Merry Happy Chirstmas New Years end of the semester...

Okay, so I've slacked and left my readers up in the air for the past couple months or so without a single post. Chances are most of you know that I've return to the US and am holding fort here indefinitely. For others, this may be news. In any event, I'm back in the US, not sure for how long and looking for a job. I decided to take a semester leave of absence from my grad program for personal reasons, but I'm hoping to return next fall to complete my MA.

A lot has transpired over the last few months, and I don't think its necessary to write a novel about everything, so I will try to condense my updates and be selective. Here we go:


Organs SOS: A plea from the shadows

So the screening of the film went well. Didn't know what to expect but we had a decent turnout. Invites were sent to parliamentary members of the Shura Council in Cairo in hopes to draw their attention, as well as the media and public. I would estimate that around 40 or so people showed up for the screening and Q&A that followed the film. All in all as a first step towards getting the word out and as a campaign for awareness, we broke the ice. At this moment the director of COFS and the team are busy with marketing the film in hopes to show it on local TV in Egypt and to make the film available for purchase.


Lebanon

November 27th through December 2nd myself and one of my roommates Daniel, from Venezuela, hopped across the Mediterranean to enjoy ourselves in the beautiful country of Lebanon over the Thanksgiving and Eid al-Adha (an Islamic holiday) break. And boy did we enjoy ourselves! As much as I love Cairo, Beirut was almost night and day compared to it. Beirut is a much more liberal, clean, and open city compared to Cairo. Night clubs and bars litter the city center, streets are swept and upheld to a very clean standard, and as a foreigner I was never harassed or stared at. I don't bring these up to bash Cairo or anything. Cairo has been my life for almost a year and a half and it feels like home to me in many aspects. But there are also frustrating parts about living in the largest city in the Middle East. Those aside, Beirut was very much a vacation and a breath a fresh air (literally).

Beirut is a walker-friendly city, nestled along the base of the Mount Lebanon mountain range that spreads out to the Mediterranean Sea. Ruined and war-torn buildings are scattered throughout the modern landscape of downtown, memories of a painful past that still haunts the present.

Our time there consisted of many adventures in the city, seeing old friends and exploring the beautiful richness that Beirut had to offer. We were also taken away to distant landscapes and civilizations outside the city, including an underground boat trip through breathtaking caverns, and uncovering past histories in the Roman ruins of Baalbek.
ما في مثل بيروت

Highlights:

• War-torn buildings
  
• Clean, walkable streets
  
• Political graffiti explained by my good friend Asaad
  
• AUB (AUC's sister school), and its authentic university atmosphere
  
• Roaming the souks and Roman ruins of Byblos
  
• Almazas on the beach with an old friend
  
• Exploring the water caverns by boat of Jeita Grotto
  
• A beautiful micro-bus ride into the mountains while keeping an eye out for Hezbollah
  
• The sweet sweet taste of pork again!
  

Photo album of our adventures in Lebanon found here.


H1N1 Scare

So my last weekend in Cairo consisted of a two-night, three-day all inclusive stay at the glorious and hospitable al-Salam hospital. Basically I woke up in the morning with a bad-awful fever, sore throat, and achy body. Chills and extreme fever decided to battle over my body and I was subjected to both through the entire day. I was too weak to do really anything and so I stayed in bed and took several naps. That night I went to the hospital where I was looked at, given medications and instructed to return in the morning for the screening test for influenza. I did just that the next day, and tested positive for influenza. Then a serious of more tests and x-rays where eventually after 2 days I was told I had influenza, but not H1N1. By Sunday/Monday my health began to return and I finally went home, only to have 3 days left to pack and take care of things at the university. And the worst part of it all was that I was supposed to go to the pyramids that weekend. Yes, I still haven't seen those bloody landmarks. And yes, I've lived in Cairo for 16 months and never got around to them. I guess I have no excuses. Anyways, I will return and one day will set my eyes upon those massive structures, while fending off vendors left and right that I have heard are relentless in their annoying and persistent ways to sell visitors cheap touristy things that you really don't need. Really looking forward to that.


Home and the holidays

2 weeks ago I touched down in the good ol' US of A after almost being gone for an entire year. It felt good, but it wasn't my first time returning from abroad. Still, I looked forward to all those things that I was denied while in Egypt, as well as the idea of 'coming home'. Since then I've been catching up with friends and riding out the holiday season. Christmas and New Years came and went and now its 2010! What a mind-blowing concept. 2010, the future is now! Pretty wild if you ask me. It will take me some time to wrap my head around this. Also the fact that Y2K was 10 years ago.

“ORGAN SOS: A Plea From The Shadows”

We’ve finally arrived! On Monday, November 23^rd COFS is screening the premiere of our documentary at AUC downtown campus. After months and months of hard work, late nights and collaboration, we are finally going public with our work. From 7-9pm in Ewart Hall we will showcase our sweat and blood to the public, local invited NGOs and possible the media. To be honest, we have no idea how the turnout will be, but we are anxious and excited to begin the marketing and awareness campaign.

After the screening will follow a Q&A about COFS and the filmmaking process. I will sit on a panel with 3-4 others who will answer questions from the audience and talk about our experiences.

If the above information is news to any of my readers who hasn’t been following of late what I’ve been working on, let me fill you in:

In August, I was approached by the director of the Coalition for Organ-Failure Solutions (COFS), a local NGO here in Egypt, that combats organ-trafficking and the selling of humans for organs and tissues. Since the beginning of my involvement in the project, I took over as senior editor and script supervisor. I sat down with the COFS team and helped them develop of script and outline about how to turn their vision, message and goal into the medium of a documentary film. I claim no professional experience in the world of filmmaking, only my love and passion for it. The process was stressful, exhausting, and time consuming, but above all extremely rewarding. Going out in the field and being apart of the interviews with the organ donors was eye opening and humbling. I was touched by their stories and my heart went out to each and every one of the victims whom all lived in great poverty and destitute. See my earlier post for more details about this specific experience.

Now, after hours and hours of editing and turning our footage and interviews into a polished piece of work, we are about to reach out to the public and tell the stories of these victims. I really don’t know what to expect from this event. I’ve always been nervous and felt vulnerable in showing any of my work or projects, yet granted, all of this past work was playful stuff, neat shorts or slideshows for friends. Even then I was nervous, and felt as if I was being examined, almost like I was being put on trial. Now, I can’t even begin to image what I will feel moments before the documentary begins. Every eye and ear in that theater will be glued to the screen, watching the work that myself and the rest of the crew poured our hearts into. And then to sit center stage and answer questions about it. What if they receive it poorly? Will they get it? Will it inspire? How will we manage to defend it or speak on its behalf?

But then I take a step back and realize, we aren’t going for any awards here. This isn’t a film to make money and grab attention purely for its aesthetics or if we correctly framed the shot right. Sure these things matter in order to keep the audience’s attention and showcase our professionalism about the subject at hand. But at the end of the day, this is a film about awareness, a cause. The victims’ stories are central to the vision of COFS, mainly to bring attention to how the poor and vulnerable are being targeted and solicited to sell their organs for a buck and a hope for a brighter future. But this is never realized because of the health complications that these donors succumb to, that they were never told about. And a lack of a legal framework, especially in Egypt, is what allows this to continue. So, I put my nervousness aside. I am not in the spotlight here, on Monday night. I am merely someone in a position who can bring attention to the pain and suffering that needs, no must, be put in the spotlight so action can be taken.

For those in Egypt, I urge you to come out to Tahrir campus at 7pm and take a few hours out of your evening to hear the stories of these victims. For those abroad, wish us luck, in that our message will reach out and be effective.

For more information about COFS and the work they do, please visit their website at www.cofs.org.

For more information about the documentary and to watch a trailer, head on over to:

http://www.cofs.org/COFS_DOCUMENTARY_FILM_YOUTUBE.htm

Algeria vs. Egypt

Tomorrow, the World Cup qualifying game between Egypt and Algeria takes place in Nasr City. Tensions are riding high on this game as Egypt must beat Algeria with a score of 2-0 or higher to get in or push for another game. Last night as Algerian's national team was being transported from the airport to their hotel in Heliopolis, the bus was attacked by a mob of Egyptian supports that threw rocks as it passed. Three players were said to have been injured as well as some of the windows had been smashed.

Check out this video below:

Les joueurs algeriens blessés au Caire
by DZfootCom

However, controversy has surrounded the incident as the Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram has reported that it was the Algerian players on the bus who broke the windows (Al-Ahram is a government-owned newspaper).

