he was running).

For now, I will remain cautiously optimistic about Mursi. Honestly though, I don’t expect him to accomplish anything for a while, with all the bickering and tricks going back and forth between the parliament and the SCAF (Supreme Council of the Armed Forces – the ruling body representing the military). The SCAF is still trying to hang on to whatever power they can. Case in point: their most recent move was to dissolve the parliament a couple weeks ago, claiming that the parliamentary elections had not been carried out democratically because not enough independent party candidates were permitted to run. The Constitutional Court ruled with them in this case, also declaring that the parliamentary elections had been unconstitutional and the parliament should be dismissed. Then as soon as Mursi took office, he rebuked the SCAF’s decision and declared that he intended the parliament to remain. Now the country is split between those who support Mursi’s decision and those who are damning the new president for defying the Constitutional Court. The final decision might be put to the people in a referendum.

Imagine if the American Legislative and Executive Branches were questioning each other’s authority (which goes beyond the new norm of arguing to the point of stale mate), and the Judicial Branch made a ruling to decide the matter, but then the Legislative and Executive Branches questioned the legitimacy of the Supreme Court… How in the world would anything get solved?

On top of that, people are wondering if Mursi will even still be president in six months, because technically he was elected without a constitution in place (a referendum was passed after Mubarak stepped down, deciding that the old constitution would be retained with some amendments, but apparently that’s still in the works). Some are arguing that once Egypt actually has a new constitution, a new president should come with it. 

Like I said, it may be a while before any political progress is made in Egypt. In the meantime, however, life goes on…

Learning to live as an Egyptian: Family Matters

Surrounded by family. That’s something I don’t get to experience very often. With no siblings, and the majority of my family on the east coast or the other side of the world, it is only a few times a year that I find myself in a room entirely populated with blood relatives. I’m very grateful that both of my parents have large families. Especially my dad: He is one of eight, and all of his siblings have 2-4 children, at least half of whom now have 1-3 kids. Not to mention my extended cousins, cousins of cousins, children of cousins of cousins… I meet new family members every time I come to Egypt. And all relatives here, immediate and distant, are part of the typical family scene. Aunts and uncles become like second parents. Cousins are raised like siblings. It is not uncommon for families to be living in the same neighborhood, or even the same building, as their immediate relatives. There is little priority given to degree of relation. If you’re family, you’re family, no matter how closely or distantly related.

I envy my cousins in that they all grew up together like siblings. It’s weird to be the only only-child in the family. Thanks to our annual visits to Egypt since I was a baby, my Egyptian cousins have always been in my life, though I’ve by no stretch been as integrated in their lives as they have been with each other. Because of this, I always felt a foreigner when I came to visit them. True, I saw them as much as (and sometimes more than) I saw my American cousins every year. But because families are so closely knit in Egypt, I never felt a part of that fabric. I was the special guest, the bonus cousin they saw once a year.

This is the first time I’m actually starting to feel like an integrated member of the family. And it is in no way due to the treatment I’ve received from my family in the past – they have always embraced me with open arms and unconditional love. The distance I felt was largely due to my inhibition with the language, and therefore, my understanding of the culture and lifestyle. I never realized how much of a barrier that created until I started making the effort to learn and speak Egyptian Arabic. Now that I am gaining some competency with the language, I already feel that my cousins and I have a deeper understanding of each other. Having more opportunity to spend time with my cousins alone on this trip has also meant a lot. Plus the fact that we are older and more mature now, and it’s easier to find common ground on significant topics.

Observing my father’s close relationships with his siblings, and the lengths he goes to in order to maintain good relations with the entire family – not just affection, but consistent phone calls, making sure we visit and spend time with each family member during our visits, bringing gifts when appropriate, doing favors, etc. – I’ve always wondered, with a fair amount of anxiety, how I will possibly be able to take up that mantle and maintain the same kind of ties with my cousins as we become adults and start our own families. Now I have no trouble picturing it. I already feel close enough to the entire family that I know this will never be a challenge. And I'm coming to understand how important my close family ties will be for both my personal and professional plans in Egypt in the near and distant future. 

Picking up where I left off...

I am happier than ever to be back in Egypt!! I've been anxious to return ever since I was evacuated from Cairo to Paris when the revolution began. This is about the fifth time I've planned a return trip to Egypt since then, and up until now, I've had to postpone my plans every time because of the continued political unrest in Egypt. If the outcome of the elections last week had differed, and there had been more violent demonstrations, I would have had to cancel my trip again. Thankfully, the security situation is stable enough (relative to the new norm) that I was able to arrive as planned last Tuesday.

