Week one of orientation has been colorful to say the least. Biggest protests in years in Egypt have been happening the past two days in the aftermath of the success of the Tunisian protests. I have had a general feeling of uneasiness since being here; however, I would attribute that to general culture shock. The past two days, I have felt much more uneasy because of the level of high alert as a result of the protests. There is energy in the air. The Egyptian people have taken to the streets. They are asking, begging for change. Fathers and mothers are on the streets with their young children. Businessmen are heading out to protest during their lunch break; however, no change has happened. From the perspective of a non-Egyptian, it doesn’t seem like much more will happen. The energy is there, but as the government noted the protesters have not made their demands “clear.” This is a huge barrier to making a difference; however, who could really blame them for not making their demands clear. In a country with over 40% illiteracy and a high percentage of people under the poverty line, I can imagine why it is difficult to express their demands. Just take a tour bus to the pyramids and you will see poverty firsthand. You will see children picking cabbage in polluted fields and selling postcards barefoot to tourists from around the world. Further, the level of corruption is so high and so common that overthrowing the current government will not be enough to make a difference. In order to make a long term change, the Egyptian people must work to address these fundamental problems. While the protests are an amazing start to change, an equally important step would be for Egyptians to change their society day by day. They must refuse to accept corruption, educational inequity, and the appalling level of poverty in the city and countryside. By refusing to accept these things the people will undermine the government’s power and garner support from nations and people around the world. Yalla, ya Mesr!
