Nomad LaFo Local stories from an Egyptian ophthalmologist, Youth activist and Traveler!

As an inhabitant of El-Menoufeia which is the home city for the Ex-President Mubarak, we weren't involved in politics at all; most of the public sectors & governmental managers belonged to it which created the gap between the city and both the other governorates' inhabitants & the opposition!

When we heard the call for the time of change, I travelled to near city called Quisna -a nearer city to Cairo- seeking for supporters & discovering the surroundings but it was disappointing seeing everyone is at home even after I asked many of my city friends to travel to Cairo, but it was also useless!

Then we decided to protest here in the streets supporting the revolution in Cairo, but like I said before, this is the home city for Governmental Leaders not for the opposition! The demonstrations were quickly stopped & political activists were arrested preventing further calls for protests here.

It was a must then to travel to Cairo in the 1st call for a "Million demonstration", but it wasn't also that easy to get there!

They stopped the Railway stations between Cairo & other cities; geographically isolated!

Travelling by our own cars was also unsafe due to lack of security in the streets between cities!

Then I called many of my friends till we managed to be 20 persons to travel in a bus protecting each others in case we had an attack in our way where we heard calls from people & other drivers to return back our home as the road is closed; but it was fake warning!

When we finally arrived at Cairo, we took the metro station where we found they prevented it from stopping at El-Tahrir Station but we decided to walk on our feets, It was a non-stopping target seeing all the passengers shouting "Long Live Free Egypt" , it was a moment to remember!

When we finally reached El-Tahrir Square, we met there different standard of livings when we felt how it was great to be an Egyptian for the 1st time!

After they cut the Internet Services, they also forced the Mobile Networks to stop their service so we couldn't contact each others when we get lost among the people there; socially isolated...but Yet We finally succeeded to make it.

It was a really big adventure to face all these obstacles to reach a place in your home country you have been able to reach in only 2 hours in the past!

PS: I was about to write "Journey in a Known Culture with an Unknown Language!" when I travelled to Italy and how hard it was to walk alone in the streets asking for places in English & most of the Italians can't understand nor speak it which pushed me to look at the map then asking by the name of the places in Italian which didn't find its way also as my pronunciation was wrong also!!! But I chose the other topic due to its importance worldwide now.