With online classes starting Sunday, AUCTV interviewed Vice President for Digital Transformation Ayman Abdellatif on how his team has been working hard to make sure the process runs smoothly and how students and faculty members should utilize the IT Help Desk when running into challenges. Watch the full interview.
#PeopleOfAUC
With Mother's Day coming up on March 21, working mothers in Egypt and at AUC are facing a lot of challenges in light of the coronavirus situation — they are trying to keep their kids safe at home and entertained, keeping pace with their online learning at home and — on top of that — working in their daily jobs.
We spoke to AUC's staff working mothers, and here are their thoughts on this year's Mother's Day:
Noha Saada, senior director, Academic Advising Center:
“I think we have to strike a balance. We should neither frighten our kids nor neglect our work duties. We should work on maintaining our balance without panicking too much in order to be able to think straight. A couple of days ago, I started panicking too much, which made me get physically sick. What we are doing at work now is that we are working on a remote location policy while keeping some of the staff members on campus to maintain normal operations at the office. We are installing VPNs on our laptops and contacting students to inform them that we are taking online advising appointments, including videoconferencing tools when necessary. Concerning my two sons, things are getting really difficult. I am trying to handle it with my husband and nanny. We take annual leaves rotationally, and they are starting online learning, so I’ll be trying to keep up with the pace of their online learning when I am back from work. Things are even getting more difficult for my kids to stay at home, especially that they are used to working out three times a week, so my husband sometimes works out with them at home and we take them for a walk in open places since it is the safest option. I hope this works, and I hope people will take quarantining seriously."
Amira El Biltagy, program manager, Yousef Jameel Public Leadership Program, School of Global Affairs and Public Policy:
“These are very difficult times. The fact that schools are shut down for two weeks and kids are isolated at home makes you think what you should and shouldn’t do: Should we have some friends at home or not? Can we eat out or not? They need to be entertained 24/7 and you still have to work, even if remotely, and in my case also study for my master's, which is quite challenging to be honest or at least harder than the usual days when they are consumed in school work and sports. I am a believer that safety comes first, so for the next couple of weeks, the plan is to hold it together and keep our sanity and divide the day among different activities, of which some, I must admit, are useless but still very much needed!”
Sherine Meshad, associate director of communications and marketing, School of Business:
"It’s an everyday challenge to balance a working life and having kids staying at home in response to COVID-19. The flexibility of rotation that the School of Business has set in place makes it a bit easier to navigate the challenge of homeschooling and work responsibilities. I have to say it’s a pendulum of emotions between going up the wall and having the chance to spend more time with my kids. I'm making the best out of the situation while wishing for a cure."
Eman Abdel Salam, operations manager, School of Global Affairs and Public Policy:
"What we are going through these days is hard to believe. It feels weird when all of a sudden someone pressed the pause button for your 18 hours of daily routine, and you can’t do anything about it! Having to deal with isolated, bored kids at home is not as easy as it sounds. Having to entertain them as well as do online school work is much harder than we thought, especially with my work duties. For days now, the do's and don’t lists have been growing in my head, and I'd be lying if I said I got it all under control. It’s another challenge that we as working mothers have to go through. This too shall pass.”
Salma Adly, program officer at the International Program Office:
"As a working mom and a mother of two teenage girls, I find it hard to cope with this semi-crisis that we are facing nowadays. Not only is it a difficult time for all of us, but it is also extra difficult for working mothers and fathers. I find it difficult to convince my girls that this virus is not a joke and that we have to take it seriously by sanitizing everything we use and avoiding crowded places. Between online classes, which is a hassle, housework and trying to keep my family safe, I have to try to balance my work while working from home and meeting my deadlines. May this difficult time go away soon."
We are now facing the coronavirus pandemic. Everyone is feeling anxious, disorientated, worried and generally uneasy. Workplaces are being disrupted to an unprecedented degree, and nobody knows how long this will last. Many of us have to work from home, and this in itself can be not only challenging, but also isolating and lonely. Social bonding is important, and many of us will miss out on interacting with colleagues, and for our faculty with our students too. So, what can we all do about it?
Time management is crucial. One way to make working from home more productive is to break work down things into smaller tasks. With distractions at home, getting into flow can sometimes be difficult. Many of us are living with our families and pets. There are house chores that have to be done, and often those around us may not understand the type of work we are doing. Having short breaks is crucial, even if this means calling a colleague for a chat, checking in on students, doing a bit of housework or, in my case, going for a cuddle with my dog, and -- even more useful -- doing a few stretches. Staying physically well will help us all stay mentally positive.