I have spent the last week with my family, romping around Cairo and passing the time with my cousins.  I've been able to pick up where I left off a year and a half ago - that is, in terms of the progress I was making with my family relations at the time, as well as with my Arabic. Before my last trip, in which I lived in Cairo for a month while participating in a new UChicago study abroad program (we ended up spending the second month in Paris), I had always traveled to Egypt with my parents to visit my family. This was my first time in Egypt without them, and it made a big difference in the way I engaged with my relatives. I had to overcome my shyness about speaking Arabic, and I had to challenge myself to understand the Egyptian lifestyle, culture, and mentality with patience and a holistic approach. After three short weeks, I felt I had made a lot of progress, and my Arabic was improving every day. I was comfortable making my way from one end of Cairo to another, competent at haggling prices, and I felt completely at home in Egypt. Witnessing the first week of the revolution reinforced my newfound Egyptian identity and pride all the more - which made leaving the country all the more difficult. Aside from the stress of the situation, I felt I was in the middle of a critical phase that I didn't want to interrupt.

It took me a year to work up the confidence and initiative to resume studying Egyptian Arabic in earnest. Since February 2012, I have been studying Egyptian Arabic for an hour every night with my dad. He is a fantastic tutor, and I'm grateful to have had the study time with him that I did, while I also regret that I didn't start sooner. In addition to studying from a book, we've been reading "The Adventures of Tintin" in Arabic every night - very useful for picking up common expressions (and handy words like "danger," "rescue," and "pirates"), and a fun way to relive both of our childhoods. We also spoke in Arabic as much as possible, though that too I feel I did not do enough prior to this trip. Nonetheless, I felt well prepared when I arrived in Egypt. I had exceeded my previous level of competency in Arabic, and within a week of returning, I have already far exceeded my previous level of fluency.

Now, my Arabic is again improving by the day, and I seem to have reached a threshold by which many of my thoughts occur spontaneously in Arabic. Even my recent dreams have been largely in Arabic. Sometimes my brain is so amped from the constant translating that by the end of the day I have to consciously force myself to stop thinking in Arabic so I can fall asleep. But I'm elated: speaking Arabic fluently has been my sincere wish for my entire life, and while I would hardly claim to be fluent yet, I think I'm well on my way. After another month here, my competency will multiply, and I am determined to continue speaking Arabic with my parents after I leave Egypt. We've already hardly exchanged any words in English since they arrived yesterday. I hope the sense of Arabic occurring more naturally than English at home will endure.

Egypt OFFICIALLY declares its first democratically elected president: Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood will carry the revolution forward...

February 11, 2011 - Hosni Mubarak resigns after a 30 year dictatorial reign as president of Egypt.

June 24, 2012 - Muhammad Morsi is declared the first democratically elected president of Egypt in history. 

After a tense runoff election, Muhammad Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood candidate, was officially declared the president elect of Egypt earlier today.

A week ago, I wrote that Morsi was the predicted candidate. Almost immediately, however, Morsi's opponent - Ahmad Shafik, the last prime minister under Mubarak's rule - was also claiming to have won the election. Both sides were accusing the other of election fraud. And with a margin of only about a million votes, it was a close call. 

Today, Egyptians waited with baited breath as election officials discussed the results before announcing the outcome. Apparently the announcement came 50 minutes late... what they still had to discuss is anyone's guess. But the upshot sent Tahrir Square into a joyous uproar, on a scale not seen since Mubarak stepped down from power over 16 months ago. 

After a very anxious week and a half, many Egyptians, including myself and my parents, are breathing a sigh of deep relief. But it's important to remember that not all of Egypt is celebrating Morsi's victory. Consider that of the 80 million (on the record) people living in Egypt, 50 million are eligible to vote, and 50% of the voting population participated in this runoff election. Out of that 25 million that voted, Morsi won 52% of the votes. That comes to about 13 million votes for Morsi - around 16% of Egypt's population. Still enough of a support base to get started, but we must accept that Morsi will not be able to take a single action without facing a good deal of opposition. 

The upshot of this election does not mean that Egypt will finally calm down, but it does mean that some serious clashes were probably averted. If Shafik had won, things would have become very volatile. On a personal note, I may have had to delay returning to Egypt for the fifth time since I was evacuated a year and a half ago. But with the Muslim Brotherhood taking the helm of Egypt's new government, and the spirit of the revolution alive and well, I have no major concern for traveling safely to Egypt. On the contrary, I am elated to be headed there in a week. 

It means a great deal to me that Egypt's first democratically elected president was announced a week before I will finally return to Egypt for the first time since I was evacuated when the revolution began. I cannot wait to get there and begin to understand Egypt's transformation first hand...

