Note: This entry is going to be very detailed and journal-esque because I am going to want to remember all of this. Feel free to skim or not read at all. These next entries are for me.
Last night I was bored and restless so I went to bed early. I woke up this morning around 8am to work on some Arabic homework before Hoda (my cleaning lady) was supposed to arrive at 9am. Of course, for the third day in a row, Hoda did not show, so I succumbed to cleaning myself because my parents were set to arrive this evening. My cell phone still didn’t work and the internet was still down. I called Dr. Heba’s land-line to check about going up to the college to get more exams to grade since this was the last day I was available since my rents were on their way. She insisted that I do not leave my house and that she will go check on the exams for me.
I did not think it was necessary for me to stay in my house since the demonstrations happened yesterday, but whatever. I didn’t want to go to the college anyways, so this means less work for me.
I set to cleaning the apartment, begrudgingly, but motivated to have to place looking good for my parents. I was finishing up when my cell phone rang!!! I couldn’t believe it! Eric was calling to make sure I was safe and to check in on me; he said he had been trying the past day and a half, but that the service was out. Things were crazy in Mansoura as well yesterday, but he insisted the only problem he had was that he was running low on food in the apartment.
I returned to cleaning when my phone ran again. This time it was my travel agent. She informed me that my parents’ flight from New York to Cairo was canceled and that the airline had no further information. Devastated, I kept my composure long enough to thank her for the notification, and balled for the next ten minutes. I miss my mommy and daddy. Them coming today kept me optimistic for the last few months, especially through the holidays. I feel alone right now with Grace gone, no internet, and a revolution gaining momentum all around me. I just wanted to feel safe in their arms again.
I managed to get a hold of my parents on my cell phone (it was an expensive call, but totally worth it). My dad tried to calm me down by telling me that they simply postponed their trip for one month. They would come in just four weeks as long as it was safe to enter the country. This did not provide the comfort I desperately wanted. Oh, well. This is a revolution. He then proceeded to tell me about what was going on outside my apartment since I have no internet to educate myself and all I can tell from the Arabic news channels is that there are riots all over the country and things are being burned to the ground.
So, what I learned from Dad was that my country is under martial law right now. The police were run out by the protesters yesterday, all police stations around the country were burned down. The military took over last night and the entire country is on lock down. President Obama and Secretary Hilary Clinton have strongly encouraged Mubarak to release control of the internet and cell services. Last night Mubarak gave a speech saying he would dismiss his cabinet and rename a government today, but the people were even more angry he would not step down himself. Things are going to get worse in the next few days instead of better.
He instructed me to go directly to the grocery store to stock up for the next few days. My cell phone died and that was the last thing I heard. I grabbed my bags and went to the grocery store to get some vegetables, canned goods, cereal, peanut butter, ect… to help me last in case I am stuck in my apartment. The grocery store looks like a war zone. People are everywhere grabbing whatever they can get their hands on. The bread was gone. The milk was gone. I waited in line for nearly 45 minutes only to find out at the register I didn’t bring enough money to pay for my groceries. The ATM next to the store is out of service. I run back to the apartment to get more cash and head back to the store. The men were so nice and just held my groceries for me. A man tried to talk to me while I was in line too; I think he could sense that I was scared and alone. He tried to explain to me the situation and how the people have finally gotten the nerve to demand a change. Now, they will not rest until there is a new body of government, and that includes the head.
I made it back home with my groceries and recharged my phone with credit (I bought a ton in case they run out soon). I was really perturbed as to why I had yet to hear from Adly during all this mess. I expected him of all people to call and check on me. He asks me where I am and if I am safe every other day, so I thought maybe something was wrong since he didn’t contact me when there really is a huge problem. I called his house yesterday and talked to his sister who said she would have him call me. Then, this morning I talked to his father (in Arabic!!) and he told me the same thing. His cell phone still wasn’t working and so I called Mahmoud to see what the deal was. Mahmoud said Adly was grounded because his dad did not approve of Adly having a female American friend (female being the main adjective of contention). I laughed out loud. We are in the midst of a revolution and this man wants to get mad at his son for having a friend who happens to be female?!?! Talk about priority issues!!
Anyways, Mahmoud came to pick me up so that I could get outside of the house for a bit. We did not manage to get far because the traffic is horrible. There are a ton of people walking around, all the stores are closed, oh and there are tanks lining most major streets. I have over four within a city block of my house! The police are nowhere in sight since they were run out yesterday.
Mahmoud and I were talking a little bit about the situation (I think he was trying to ensure me that things are going to settle down and that I am not in any danger) and he said that Carrfour (the Walmart-like store I mentioned before) was totally looted last night. It is apparently completely empty. This is happening all over the country which explains why most stores are locked down now. There are lines at the ATMs, but the banks are locked down as well since there are no longer police to protect them. I personally do not want a lot of money on me because the pound will probably tank soon if things don’t shape up.
