Heya Eih El 7ekaya?

Since January 25-2011 - I can’t get over remembering how much I hated history class back in high school, the reality of the rich informative chapters on Egyptian history and how it somehow got stuck in 1973!. Crossing the canal, getting back the land, and inheriting a rich wealth of patriotic songs! Seriously, the question that I first had when we finished the almost 600 page history book was, ok so what happened next?

It was like we simply got tired of making history or even being a part of it, yet that didn’t resemble anything to me at that time or even rang any bells! I come from a good family, I enjoyed a fair amount of good education, enjoyed a healthy social life, never had to finish any official or governmental document myself, travelled and shopped and it was normal.

January 23 2011, the jokes and underestimation of  the revolution started taking place on social media and I was following it, it was like any other story that we hear of - ok so some protestors will shout and scream, they will simply get arrested, we will hear about it on you tube, nothing on TV and voila! It’s over! The great thing was… it was just starting!

What happened was bigger than ANYONE’s imagination! Adults were in shock, everyone was out of his comfort zone, and jobs were on pause, schools as well. The regular norm of life had stopped! Youth explored their within, the wasted energy of jobless days and useless education came out to action when they actually found out there is a reason and hope to scream. Witnessing the events all the way until the day of Mubarak’s famous Adis Ababa, I am not going anywhere boring speech, made me stumble through several feelings. Put aside the bond that got created among the people, the urge to protect each other given we are finally fighting for the same cause, the organized communication of sticking together and supporting each other, what impressed me the most was the stubbornness of the Egyptian people. I always knew we are stubborn, but I always sensed we give up easily! It was like the last straw that declared to the world – ENOUGH! We are holding on to one dream, we are not giving up, we are against a lot of enemies – Mubarak was only a starting face!

Starting from our own people themselves (which by the way at some point I was one of them) doubting our cause, more concerned about the daily lives and routine, facing the physical brutality of the regime, the agony of losing loved ones, the weird unexplainable feeling of connection to all the martyrs that we never met in our lives, the conflicting media, the UNBELIEVABLE amount of corruption, the endless amount of fortunes for certain individuals… And the list never ends!

I chose a doaa (prayers) and I am sticking to it, the meaning of it says: God, please show me the truth from fakeness, clear my vision and purify my mind.

It literally never ends, until this day February 21 2011- people are still standing, they are still protesting. They gained the power of their speech and they valued the power of opinion. The anti/counter revolution move is so strong that it is everywhere! If you chose not to check face book, twitter, or you tube you will find it on TV, if not then people in the streets are talking about it.

I chose to be a part of it, if not of the actual revolution then of the after math. If I was blessed enough to witness history, then heck I will be a part of making it a memorable remembrance.

Egyptians abroad sensed a strong feeling of home sickness in a different way; we don’t miss the people, the outings, the active social life, or the memories. We miss the land, the new people who became families, the sentiment of reactions and the evolution of inner development.

Ideas are discussed, business plans are drafted, meetings are scheduled, events are set, connections are made, energy is on top, fueling it with motivation and getting Egyptians here in California bonding and connected on a stronger base, the project (Rebuild Egypt) is starting. Not being there physically doesn’t mean we can’t be a part of it. Our dear Egyptian home town residents thank you…

Thank you for bearing these rutted circumstances, thank you for being together, thank you for communicating to us what is happening back home, thank you for being you in these rough days, thank you for debating and arguing and agreeing, it’s a sign we are alive! Thank you for your hope, thank you for your motivation, thank you for going to Tahrir square, and thank you for staying home and guard our homes. Simply… Thank you

That being said; stay tuned… Your Egyptian family here in Southern California will make you proud – you have my word. I now have a word, a voice and a patriotic opinion to speak. Devotion to Egypt is not as cheesy as it sounds in Tamer Hosny’s songs, as a matter of fact every time I say Egypt… I smile. We are proud, very proud. We are concerned, yet very happy. We are applauded here in airports, department stores, schools and more. We are examples of strong, peaceful, dominant characters. We are the revolution generation. We walk with our heads up high… because – We… ARE EGYPTIANS…