"This war will not be over by the next commercial break"
Okay then. I am safe, most importantly.
I just arrived back at the dormitories from a fieldtrip. Cairo is a very different city right now. In limbo. The attacks upon Sharm el-Sheikh have effectively converted Cairo into a hyper-militarized state of alertness and confusion. Many tourist areas cease to function, they're inaccessible. People kind of don't know what to do or where to go, I suppose that's the best way of putting it. The embassy is providing US nationals here with frequent updates.
And now this may sound an awful lot like the rhetoric of a Mr Bush and Blair, but terrorist attacks such as this (or all) are designed with the implicit intent of instilling fear and disrupting lives. This was a hit targeted to the tourist industry, immensely important to Egypt, perhaps as a consequence of discontent concerning the election, as well as the West in fundamentalist rage. Whatever the case, allowing such an event to interfere with your life or deter you from pursuing that which you desire, will be their victory. Many may dismiss the notion of travel to the Middle East because of the violence. But they are in turn preventing themselves from a exploring a region rich in culture and history. I don't know. But, I love Cairo, and I love Egypt, and I pray people continue to visit here. It's a sacrifice worth making.
And the quote? That's a White House spokesperson in a press conference during the Gulf War. And it's true, war is no longer cut and paste, black and white destruction. It's an insidious engagement which knows no boundaries or victims. It's this. And no, I am not confusing going to war in Iraq now with 9/11, but merely highlighting the underbelly of the media feed you're perhaps watching right now of the situation unfolding here in Egypt.
Somber day, smiling face? Hence the scaled grays of an otherwise sunny day. Donning the hijab for the sake of...who knows what anymore? We managed to visit a few mosques today. All the women had to wear them.
And a thank you for the many numerous, concerned emails I woke to this morning. I won't lie, I was out very late last night, well past three in the morning with classmates. We attended a concert of a group from upper Egypt at this cultural center on the other end of Zamalek. From there we hopped from two hotel cafe-bars for espresso and sheesha (the latter, not me). Just a few hours later, oblivious, I went on my laptop after my alarm clock went off. I opened a web browser, logged into my email account, eyes somehow glazing over the obvious breaking news column, and, well, a lot had happened. You knew before I. And I was most appreciative once more of those emails, it is very reassuring to know I have people looking out at home.
And a POSTSCRIPT to the parents since you may read this before email seeing it's the weekend--mobile service right here is very erratic right now. Placing or receiving calls is typically met by a recording of some sort followed by a Nextel recording. It's like this for everyone.