Egypt Elects Its First President: Muslim Brotherhood Will Carry the Revolution Forward

Today is another historic day for Egypt:

Muhammad Mursi, the candidate representing the Muslim Brotherhood, is now the predicted winner of the run-off presidential election, which took place in Egypt yesterday. His opponent, Ahmed Shafiq, the former prime minister under Mubarak, trails behind Mursi by only about 1 million votes (roughly 12.5 million vs. 11.5 million), with 96% of the votes counted already.

We are breathing a sigh of relief. Mursi's election indicates that (the majority of) the country is choosing to move forward and continue with the revolution. If the former prime minister had won, things would have gotten ugly, and progress would have been slow and perhaps backwards for a while. Regardless of whether we agree 100% with every view of the Muslim Brotherhood, they are the only group capable of carrying the revolution forward right now. They have the organization, the numbers, the resources, and the momentum. Thank goodness the outcome of this historic election was a step forward.

This is a major blow to Mubarak's remaining supporters, including his supporters in the court, who last week pulled a coup to nullify the recently elected parliament. In their power play, they tried to argue that the parliamentary elections held in November 2011 were illegitimate because they didn't give independent candidates fair representation on the ballots - even though it had been agreed prior to the election that two-thirds of the candidates would be running under a party and one-third would be running independently. The parliament astutely claimed that the decision to retain the current parliament body or not rests with the people, not the court or the military. The Brotherhood has also said that it would not recognize the court's attempted dissolution of the parliament.

We'll see how the court responds, but in the meantime, we can celebrate Egypt's First Democratically Elected President, and rest assured that the revolution continues...

Retrospective: Journal from Day 5 of the Revolution - Cairo streets empty for the first time in... Ever...

Sunday, January 30, 2011...

1:00am

The situation is dire.

Robbers with guns are all over the city.

Looters got into the Egyptian Museum and destroyed some statues and monuments. Civilians responded by guarding the museum themselves until the army finally got around to it. Now the Minister of Antiquities is sitting on a chair in front of the museum with the soldiers, guarding it with his life.

The army just arrested some criminals in Nasser City - where I am with my uncle's family. Awesome.

Images of criminals that have been arrested, their stolen goods lying out on a table: money, guns, drugs, Adidas shorts… they all look very blasé…

They’re announcing the names, ages, and addresses of all the captured criminals, showing them kneeling on the street with their hands behind their backs under watch of soldiers, their weapons laid out in front of them... rifles, swords, hacksaws, crowbars - like the civilians protecting their own streets, they grabbed anything they could find…

The disturbing thing is that many of them are actually not criminals that were released from prison by police - some are just citizens that saw people looting and joined the mayhem – including a 27-year-old teacher from Nasser City.

Civilians are continuing to arrest criminals themselves.

I think I might barf if I see Mubarak’s face one more time.

At least it is clear to anyone in the world who didn’t know it already that Mubarak is an evil lier: CNN keeps flashing his promise ‘I will protect Egypt,’ while announcing that there is no authority or security in Egypt right now and civilians have had to resort to protecting themselves…

Obama announced that he will be taking actions soon, and he advises Egyptians to continue to refrain from violence and to protect themselves as best they can…

1:45am

The streets are quiet. Footage on TV shows the streets of downtown Cairo empty, except for the army tanks. It's a shocking image, considering how congested Cairo usually is 24/7.

I am starting to pass out. I am so emotionally and mentally exhausted and also sleep deprived… I will try to go sleep for a while now. When I wake up, after insuring that we’re not in immediate danger, I’ll shower and call anyone who doesn’t know yet that I’m leaving tomorrow. The University of Chicago is officially evacuating my study abroad group to Paris…

Retrospective: Journal from Day 5 of the Revolution - Taking the law in their own hands; Gunshots down the block...

10:30pm

The gentlemen protecting us in the street outside have made fires to keep warm. They will remain on the streets in shifts to protect the neighborhood until this chaos is over. They are circled around the fire keeping watch, and I’m sure, discussing the incredible events of the week and the elusive future of Egypt…

  

11:00pm

Egyptians from all walks of life have been voicing their concerns and support of their fellow Egyptians on the news: actors, authors, scientists, etc.

A police officer actually dared to phone in a statement earlier this evening saying that the police did not use live ammunition, they used rubber bullets, and they retreated on their own accord. They were never ordered by Mubarak to leave the streets.

11:30pm 

Footage of civilians arresting robbers themselves, grouping and guarding them in the street, seating the criminals with their hands behind their backs. This is AWESOME!! Egyptians are taking the law into their own hands and handling things better than the government ever did! It's incredible to see the nation unite in this way, with such dignity, responsibility, and peace. AMAZING…

11:45pm

NOW I’M AFRAID: This just in – two microbuses full of robbers came to a neighborhood right next to Nasser City, carrying guns, shooting everywhere and anywhere. Civilians in the street are fighting them… WHAT IF THEY COME HERE?!?! Should we barricade the doors???