Since many of us will not have to spend time commuting or taking children to school, we are not going out as much and, hopefully, this will conserve some energy. Taking time out every day to learn a new language, draw, paint, practice yoga, read or even just sit still and think. These little activities can help us disconnect not only from work, but also from all the news around us, which can get overwhelming sometimes. It will also help us =feel like we are achieving a task or end goal beyond work, making us feel more satisfied and happier.
While we are not seeing our colleagues and friends as much, this does not mean that we cannot stay connected. Having regular check-ins is important, especially if you have elderly family members whom you are unable to see: Speaking with them helps them feel less isolated. I find that writing letters is therapeutic, even though I am unsure when I will be able to post them. Getting my thoughts down to a friend or loved one makes me feel more connected to them and satisfied.
Over this period, I am encouraging my students to think about one thing every day they are grateful for, even if this is having a warm shower or a clean drink of water. AUC has, and historically always had, a solid community that has stuck together during difficult times. Simply knowing that your organization and colleagues are there for you gives employees a sense of psychological security and elicits feelings of happiness. In current times, this is something that organizations need to strive to do more so than ever.
Stay connected, stay grateful and stay happy!
Nellie El Enany is an assistant professor in the Department of Management. Her research interests center on issues of identity, including identity construction, stigma, legitimacy and identity work. She also has an interest in the psychology of happiness in the workplace.
“Between 2009 and 2019, I used to smoke between seven to 10 cigarettes a day. During those 10 years, I tried to quit several times without success,” said Michael Gibson, senior instructor in the Department of Rhetoric and Composition.
Last June, Gibson learned about AUC’s Smoking Cessation Clinic from on-campus flyers and decided to enroll in the program. First, he met with a psychiatrist who asked him some questions about his addiction and prescribed some medications for several months to help him quit. “I wanted to quit for my health and fitness and because I don't like the way it smells on my hands, clothes and in my breath,” he said.
On July 25, Gibson smoked his last cigarette.
The medications and regular counseling are what helped Gibson relieve his cravings and made him realize that he doesn’t want or need this anymore. “The regular follow-up with the psychiatrist every other week to check in with me and track my progress was a great motivational boost,” explained Gibson.
“I have not only continued to refrain from smoking since then, but for the most part, I don't even have the desire anymore,” he affirmed.
“There are times, every now and then, when I feel the urge (as I see someone lighting up), but I resist,” he noted.
Since he quit smoking, Gibson has witnessed a significant improvement in his ability to run and play sports, and his overall health has become better. He’s enjoying having his life and health back.
“I no longer have to smell like a used ashtray, and my sense of smell and taste are sharper again. It feels good to not feel addicted to anything,” he said. “I strongly encourage anyone who is finding it difficult to quit to try the program.”
If you were on campus last Wednesday and Thursday, you would’ve seen crowds of new students eager to begin their lives at AUC wandering among a sea of caps and gowns, graduates ready to start their journeys beyond this campus.
There were a total of 530 graduates from five schools at the midyear school-based commencements last week, with five PhD students, 113 master's and 412 bachelor's in all. The graduating class was 57% women and 43% men. Fifty-nine students graduated with honors, 82 with high honors and 47 with highest honors. The School of Sciences and Engineering had the greatest number of graduates.
The ceremonies featured inspiring speeches from the deans of the different schools as well as from students. The speeches emphasized the importance of being flexible with career opportunities and life changes and advised graduates to make impactful and responsible decisions. Parents and families were thanked for their support, as were the faculty and staff for their “behind -the -scenes” work.
Dean Hassan El-Fawal recognized the importance of having a liberal arts and sciences education, noting that it is “the education of leaders, not followers.”
“We have asked much of you as students. Now we ask of you, as graduates, to accept the responsibilities of leadership, and to exemplify the kind of courage, compassion and creativity we foster in our students and celebrate in our alumni,” El-Fawal added.
Mohamed Mahmoud Abd El Sattar ‘20, the graduating class representative who received a bachelor's in petroleum engineering, opened his speech with a few jokes, then got serious about how important it is to keep moving forward. He closed his speech by highlighting AUC’s role in fostering proactive mindsets.