Despite the controversy and mounting tensions before tomorrow's game, I decided to head on over the the Algerian embassy today to check out some of the action, as the embassy is merely down the street from my apartment. I had a hunch that things might have been developing there and so I grabbed my camera and took a stroll on over.

Check out my album here for the photos.

Things were peaceful, as Algerians crowded the streets and occasionally broke into chants. Talking to some supporters, I discovered that most people that were there were seeking tickets to tomorrow's game. The others were there just to show their support among fellow countrymen. There were no incidents between Egyptians and Algerians, even as 1 out of every 8 cars or so that drove by had an Egyptian flag adorned to it. Most of the Algerians ignored it or didn't pay attention to them. Others waved flags.

As I got ready to leave, hoards and hoards of Egyptian riot police showed up and took their places nearby. I guess in preparation if tensions heated up. But thus far, nothing seemed to get out of hand, just police directing traffic and keeping the streets cleared.

Photo album here.

COFS on Al-Jazeera

Dr. Debra Budiani, the director and founder of the Coalition for Organ Failure Solutions who I've been working with to produce a documentary about organ trafficking in Egypt, has recently been interviewed by Al-Jazeera on a report about this issue in the Middle East. Check it out here:



I'm excited about the attention this issue is getting especially within Egypt as it is a growing concern.

Our documentary is nearing completion. As I've been immersed in my course work at AUC and preparing my thesis abstract and proposal for my MA, I have also been finishing up the final edits on this project. We are about a week away from a final first cut and are working closely with some musicians to finalize a soundtrack and score for the film. I will keep you updated as we near a completed product and also provide information for those interested in a copy of the documentary.

Voices from the past

Recently I started collecting all of my films and video projects that I've made over the years and have begun compiling them into DVD collections. At the moment I've finished both a High School and College DVD collection. I even cut together a quick audio track to be used as the background music for the DVD menu. Those of you who hail from Tualatin High's class of 2003 will enjoy this. Check it out here:

I also intend to create a DVD for my travels abroad, including Morocco, and Egypt. I heart my Mac!

Imports to tickle the tastbuds

Above, is pictured a selection of Belgium beer my roommate from the Netherlands brought back this summer. That night our palettes danced in delight as they had not tasted quality beer in almost a year. Egypt has a small selection of beer to offer, all locally brewed including Heineken, which is something one has to get used to here. After 11 months of routine below-average brews, our taste buds emitted cries of ectacy as imported beer from Belgium was thoroughly enjoyed. Oh how I missed barbecues and relaxing in the cool evenings with a cold and crisp beer this summer!

* * *

In other news, AUC has officially announced that they will be resuming classes come October 4th. Not that this really affects me as my grad seminars have still been meeting outside of class. The administration is attempting to make up missed classes on Tuesdays (when AUC doesn't offer classes). As well, there is a scramble on campus for finding available rooms open for makeup classes and determining meeting times that don't conflict with other student's schedules. This, coupled with the possibility of further cancellations this semester is likely to bring about further chaos. I need another Belgium treat!

“The other day I was so desperate for a beer, I snuck into the football stadium and ate the dirt under the bleachers.”

– Homer Simpson

Pigs, trash and no class!

As a follow up to my recent post, there was a NY Times article the other day that several people had brought to my attention. I did read it and thought I'd share it with you. It basically discusses the Egyptian government's irrational decision to slaughter all the pigs in Egypt to prevent the spread of the swine flu. Of course the fear and threat of the virus was not pig to human, but rather human to human. And on top of that, the government's preemptive attempt to appear the hero to the rest of the world as a way to make up for their failure in dealing with the bird flu some years back, also alienated the Zabaleen community, local Christians that farmed pigs for the specific purpose of trash clean up and recycling. With their main source of income slaughtered, they were left to find another way to survive, and the city of Cairo slowly began to see its streets pile high with trash.

Also, another interesting topic of the article is about the Egyptian government's decision to cancel schools this fall. I was mistaken. This whole time I was under the impression that it was the Ministry of Health that actually suggested delaying the start of the semester. According to this article, the ministry actually advised against the closing of public schools, but of course the government acted anyway.

The article can be found here.

* * *

"An oppressive government is much worse than a man-eating tiger."

-- Kong Fu-Dzuh
(Confucius)

Eid Mubarak!

عيد مبارك

Eid Mubarak! Happy celebrations to all my friends here in Egypt and abroad as the holy month of Ramadan has come to an end. As the festivities begin and many Egyptians go on holiday to the North Coast or the Sinai for this eid celebration, I am left in Cairo, wandering the deserted streets and immersed in endless readings and papers.

Last week those of us from AUC got a shock from the administration. They announced last Wednesday that AUC would be canceling classes until October 4th. This came as a surprise as AUC had initially resisted the Egyptian government's suggestion to delay the start of all public schools and universities in Cairo due to the H1N1 virus. Now it appears that AUC has gotten cold feet in front of the government and has caved alongside the other institutions.

So while all undergraduates, both Egyptian and Study Abroad students celebrated with glee (a great TV series with the same name by the way) on campus that Wednesday over their two-week vacation, we grad students were a little less enthusiastic. Sure, who could say no to extended vacation and days off? However, when your graduate education is being paid for with government loans and thesis abstracts and proposals are looming around the corner, taking time off just doesn't make one jump for joy. All this really means is that everyone will have to play catchup come two weeks time. And in additional to all this, the logic behind the closures really doesn't make sense for AUC. The reason why all schools in Egypt were decided to begin in October was to delay the spread of H1N1. But since AUC did not abide by this, canceling them now really doesn't delay anything. If there are cases at AUC (which there aren't since the outbreak this summer at the student dorms) they will spread no matter what. But luckily there hasn't been.

I guess I am just coming from a disgruntled minority at the university. I am eager to begin this semester and don't want anything to complicate my already busy schedule with courses, thesis preparation, and my continual work on the documentary for the Coalition for Organ Failure Solutions. But the good news is that 3 out of my 4 classes are continuing to meet on a weekly basis despite the cancellation of class. So not all is lost.

***

I haven't really done this in this space of my personal blog, but I want to start sharing some quotes and worthwhile lines of wisdom with you my readers. Sometimes they will be applicable to my posts, other times to my present state or condition, or sometimes will have no connection at all and I just feel like expressing something I believe to be worthy of a few moments of reflection. Take them as you like:

(This was shared with me by a dear friend of mine and I came across it recently)

When you come to the edge of all the light you have, and must take a step into the darkness of the unknown, believe that one of two things will happen:

Either there will be something solid for you to stand upon,
or, you will be taught how to fly.

-Patrick Overton

New semester

Fall semester has begun and all the dressings of AUC and the joys of campus; 2 hour round-trip bus rides to and from campus everyday, finding your classrooms on the first day of class amidst the maze of outlandish buildings known as AUC, annoying wide-eyed American Study Abroad students and having to overhear the same old stories of their arrival and first impressions of Egypt, and being stuck on campus all day with terrible food options and overpriced meals.

That said, I am looking forward to this upcoming semester. Primarily, I now can walk through the halls of the Middle East Studies Department and call myself a fellow. For those that missed my earlier post over the summer, I received a fellowship for this upcoming year at AUC that covers tuition and a monthly stipend. Of course I was stoked and overjoyed at having to pay very little this semester and to become more involved in the department. So these last few days I've been welcoming the first-year grad students to the department and familiarizing them with Egypt and AUC.

So classes have begun and the looming thesis proposal deadline has reared its ugly head to remind me of our upcoming rendezvous. This past summer I did some research but not as much as I had hoped. The film internship with COFS, the NGO here in Cairo, kind of got in the way of that. But no worries, I still have some research topics I'm exploring and starting to narrow down. I want to write about the 19th century American-tourist landscape and travelers to the 'Holy Land' and/or Egypt. I use 'Holy Land' in quotes here specifically because of the connotation of the word and its loaded meanings, especially within the context of the late 19th century, the expectations of explorers, and what they were seeking in Palestine at the time. I am very much interested in the ways in which Americans were driven to travel to the 'Holy Land' and what they were seeking, but more importantly the landscape in which they were reconstructing. Meaning, the ways in which they 'chose' to view the landscape in Palestine and the interactions or lack thereof with the culture, society and population there. All of this within the context of 'Westward Expansion' and Manifest Destiny that shaped the geographical, political, and economic climate in the US. I want to examine travellogues and journals of American tourists and their encounters in Palestine.

