My Pre- Jan. 25th Fears...

WARNING: content of this post is naive, superficial and would piss off most political activists.... I acknowledge this and apologize for it, so please don't attack! 

So a year from Jan. 25 and the entire revolutionary road we've been travelling on in Egypt... I look back and think if this revolution has bough us any good! And unfortunately my answer is NO! As much as I would like to think of the so many positive things this revolution has brought upon us; such as freedom, hope and a boost optimism; I would still have to pass!

On the other hand... all I see is dead people, people living with lifetime cruel disabilities, no safety, messed up tourism, a dull tomorrow and my screwed UP social lief! And this post is dedicated to the last point with all the ignorance and simplicity that this sentence carries.

So ever since the so called Jan 25th Revolution my social life has been going a downward slope. My parents have been on a panic frenzy... where any unnecessary road trip (in their wise opinion) has become a taboo. If it's not work or a must go "homework" outing... then most probably they prefer that I stay at home.

Suddenly 8 pm has become late hour... any dark hour is after curfew. Any "outing" that is not in my home zone is simply far. I've forgotten how Mohandesin, Zamalek and Tahrir look like. Suddenly these places have been restricted to "business meetings" only... and trust me if they can ask me to pass on these too, they would have done it!

Going out after work is a "no, no" because it's dark already... going out on weekends is usually done in day light.

Knowing that my friends are out late and want me to join has become a burden. Let alone internal traveling and a wedding or engagement.

My list of 101 excuses of how to skip an outing because it's an unsafe and my parents would freak out has become obvious!

My age and curfew are suddenly having an inverse relationship! And trust me that's not fun! Let alone saying that I have a curfew in first place (but that is something we can discuss later)!

My life is summarized into: work, business meetings, the mall, a birthday, a wedding, the doctor, university, or a funeral because these are the must haves of life... plus a few random outings here and there (and by there I mean a far awayyyyy there) to be honest. Anything else would need debate, discussion and comprise from me, my friends and the universe probably!

Everything has become unsafe! And they do hold some sanity in their argument, I give them that! However I'd have say 85% of it is simply freaking out! But to them, better safe than sorry! And to me, I've chosen to at least buy my own peace of mind and roll with their game! 

My social life has been screwed up... thanks to this revolution. It's honestly annoying me to the bones. If there was a positive trade off in return... I would have seen it and said "okie, my social life got screwed up for a cause and a good reason!" But seriously... I don't see any and I'm just annoyed! Sorry to say! 

So we're almost a year away since Jan. 25th, 2011... and we're all crossing our fingers with what to expect regarding what will happen on the so called Revolution Anniversary. I hope things settle down cause this isn't the life is signed up for... I support the political cause but this really isn't the plan I had for my life... I hope the coming Jan. 25th doesn't screw my life up even more!

So my hopes for the new revolutions are: to get back the security I previously took for granted and gain back my social life!


~ I've warned you! 

FOCUS at the Time of Trouble...

So everyone in Egypt is fully distracted with all that's happening in the country... I completely and fully understand. I wake up and go to work and part of my mind and heart are elsewhere. I'm worried about the destiny of my country and I'm worried about my future in it.

However, using the current events as an excuse to slack off is really unacceptable! Using the fact that you go to Tahrir and fight for a cause to mess up at work, not be there and perform with carelessness really kills out what you're doing in Tahrir. It's like you're not doing anything! You're trying to fix something, but you're completely screwing the other!

People are fighting for a cause in order to see Egypt move forward; moving forward includes that you  do your job. Doing our jobs is the first and foremost ingredient to this country's success.

I understand there is a lot of blame on the system and government for the deterioration that has taken place over the last few months; however, when people leave their jobs and engage full time in demonstrations this pulls back our economy as well. Let alone freaks out tourists; kills the stock market; allow for chaos; increase debts... should I really go on? And above all, we ask for higher pays!

I'm really annoyed that people are using Tahrir and current events as an excuse to not working! I am distracted,  and it's hard to concentrate with all that is happening, but I still do my job! I force myself to concentrate and perform well for the sake of productivity!!

We can always go after working hours! The square is still there! Waiting for us!

I don't know about you guys; may be some people feel they're fighting for a bigger cause and I totally support the cause! BUT Egypt, for whom all this is happening, is going down the drain and this is freaking me out!

I believe that in time of trouble, as good citizens we need to FOCUS, WORK and be PRODUCTIVE in order to pull Egypt out of the mess its in.

If we want to go to Tahrir to create a revolution, let's do our part first. Do it right and do what is expected of us and then start pointing fingers at those who are not doing their jobs! When you've done your job, at least you have a right to judge others for what they do. If, and only if, you do that... then it's your right to STRIKE!

Where Do We Go From Here...

Yesterday after a very long day out, I finally got home...

Personally, like most people I would guess, I was looking forward to relaxing, a good cup of coffee and some cozy time watching TV...

So I walk in, sit with my mom and sister and do some catching up...