“Here at AUC, we learn beyond academics,” he said. “We learn how to formulate our equation of life, and thanks to all of the liberal arts courses, not only do we get to formulate our equation of life, but we also get to doubt, critique and test our equations to build a better and stronger foundation for our lives to be built on. AUC served as a real-life simulation period for all of us, where mistakes are allowed, identified and corrected. Mistakes at AUC makes us better and stronger.”
The school gave out five awards to graduates for their research projects and academic performance.
The Fadel Assabghy Award for "outstanding master's thesis work" was given to Amal Abouel-Fetouh Badr for her thesis titled, “In-Depth Analysis of Culturable Microalgae Diversity in the River Nile at Different Locations,” under the supervision of Walid Fouad, associate professor in the Department of Biology. Badr completed her thesis in Fall 2019.
The Medhat Haroun Award for "outstanding master's thesis work" was given to Tamima Sherif Elbashbishy for her thesis titled, "An Ontology Framework for Addressing Cost Overrun Through Risk Modeling: A Risk Path Approach," conducted under the supervision of Ossama Hosny, professor in the Department of Construction Engineering.
Lotfy Hussein Abdel Khaliq and Nour Mohamed Abdelhamed, both computer engineering graduates, were awarded the Abdel Rahman El Sawy award, which is presented to Public School Scholarship recipients with the highest grade point averages in an engineering department.
Established in 2017 to provide a bi-annual cash award to the highest performing graduate and undergraduate students, the Mohamed Bin Abdulkarim A. Allehedan Award was presented to Sarah Omar Youssef, who earned a master's mechanical engineering, and Rania Mohamed El-Shenety, who received a bachelor's in actuarial science.
"Make your life a quest for continuous improvement. Learning is always a lifelong journey, and never a destination," Dean Sherif Kamel '88, '90, '13 told the graduating class. "Always seek the next challenge, the next mission, the next endeavor. Be ambitious and be confident that anything you are passionate about and work hard for will be achieved."
Youssef Sabek '20, who received a bachelor's in business administration, asked for a favor from his fellow graduates.
"I ask that you become ethical decision makers," he said. "I ask that you seek out responsible and climate-friendly decisions, and I ask that you treat future colleagues with dignity and compassion. This country and this region really need it."
Two awards were given out: the Student Recognition Award and the Academic Club Award.
Nour Beshir '20, who graduated with a bachelor's in economics and business administration with a finance concentration, received the Student Recognition Award for demonstrating "outstanding services and achievements to the school since declaration to graduation." The Entrepreneur’s Society won the Academic Club Award.
Class representative Malak El-Shorbagy '20, who received a bachelor's in political science, expressed the importance of getting an education from a school as diverse as HUSS.
"Being enrolled in this school will pay off because it is rich in diversity," she said. "Diversity is a non-detachable element of our HUSS institute. Diversity is what taught each and every one of us to be truly tolerant."
Founding Dean Nabil Fahmy praised the graduates for their common goal, the reason they decided to pursue a career in this field.
“You have been focused not only on your personal interest, but on the common good, with implications far beyond your immediate needs,” he said.
Mariam Fawzy ‘20, who graduated with a bachelor’s in journalism and mass communication, said that a GAPP education equipped students with the tools to form “proper, educated opinions about matters around us” that they will take outside the classroom.
Heba el-Deghaidy, the school's interim dean, noted, “This is the beginning of what we hope will be an exciting and rewarding journey where you can make a difference and make us proud at AUC."
For commencement photo albums click here.
AUC's campus is sparkling with energy and hope as new and returning students kick off the Spring 2020 semester. More than 80 new undergraduates and 140 graduate students started their studies as the University approaches the final phase of its centennial celebration: Experience the Future.
The new undergraduate class — 47.5% females and 52.5% males — is enriching campus diversity, with students coming from the United States, Syria and Yemen.
Likewise, on the graduate level, the class — 67% females and 33% males — comprises a diverse international body coming from the United States, Yemen, Sudan, Nigeria, Eritrea, Iraq, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia.
Students expressed their hopes and eagerness to learn more about Egyptian history and improve their Arabic Language skills. News@AUC caught up with some of them during orientation week and on the first day of classes to learn about why they decided to join AUC and what they look forward to this semester. Here's what they had to say:
Kit Feeney
The American University of Paris
"I came to AUC for the many cool economics programs and to get better in Arabic. I am taking the Egyptian colloquial class to learn Arabic. It is a really beautiful campus; I love it, I really couldn't ask for anything more."