An alternate topic within this field that I've recently come across and I am currently looking more in depth to see if I can turn into a thesis is examining stereographs and their role in creating the 'virtual tourist'. During the late 19th century as upper-middle class tourism was at its peak, photography was introduced to society and played a major role in shaping how humans viewed the world around them. During this time many photographers were sent to far off places, including the 'Holy Land' and Egypt, where they photographed images of the 'foreign' and the 'unknown'. Stereographs specifically gave Americans the opportunity to travel to far off places from the comfort of their living room and avoid all the hassles that came with traveling abroad and its uncertainties. My hope is to find enough material here to examine how stereographs created and recreated the landscapes of Egypt and Palestine, and their consequences. Throughout the coming months I hope to refine my research topics and do more research in this area of interest.

In the world of documentary film making and the current project I am working on for the Coalition for Organ Failure Solutions, we are still in post-production, waiting to finish recording narration. From there we hope to have our first final cut finished by this weekend and be ready to add a soundtrack with the help of a local Egypian Oud player. We are very excited to have him on board.

***

In other news, we are a couple weeks into Ramadan now. My report this year during the holy month as you can read is not a detailed as last year. This being my third Ramadan in an Arab country, it isn't as new and foreign anymore. Plus, with the amount of work I have been putting into the documentary, I haven't had time to take part in any social activities or Iftars (the breaking of the fast at sundown when Muslims are allowed to eat). I am hoping in the coming weeks to take a stroll at night around my neighborhood and downtown with my friend Mr. Canon in order to capture some images of the festivities. Will provide posts with images if I can find the time to get around to it.

Promotion Launched!

It's official, COFS has finally released their promotion of the documentary we've been working on for the last two weeks. On the page you will find a promo/trailer of the upcoming film, as well a brief description, poster, and team photo.

We've settled on the title:

ORGANS SOS: a plea from the shadows

As far as progress of the documentary, we're still plugging away. I'm continuing to put all my time on this project, staying up late into the evenings. We are hoping to get a final cut by early next week, inshallah ('God willing' in Arabic). We also got a local professional Egyptian Oud player to compose the soundtrack for us. I'm excited to see what he can do for us!

Organ Trafficking on CNN

I just got word from the Director of COFS that CNN will be premiering their investigation on organ trafficking on Tuesday night at 10pm EST. Their segment will examine organ trafficking around the world, but they do highlight Egypt as well as COFS. Debra Budiani, the director of COFS and whom I have been working closely with for the past two weeks on the documentary that we are producing, will be featured on CNN’s program. She was interviewed, and COFS is featured as well. I urge all to tune in tomorrow night to gain some insightful information about this issue that has been the focus of my work for the past 2 weeks.

As far as our documentary, we are trying to get up a promo on the COFS website in time for CNN’s premiere. As soon as it gets uploaded, I will let you all know so that you can check out a sneak peak of the work. It’s really a trailer, a kind of ‘coming soon’ advertisement.

The feature length documentary is coming along. I’ve been editing for the past week and am nearing the first final cut. At the moment we are waiting for narration to be recorded, as well as a musician to help compose our soundtrack. We are shooting to have a final cut finished by end of the week, if not then early next week. Classes at AUC resume this Sunday for me, so hopefully by then all that is left to do is drop in the soundtrack and trim up clips around the narration.

I am getting very excited for this, especially as this issue is blowing up. Besides CNN’s coverage, Al Jazeera is also doing a special on it. They came out with us on one of our interview shootings. Their report is supposed to air sometime late September, after Ramadan.

So please tune into CNN on Tuesday night, 10PM EST. And I will let you know when our promo is up and running. Hopefully by Tuesday afternoon.

CNN's ad for the program can be found here. Look to the right, and there should be an ad titled 'Secret Harvest'.

From the balcony

Snapped this beauty that was parked outside my apartment from the balcony...



What I don't understand is why someone would own one of these cars in Cairo, much less drive it around. Literally every car in this city has dents and scratches due to the nature of driving here. For those that are not familiar with Cairo driving standards...there aren't any. No rules, no speed limits, no lanes. It a mad, mad, urban lifestyle here where traffic moves at its own pace.

End of shooting: post-production underway

Above, an Egyptian donor shows his scar

Since my last post I’ve been occupied with a few things concerning the COFS documentary project. Let’s just say that I’ve been clocking in the hours and recently have felt my health decline as a result. But nothing serious, just migraines and the occasional fatigue that comes over me. These have been a result of my intense schedule over the past week or so. Basically if I haven't been sleeping, I’ve been working on this project.

I’ve shot a few other interviews since my last post, but nothing quite as shocking and dramatic as my last adventure into the rural outskirts of Cairo. The next couple of days I sat down with the director of COFS and drafted out several outlines for her vision of the film, making sure I had ample notes and comprehension on her organization’s motives, intentions and goals with the film. I also met the other interns, all Egyptian; a couple of them attend AUC. We sat down for several meetings and I helped explained my vision for the editing process and what was to be expected. The team is fantastic and all of them are eager and encouraged to be apart of this project. Several also have editing experience and will be contributing much needed help to the workload. I thank them for what they have offered thus far, and what left we have to do.

So everyday I have been spending on average roughly 10 hours a day in the lobby of the Marriott hotel. There we have set up a temporary workstation and is a good local meeting point for all of us. I began editing last Thursday and have slowly being assembling the rough cut. One of my main challenges has been language as 95% of the film has been shot in Arabic. Our main audience is an Egyptian one, so Arabic takes preference. However, we will be making an English version as well. This language barrier has slowed my process, but yet we have adapted. My great team of editors has stepped in and has helped me log footage and translate the important material that we will be using. I guess the added bonus to this project is that I will be learning some Arabic along the way.

But all and all, our progress is coming along. With shooting over, the four of us editors can concentrate all our energy on editing and work towards producing a quality documentary. I am excited for this project and will keep you all updated on our progress.

My battle with technology

Everyone strives to be different. This is a general truth that I believe can be said about most everyone. Sure there is such thing as role models, mentors, and people of noble character that are looked up to by the masses who seek to imitate and model after (even malicious people are looked up to as well). But in general I think its safe to say that we as humans have a tendency to be different, to be original and make our mark on this world.

It is in the context that I find myself at times in a struggle with myself; a struggle that consists of my need to be different and the emergence of social networking and communication in the twenty-first century.

I consider myself a well-rounded person, educated, and one who has a decent knowledge of my surroundings and those around me. Yet, more often than not I find myself taking the road less traveled. Those that know me I think will agree with me, as my life in the past 5 to 6 years or so has definitely taken a non-traditional path, as far as the born and raised suburbanite-American is concerned.

But despite my need to be different, whether it is intentional or natural, I have found that it is hard to live up to those codes of ethics when it comes to social networking. Many of you who know me well might know where I am going with this. I have a distaste for my younger generation and those that are being raised on text messaging, the Internet, portable DVDs, HD technology and information in the palm of your hand. Maybe its because I’m getting older and developing the early signs of ‘when I was growing up’ (16-bit video games, M.C. Hammer pants, trapper-keepers, pogs, push-pops, and the infamous bowl-cut hairstyle that ever middle-school boy had). Sure I’ve only been out in the ‘real world’ for six years and am not claiming some all-knowing and wise philosophy on life. But I’d consider myself and my generation as different from those that are at the moment in their early teens. Especially with how technology advances exponentially.

So with the many advances in technology and the miracle of Al Gore’s invention, we now as a society can do almost anything. And with that we have developed so-called social networking applications and programs that claim to make our lives more happy and convenient. This is where my struggle rears it ugly face. I’ve always been critical of the website myspace.com and all its egotistical tendencies. And when facebook.com came along, I too initially damned its existence and refused to do what everyone else was doing. But eventually I became interest in checked it, and low and behold!...I signed up.

Then blogging took off, giving each and every person on this planet the ability to voice an opinion to a massive audience. More and more similar sites developed out of these that have now connected everyone to…well everyone. And then with the creation of the iPhone and Twitter, all of this was compounded into a form of technology that made everything instant and important, all in the palm of your hand.

It is at this point where I would like to officially admit that I am on Twitter and blog (obviously) and while I don’t own an iPhone, I do think they’re pretty slick and think it would be groovy if one day I did.

Okay, okay. So this is the part where you the reader probably have caught me at my own hypocrisy and are now ready for me to reverse my ways and bow down to the social networking gods. But not so fast. My point here is as follows:

While I have my own reasons to hate much of these programs, there is a part of each of them that is intriguing and fun. A part of this is the fascination with new technology, part to do with our consumer-culture of staying ‘up to date’ with everyone else. Especially how much technology controls our society and that if you’re not ‘in the loop’ then you are less likely to succeed and as well market yourself. There is also the part of connecting people both for recreational and business purposes. Both with their advantages and disadvantages.