At around 11:30 pm we hear gunshots in our street... Right beneath our home! Gun shots flying randomly... 10-20 of them! Everyone in the neighborhood runs to their balconies to check what's happening... We find around 50-70 men with guns, knives and sticks bombarding 2 men because they were trying to steal a car (a newly and common trend now in Egypt since the thugs have gone lose since Jan 25).

So where do we go from here?

When did it become okay for civilians to carry weapons and starting firing once they feel threatened?

Surprisingly... After about 45 minutes  of a gang fight last night... Life resumed in the street as if nothing happened! As if chasing thugs and gun shots flying around have become the usual!

Actually it is the usual!

It has become so likely that you wake up to find your car missing! To come back to find your home robbed! Sometimes we're not there to protect ourselves and sometimes we're there and we try to resist and fight back! Even more you can be stopped with your car or while walking, have a gun or knife held to your head and the thug just asks you to give up all you've got on you! 

So basically it's kill OR get killed! 

Everyone now owns a gun or has some sort of weapon for self defense. Personally I never thought I'd need any sort of self defense in Egypt but now I carry pepper spray. True it won't do much... but at least would give me time to run for my life!

Civilians right now are tempted to take matters in their own hands! Protect themselves! And most probably decide the punishment for the wrong doer on their own! 

No can blame them for carrying around unliscenced guns or for killing someone when they feel threatened!

Our country has managed to turn its civilians into thugs! And you can't blame the people! After all you do what you have to do to keep safe and alive!

This is where we are and no one knows where we're going! 

I really have no clue! But something in me tells me we moving a downward slope!

Waking Up To A Different Egypt…

GOOD MORNING!!

No one can deny that on February 12th, 2011 we all woke up to a completely different Egypt…

I won’t claim that I was one of the people in Tahrir Square, because I wasn't… but anyone in Egypt or outside can agree that January 25, 2011 until February 11, 2011 really made history in Egypt…

Throughout this revolution, every time some changes were made I would think to myself “WOW, who thought this would happen in Egypt.” And I’d tell myself, “That’s it… what more do the people want… we’ve already taken leaps of advancement, they should know that’s all we’re getting. It’s time to go home!”

BUT… the people were determined and they had a BIGGER dream and they were persistent to achieve it…

February 11, 2011, around 6 p.m., The BIG announcement was made… the success of the Jan. 25th Revolution was announced… the people accomplished what they’ve dreamed for and worked very hard to achieve!



The "power of the people" proved to be stronger than anything else... their amazing will proved to miraculous...

I cannot begin to describe the look and feel of the Egyptian streets… it was beyond words can tell… you’d have to be there to know it… but it was unbelievable!

My reaction was quite delayed… I fell in complete and utter silence because I confused... I personally had very mixed feelings.

Disbelief… I wouldn’t have thought in a million years that the Mubarak regime would end, and above all end this way….

Happiness… for it was a successful revolution made by the people for the people no question asked…

Thankfulness... for all those who helped bring about this historical change...

Pride… for living and seeing this achievement and for knowing what Egyptians are capable of…

Relief... for knowing that those who died during these 18 days didn't die in vain... and again I send my gratitude, respect and condolences to their families and beloved ones...

Uncertainty… for we don’t know what is happening next… and I don’t think there will be certainty until September 2011 when we have a better vision for the future and things begin to stabilize...

Sadness… for I wished people would show a little more respect to someone who has served the country for over 30 years on many different levels, even if the system had many downfalls… He has been Egypt’s symbol for very long… and deep down I still really wished for a better exit for him…

Regret… For I have been very passive in the past… I have witnessed the change and not taken part in it… perhaps because deep down I never thought it would happen; now I know I’m wrong…

Optimism… for a better a future for Egypt…

Fear... for I'm worried we regret any of this in the future...

Trust… for now I know Egyptian people are stronger and more confident than before and they will not allow the country move anywhere but forward…

An even BIGGER trust… for I know God will never leave Egypt alone and that all will work for the benefit of the people and the country… 

What happened yesterday is a HUGE success no question asked… however, I feel it’s the beginning of a loooooooong way to go for all of us…

We will have a new president which we hope would lead us to a better Egypt, but we need to work on ourselves as well to making Egypt better for us and no one else… all the little things that we don’t think they matter, they do…

Let us clean up the roads, listen to each other, respect each other, accept our differences, follow the traffic, show respect to people of all sorts of standards, help build Egypt, invest in the stock, travel internally, be fair, work ethically, smile at each other, be there for each other... and all the things we know we used to ignore before simply because everyone else was doing them... let's stop them because they all matter... and changing them will help us move forward!

This change is enormous… and it’ll take forever to happen again! So let’s make the best use out of it…

Let’s pray for Egypt… we have a long way to go… let’s come out of this experience stronger and more united so we can move forward…

Again… today I woke up knowing Egypt is different… knowing things will never be the same again… and although my feelings are still mixed up, I’m hoping it all works well for our country…

Long Live Egypt and God Bless Egypt At All Times…