Mahmoud dropped me off around 3pm so that he could get back to his house by 4pm because the country is on curfew again tonight. Yesterday the curfew was from 6pm-7am, but there were no police officers to enforce it (which is how stores got looted). Today, however, the military is in charge and the curfew is going to be strictly enforced. As I got out of the car, I was given strict instructions to return to my home directly (Do not pass go) and to stay there until tomorrow morning.
So, now I am back in my bed (I feel safest here) waiting again. This time I am just waiting on the internet to turn back on. I guess I am also waiting to see if Mubarak concedes to the people’s demands and thus steps down. I am not sure what will happen should he step down, or maybe worse, if he refuses to step down.
To be honest, I never saw this coming. People have been unhappy with this man for three decades and have never done anything about it. Even talking to my students during the semester, near November’s elections, I was overwhelmed with apathy and hopelessness about their government. They decided change would never happen and that there was nothing they could do about it. Tuesday’s protests surprised me and the fact that they have continued for the rest of the week is even more shocking. I am proud that the Egyptians finally spoke up, I just wish there had been another way.
The violence is terrifying. The thought of homes being pillaged during this revolution is surreal. My phone has been ringing non-stop for hours with people checking in on me. From my friend at church to students to Tito, not to mention my parents now that they figured out the international phone card, I know that I have plenty of places to turn should the need arise.
I cannot get over how fake this all seems. I see the tanks on my street and wonder what movie is being filmed. I walk around my house and wonder when Grace is coming home from teaching. I hear mobs of people outside and I wonder what they are celebrating. I am living through a revolution, but it just feels like a bad movie.
Life here is on hold. The universities have indefinitely postponed exams, there is a 4pm-8am curfew which is a painful punishment, stores are locked down, groceries are empty, I still have no contact with the outside world via internet. I keep asking when will things be back to normal, but they just shake their head cause they are just as frightened and panicked as I am.
It’s 6:30pm and I am praying for daylight. Tomorrow, Alex and Eric will arrive to Alexandria, hopefully, and I will have some company. Actually, many people have offered to let me stay with them-- Dr. Heba, Tito, and Sandy (from church) have all opened their homes and families graciously to me. I have decided to stay put in my house. One, I feel comfortable here and my bed is my sanctuary. Two, my street corner is surrounded by tanks and so there shouldn’t be any funny business. Of course as I type this I hear glass shatter in my street.
Tito just called again and said that there are a ton of boys on her street with knives because they are guarding against thieves. As much as the police were berated, they sure are missed now. I am living in lawlessness and it is appalling. Apparently, Mubarak named a new cabinet this evening, but the people will not be satisfied until he is gone. I don’t know who they want to fill his place, but they are convinced he must go NOW.
Last night I was bored and restless so I went to bed early. I woke up this morning around 8am to work on some Arabic homework before Hoda (my cleaning lady) was supposed to arrive at 9am. Of course, for the third day in a row, Hoda did not show, so I succumbed to cleaning myself because my parents were set to arrive this evening. My cell phone still didn’t work and the internet was still down. I called Dr. Heba’s land-line to check about going up to the college to get more exams to grade since this was the last day I was available since my rents were on their way. She insisted that I do not leave my house and that she will go check on the exams for me.
I did not think it was necessary for me to stay in my house since the demonstrations happened yesterday, but whatever. I didn’t want to go to the college anyways, so this means less work for me.
I set to cleaning the apartment, begrudgingly, but motivated to have to place looking good for my parents. I was finishing up when my cell phone rang!!! I couldn’t believe it! Eric was calling to make sure I was safe and to check in on me; he said he had been trying the past day and a half, but that the service was out. Things were crazy in Mansoura as well yesterday, but he insisted the only problem he had was that he was running low on food in the apartment.
I returned to cleaning when my phone ran again. This time it was my travel agent. She informed me that my parents’ flight from New York to Cairo was canceled and that the airline had no further information. Devastated, I kept my composure long enough to thank her for the notification, and balled for the next ten minutes. I miss my mommy and daddy. Them coming today kept me optimistic for the last few months, especially through the holidays. I feel alone right now with Grace gone, no internet, and a revolution gaining momentum all around me. I just wanted to feel safe in their arms again.
I managed to get a hold of my parents on my cell phone (it was an expensive call, but totally worth it). My dad tried to calm me down by telling me that they simply postponed their trip for one month. They would come in just four weeks as long as it was safe to enter the country. This did not provide the comfort I desperately wanted. Oh, well. This is a revolution. He then proceeded to tell me about what was going on outside my apartment since I have no internet to educate myself and all I can tell from the Arabic news channels is that there are riots all over the country and things are being burned to the ground.
So, what I learned from Dad was that my country is under martial law right now. The police were run out by the protesters yesterday, all police stations around the country were burned down. The military took over last night and the entire country is on lock down. President Obama and Secretary Hilary Clinton have strongly encouraged Mubarak to release control of the internet and cell services. Last night Mubarak gave a speech saying he would dismiss his cabinet and rename a government today, but the people were even more angry he would not step down himself. Things are going to get worse in the next few days instead of better.