Mateusz Puczel
Warsaw School of Economics
"I chose to come to AUC because I love the Middle East, and AUC is one of the best universities in the Middle East."
Ryan Butler
The State University of New York at New Paltz
"I came to AUC because I have a love for history, and Egyptian history is my favorite, I am looking forward to learning a lot at AUC from history professors. I also love the weather; it's perfect weather given the season."
Van Ieray
University of New Mexico
"I came to AUC because I am interested in Arabic and Egyptian history."
For some students from DePauw University, coming to Egypt was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and with no idea of what to expect coming here, it was the “pleasant surprises” that made the visit worthwhile.
"I came in with not a lot of expectations," said Meghan Wallace, a senior majoring in global health. "There are a lot of misconceptions around coming here, but I didn’t expect to feel this comfortable and this much at home."
Wallace was among 27 students from DePauw University, who were at AUC for 10 days taking the course, Leading Change: A Design-Thinking Challenge in Cairo, Egypt, and attending lectures about Egyptian culture and history. This is DePauw’s first collaboration with AUC and the first time its students take part in the Faculty-Led Program.
“I’ve studied abroad in different colleges in Europe and Asia, but this campus definitely stood out to me," said Edward Kim, a senior majoring in political science. “Seeing the photos of the campus online was amazing. I am amazed every day I wake up and go outside. I don’t think I’ll ever get the chance to come to a rich country with a beautiful culture and history again. It was a no-brainer. I didn’t hesitate to apply.”
The course presents students with an issue in Egyptian society and requires that they come up with a solution. It aims to promote creativity and leadership among the students and expand their awareness of the world around them by introducing them to the multifaceted culture and history of Egypt.
“Our challenge was related to the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030,” said Eduardo Garcia, a junior majoring in global health. “We had to identify solutions and initiatives we saw in Egypt that we could take back to the United States and implement in our own society.”
“I really enjoyed this new idea of experiential learning, of learning in the classroom and then actually experiencing it outside,” Wallace said.
DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, is a small private liberal arts college with an enrollment of 1,972 students. The institution is a top national liberal arts university, ranked number one in Indiana, where professional success is the outcome for nearly 100% of graduates.
“One thing that stood out about AUC was how similar it was to studying at my own university,” Kim said. “The class sizes were small, I felt pretty at home and the professors were awesome. They provided so much new information and knowledge that I didn’t even consider before.”
Giselle Villegas, a senior majoring in computer science and Spanish, added that the class, in addition to the experience as a whole, succeeded in reshaping any prior knowledge and misconceptions about Egypt that stem from misrepresentation in the media.
“I just really enjoyed the fact that the professors provided us with information and were receptive to our questions, even if our questions were tied to preconceived notions we had because of where we came from,” Villegas said.
Garcia mentioned that John Swanson’s lecture about Islam helped foster a clear understanding of the religion and how it is interconnected with Christianity.
“It was one of the best lectures I’ve had in a long time,” Wallace said. “The amount of engagement and knowledge that he had to share with us was phenomenal. Every single lecture was phenomenal and really interesting.”
Similarities aside, all the students noted that their favorite part about Egypt has been the one thing that makes it different from the rest of the world: the people.
“The idea of community is something that I found unique about Cairo,” Villegas said. “Back in the States the concept of individualism is very present, and that’s something I found very different here, whether it was out in the markets or even here at the University. There have been a lot of instances when people help us out, and they won’t leave you behind.”
Echoing the same sentiment, Garcia said, “I really love the people here. They’re so sweet and genuine and always willing to help with whatever issues you may have. Meeting new people and interacting with the students was great; they’re awesome.”
“Meeting people was the highlight of my visit,” Kim said. “Walking in the streets, the mosques, the synagogue, the Citadel — just being around people was the best part. Everyone felt welcomed; I had no thought of worry or danger, and I’ve felt safe since I got here.”
And while they all agree that their time in Egypt was life-changing, they said they believe that it is what they’ll take back with them to the United States that will have the greatest impact.
“When you travel you learn that everyone has so many different problems and solutions, and being able to know that and understand it is such a big thing,” Kim said. “There’s so many things to see, do and experience.”
“I’m taking it all back,” joked Garcia, as he mentioned how much he loved molokhiya and riding camels at the Pyramids. But on a more serious note, he said he was inspired by the country’s “consciousness around sustainability, especially recycling,” something he says is lacking in efforts in the United States.
