In Discovering Egypt, I Discovered Myself
By Mostafa Abdelkarim
Foreign Affairs
University of Virginia
May 2007
With less than ten minutes to go, I was buckling my seatbelt, returning my tray table to its full and upright position, hearing nothing but the words of my father.
“It could be the most important discovery you ever make, Mostafa.”
Finally, this was my chance.
It was mid-afternoon when I arrived at Cairo International Airport on June 4, 2006. And with the exception of having spent the past thirteen hours sitting between a bathroom and crying infants, it had been a relatively comfortable trip. As I stood there waiting for my luggage to appear on the baggage carousel, I reminisced about my previous visits to Egypt.
Mostafa Abdelkarim at the foot of
the Great Pyramids of Egypt
( © 2006 photo)
Our family had made the trip every few years, as I spent summer vacations getting to know my cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and just about anyone that had grown up with my parents.
But as I picked up my bags and exited the airport, I realized what a different kind of trip these next two months would entail. After all, this was the first time I had traveled to Egypt alone.
The idea of studying abroad in Egypt had not fully occurred to me until February 2006, during the spring semester of my Third-Year. Although my father had long encouraged me to make the trip, I did not know much about the application process. This changed when one day Professor William Quandt announced to his “International Relations of the Middle East” class of an opportunity to study in Egypt. Immediately following class, I paid a visit to the International Studies Office. By the end of that week, I had the necessary forms to apply to the American University in Cairo (AUC).
When I stepped foot on the AUC campus four months later, I witnessed a truly unique academic environment. Being in a classroom comprised of native Egyptians and students from across the world was eye-opening. Every lecture provoked a lively discussion fueled by varying perspectives and backgrounds. In these classes, I was discovering just as much from my fellow classmates as I did from the readings and lectures. This is what occupied my time between Sundays and Thursdays.
By the time Thursday afternoons rolled around, I would step out of the classroom excited to discover as much of the country as possible. Whether it was visiting relatives, watching the latest in Egyptian movies, or visiting the pyramids of Giza, every weekend involved a new adventure.
One weekend in particular, I found myself in unfamiliar territory. During my stay at the AUC dorms, I had befriended many members of the staff, one of whom was Essam, a twenty-four year-old security guard. Every week Essam and I would sit down to discuss anything ranging from American pop culture to the political situation in Egypt. One day he caught me by surprise and announced, “My sister is getting married at the end of this month and you are invited to the wedding.” I was truly touched.
The night of the wedding, I had no idea what to expect. Because Essam was helping set up, I had to find my own transportation. After jumping from one taxi to the next, I found myself in a part of Egypt I had never seen before. Upon arriving, Essam took me to a juice vendor where he treated me to a cup of fresh mango juice. Suddenly, while standing in that store, the entire town went black. I turned to Essam who replied, “Relax. Just a power-out. Give it two hours.” We used our cell phones as flash lights as we navigated through the dark streets. It was not long after we reached the ceremony when the power was restored. I spent the next few hours dining with his relatives and familiarizing myself with this town, one that I later learned my parents did not even know much about. At that moment, Egypt was finally becoming a much more personal experience.
This June will mark one year since this University granted me the opportunity to study in Egypt. It is still hard to believe that my trip spanned only eight weeks. Nevertheless, they are eight weeks for which I will spend the rest of my life being thankful.
My father had always told me that visiting Egypt on my own could be the most important discovery I ever make. Well, he was right.
In discovering Egypt, I discovered myself.
