How would you react if you had a dream about living happily as a freelance journalist in Cairo, Egypt? Certainly, I would brush it off and live to dream another day.
Heather Moore, a 2011 graduate of Scripps, opted to actualize her vivid, year-old dream and moved to Cairo in August.
“Everyone thought I was crazy because it didn’t make any sense why I would move to Cairo to be a freelance journalist. Then the revolution broke out in January…it was fate basically,” said Moore.
To prepare, Moore said she read up on the political systems in Egypt and kept up with the news. She also wrote to freelancers and activists in Cairo and asked for advice.
Moore, who has traveled abroad prior to the move, wasn’t too worried about the details falling into place; she found an apartment 3 days before leaving the United States.
Moore found that the preparation didn’t actually prepare her.
“It couldn’t,” she said. “A lot of what I’ve learned, I’ve learned because I was physically here.”
For example, people create homemade guards for their houses because the police are occupied. Simple missions such as public transportation on the Microbus become frustrating when bus stops don’t exist and the bus goes in one direction. Even clothing is an issue since Cairo is an Islamic area.
“I was practically naked by Egyptian standards,” Moore said of her knee-length capri’s and baggy t-shirt. “Since then I’ve never left the house with anything that came above my ankles.”
Even with the protests, Moore says she has been in danger only once since arriving.
After protestors stormed the Israeli Embassy in September, fair-skinned, red head Moore decided to take pictures and video the next morning when a man tried to steal her camera.
“I just started running,” said Moore. “A pack of men was just chasing me down the street.”
The men, who thought Moore was a Israeli spy because of her appearance, caught up to her but weren’t able to harm Moore because military arrived and removed her from the non-populated area she had fled to. Moore said she blames herself for the escapade since she was wearing big, dark sunglasses, wasn’t holding a press pass, and taking pictures of a government building.
Moore has attended every protest in Cairo and continues to blog about her experiences while still searching for freelance opportunities. She said it’s hard to do cover breaking news as a freelance journalist.
“I’m just soaking it all up,” said Moore.
See what Heather has been up to by reading her blog!
HYPERLINK “http://heathermoore.us” http://heathermoore.us