As for the others, what they’re taking back with them is not so much a call on others, but an effort to reshape their own lives and decisions.
“A lot of learning on how to be a better leader comes from making connections with people and talking to them and getting to know them,” Wallace said. “That’s how you make change, and I’d like to implement that in my life.”
And what stuck with Villegas the most was the sense of community she felt both on campus and in the city. “Being here gave me a refresher of going back to this idea of community,” she said.
“It’s all about having jackets tell stories,” said Hana Zaher ‘19, graphic design graduate and designer of Daima — a graduation project that turned into to a solid brand to be launched soon in the Egyptian market.
Inspired by the Hermes brand petit Ash, Daima is an eco-friendly brand that creates jackets out of upcycled materials and factory leftovers. Jackets are sewed by underprivileged Egyptian women in different organizations, such as El Zahraa and Sahebat Banati, and those in debt. “We get to collaborate with a different entity to support a different cause, be it young orphan girls or indebted women,” said Zaher.
Each piece of Daima’s products is named after its producer. A percentage of the jacket sales proceeds go to this cause to achieve a sustainable empowerment system for these women and help the environment always become “daima,” or sustainable.
“By purchasing a product in this brand, you are directly contributing to the life of a woman in need of an opportunity, a fresh start and a better chance,” affirmed Zaher.
Since she decided to study graphic design at AUC, Zaher’s dream has always been merging art and design to form her own fashion brand.
“I learned branding, retail, advertising and packaging design at AUC — almost everything that would help me start my own fashion line,” she said.
And her professors concur. “Hana was keen on not missing out an opportunity to learn everything that would serve her brand in the making,” said Nagla Samir, associate professor of practice in the Department of the Arts who supervised Zaher’s graduation project. “She wanted to complete the graphic design program with a complete array of design courses, and she really utilized it perfectly.”
Zaher wants to prove that the production of a prestigious product doesn’t necessarily entail using high-cost materials. Her challenge is to prove that she can still produce a fashionable product using upcycled materials. “I want people to buy my jackets and proudly wear them because they like them, not out of sympathy,” affirmed Zaher.
Zaher considers the women to be her partners in the brand. “I design, and they make my designs come to life,” she said. Besides giving them a percentage of every product purchase, Daima also teaches the women a new skill, helps them work on their sense of fashion and enhances their knowledge of upcycling, which they need in their daily lives.
“Hana spent almost nine months researching, trying and failing until she found sources for the eco-friendly materials she’s using,” explained Samir. “What I love about Hana is that she’s always eager to learn. She took patron-cutting courses and model illustration. She never takes the easy road. She finished the graphic design program with Daima almost launched.”
Zaher’s packaging is also eco-friendly, as she collaborated with an organization that makes recycled material made from paper and agricultural refuse – especially rice straws, Nile water lilies and bananas stalks. “Hana kept researching until she found the perfect package design that also serves the concept of her brand,” added Samir.
Zaher took part in last year’s World Youth Forum, where she showcased her products and presented one of her products to Egypt’s first lady Entissar El-Sisi. “It was a great experience, as I received a lot of motivating feedback about the concept of the brand,” she said.
Zaher is launching her first collection of Daima in January 2020 and the jackets will soon be available in concept stores.
#AUCFutureForward
AUC and the College of Charleston in South Carolina, both liberal arts institutions with a long legacy in education, have recently partnered on a new academic cooperation and student exchange program for both undergraduate and graduate students for a period of five years.
Students from AUC and the College of Charleston will receive a scholarship to spend a semester or year abroad at the other institution, providing students with a unique international experience and strengthening East-West cultural ties. "Our new partnership with the College of Charleston represents an excellent opportunity for our students to spend a semester at one of the finest liberal arts and sciences institutions in South Carolina, which provides quality education along with authentic student experiences,” said Ahmed Tolba, ’97, ’01, associate provost for strategic enrollment management and associate professor of marketing at AUC. “It is ranked no. 1 among public universities in the United States in terms of the percentage of undergraduate study-abroad students. I look forward to hosting their students at AUC and having our students benefit from a unique experience there."
AUC Trustee Jonathan Wolf (YAB '75), founder and president of Wendover Housing Partners, LLC who was a study-abroad student at AUC, and his wife Nancy were instrumental in making this program a reality. They will provide funds for AUC students to spend a semester or year abroad at the College of Charleston, while Hilton and Catherine Smith, who serve on the College of Charleston’s School of Languages, Cultures and World Affairs advisory board, will fund College of Charleston students to come to AUC.
