For the 1st time since 1979 when I left Egypt I write an article feeling really I am in a country, I do not know how to explain my decision to leave Egypt, at the time I felt really down and saw Egypt in its worst place since I was born – worst place comparing with fifties and sixties; but times sowed my way worst that that! I was brutally striped from my position in the academic staff of Cairo University, reason declared health problems, undeclared religious issues; but the problem was I would not be able to resume my higher studies, Master and Ph. D. If I was not a staff member due to lack of qualified academic personnel, so they were available to only staff members; the other reason of seeing future in Egypt so dark, sectarian violence that since Nasser –R.I.P.- died I start seeing it a lot! And the worst night mare was that new Wahabi imported tradition of veiled spreading so fast!
Being degraded from academic to regular staff I joined new working place I was new to the others and vice versa they were new to me, so did the new boss who had to return from several years of special leave as an expert in her domain- to understand I have to remind old people, or teach new ones of the traditions of the government employed personnel, the dream of any graduate then was a job in the government – not private ones- and as life expenditures were in the nonstop rising a lot of people found a way out to be considered experts by their departments, send away to counter parts in nearby countries to lead them with their expertise, and enjoy a better salary and numerous advantages and facilities were given by those countries to the experts who will teach them a better way to run their jobs! As the demand increased under the table deals took place and new rules were imposed by the government like max time allowed abroad because initially those experts were still in the working force of the government that had its financial problems due to the unstoppable increase in population; those experts were a number in the working force but not the budget, they get pain double and triple their salaries by the other countries and this could remain forever if no new rules imposed a maximum time by 5 years if I recall well; the reason was to give a chance to others to enjoy this additional income, but other rules allowed to the married ones to bring their wives or husbands, so the game become M. X goes 5 years and his wife accompanies him, but mean time she is trying to become the expert by the end of the five years and M. X accompanies her expanding the total period to 10 years, because all that is internal Egyptian laws has nothing to do in reality with the real jobs in those countries!
You can imagine people like those spending a maximum of 10 years with real life expenditures and knowing that sooner or later their income will go down to almost to zero comparing with their salaries and benefits abroad! They will save every penny they did spend to build their house there and bring back to Egypt all their 10 years savings plus the cash money they did not spend!
However those people that were the example of many more looking forward to take their place, are not happy they feel sad for every penny they saved having to spend it now! They would love to invest this saved fortune but private sectors then were not a safe adventure!
Back to my story and decision of leaving Egypt, my newly returned from a 10 year life in Saudi Arabia – the main exporter of Wahabi Traditions- boss was one of them, and worst she was from governorate of Minya one of the Muslim Brotherhood best settling places, she did not know who I was neither my religion, she returned to find back the old colleagues, plus one or two new faces not important the important was to tell them her adventure in her birthplace visit after 10 years separation and how she was told: If it happens to be on a bridge, or any high level place with Christians, just push them off that bridge or place!
One in that room pretended to laugh and left the room before she goes further in her stories, her best mate who later turned to become her nightmare competing for a better position tried to point to her that I was Christian, I did like the other guy who left the room I left it as well to give the others the opportunity to freely speak! But that moment I realised my stay in Egypt become limited!
I remained over 2 months in special nonpaid leave hesitating, I used my savings to buy the tickets rejecting all offers to sell my residence and furniture; I could not imagine my life away from Egypt!
I had previously left Egypt intending to live abroad specially when I was stripped from my academic position, but then my father was alive, my sister remained in Egypt I knew my father, regardless of his promises to join me as soon as possible, I knew he would never do that it was a way to let me or push me to a better future; Deep inside myself I know I will return! This time was totally different sectarian violence spreading my sister was worried as much as me about her daughters, new trends spread with the sectarian violence, Muslims pretending to fall in love with Christian girls, to force them letter on in the name of love to convert to Islam, and all complications raised with this issue are well known now; I had two nieces in the developing stage would be subject to such problem another reason to leave this unsafe country, but once again I left like if I was going to a 24 hours trip shut the house and told the guardian where to get the monthly rent, gave my car keys to whom I thought he would preserve everything for the moment I come back, and inside the plane my heart was bleeding wondering: Is it the last time I see this land?
I did it...
Yes indeed I did it I managed to live 20 whole years away from Egypt I loved the place and its people love was reciprocal they loved me as well, I got their nationality not just because I loved them but because I owed them a lot giving me refuge when I was rejected from my own country, loyalty is not double standards, is just to love and give back as much as you get, if you get food and shelter in a place is not just a rented room it is a home land you owe it a lot!
When a land gives you equal food and air and freedom and opportunities to live like its own residents you own this land equal loyalty! You owe those residents as well equal loyalty they did not treat you as a stranger neither as an intruder!
This does not mean you sold your home land the land that deep inside your heart brings joy and memories you loved them, you are not a traitor because you looked for better chances of life elsewhere, for the first time as I said since I left Egypt I heard it come from the president himself!
I know not all Egyptians living aboard are traitors, neither all of them remained unchanged some had developed new horizons and new points of views but does not mean they become traitors, we are all Egyptians and remain Egyptians till the end of life all we need to do is to develop new horizons understand why this was rejected and why it can no more stay rejected, we have lots of contradictions lots of wrong doing took us to where we stand today as I said it before many times not all miseries we have today are born in ex-president Mubarak hands, or Sadat or Nasser, the people that did the 1919 revolution are our grand fathers they revolted for a better living for us they never saw the results of their revolution same holds for the 23rd July revolution, 25th January and 30th June revolutions they all had a common thing people, yes initially 25th January was not a revolution, yes it was used by conspirators and opportunists –who exists every where all the times- but the ones that died in Tahrir Square, the ones that stood restlessly in the rain and cold of the winter were just people not traitors or conspirators they do have every right to object and reject the idea that 25th January was not a revolution, beside I had said it before 30th of June, if 25th January was not a revolution then 30th June looses lot of its meaning as the revolution that restored the stolen revolution by Muslim Brotherhood!
Conclusion
In this issue as theories of conspiracies, traitors, and rumours left no space for proper thinking which is exactly the main weapon of Hassan El Bana the Muslim Brotherhood creator confusion!
This is exactly what we need to avoid, we need to concentrate in one main target which is Rebuild Egypt, stop looking behind, just keep working for tomorrow, leave traitors and spies to the authorities to deal with do not become a judge yourself and say this is a traitor and that sold the country! I really for the first time I feel Egypt is still there the people who did 1919 revolution up to 30th June 2014 are still there mistakes of the past those people had a share in their existence we need to have a share too in their disappearance our president needs all the people to be with him rebuilding Egypt and yes Egypt is no more FLAT DOWN but started to stand in its feet and tomorrow will be taller than today and next year will see how tall we stand!
All this is our God’s blessing to Egypt and may the lord keep blessing Egypt!
