Egypt posts record EGP629b primary surplus in 2024/25    EGP swings vs. USD in early Sunday trade    EGX launches 1st phone app    Egypt achieves record primary budget surplus of EGP 629bn despite sharp fall in Suez Canal revenues    Escalation in Gaza, West Bank as Israeli strikes continue amid mounting international criticism    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Resumption of production at El Nasr marks strategic step towards localising automotive industry: El-Shimy    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    Egypt, UNDP discuss outcomes of joint projects, future environmental cooperation    United Bank achieves EGP 1.51bn net profit in H1 2025, up 26.9% year-on-year    After Putin summit, Trump says peace deal is best way to end Ukraine war    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Jordan condemns Israeli PM remarks on 'Greater Israel'    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egypt's FM discusses Gaza, bilateral ties in calls with Saudi, South African counterparts    Egypt prepares to tackle seasonal air pollution in Nile Delta    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt, Colombia discuss medical support for Palestinians injured in Gaza    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt's govt. issues licensing controls for used cooking oil activities    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Egypt's Sisi: Egypt is gateway for aid to Gaza, not displacement    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Aliens amidst the chaos
Published in The Egyptian Gazette on 08 - 01 - 2013

When Hailey first chose Egypt to be the case study for her PhD thesis on tourism at the end of 2010, little could she have imagined what was about to happen. She was certainly taken aback by the revolution.
Like many non-Egyptians currently living in the country and who have witnessed the political developments since the January 2011 Revolution, Hailey Carter, a 29-year-old Canadian researcher, sees things differently from her Egyptian friends.
"It isn't only a political change, but people's personalities have also altered throughout the past two years," Hailey told the Mail in an interview. "They have gone through a number of phases and I have watched their development closely."
A first remarkable phase was that of pride and optimism, in which Egyptians were clearly hopeful.
“They wanted to talk about the revolution to everyone all the time," Hailey said, adding that foreigners were seen to be just as trusted as fellow Egyptians.
But this changed around June last year, with State TV broadcasting a series of ads urging citizens to be wary of non-Egyptians. These ads, which were subsequently withdrawn after critics accused the channel of encouraging xenophobia, implied that foreigners could be spies and talking to them might threaten national security.
This campaign triggered another change in the personality of post-revolution Egyptians. It unleashed a wave of skepticism against foreigners, causing a number of non-Egyptians a lot of nightmares.
"I felt like a possible suspect for a while," says Julian Brito, a Spanish teacher at an upmarket school. "The attitude of some people around me became very weird. It was nerve-racking."
Julian, 36, who has been living in Egypt for four years now, has developed a passion for photography.
At weekends, he likes wandering around the alleys of Cairo, snapping the places and people. Unfortunately, he had to give up on his passion for a while.
"It became very chaotic. People started to approach me, asking to see my identity and interrogating me, especially as I had a camera hanging around my neck," he explains. “I felt like an alien."
When asked if he ever thought of leaving Egypt at that point, Julian insisted that the idea didn't cross his mind, although it seems that many other expats think otherwise.
The number of foreign workers registered to work in the Government and public sector in the country decreased by 22.4 per cent from 870 to 675 between 2010 and 2011, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics.
European countries account for the biggest number of foreign workers in Egypt, followed by the Arab, then Asian countries.
Kristine Farrell, 62, a Briton who has been living in Egypt for 10 years, is more optimistic now than ever before about this country.
"People are ‘just vivid' and active," she says proudly. "In the area where I live, we didn't wait for the Government to deal with the garbage problem; we just dealt with it ourselves. It's the same with many other problems."
Kristine is impressed by the positive attitude of the Egyptians since the revolution. She thinks that this big event has left people yearning for change and believing they can do it.
Unlike Julian, she hasn't met the slightest problem for being distinctly non-Egyptian.
"People don't seem to mind anymore," she explains. "I live in a very traditional district in Old Cairo but it seems that no one notices my presence at all. I just feel part of the scene."
Some might argue that Kristine is bound to feel at home after spending a decade here, but some people who've only been here for a couple of months feel the same.
"Since the January 25, 2011 Revolution, I have visited Cairo nine times," Sebastian Fischer, a 30-year-old German event Manager, told this newspaper.
"Every time, there have been visible changes. I can tell that people are now feeling frustrated, while they have many different opinions."
Sebastian is not afraid of ‘the chaos'; indeed, he has taken part in a number of demos, most recently the ones in Mohamed Mahmoud Street last November.
But still he describes the scene in Egypt now as ‘polarised', referring to the clashes that erupted near el-Etihadya Palace between anti- and pro-President Mohamed Morsi protesters, coinciding with one of his many visits to the country.
“There is no conflict. It might look as if that people are divided among themselves, but I don't think that that is true," he says, adding that the conflict could be a kind of ‘camouflage' to distract the people.
“I'm still optimistic," Sebastian stresses. “I love Egypt and I believe it's on the right track."


Clic here to read the story from its source.