There have been several times when I was a mouse-click away from cancelling my facebook account for example, hoping to remain resilient in my ‘road-less-traveled’ ways and ‘need to be different’ tendencies. But in the end, I never did. The excuse I tell myself is that I have a lot of friends abroad and facebook allows me to stay in touch. This is true of course, as I have lived outside the States for 2 years, been involved in international programs for at least 4 years, and have a passion for pretty much anything international. So yes, I never cancelled my account primarily for this reason. But its not the whole picture.

When it comes down to it, I think it’s about separating yourself from the masses. I look at all those teenagers who have their own myspace, facebook, and blogging accounts and I think, ‘what self-absorbed, ego-maniacs’! Those children of the mid-90’s who, far removed from my generation, text, tweet, chat, and share music playlists. But we all do this. We all are selfish, have enormous egos, and really just want to be loved. So when we tweet, blog, chat, or broadcast ourselves over the World Wide Web (an ancient term used for the Internet that we children of the 80’s grew up with, and our AOL slow-connections that hogged the phone lines), we really are saying, ‘look at me, I’m important.’ I guess when that gets compounded with adolescence and teenagers, it just really irks me.

The Internet continues to grow and we just want to be noticed. Sure I tweet, blog, and facebook, though that’s the extent of my social-networking. But really all these programs are convenient and fun, and help make our lives easier and provide more opportunities. Their intentions are just and aiding in our lives, and of course lots of fun. I mean without them, you, my family and friends back home and abroad would not be able to check in on me. I can update you on my travels and adventures and likewise, I can stay connected with you and still be apart of your lives while away. These programs are innocent; it’s just how people use them that irritates me at times. It’s a love to hate and hate to love relationship. I’m grateful for these technologies and networking abilities, but I caution you not to allow it to take over your life to a point that turns you into nothing more than text on a screen. Meeting a friend for coffee, riding bikes together or getting outdoors is much more rewarding. Or travel, I do. Don’t confine yourself to an online profile; break free from the world of 1 and 0’s sometimes and take part in this world!

Day two of filming (Aug 15th): Yet another face of Egypt

Saturday I was sent out on my second day of shooting for the Coalition for Organ-Failure Solutions’ documentary. On this shoot I accompanied Amr, the COFS Field Researcher and Donor Advocate to a small village 30 minutes north of Cairo. After taking the metro to the northernmost stop, jumping on a microbus for a 20 minute ride, we arrived at Kafr Shbeena, a small rural community away from the polluted and boisterous center of Cairo. We were greeted by a donor, a contact of Amr’s and were led through the labyrinth-like streets to our first stop, a medical lab. Their, on behalf of COFS, Amr introduced himself and surveyed the lab. According to him, the lab was not up to standards and needed improvements before the Coalition was willing to work alongside them.

After departing, we were led to the first organ-donor’s house, a husband and wife, where they lived in a two-room house on the roof of an apartment complex. I use the word apartment complex, but in reality it was what one were normally expect for a poor, rural community; a shabby 7-story building made of concrete and brick. Their house, which I refrain from calling such as it consisted only of two rooms and an open-air rooftop space, overlooked the entire community.

Amr told me after leaving their house that their children, ranging in age from 2 months to 7, hadn’t eaten in two days, and their last meal was stale bread. Also, there was no refrigerator or beds.

The actual interviews did not take place immediately. Usually the procedure follows as such: Amr introduces himself, talks about the Coalition, their work, and what they stand for. Then he would explain the purpose of the documentary and why we wanted to interview them. This discussion took place on the open-air rooftop, amidst their two sleeping children and over tea. Some neighbors came by as they were intrigued to hear about Amr and his foreign friend (that’s me) and what we were doing in the village. From what I gathered from my poor Arabic and after talking to Amr after the ordeal, these neighbors also had information about organ trafficking and they themselves also had been donors. However, the argument was that Amr did not want to interview them on camera because they were criminals of a sort, had served time in prison, and ultimately would harm COFS’s credibility if they were seen on film. So after about an hour and a half, we proceeded with the interviews. I set up in what appeared to be their bedroom, the only other room that wasn’t their kitchen as it consisted of blankets and pillows on the floor, serving as their sleeping corridors.

Both interviews went as planned, first the husband, and then his wife. The husband at one point during the interview pulled up his shirt to reveal his scar from where they had cut to remove his kidney. The wife’s interview was a lot more distressing than her husband’s for Amr, as at one point he had to stop the interview because he started to breakdown. All I can say is that it was in this situation that I was fortunate enough not to know Arabic fluently to understand the procedures and horrific details of their experience. Not just the operation in itself, but their situation as such that led them to sell their organs for money. I just can’t fathom or understand those circumstances, nor put myself if their place to fully comprehend how one could make that decision. I will never know and only see secondhand the situations from which people like this couple deal with these circumstances, and sometimes have no other choice.

After completing our shooting, we left to meet up with another donor in the village, a man that makes small dolls out of metal and scraps of wood. Their hands are clappers, that when pushed, make a loud ‘clanging’ noise.

This is his living, a small 10in wooden and metal doll, dressed up with a piece of cloth; a child’s toy. I was told he sells a dozen of these for 5 Egyptian Pounds (LE), less than one US dollar. We also met his son, Muhammad, a 15-year-old mechanic who Amr gave a brief lecture about the importance of finishing school upon hearing that he wanted to withdraw and work fulltime. After 45 minutes of talking, it was apparent that this man did not want to go on camera with us because Al-Jazeera would pay him for the same interview. Although we may return in a couple of days once he agrees to follow up with an interview with us. So we departed and thanked him for his hospitality. I checked my watch; the face flashed 2:00am!

We then hopped in an auto rickshaw, those three-wheeled motorized bikes that are prevalent in India—the very same vehicle that Bill Murray was driven around in as a taxi in the opening scene of The Darjeeling Limited. That was an adventure in itself. We soon dismounted from our three-wheeled taxi and then caught a microbus and then a real taxi back home.

By the time I stepped foot back in my apartment it was 3am. I barely had time to collect myself and let what I had just experienced sink in. But now, after a semi-nights’ rest, the situation has sunk. I’m sure over the coming weeks as I continue to work on this project I will be exposed to more of this side of Egypt, a side that no tourist or study abroad student has ever seen or want to see. The experience in short was humbling. To see such poverty at such an extreme and to speak with those that live there was heartbreaking for me. On our ride back into Cairo, Amr and I talked much about this subject. He comes from a middleclass background and also feels these pains, but on a daily basis. I asked him how he did this everyday, for 3 years. He had several answers. Ultimately he did this work because of the opportunity to help others. But he said he would be lying if he had never thought of getting out of this line of work. I admired him. His courage, strength of character, and heart. I was thankful for Amr that night, and I knew this was his passion and was where his heart was at, as I had seen him breakdown during one of the interviews that evening. I also was grateful because he watched out for my safety as a foreigner in a remote rural village in Egypt. For the most part it is safe, but my presence in such a poverty-stricken community out past midnight worried Amr slightly. But only when he came to know about the criminals that came to inspect our work. Besides that, I was very safe and did not feel threatened (I mean that Mom, so please don’t worry J).

Another face of Egypt

Summer is winding down and the coming semester is quickly approaching. As well, the holy month of Ramadan is only a week away and preparations around Cairo are apparent. From the dates and dried fruits appearing in every aisle at the supermarket, to the festive lanterns being sold on every street corner, as well as the commercials for the many anticipated مسلسلات (Ramadan TV series, similar to American-soaps that play all month long), Ramadan is almost upon us.

But despite all the changes that are around the bend, I have found something to keep me fairly busy until classes resume. Recently I have been in contact with an NGO here in Egypt that combats organ trafficking and the exploitation of the poor and refugees as a source of organ and tissue supplies, the Coalition for Organ-Failure Solutions. The first and only NGO to combat this issue from a grassroots organization, COFS has just begin production on a documentary about this issue that they hope to make for the public and Human Rights Watch. I was contacted by their director in the States and have been selected to intern for them for the remainder of the summer as they continue shooting and gather interviews. Primarily though, I will be working as editor on the project, collecting and compiling the footage to produce the documentary. Sunday we are supposed to meet our team of editors and move from there, so by then I will have more information about how involved I am.

