A year ago today, I was knee deep in Arabic, sand, and Muslim culture. In spring 2010, I studied abroad in Cairo, Egypt. My anthropology major and fascination with ancient Egypt led me to explore a part of the world where I had never been and knew little about. The Middle East was nothing like I had ever experienced before. The cultural barrier sometimes became too much for me to handle. Still, after five months in Northern Africa, I left with a better appreciation and more independence for not only myself but for other cultures.
Flash forward to today. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, then you’ve probably seen some press about the revolution happening abroad. For those that need a refresher, here is a quick timeline:
January 25: Egyptians take to the street and riot against poverty, unemployment, and government corruption – including Mubarak’s 30 year reign.
January 26: Death and injuries result from the use of police brutality through water cannons, batons, and tear gas.
January 27: Facebook, Blackberry Messenger, and Twitter – the three major channels through which protests are being planned – were disrupted.
January 29: Mubarak appoints his first vice president in three decades of office. His whereabouts are unknown.
January 31: Riots and protests defy appointed curfew take place in Tahrir Square, near the Egyptian Museum.
February 1: Mubarak announces he will not run for re-election, but will not step down.
Riots, new support, death, new political involvement, and much more ensue.
February 11: Mubarak resigns from presidency.
Now you’re up-to-date! There is still a lot that will happen in Egypt in the next months. I cannot even count the number of times someone has told me, “I am so glad you’re home and safe.” But what happens when Egypt is your home? Are things still safe and sound?
Kanzy Khafagy is an Egyptian foreign exchange student here at James Madison University. She gave me some insight on her opinion about the revolution happening in Egypt and how it’s affected her. It’s hard to even fathom.
Being away from your home and family for a long period of time is difficult enough for exchange students. Being away from the people closest to you during a crisis is even worse. “For 6 days I couldn’t speak to anyone back home, which was horrible [because] on the news they would say that the prisoners have escaped and that the police men left their positions. The country was in threat from all the outlaws. So, every day I thought that my family or friends were in danger,” noted Kanzy.
Kanzy’s family helped in the protest in Tahrir Square in any way that they could. Her parents brought food, water, and blankets to the protesters every night to make their journey a little easier. One of her cousins protested from day one, seeing the destruction first hand. Although, stuck in Harrisonburg, Virginia, Kanzy did what she could abroad.
With friends, Kanzy traveled to Washington D.C. to participate in a protest from the Egyptian Embassy to the White House. The situation was harder than anyone at JMU could imagine. “I couldn’t concentrate on my reading or in the classes. I was always on Twitter reading the latest news.”
Kanzy is excited to get back home to her family and to see how things have changed post Mubarak’s resignation. Her biggest concern about Mubarak’s presidency was his control of the economy which created a high unemployment rate. She urges people to visit Egypt, as tourism is a huge contributor to their economy.
The political future of Egypt is still to-be-determined. As a JMU student and seasoned traveler in Egypt, I can appreciate the changes that need to be made, both here and abroad. As the future unfolds, Kanzy and other students can know that they did their part in a huge revolution – so huge that I still can’t fully wrap my mind around it. This just shows the immense power and positive impact young and old people alike can have on their country. Start a revolution!