… The civilians killed one of the robbers and arrested the others – how, I have no idea, but I am so grateful, and so in awe of the bravery of our neighbors in the streets...

12:30am

We just had a scare – we heard shouting in the streets, “Get ready! Everyone come down!!” and the men were running down the street with their baseball bats and pipes. They set up road blocks with cement bricks and planks, and formed a human wall at one end of the block with more guarding the other end. After the recent reports of robbers in Nasser City, where we are, they were being extra vigilant.

We saw a bus driving towards our block, and we heard a few gunshots - the only people in cars right now are robbers with guns.

I heard what sounded like gunshots in our own block and freaked out, but Lenah (my cousin) explained that they are just noise bombs and firecrackers – like the ones my cousins and I used to set off for fun as kids – and the men were using them to sound like gun shots to make the robbers think we have guns too and scare them off. In reality, not a single man on our street is carrying a gun. 

Their rouse worked - the bus drove off before it reached the human wall.

I've never been so freaked out and elated in my life.

One Year Later...

On January 25, 2012, Egyptians gathered in mosques around Cairo and marched to Tahrir Square, as they did exactly one year ago on the first day of demonstrations that launched the Egyptian Revolution. My dad was among them this time - he wanted to be in Cairo on the first anniversary of the revolution to celebrate with the family. He and many of my aunts, uncles, and cousins walked from one end of Cairo to another, chanting with the crowd and calling others to the streets, to join a crowd of one million people gathered in Tahrir. Here are a few photos he took:

My Dad (center) with four of my cousins.

Dad realized, however, that no one was really celebrating. The Egyptians who continue to protest feel that the revolution is far from over, and celebrations must wait. The events last week were held to commemorate the martyrs of the revolution, and to continue to demand the resignation of the ruling military council.

The situation in Egypt is still very volatile. The tragedy that occurred this week at a football match in Cairo attests to this reality. Some are blaming members of the old regime for initiating the frenzy and panic that resulted in dozens of deaths and injuries. Many blame the Ministry of Interior for their lack of control over the police and their persistent failure to protect citizens. The fact is that anything can happen, especially in situations involving large crowds and a lot of adrenaline.

Many Egyptians are questioning the prudence of continuing to protest, feeling that it would be better to let things calm down so that a higher measure of security can be restored. Dad said that when a friend expressed this sentiment to him, he used the analogy of a college student:
"Say you never let your kid go out with his friends while he was living at home, and then you send him off to college in Cairo. Suddenly he's living away from home, with no one checking on him and asking where he's going. Naturally, he's going to be out all night. Then when he sees his grades at the end of the year, he wakes up and realizes that he has to get serious.
"Similarly, Egyptians have been oppressed for thirty years, and now suddenly they can do what they want. So they're protesting everything, all the time! After a while, when things settle down, the attention will become more focused on isolated matters at a time."

I'm hoping freshman year ends in June, and that things will be settled enough when I finally return to Cairo this July...

One Year Ago...

A year ago today, I was evacuated from Cairo after the Egyptian Revolution ignited. I still haven't written about that experience, or some of the events leading up to it. In honor of the anniversary, I'm going to go through the rest of my journal entries and post excerpts from them.

What I remember most vividly from that time was how conflicted I felt about wanting to remain in Egypt with my family but also wanting to respect that this was the Egyptians' revolution and feeling like I should get out of the way, while also feeling terribly guilty for having to pull the US citizen card to get out of the country with my American peers, when thousands of other people would be stranded in the Cairo Airport for God knows how long...

I arrived in Paris feeling more torn and confused than I ever have in my life. Mom coming to live with me for the month helped me keep my sanity. Having the chance to march through Paris with other Arabs in opposition of Mubarak - and then again to celebrate Mubarak's ouster - was also a tremendous boost. But it wasn't until I finally came back to Chicago in March, and had three weeks to digest everything with my parents, that I felt centered again.

Since then, I've been trying to remain connected to events in Egypt by following the news and discussing the updates we receive from our family in Egypt - and wishing that I could be there myself to absorb the developments as they unfold.

When I return to Egypt - this summer, if all goes well - I will have to relearn the ropes. It will be wonderful to understand first hand how the mentality of Egyptians has changed so radically since I was there last. Part of me fears that I will feel alienated again from that part of my heritage. But I am comforted to know that the Egyptian culture, which I really started to internalize during my month in Cairo last January, will never change. And I know that the strong sense of identity among Egyptians - that unity that I was so struck by, even before the revolution began - will be more palpable than ever.