However, I can tell you that yesterday I started and was out on location in Nasr City (district of Cairo) to shoot some interviews at a Sudanese community center. Unfortunately the elders wanted another day among themselves to discuss how they would approach our project and what they would or would not discuss. We agreed. But I did get to meet many Sudanese and talk amongst them about their experiences in Egypt. Especially with a subject like organ trafficking, these conversations and interviews can sometimes get touchy as well as depressing. Their stories of struggle and unfair treatment can weigh on someone, but I did not encounter anything too horrible on that day.

Organ trafficking is a worldwide problem that goes unnoticed. They are most prevalent in poor countries where institutions and even individuals go out of their way to con the poor into donating an organ. From the perspective of the poor and those that donate, for them it is an opportunity to start a new life, acquire money at a relatively low cost; at least that's what most of them are told. However, in most of these cases the medical complications leave the donors in severe health conditions, that often have led to their death. Most that agree to donate are unaware of the complications and are tricked into these procedures that they believe are safe and reliable. From the medical and stance of those seeking organs, it is a way to get organs cheap and effective at a low cost without going through all the paperwork, or having to wait on a list for the next available organ. And for others it is strictly for profit, a way to sell and traffic organs on the black-market where they can make a small fortune. For more background information about this issue please feel free to visit the coalition's site at COFS. There is also a film directed by the great Steven Frears about this issue called Dirty Pretty Things (2002), which stars Audrey Tautou (Amelie, The Da Vinci Code and Hor de Prix).

Returning to the Sudanese community center, we unfortunately couldn't get any interviews that day, but we were invited to enjoy a traditional Sudanese meal. And oh was it delectable! There was goat, liver, fuul (beans), and some vegetables. Sudanese food is so tasty and full of flavor, even better than most Egyptian food (sorry to my Egyptian friends who read this, but its true). In any event, we departed after the meal, graciously thanked them for their hospitality and left. Kabir (the interviewer and country program manager at COFS and I then got a few exterior shots of 'ahwahs (Egyptian coffee houses) around the neighborhood. According to Kabir and COFS, these are prime places where donors are tricked into giving up their organs. After getting a few shots it was time to leave.

So over the course of the next few weeks we will be finishing up shooting, and begin editing. I will me mainly focusing on editing and I am very excited to get started. As the project develops and gathers more speed, I will kept you posted on my work and the film's progress.

A fellow and some camels

I've broken the news to several people already through a few mediums, but I thought I'd go public with the news formally, here at my blog site where I meet you the reader on somewhat of a regular basis. Recently, I was notified by the Middle East Studies Department at AUC that I have been awarded a University Fellowship for the upcoming semester. At the time of hearing the great news I had given up all hope of receiving any fellowships. I thought the dates had passed and I too had missed out, fallen to the competition. But I was wrong, a time when I was glad I was.

With this fellowship my tuition is almost completely covered, and included is a monthly stipend. I couldn't be more happier! Less money to borrow from good ol' Uncle Sam. As part of the conditions of my fellowship, I am required to work 12 hours a week in the department, either as a research assistant, TA, or some other position within the Middle East Center. As my thesis preparation is growing and I have to be ready to submit a proposal by next semester, this will increase my workload and cut what little time I usually have during the school year to almost zilch. But worth it. I won't mind the work aspect either, as it will give me more time around the center and face time with faculty. I will provide an update to the nature of my work when I found out more as the coming semester approaches. Wish me luck!

***

In other news, I've successfully completed my photography course here in Cairo. A great six weeks it was. I learned a lot, met some friends along the way, and heard some fascinating stories from my instructor who worked for Reuters for 20+ years. Now, with the course behind me and an eager mind full of knowledge and ideas, I head out into the world, seeking to capture images that will astound, inspire and touch others. Okay, so that was a little dramatic, I know. But I wanted to segue-way into my most recent adventure with camera in-stow: the Birqash Camel Market (برقاش). This was a unique place, one that I don't recommend for the faint of heart, those with a strong sense of smell, or animal lovers. But those that feel adventurous will definitely have an unforgettable experience.

Temperature topped around 41 Celsius (about 106 for those of you in Fahreneit land), but felt like 42 or 43. The entire market is sand and dust, stalls, and a few brick buildings where many find refuge from the heat. And the smell. That smell stayed with me for a least 24, if not 36 hours. Even after 2-3 showers. But I did enjoy myself there. Silke came along as well. The trip was apart of our photography class field-trip. We spent a good two hours there, and by the time we left had brought back to Cairo probably our weight in dust that had covered our clothes.

Take a peek of some of my photos of the trip. Even when I look back over these, I still can smell the stalls, the camels, and the entire place.

PHOTO ALBUM HERE

At The Movies

I've been to the cinemas here in Cairo on a number of occasions and every time I find myself forgetting I'm in Egypt, if even for a couple of hours. Not that I don't like Egypt or can't stand it here, which is not the case. Rather, upon leaving the theater I find myself briefly in a state of confusion and out of place as my senses remind me where I am. The element of escapism that movies have always provided me with since I was a kid has followed me into adulthood. I still remember as a kid always trying to hold on to those feelings long after leaving the theater. I became frustrated with my parents and friends when they started up conversations after the movie that had nothing to do with the movie we had just seen. It was as if I wanted to live in the experience and make it apart of my every day life. Anything else was futile.

Now 15 or so years later, I find myself still attached to that feeling. So much so, that when I leave the theater here in Cairo, my senses do a number on me, alienating me from my environment and causing brief feelings of confusion. By the time I collect myself and become aware of where I am, usually then I am left with a feeling of homesickness. I then must resist the urge of returning to that dark theater where I can get lost in another world again. If only we could live our lives through the silver screen.

***

One thing that I have enjoyed about the movie theaters here in Cairo is how they implement intermission during the movie, an age-old tradition that is absent from American theaters today. There's something nostalgic and classic about these intermissions, that seems to harp back to the olden days of drive-ins and double-features. Those old 1950s cartoon advertisements come to mind, the ones that convinced all of us to "go to the lobby." What simple and grand times.

Back in Cairo, I was irritated when the first feature presentation I sat down to in Egypt suddenly stopped and the lights came on, halting my visual journey mid-chase scene. I initially assumed there was some technical difficulties with the projector. But seeing how everyone around me reacted normally and left their seats, I eventually worked it out. By now after several repeated trips, I do believe the intermissions are growing on me. There is something to be said about getting that popcorn and soda mid-movie. I always struggled to make the popcorn last through the 30 minutes of trailers. If I was lucky, I might still have had a few half-popped kernels left for the opening credits. But now, here in Egypt, I have rediscovered the joy of intermissions and the days of movie-nostalgia of old. I am reminded of my dream as a boy (that I continue to hold onto today) to one day own a drive-in movie theater, one of those precious summer-night activities that sadly seems to be forgotten.

Enough Said

A friend of mine sent me this photo. Pretty epic.

Images from Cairo

As some of you are aware I am taking a photography course this summer in Cairo. I've created an album with a selection of photos I have taken on a Canon 30D. Check out my progress and some of my work here.

Cairo Refugee Film Festival

This past week Silke and I have been attending the first annual Cairo Refugee Film Festival. Lots of films, lots of hardening stories and experiences. There were some excellent films, and some not so excellent ones. But overall, a great collection. A list of the films we saw is provided:

This Palestinian Life: Film about people who persevere despite the odds stacked against them. The film documents specifically the aspects of perseverance or steadfastness of the Palestinian nonviolent struggle against Israeli occupation and the deliberate, ongoing, illegal annexation of Palestinian land. An Arabic term used for everyday acts of nonviolent resistance is sumoud – steadfastness, perseverance. In the film, Egyptian activist and filmmaker, Philip Rizk, tells the stories of Palestinian villagers who attempt to remain steadfast, to persevere, in the face of settler violence, the injustice and duplicity of the Israeli government.

Rightful yet Right less: Over one million Sudanese who escaped their war-torn country now live in Cairo. Under international human rights agreements, these refugees have the right to education, employment, health care, welfare and protection. But, in Egypt, they are right-less. This documentary explores the refugees' failed expectations, hopelessness, and despair.

Monkey Dance: Three Cambodian-American teenagers come of age in a world shadowed by their parents' nightmares of the Khmer Rouge. Traditional Cambodian dance links them to their parents’culture, but fast cars, hip consumerism, and new romance pull harder. Gradually coming to appreciate their parents’ sacrifices, the three teens find a balance between their parents’ dreams and their own.

