Hey everyone,
I'm assuming that if you read this blog you probs know me/have my facebook/read the news/don't live under a rock. As such, I'm assuming you know about what's happened the past week in Egypt. In a very condensed nutshell, the situation got much more serious in Egypt much quicker than anyone ever expected. Internet went out about 1:00am on Friday, January 28th, so about 5:00pm on Thursday in Chicago. When I woke up at 9am that morning, all cell phone service had cut out. I was extremely lucky that my program, AMIDEAST, is basically the best decision I have ever made in my life and we were under surveillance 24/7 from then until we finally got out of Cairo last night, January 31st. Literally. As in, Matthew, our program manager, stayed in the guys apartment with all of us for four straight days, scrounging for what little food was left in the grocery stores in Dokki, keeping us in contact with DC, the embassy, our parents, and basically making sure we were all safe. It was really, really rough, but we made it out safe and sound and I am writing this post from my hotel room in Athens, Greece. Rumor has it that tomorrow I and 7 other people who were on the AMIDEAST Cairo program will be shipping out to the AMIDEAST program in Amman, Jordan, where we should be able to finish out the semester with no problem.
This poses a problem for me, namely: my blog is called On the Nile, and the URL is allengrainegypt! Sigh. Well, I have definitely learned that being patient and being flexible is extremely important. I was disappointed to leave Cairo, but I wasn't sad. Looking out at the rooftops of the city from the 16th floor apartment in Dokki, I knew I would be coming back. Cairo hasn't seen the last of me!
During the 4 crucial days in Egypt without internet, I kept updating my journal with times of events, and my thoughts on them. Hopefully soon I'll be able to put them on my blog so you can see what it was like to be in a city undergoing a revolution.
To all of my Egyptian friends: I cannot even tell you how sad I am that I had to leave you so soon. Never give up the fight, we're all rooting for you (and I'm so glad you understand the difference between Americans and the American government!). No one should have to endure what you've endured, and the courage and compassion you've shown to each other and to us crazy study-abroad Americans has been absolutely inspiring. I'm always thinking about you. This is your time!!!
I'm assuming that if you read this blog you probs know me/have my facebook/read the news/don't live under a rock. As such, I'm assuming you know about what's happened the past week in Egypt. In a very condensed nutshell, the situation got much more serious in Egypt much quicker than anyone ever expected. Internet went out about 1:00am on Friday, January 28th, so about 5:00pm on Thursday in Chicago. When I woke up at 9am that morning, all cell phone service had cut out. I was extremely lucky that my program, AMIDEAST, is basically the best decision I have ever made in my life and we were under surveillance 24/7 from then until we finally got out of Cairo last night, January 31st. Literally. As in, Matthew, our program manager, stayed in the guys apartment with all of us for four straight days, scrounging for what little food was left in the grocery stores in Dokki, keeping us in contact with DC, the embassy, our parents, and basically making sure we were all safe. It was really, really rough, but we made it out safe and sound and I am writing this post from my hotel room in Athens, Greece. Rumor has it that tomorrow I and 7 other people who were on the AMIDEAST Cairo program will be shipping out to the AMIDEAST program in Amman, Jordan, where we should be able to finish out the semester with no problem.
This poses a problem for me, namely: my blog is called On the Nile, and the URL is allengrainegypt! Sigh. Well, I have definitely learned that being patient and being flexible is extremely important. I was disappointed to leave Cairo, but I wasn't sad. Looking out at the rooftops of the city from the 16th floor apartment in Dokki, I knew I would be coming back. Cairo hasn't seen the last of me!
During the 4 crucial days in Egypt without internet, I kept updating my journal with times of events, and my thoughts on them. Hopefully soon I'll be able to put them on my blog so you can see what it was like to be in a city undergoing a revolution.
To all of my Egyptian friends: I cannot even tell you how sad I am that I had to leave you so soon. Never give up the fight, we're all rooting for you (and I'm so glad you understand the difference between Americans and the American government!). No one should have to endure what you've endured, and the courage and compassion you've shown to each other and to us crazy study-abroad Americans has been absolutely inspiring. I'm always thinking about you. This is your time!!!
the last paragraph you summed everything up and nothing else can be said after that....
ReplyDeleteEgypt is waiting for you same as the chocolate waffel place :D:D