“To find and do and be of significance, you need to study in Cairo,” said AUC Trustee Wolf to Charleston’s The College Today. “As a Westerner, my first stop out of the U.S. was the ancient world. Cairo opened up what for me later became a career and way of life. It gave me confidence. If you can succeed in another culture with another language, then there’s nothing you can’t accomplish.”
Garrett Davidson (CASA ’04, MA ’06), who studied at AUC’s Center for Arabic Study Abroad and earned his master’s in Arabic studies from AUC and is now an assistant professor of Arabic and Muslim world studies at the College of Charleston, emphasized the importance of this global experience for students.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for both institutions,” Davidson told The College Today. “As a student at AUC, I established professional and personal connections that continue today. It was the most influential experience of my life. I explored all over Egypt. I met people from all walks of life and got to hear their views on everything from politics and religion to economics and food.”
The Wolfs also established the Nancy and Jonathan Wolf Study-Abroad Scholarship at AUC.
My article is a manifestation of an underrated travel experience that is often overlooked and ignored. We tend to take our everyday rides for granted, but this travel piece is about giving this ride the attention it deserves, and more than it anything, it is about giving our beloved Cairo and its people the attention they deserve as well. It is about examining Cairo’s many facades, its contrasts and its people’s paradoxes too!
I believe many people can strongly relate to this piece, especially those who are confined to a bus for more than three hours a day, and if not, then perhaps this piece may invite them to give their rides the share of attention and query they deserve, both internally and externally.
— Dina Dabbous
Political Science Graduating Senior
The following article was written by Dina Dabbous as part of the Travel Writing course taught by Richard Hoath, senior instructor II in the Department of Rhetoric and Composition.
This is a trip that I know everything about. This trip has taught me what traveling really is all about. Growing up, I used to think traveling is a term granted to any place that required a plane ticket to get to. A few years later, I learned that traveling is still possible if I take a three or four-hour car ride to another city, and which usually required a beach for it to qualify as a travel experience. But today, just a few days away from finishing my degree and graduating, I realize an unconventional yet unforgettable form of travel that I have been overlooking, and that is traveling within Cairo: a privilege I had since 2016 and that I thought was a curse when it turned out to only be a blessing.
I spent the past three years traveling every day from the 6th of October City to New Cairo to go to AUC. My first impression as I was told the beloved Ring Road was going to be my everyday route was: I must be cursed! For me to take a 90-minute road (at best) two times a day, four times a week and sometimes more, while still be asked to ace my courses and maintaining the very basic social life of a college student … How could this be humanly possible? But eventually, I realized how much of an eye-opener this trip has been. Not less than any other travel experience, the Ring Road and the bus ride on it, has taught me more than I ever thought it would. I used to think there was no way a bus ride on the Ring Road would give the same effect as a trip in the desert for example, but then today, I realize that even if the context may be different, the experience is just as overwhelming. Bus rides have their own people, their own moments and their own stories, and the Ring Road has its own secrets and wonders too!
During my very early trips, the ride used to be very much people-oriented, I was still experiencing the thrill of a freshman in a cosmopolitan University and that technically spent most of the time on the bus and hence, I felt the responsibility of getting to know the people I take such rides with every day. Honestly, I have encountered some of the most fascinating stories I may have ever heard on this ride. It was like a minimized version of University there. You could notice the group of cool kids, sitting at the back, of course. You could notice the music maniac, the one who always had screaming headphones even if we’re separated by a good number of rows! The love birds were there too, and the depressed couple, a few rows back. The ones I most enjoyed examining were the teachers’ pets, the ones that would go to the extent of waking the professor up from a much-needed nap after a long day, only to tell them how much they enjoyed today’s class, all in the hope of an A-, perhaps? I would overhear the pleading student and the short-tempered professor, and I would smile, as I watched the cars crazily drive around the bus. Yet, the world happening outside of that bus ride was just as overwhelming as the world inside of it.
Every day, I would learn a new part of the Ring Road, a new part of a true, undisguised Cairo. This ride reminds me of a walk in a museum; you only get a glimpse of different eras, different times and different people all in the confine of the very same walls. The Ring Road was nothing less.