Genocide in Me: An angry, tender and funny film, The Genocide in Me deals with the impact of the 1915 Armenian Genocide on the life of young filmmaker Araz Artinian, who has had to carry this legacy since her childhood. In this personal journey, Artinian, torn between her father’s passionate commitment to the Armenians of the Diaspora and her own personal needs, confronts the reality of living in a multicultural melting pot, and asks herself the universal question “Where do I belong?”. The documentary deftly weaves together 8mm film footage shot by the filmmaker’s grandfather from the 1940’s to the 1980’s in Egypt and in Canada, with riveting photographic archives of the Genocide, the filmmaker’s present-day video journals, and a deeply honest narration. Through moving interviews with the last survivors of this Genocide in the USA and through a risky trip to Turkey, Artinian goes back to the origin of her father’s obsession, an obsession born of the Turkish denial and the fear of losing the Armenian culture.

Arna's Children ARNA'S CHILDREN tells the story of a theatre group that was established by Arna Mer Khamis. Arna comes from a Zionist family and, in the 1950s, married a Palestinian Arab, Saliba Khamis. On the West Bank, she opened an alternative education system for children whose regular life was disrupted by the Israeli occupation. The theatre group that she started engaged children from Jenin, helping them to express their everyday frustrations, anger, bitterness and fear. Arna's son Juliano, director of this film, was also one of the directors of Jenin's theatre. With his camera, he filmed the children during rehearsal periods from 1989 to 1996. Now, he goes back to see what happened to them. Yussef committed a suicide attack in Hadera in 2001, Ashraf was killed in the battle of Jenin, Alla leads a resistance group. Shifting back and forth in time, the film reveals the tragedy and horror of lives trapped by the circumstances of the Israeli occupation.

New Year Baby: Born in a Thai refugee camp on Cambodian New Year, filmmaker Socheata Poeuv grew up in the United States deemed by her family “the lucky one,” fated to good fortune. As a child in the United States, she knew that her parents had survived oppression and genocide under the Khmer Rouge, but they never spoke of it aloud. Twenty-five years later in the suburbs of Texas, her parents make a startling admission, and the impact of the Khmer Rouge suddenly becomes very real. Impelled to confront and give human face to her childhood shadows, Socheata travels to Cambodia to unravel the mystery shrouding her family’s survival and eventual escape. Her voyage parallels her family’s emotional journey through a series of revelations: unimaginable sacrifice; promises made and kept; the fierce and solemn love for those who were left behind, and finally, one long unsung hero, a “Cambodian cowboy,” is unveiled. With disarming candor, humor and poetic animation, Poeuv’s debut feature resurrects memory and personal history to reclaim her family’s past, and what is easily a heartbreaking story also becomes one of triumph.

Giraffe in the Rain (animated): In Djambali, water is scarce, and what little there is, is reserved for the luxurious swimming pool of Sir Lion. When one brave giraffe attempts to tap into the lion's supply, she is caught and deported from her own country and forced to seek asylum up north. Fitting into her new home is not easy, especially when everyone around her is a dog.

Salt of this Sea: Soraya, born in Brooklyn in a working class community of Palestinian refugees, discovers that her grandfather's savings were frozen in a bank account in Jaffa when he was exiled in 1948. Direct, stubborn, and determined to reclaim what is hers, she fulfills her life-long dream of "returning" to Palestine. Slowly she is taken apart by the reality around her and is forced to confront her own anger. She meets Emad, a young Palestinian whose ambition, contrary to hers, is to leave forever. Tired of the constraints that dictate their lives, they know in order to be free, they must take things into their own hands, even if it's illegal.


[film synopsis provide by cairorefugeefilmfestival.blogspot.com]

Roadblocks to Peace

On Sunday Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a speech that claimed to offer steps towards peace with Palestinians. Let me be blunt and direct—it was not. While Netanyahu has struggled in the past to mutter any sort of phrase that includes both ‘Palestine’ and ‘State’ in the same sentence, his lips did make new ground on Sunday, but with dire costs that have only made peace talks all the more difficult.

In his call to Palestinians, he stated clearly “let us begin peace negotiations immediately without prior conditions,” but then contradicted himself by demanding that two things must be met in order for Palestinians to attain their own state. These were for a “demilitarized” Palestine, and recognizing Israel as the state for the Jewish people. How these are not preconditions, I couldn’t tell you. But what is more alarming is how he has been rarely called out on these regards, especially by much of the major media networks and press. Fox News chose rather to report on the White House’s remarks on the speech, saying it was “an important step forward for peace.” Other media outlets focused reports on the harsh reaction of Arab governments and their citizens, playing up the typical ‘Arab reactionary’ as irrational when it comes to negotiating, and as well the ways in which President Obama and the White House praised his speech as reported by BBC, which in reality they only welcomed some parts. Israeli’s too fell in line and praised Netanyahu’s speech, although many expressing feelings that it wouldn’t do much to assist the process for peace.

So does a “demilitarized” Palestine and recognizing Israel as the rightful Jewish home make sense for any sort of prospect for peace? Again, to be blunt and direct, no. A demilitarized Palestine? Really? Sure Israel as well as the US would like to see Hamas and other factions pull back from their efforts of violence. But a Palestinian state with no control of an army, or its air space is pretty extreme. What happened to the notions of sovereignty and every nation’s right to self-determination? Netanhayu’s pre-conditions set up a situation in which Israel will control Palestine’s own borders, restricting many aspects of its growth and ultimately making Palestine reliant on and vulnerable to its neighbor. I understand the threat of Hamas and other groups that seek to harm Israel, but a complete removal of all army personal and control of its own airspace is preposterous.

Secondly, the Prime Minister called for the recognition of Israel by Palestinians as the rightful home for the Jewish people. Is this sound? Again, to be blunt and direct, no. What happens to the 1, 400,000 Arab citizens living within Israel that make up 20% of the Israeli population? If the state they live in becomes guaranteed only for its Jewish citizens (which already it is as Arab Israelis are considered as second and third-class), what happens to their rights? How are they protected in a state that is based on race? The short answer is they aren’t. Besides threatening the rights and protections of the Arab-Israelis, recognizing Israel as the proper home for its Jewish people will also prevent any attempts of the millions of Palestinian refugees living abroad to return to their homes that they were forced to leave during the war in 1948. If Israel becomes a state for the Jews, then all those homes that were ILLEGALLY confiscated during and after the war will become Israeli property. Palestinians cannot agree to this, nor should they.

What Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has done is made additional roadblocks toward peace. Sure he has agreed to a two-state solution, but in addition he has forced new pre-conditions that have never appeared before in past negotiation attempts. As well, he has made additional talks more difficult by refusing to freeze settlements in the West Bank and his claim that ALL of Jerusalem will be Israel’s capital. Regarding the settlements, his speech barely touched on this issue, only stating that those settlements already in existence (which are ILLEGAL and violate human rights) should carry on as normal, whatever that means. He continues, “But there is a need to have people live normal moves and let mothers and fathers raise their children like everyone in the world. The settlers are not enemies of peace. They are our brothers and sisters.” Really? Actually these settlements stand in the way of peace, Mr. Prime Minister. And as far as living ‘normal’ lives, what about the thousands of Palestinian families? Are they living normal lives? Are the thousands of displaced and torn families as a result of your ILLEGAL settlements living ‘normal’ lives? You have no regard for your Palestinian neighbors and would rather see them armed so as to give you and your government continued excuse to carry out attacks and fire precision rockets over your ‘security fence.’ And to claim Jerusalem, all of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel takes no consideration of the 244,000 Arab inhabitants that make up Eastern Jerusalem.

In short, the Prime Minister's speech on Sunday was nothing more than a response to US President Barack Obama's Cairo speech that attempted to prove to Israel and its supporters that he controls the road that leads to peace. Yet his response was weak, in that he never addressed Obama's concern for Israeli settlements. Rather, Netanyahu delivered a keynote speech that told the world and his supporters that he had the reigns. His pre-conditions, rather than steps towards the possibility of peace, only have made talks more difficult and has given the appearance that it is only Palestinians and Arabs who refuse to negotiate. To the Prime Minister and all who support him, they see themselves as extending an olive branch. But the reality is that the olive branch they have extended is already burnt and destroyed. Of course the Palestinians and the Arab world have rejected his speech. And now it is up to President Obama to put additional pressure on Israel to change its attitude towards negotiations. Otherwise, we've already met a dead-end that will only bring about more death and destruction.


