Arabian Nights

Last night I volunteered at a charity event in Portland's glitzy Pearl District neighborhood. It was an annual fundraiser and the organizers aimed to please. The tables were set, the caterers were matching, and the theme was... in poor taste. For the record, the charity most likely picked the theme for the evening upwards of a year ago. Unfortunately however, "Arabian Nights" seemed to be both disconnected and insensitive. This was not a commonly shared opinion, honestly I seemed to be the only one to notice. After I got over the irony of flying home from Egypt only to find myself at an event playing Amr Diab's greatest hits, the tragedy of it all began to sink in. Here during this Arabian night, guests would be invited to shower themselves in festive jewelry, take a risk and get a henna tattoo, and try their luck at wine ring toss (my event) before enjoying their Lebanese meal and dinner entertainment. A good time was surely to be had by all. How many of Portland's glitterati crowd asked themselves if the same was true for the real Arabian night? Will the Arab world sleep soundly? Or will they wake up to more violence, uncertainty, and injustice?
The situation varies across the region. Mass protests continue in Yemen and Bahrain. On a smaller scale, protesters also take to the street in Jordan and Saudi Arabia. In Egypt, though protests continue, the people have begun to dig in to start the real work of implementing lasting change. Egypt was on my mind last night. A friend of mine wrote about how even though the revolution accomplished an admirable feat of ousting dictator Mubarak, the real change so desperately desired by Egypt was in no way guaranteed and was perhaps even in jeopardy of slipping away. If Egypt was on my mind, Libya was on my heart. While the champagne flowed and bids were placed as casually as greetings were offered, I thought about Libya's Arabian night. Some parts of the country rejoiced after taking control from the government, but the violence and oppression continues. Qaddafi continues to kill his own people. The Libyan people are literally dying for their rights, and here we are discussing the pros and cons of the 2009 Pinot Noir.

Dear Students

Dear Students,

I will not be returning as your teacher for the second semester. I think we can all agree teaching is not my calling. That said, I was very happy to have you all as my students. Your personalities and energy kept my day interesting. One of the main differences between school in Egypt and school in the States is that in Egypt, students want to relate to their teachers as they would a friend. This took some getting used to but in the end I really enjoyed it. It was a pleasure to get to know you all and I hope that we can stay in touch. If I could give you one last assignment it would be to write to me and tell me your thoughts on the revolution. I would love to hear your reactions and your predictions for the future of your country. So please write, tell me what you think!

As you continue your studies and then move on to careers, I hope you'll keep the following in mind:
1. Things are more likely to go wrong when you're in a hurry. This is something a teacher of mine told me in high school and I'm sure glad he did. For example, if you're running late for your first day of work, watch out, because this is probably when you'll lock your keys in your car.
2. Machines can tell when you're trying to do something important. You've already seen this to be true. Your printer works until you actually need to print out an assignment that is due. Keep this in mind. It helps to actually tell the machine that you know their trick and not to worry because you are not actually in a hurry.
3. Think for yourself. I'm only slightly farther down the road than you but what I am learning now is that we all see the world differently - and this is okay. At the end of the day, your thoughts make up who you are. It is okay to disagree with what you hear in class or even what your friends say. Finding out what you truly believe in and then communicating that clearly is what education is all about. Surprise: there is no right answer (except on my quizzes.)
4. Education is not just a check in the box. Please, please don't be afraid to make mistakes or ask questions. Training your mind to think critically is a dynamic, fluid process. Education is not just something that happens if you are physically present in school for 12 years. It is something you work at and develop according to your own style and interests.
5. Live deliberately. This one you've heard before, but it's true. Our time on Earth is short and I believe much better spent living a life thinking and acting with intention. As you have just witnessed, you can do whatever you want - the world is yours for the taking. So it's time to start deciding what kind of person you want to be, what kind of work you want to do, and start making your place in the world.

I hope this helps. Please don't take my departure personally. If anything you guys had me double guessing my decision. I hope to get emails from all of you soon telling me your thoughts about the new Egypt. Also, please contact me if you're ever in need of college recommendations, etc. or just some general advice or guidance.

You guys are the best.

Much love,

Miss Erica

100% Organic

There is one distinct symbol of wealth here in America. It has nothing to do with Lexus, Mercedes, or Porsche cars, luxury hotels or larger than life TV's. This symbol is much less flashy, but I assure you, equally telling: the American health food store. Rows upon rows of organic, vegan, carbon-neutral treats ooze wealth like hot wax down a surrendering candle. The truth is customers (and admittedly, I am one of them) opt to forgo basic goods in exchange for more expensive, trendier versions of the same products. There is no purer demonstration of luxury than having the option of paying more for what many in the world struggle to buy even at the most basic levels. Before the latest Egyptian protests (influenced in part by poverty and rising food prices) the largest protests in Egypt took place when the government tried to cancel the bread subsidies. Though sometimes dreadlocks-clad and hemp-adorned, I urge you to appreciate the next time you stop by your local health food co-op. The good fortune of finding yourself there can be overwhelming.

A revolution for the rest of us

My mom told me a funny story today. I found it endearing but more than that it finally made me notice what I had been sensing for a while. There was something about the Egyptian revolution that always struck me as unusual. Bear with me, there is more nuance than that. Even as the storm clouds of change were forming, and the wind of democracy was only a slight breeze, my American family and friends all told me how closely they were following the news. Then, as events progressed, and even during the internet/cell phone black out, there was a sense that the world was watching - and watching with a fervor not customarily granted to foreign affairs. "Tahrir Square" became a household name. Suddenly everyone knew all the Egyptian players and their potential next moves. I was surprised. I was expecting to experience the phenomenon of being wrapped up in a dramatic event abroad only to have it mentioned briefly below the fold back home. The opposite was true. After my return from Egypt I found that my friends knew as much about the revolution as I did, including all the Cairene street names.
My mom attended her Toastmaster's meeting this morning. She told me a man from Buffalo, New York gave a speech documenting the 18 days in Tahrir. He showed newspaper clippings and timelines. He was not Egyptian. I had to ask myself, why was this news story particularly gripping? Americans are notorious for not following events in other countries, our attention span when it comes to news cycles rivals that of a dachshund puppy, so how in the most over-stimulated of times did Tahrir Square capture the attention of the average citizen for over three weeks? The answer is perhaps more obvious than the question. As described by experts and bystanders the world over, this revolution was secular, peaceful, and justified. These were everyday citizens coming together to say we don't like the status quo. Now any parallels drawn would require several caveats, but I would hint that I know very few Americans who would say they are pleased with the way things are going here. America was glued to the TV set for more than just the foreign policy significance. Maybe we finally wanted to see something start heading in the right direction for a change. Maybe we all felt we needed this.

Peddling my Wares

After much thought I have decided not to return to Egypt. This fact has taken some getting used to. When I open my eyes in the morning I expect to see dusty sun-covered minarets, street vendors, and traffic. Instead these days I'm greeted by views of evergreens, frost, and most notably, sidewalks. Perhaps inspired by the revolution, I have decided to embrace this next phase of my life and move forward with a healthy mix of confidence and desperation. In other words, I need a job. Admittedly, Portland is notorious for lacking jobs - especially those in my field - but I just witnessed a dictator resign, anything is possible.

Encore

Willamette Week also published some photos taken at the protests. Please note the second two photos were taken by me but the rest were taken by my friend Taylor.

http://www.wweek.com/portland/blog-26438-more_photos_from_egypt.html

Willamette Week

Published today on www.wweek.com : http://www.wweek.com/portland/blog-26425-one_portlanders_eyewitness_report_from_egypt.html