One thing I have grown to genuinely appreciate is the meaningful and wholesome conversations one may have on one bus ride. I was lucky enough to have many throughout the early years of college. I remember sitting next to a quiet girl who had a nice smile, and ended up sleeping on my lap at the end of the ride. She told me about her hectic life, her double-faced self, how she wished she would live the low-key life she wants, but how she works as an actress at night and tries to maintain whatever is left of her student life in the morning. And as I would drift into my own thoughts reflecting on such stories, we would drive past the big multinational companies’ headquarters, the globalization square as I may call it, then only a few kilometers after, I’d notice the tip one of the Giza Pyramids, the palm trees, the prestigious villas and gated communities on the road.
I remember being squeezed in between a sleeping girl and on the other side a guy who carried nothing but a guitar. Not a backpack, not a laptop, just a guitar. He was one of the friendliest people I have ever met. He reminded me of how easy and effortless conversing with others should be. He opened up about how he had left his parents’ house the other day and is crashing at a friend of his, just because his parents were not supportive of what he has always wanted to do — music. Speaking of music, I remember that part of the road when I would almost always hear a mahragan playing around, complemented by the noise of the crazy cars and people shouting all over the place! The buildings get darker, and dirtier, the road gets bumpier – literally – and even people’s driving becomes crazier and traffic becomes louder! The only thing one would notice is just how poverty and misery are the rulers of this area. Known as El Mariouteya, this area is among the poorest and most dangerous ones in Cairo.
Yet in the midst of this struggle, I could still see how beautifully Egyptians have tried to express their pain through art; they have created the mahraganat, also known as shaabi music always playing around this area, and they have taken the walls of the bare red brick walls to draw gigantic murals that have taken me literally years to notice. The mural of a mother and her daughter, that of a golden eagle, and many others that attempt to add a glimpse of beauty to all the darkness that Cairo is in this area.
More on music, I remember meeting my music soul-mate on that bus ride. We shared nothing but a few words and an earphone, only to build one of the deepest connections I’ve ever had with anyone. It’s amazing how you could meet someone with your exact taste in music only a few chairs away from you! But right after Mariouteya, and right after my musical experience there and on the bus, I could eventually notice greenery in the middle of the basic buildings; just when you think you can’t be more surprised at the contrasts you could encounter in Cairo, agricultural lands start to appear! How ironic is it to see a field of berseem and a donkey in the midst of all this modernity? Turns out there’s a little Cairene countryside right in the heart of the city!
On my road to exploring Cairo and the Cairenes, I remember meeting my sorrow-mate on that bus too: a girl I knew nothing about until she jumped that chair in between and asked me if I was okay because I was crying right after my break-up. She’s my best friend until this day. But the saddest fact was growing up, and seeing people getting more and more distant, more distracted with their phones, and then their Airpods and then their Netflix series. It has only made me feel sorry for the freshmen missing out on making genuine friends brought together by the common complaint of the catastrophe, that is the Ring Road. But the silver lining of this gradually growing distance was that it gave me the opportunity to look outside of the window more than just being carried away with the inside, and only throughout my senior year that I have started to notice the wonders of the Ring Road, as ironic as it may sound. My favorite part of the road was when the king, that is the Nile, appears and puts all the noise, all the ugliness at rest. the Nile represents a rupture, a binary fission, one that cannot go unnoticed.
Right at the Nile banks, your eyes will not be able to ignore this meeting of rural vs. urban. On one side, you can see the agricultural lands, the simple Egyptians in galabeyas, and the one-floor little houses, while on the other side, it is the famous Maadi, the one and only. The fancy, the luxurious, the heart of business, you can instantly see the gigantic winches and heavy-lifters, and among them, the almost skyscrapers of big companies, and on the banks of the same Nile, you can see the super fancy boats and platforms. Only in Cairo could you find such instant contrasts.
My daily bus ride for the past three years has been just as meaningful as any other experience I’ve had, if not more. In fact, it has been more interesting for me because I was rediscovering the city I’ve lived all my life in, but only confined in specific areas within.
The Ring Road has given me the experience of a lifetime; just knowing that the people of the bus are just as different, just as diverse, and just as confused as the city surrounding that bus. Knowing that each seat of that bus carried a different story was visualized right before my eyes as I decided to look outside of the window and see how that road is nothing but a trip into contrasts and confusions too.
How can one not call this a true travel experience? Because after all, what is travel all about, if not about the diversities of people and places and how they touch us?