FULL TEXT OF NETANYAHU'S SPEECH

H1N1 in Egypt

On Monday, Ministry of Health officials issued a quarantine for the American University in Cairo resident dorms in response to two cases of students contracting the H1N1 virus, aka the swine flu. Since then 5 more students have been reported to have contracted the virus. All 234 people in the dorms were tested on Monday and locked in the dormitories.

I would just like to assure my readers, friends and family back home that I have not been affected. I did live in the dorms in the fall semester but moved out last January. However, I was at the dorms on Saturday with Silke and as a result was requested to get tested. Monday we went down with my roommate Jason, where we were instructed to proceed to the underground parking lot where they were issuing the tests. We were not allowed inside the dorms as it was under quarantine so we followed several workers to the parking lot and waited for the tests. As we entered, we were greeted by concerned faces, some anxious, by the Egyptian workers waiting in line. Some donned face masks, while others covered their mouths and noses. When they saw us many seemed to get nervous. We assumed they had heard that the original cases of H1N1 that were brought to Egypt by American students and at the sight of us, assumed anyone white and foreign had it.

By now I am used to getting the occasional stare after living in Egypt for 10 months, whether I'm downtown or at the local market where my pale complexion attracts merchants and shop owners. But these stares were different. In the atmosphere of a virus outbreak and in an underground parking garage, these stares were concerned ones, that had hints of fear at the sight of us. It was somewhat disconcerting, especially as the three of us were led to the front of the queue; our skin color obviously having a role here. I felt bad, and also unsettled by the whole situation. They checked our ears and then took a sample from our throats. And then we were told to leave. That was it.

The results of the dorm students came back before ours. These results brought the news of 5 additional infections. All are okay and are being treated in a nearby hospital. As for the three of us, we have heard nothing yet, and assume are okay, especially since none of us have any symptoms.

Summer classes have been postponed until June 12th, as well as all traffic to the university. The dorms are under quarantine until June 15th. This is terrible, but necessary. I have several friends in the dorms that are struggling to keep themselves busy. Watching their facebook status' I've noticed the boredom that has taken hold of their lives. Fortunately, Egypt has a great food ordering system that allows almost any restaurant to deliver their menu to your doorstep. The students in the dorms have been taking advantage of this. But as far as activities to make the hours past, its all up to their creativity. Most of these students are international students that have just arrived for summer Arabic classes. Not 1 week into the semester and already they have been confined to their living quarters. Their program is only a short 6-week program. Hopefully the quarantine and virus will pass soon so they can experience Egypt before they have to return home again.

Articles about the virus in Cairo:

Daily News Egypt

BBC

Reuters

Letter to the President

In light of US President Barack Obama’s visit to Cairo on June 4th, I have taken it upon myself to write him a letter discussing the context of his visit and my hopes about what he should address. His speech, originally intended within his first 100 days in the White House, is a speech directed at the Muslim world and its relation to the US and greater western world. This speech comes at a crucial time in his presidency as well as the current affairs in the Middle East. The Iraq War and its absence from US media coverage, the insurgency in the northwestern frontier in Pakistan to quell the Taliban, increased tensions over Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and the continual presence of US troops in Afghanistan, just to name of few. And then there is the Israel-Palestine issue. It is my argument that this conflict, which is not a religious conflict as many attempt to make it out to be, be the cornerstone of President Obama’s message to the Muslim world. To be a monumental speech, he must address this issue and lay out specific goals that show the Muslim world his true commitment to peace and lasting US relations around the Middle East and the world. I hope to spell out some of the key issues that I believe he should address, as well as advice that I feel is vital to the situation.


Dear Mr. President,

I am greatly looking forward to your visit to Cairo this June and wish to offer some advice to you about what should be addressed in your message to the Muslim world. I do not claim to have extensive knowledge of US foreign relations around the world, nor do I believe I have the ‘road map’ to peace. Rather, as a student and scholar of the Middle East who has lived in the region for almost two years, I have gained important insight and knowledge from being exposed to the daily life of Middle Eastern culture.

From this valuable position, I have also watched from afar US actions and decisions from another country and seen the reactions from the Arab world and the various opinions up close and from firsthand experience. One such example is the day you were elected into the White House last November, as well as your inauguration in January. In both cases I was overwhelmed at how much the perception of myself as an American in foreign lands had turned 180 degrees. No longer was I ashamed of my country and its past reputation. Rather, a renewed spirit of hope and change for a better future overcame me that day. I would recommend my blog post that commented on these feelings.

With this said, I would now like to share with you some thoughts about how I feel your speech should address the Muslim world, with particular attention to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Mr. President, in order to encourage increased and secure relations within the Muslim world, many things need to be done, but one stands out firmly for me: it is the position the US is in to put pressure on the State of Israel. Israel has existed since its creation in 1948 and has gone under tremendous modernization of its political, economic, and social structures. Just a century ago, this state did not exist and the region where Israel now stands was an Ottoman province that was slowly seeing the decline of Ottoman power as the First World War was coming to a close. The history of the state’s inception and its ongoing maintenance of stability is long and complicated and I won’t elaborate here. But what I do want to do is situate the US’s role in the Middle East pertaining to its stance on Israel and how the Arab world perceives this.

My suggestions for argument surrounding the US’s role in the Middle East and specifically the Israel-Palestinian conflict centers on the amount of aid the US supplies. At its inception in 1948 it made sense to help support the State as it needed the necessary funds and supplies to build a foundation for state-building (despite my views of Israel’s independence and the horrific methods it carried out to attain such an end). However, early US presidents were vary to give too much aid that would jeopardize the Arab world and provide the Soviet Union with additional opportunities to gain strategic influence in the Middle East. It wasn’t until the Six-Day War in June 1967 did US aid increase dramatically, and for a variety of reasons. From 1949 to 1965 average aid to Israel was around $63 million, mind you this is right out of the US taxpayer’s pocket. Then from 1967 to 1970, aid jumped to $102 million per year. Then following the Yom Kippur War in 1973, aid quintupled to $634.5 million (85% was military assistance). Today, Israel receives over $3 billion in direct foreign assistance each year. I ask, does it really need this much aid? And how does it manage to continue to receive so much? The ‘how’ to this question is much more complicated and would require a book to explain it (in fact there is one that I recommend: The Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy by John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt). But let’s look at why Israel receives so much aid and the arguments its makes.

The arguments made by Israel and its proponents in the US for continual aid and US support usually entail a) security means as protection against terrorists, b) Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East and thus should continually be a recipient of full-fledged US support and aid, c) both the US and Israel share core values and their interests are one and the same, and finally d) that these core values are based on a shared Judeo-Christian heritage. While I agree with most of these arguments, I believe that they do not hold ground anymore and are used by Pro-Israeli and Zionist efforts to secure relations and support between the US and Israel, ultimately with Israel’s interests in mind in order to continue to build itself up and expand into more Palestinian territory. I will briefly discuss later how this continual support actually does the opposite to what the proponents of these arguments claim, in terms of US interests and overall security in the region.

One of Israel’s main arguments for aid and support centers on their need for assistance to combat terrorism and those that seek to bring harm to their state and people. While this is a legitimate argument and I whole-heartedly agree that Israel constantly receives attacks from Palestinians as well as others, the amount of support and how Israel continues to play their victim card is grossly overstated. In the early stages of nation building, Israel did need support and funds. However today, contrasted to Palestinians and the state of their infrastructures, or lack there of, Israel has the upper hand when it comes to resources, aid, and a modern state. If any one needs financial assistance and support, it’s the Palestinians.

Another argument made by Israeli proponents for continual US support is that Israel is the only democracy in the region, and thus must serve as both an example and a ‘beacon of hope’ to the other degenerate Arab regimes. While Israel claims to be a liberal democracy, it however is not. Founded by Zionists and those members of government who wished to found a pure Jewish state, Israel does not offer equality to all of its citizens. Besides the third-class treatment Arab-Israelis receive and the ways in which they are thwarted from positions of power in the government or in any workplace, even fellow Jews are also discriminated within Israel. The Mizrahi Jews, or oriental Jews that were living in Palestine before European Jews (Ashkenazi Jews), upon the foundation of Israel, have since been treated as second-class citizens. The superior Jew, according to Zionist agendas, was the European Jew who was to migrate from Europe and the horrors of the Holocaust and settle in the homeland in Palestine. There might be other Jews already living there, but they did not go through what the European Jew went through. Also Zionists tended to view the Mizrahi Jews as closer to Arabs then to the European Jews. Anything to distant themselves from Arabs and those that happened to inhabit the land to which they would occupy.