He instructed me to go directly to the grocery store to stock up for the next few days. My cell phone died and that was the last thing I heard. I grabbed my bags and went to the grocery store to get some vegetables, canned goods, cereal, peanut butter, ect… to help me last in case I am stuck in my apartment. The grocery store looks like a war zone. People are everywhere grabbing whatever they can get their hands on. The bread was gone. The milk was gone. I waited in line for nearly 45 minutes only to find out at the register I didn’t bring enough money to pay for my groceries. The ATM next to the store is out of service. I run back to the apartment to get more cash and head back to the store. The men were so nice and just held my groceries for me. A man tried to talk to me while I was in line too; I think he could sense that I was scared and alone. He tried to explain to me the situation and how the people have finally gotten the nerve to demand a change. Now, they will not rest until there is a new body of government, and that includes the head.
I made it back home with my groceries and recharged my phone with credit (I bought a ton in case they run out soon). I was really perturbed as to why I had yet to hear from Adly during all this mess. I expected him of all people to call and check on me. He asks me where I am and if I am safe every other day, so I thought maybe something was wrong since he didn’t contact me when there really is a huge problem. I called his house yesterday and talked to his sister who said she would have him call me. Then, this morning I talked to his father (in Arabic!!) and he told me the same thing. His cell phone still wasn’t working and so I called Mahmoud to see what the deal was. Mahmoud said Adly was grounded because his dad did not approve of Adly having a female American friend (female being the main adjective of contention). I laughed out loud. We are in the midst of a revolution and this man wants to get mad at his son for having a friend who happens to be female?!?! Talk about priority issues!!
Anyways, Mahmoud came to pick me up so that I could get outside of the house for a bit. We did not manage to get far because the traffic is horrible. There are a ton of people walking around, all the stores are closed, oh and there are tanks lining most major streets. I have over four within a city block of my house! The police are nowhere in sight since they were run out yesterday.
Mahmoud and I were talking a little bit about the situation (I think he was trying to ensure me that things are going to settle down and that I am not in any danger) and he said that Carrfour (the Walmart-like store I mentioned before) was totally looted last night. It is apparently completely empty. This is happening all over the country which explains why most stores are locked down now. There are lines at the ATMs, but the banks are locked down as well since there are no longer police to protect them. I personally do not want a lot of money on me because the pound will probably tank soon if things don’t shape up.
Mahmoud dropped me off around 3pm so that he could get back to his house by 4pm because the country is on curfew again tonight. Yesterday the curfew was from 6pm-7am, but there were no police officers to enforce it (which is how stores got looted). Today, however, the military is in charge and the curfew is going to be strictly enforced. As I got out of the car, I was given strict instructions to return to my home directly (Do not pass go) and to stay there until tomorrow morning.
So, now I am back in my bed (I feel safest here) waiting again. This time I am just waiting on the internet to turn back on. I guess I am also waiting to see if Mubarak concedes to the people’s demands and thus steps down. I am not sure what will happen should he step down, or maybe worse, if he refuses to step down.
To be honest, I never saw this coming. People have been unhappy with this man for three decades and have never done anything about it. Even talking to my students during the semester, near November’s elections, I was overwhelmed with apathy and hopelessness about their government. They decided change would never happen and that there was nothing they could do about it. Tuesday’s protests surprised me and the fact that they have continued for the rest of the week is even more shocking. I am proud that the Egyptians finally spoke up, I just wish there had been another way.
The violence is terrifying. The thought of homes being pillaged during this revolution is surreal. My phone has been ringing non-stop for hours with people checking in on me. From my friend at church to students to Tito, not to mention my parents now that they figured out the international phone card, I know that I have plenty of places to turn should the need arise.
I cannot get over how fake this all seems. I see the tanks on my street and wonder what movie is being filmed. I walk around my house and wonder when Grace is coming home from teaching. I hear mobs of people outside and I wonder what they are celebrating. I am living through a revolution, but it just feels like a bad movie.
Life here is on hold. The universities have indefinitely postponed exams, there is a 4pm-8am curfew which is a painful punishment, stores are locked down, groceries are empty, I still have no contact with the outside world via internet. I keep asking when will things be back to normal, but they just shake their head cause they are just as frightened and panicked as I am.
It’s 6:30pm and I am praying for daylight. Tomorrow, Alex and Eric will arrive to Alexandria, hopefully, and I will have some company. Actually, many people have offered to let me stay with them-- Dr. Heba, Tito, and Sandy (from church) have all opened their homes and families graciously to me. I have decided to stay put in my house. One, I feel comfortable here and my bed is my sanctuary. Two, my street corner is surrounded by tanks and so there shouldn’t be any funny business. Of course as I type this I hear glass shatter in my street.
Tito just called again and said that there are a ton of boys on her street with knives because they are guarding against thieves. As much as the police were berated, they sure are missed now. I am living in lawlessness and it is appalling. Apparently, Mubarak named a new cabinet this evening, but the people will not be satisfied until he is gone. I don’t know who they want to fill his place, but they are convinced he must go NOW.
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