Finally, the other argument that is made to secure US support for Israel is that both countries interests are one and the same and they share the same Judeo-Christian values. While Israel and the US may have overlapping interests, they are not one and the same and at times I argue, are conflictual. Ultimately Israel’s interests (and I stress its government) seek to maintain the lands that they captured in the 1967 War and some even seek to take all the lands of the Palestinians (these include many politicians that are still in power today). Other interests include security against terrorist attacks on their citizens, and the more common interests found in modern state institutions. The bottom line though is that while Israel claims to be on the same wavelength as the US, it in fact is not, and rather is operating just like any other state actor by having its own agendas and interests ahead of any others.

And as far as the shared Judeo-Christian values, while I believe both countries do share similar aspects in history, religion and culture, ultimately this should not be justification to support and aid a country at any costs, especially a country which continues to operate as a colonial-settler colony and displaces thousands of families. Zionists and members of the Israeli government use religious language to appeal to Christians in the US for support. While some of these connections may hold ground and reflect the nature of Christians and their relationship to Jews, ultimately this is just another strategy for Zionists to bring in additional support. The creators and founders of the state of Israel and their Zionist supporters were secularists seeking to establish a state in a land that was already inhabited. Through religious language and framing, they have and are continuing today to appeal to Christian pocketbooks.

Ultimately, it seems as if Israel is more of a liability than a strategic asset in the region. By continuing to support a country that expels people from their own land through a variety of methods, the US is headed down a slippery slope. Unless they can begin to put pressure on the Israeli government to cease their settlements in the West Bank, the US’s relationship with the Arab world will cease to hold any credibility.

There are several obstacles and challenges that may stand in the way of US actions to pressure Israel. One is the arena for open dialogue and public debate on the topic, in the realms of academia, politics and the media. Academia actually as a way to go. While most US institutions encourage debate and open dialogue, there are still sensitive issues that aren’t as open as some may think. One example is the perception of the department I currently am enrolled in as a Masters student. Many Middle East Study Centers in the US have been under scrutiny by the US and watchdog groups that claim that such centers are funded by Arab money and groups that are anti-Israeli and anti-US. These claims are usually bogus, but they tend to go far as they usually are pushed by Pro-Israeli lobbyists in the US. One such watchdog group is campus-watch.org, which is headed by none other than Daniel Pipes, the founder of the think tank the Middle East Forum. The website is a tool to review and critique Middle East studies in the US with the intention to ‘improve them’. Campus-watch.org is a site for university students to ‘monitor’ and 'report' on professors they find to be 'too critical’ on Israel. Ultimately, this site is used to intimate professors and restrict what is taught in the classroom. Sounds a lot like McCarthyism and the red scare to me.

In the realm of politics there exists many challenges. Really, it comes down to the Israeli Lobby that operates in the US. This isn’t some giant conspiracy of some few select Jews attempting to take over the US. Rather, this body of individuals and organizations operate to direct and influence policies that support and line up with Israel’s. Of all the lobby groups that exist, the Israeli Lobby is by far the largest and has the most influence. An example of their influence can be found during the 2008 Presidential Campaign. All candidates, including democrats pledged their support to Israel at some point during each of their campaigns. All of the presidential nominees knew that without appealing to the Israel Lobby, they would have many difficulties getting the nomination and vote.

And finally, the realm of the media has its own challenges too. The ways in which the media portrays the Israel-Palestine conflict is usually one-sided. Although the recent ‘war’ on Gaza last December illustrates a turning point in media coverage, especially by western outlets. The atrocities that occurred on the inhabitants of Gaza 6 months ago were seen around the world, and it seemed as if Israel could not hide behind their usual arguments of security and precautions. Their attacks were shown live across the world, killing innocent people. The death toll for Israelis by rocket fire was 13, whereas close to 1,000 residents of Gaza were killed, with over 3500 wounded. Most of these were innocent civilians. By no means were Israel’s attacks justified as matching the attacks by Palestinians.

The US media coverage in the past has tended to paint this conflict in favor of Israel. It is hard for any pro-Palestinian voice or coverage to seep through the cracks of US cable news. Ironically, it is within the state of Israel where Zionists control the media that coverage is balanced and voices from all sides are evenly heard. Yet the US still has a ways to go.

When it comes to dialogue and debate over the Israel-Palestine conflict, there is another aspect that serves as a challenge to changing US foreign policy. This challenge comes in the form of political name-calling. Any idea, person, or thought that appears to be not in line with Israel’s agenda, is usually labeled as ‘anti-Semetic’ or a Jew hater. Let me be clear here. Most residents of Israel and Jews do not partake in this. However, among politicians and academics, this form of slander is a common practice. With the Holocaust in one hand, the Israel government and hardcore Zionists will spew this term at anything that seems to disagree with their policies. There are so many things wrong here, it’s hard to begin. Primarily, these name-callers are assuming that Israel, Jews, Zionists, and Israelis are all one and the same and that everyone under the Israeli sun holds the same views and opinions of the nation; particularly painted with religious tendencies. By doing so they are able to claim anyone against any action made by the government as anti- Israel, anti-Zionist, and even more dangerously, anti-Jewish.

I refer to this sort of name-calling as debate stoppers. Terms like ‘anti-Semetic’, as well as ‘terrorism’ are words that tend to end a discussion or debate. These words are loaded words that get tossed around so loosely that they usually loose their original meaning. If they don’t loose their original definition, then they become loaded words that have multiple meanings that vary in context, making it hard to continue a debate. If someone is labeled as a terrorist, then the debate is over. But what doesn’t get done is correct defining of what a terrorist is, and how it relates to the context. The word and name-calling of an ‘anti-Semetic’ has similar attributes as ‘terrorism’.

Concluding, Mr. President, I would like to stress the urgency and importance of your speech to the Arab and Muslim world, which I’m sure you are aware of. But I would like to further stress the critical nature of the Israel-Palestine conflict and the baggage that comes with it. The number one issue for Muslims across the Arab world when it comes to US involvement in the Middle East is the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Pressure on Israel needs to take place, and the US cannot stand sheepishly aside while the Israeli government continues to receive billions of dollars in aid that they mainly use to expel more and more Palestinians from their land.

This is not a simple issue, nor will it be solved overnight. But you, Mr. President can begin the process the will see the end of illegal land confiscation (that continues to today), and return those lands that were stolen to those who originally tilled it. Your presidency has a tough road ahead, but you have the opportunity to turn the US image overseas around and change the way we are perceived by others. Mr. President, I hope you will take the necessary steps to bridge the gaps between the west and the Middle East and pave the way for a safer and brighter future.

Thank you for your time,

Sincerely,

Kevin Pruyn

(I would just like to follow up this post by saying in no way do I hate Jews or those that live in Israel. My anger and frustration that surrounds this conflict is directly mainly at the government of Israel and Zionists that seek to claim all the lands of Palestine for themselves, as well as those that continue to built settlements in the Occupied Territories, and those that think the creation of the ‘security wall’ is a good idea. I in fact have several friends who are Jewish, and I have had many rational conversations with Israelis about the situation that I have met on my travels. Ultimately, occupation needs to end and those that think the era of colonialism has ended are vastly wrong. Palestinians continue to live in horror and in a nonfunctioning state with little or no infrastructure. The Occupied Territories, the building of the security wall and the highways have hindered Palestinians’ daily life and added to the horrible condition of their livelihood.

A friend of mine spent a summer with a Palestinian family. You can read about her time there, as well as the conditions Palestinians face every day. Her site can be found here.)

Spring 2009 in the bag!

Finally, this spring semester has come to a close for me at the American University in Cairo! After 3 papers, an Arabic presentation, and an Arabic final, I have retired my brain to the back reaches of my closest, with the intention to retrieve it this fall. In the meanwhile, summer is here and its time to play...at least for a little while.

Tonight, Silke and I are off to Dahab, rather back to Dahab. In early April the two of us headed to the beach resort town on the Red Sea and basked in the warm sun. We had such a good time that we decided the day we got back to return as soon as the semester ended. And so we're headed back to the backpacker's diving haven in the Sinai.


A few papers from this past semester:

• Gender, Race, and Identity Construction in the Palestinian Dispossession.
  
• Hajj Amin Al-Husayni and the Arab Revolt 1936-39: Social and class differentiation as obstacles to self-determination.
  
• Occupation and Memory: Selective methodologies within bi-national historiographies
  

Summer Plans:

• Dahab
  
• Arabic courses at ILI
  
• Photography courses downtown through CIC
  
• Cairo Refugee Film Festival
  
• Lebanon/Syria trip
  
• Turkey?
  
• beat the heat