Seeing people jumping out in front of cars in order to cross the road, dangling from overcrowded buses or waiting hours for the most trivial appointment doesn't bother Mladen anymore. He no longer complains, as he's adapting to what he calls ‘the Egyptian way'. Mladen Cucak is a Bosnian student, who has come a long way as a member of an exchange programme to spend three months in the Delta city of Zagazig with another 23 young volunteers. Although he has worked on several voluntary projects in his home country and in other European countries, Mladen's experience here is quite different. "It's unlike anything I've experienced before," says the 24-year-old student while digging a trench for a water pipe with his colleagues, as the local people look on in amazement. "I can't compare what I've experienced here with anything else. It wouldn't be fair." Being held in el-Sharqia Governorate this year, the Global Xchange (GX) Programme is adding a new edge to the already-rich experience of exchange, because it's taken its 24 hybrid volunteers into a city that has never been a touristic destination. That's why, wherever the young group go, they get people's attention. The programme, organised by the British Council in partnership with Volunteer Service Overseas (VSO) and the Youth Association for Population and Development (YAPD) in Egypt, gathers volunteers from Egypt, the UK, Morocco, Yemen, Holland and Bosnia. "It was pretty challenging at the start trying to cope with life here, but I've started to adapt and, when I go to the UK and then return home, I'll look back fondly on my time here," he adds. The young group – aged between 18-25 years – are spending three months in the main city of al-Sharqia governorate, which will be followed by another three months in Southwark, London. They are being hosted by families from the local community, to ensure that they live the ordinary life of the locals and to better integrate the local community into the exchange process. An eye-opening experience "I'm learning more about different parts of the world and even about my country," Eman el-Menshawi, 25, told the Egyptian Mail after finishing a lesson in the kindergarten where she teaches English. For Eman to take part in GX, she had to quit her well-paid job. Although the decision was quite hard and she was severely criticised for her choice in a country where unemployment is rife, she believes she'd done the right thing. "If I could turn the clock back, I'd make exactly the same choice all over again," she stressed with a smile. "We are just in the middle of the experience and I haven't left Egypt yet, but I already feel I'm changing. "I'm becoming a more independent, more open-minded person. I'd making a bigger effort to understand other people's point of view and I don't take things so personally, as I used to." Like Eman, Reda Taouri – a Moroccan volunteer – has left his job to join the programme. He too believes he has made the right decision. "You can find a job anywhere but you can't find such an opportunity for exchange anywhere," says 25-year-old Reda enthusiastically, adding that what touches him the most is the ‘Community Action Days', when he works in a school. In the course of the three months in the Egyptian countryside – which ends today – the group has interacted internally through what is called ‘Global Citizenship Days', in which they have discussed several global issues like climate change and globalisation. The team have also worked on the Community Action Days with a number of local NGOs and schools. "I never thought that teaching alphabetic would be so hard," Reda adds. "We have been challenged about how to break the barriers between us and the kids. We have come to realise that the results are much better with creative teaching methods." That's why the volunteers have also held workshops with teachers. "This will make the change more sustainable," he says hopefully. Living for others GX is being held for the third consecutive year in Egypt, though this year's version is quite different from the past two years'. It's the first time for the project to include volunteers from six different countries, as it's usually a bilateral programme between the UK and another country. This latest change has had a major impact on everyone. "I feel very fortunate to be here," says Masha Raifourak, a 24-year-old Dutch volunteer. "I was searching for an opportunity for voluntary work abroad when I spotted an ad about GX. It was just what I wanted and I've been developing since the moment I arrived here." For Masha, who's been in Egypt before, it's nothing new to be living and working with Egyptians. What is new is having Yemenis and Moroccans in her team. Moreover, she herself is a surprise for the people in Zagazig. "Although I've been here for almost three months, people are still surprised to see me in the street," she explains. "What I've felt in Zagazig and never in Cairo or Alexandria is that people are very close and they all know everything; news travels very fast here." For 23-year-old Yemeni volunteer Maged al-Nazari, in Egypt for the first time, things won't be the same, after what he has learnt here and what he's about to learn in London. This young man, who looks very Egyptian, is very pleased by the discussions he's had with his friends and colleagues. "We've learnt a lot about each other by working closely together, while talking openly helps a lot too. We've tackled issues like globalisaton and gender inequality. These discussions have been a big eye-opener for me," he explains. "Doing work for free is a new way of life," he adds. "For me it's a huge shift. I've discovered that living for others is more satisfying than I could ever have imagined." Creating global citizens Although it might seem that choosing a city like Zagazig isn't quite suitable – because of its more conservative nature and its lack of experience with tourists – the choice has an added extra cultural value, even for Egyptians. "It's a cultural educational programme for volunteers and people interested in development," Ahmed Samir, the Programme Supervisor, told this paper in an interview. "It's mainly about creating what is called a global citizen, who thinks globally and acts locally." Samir emphasised the strong interconnection between global and local issues, as, in their work in Zagazig, the team have witnessed the impact of global issues on the local community. "In Zagazig, we have seen the impact of global warming, allowing us to develop a global vision for local issues," he added. "When you understand what's happening round the globe, you can see your community better and can react more efficiently to its problems." Mladen, the Bosnian volunteer, agrees. He believes that seeing different parts of the big picture – like what he's seen here – has enriched his life and is something he'll always remember. "I feel like a sponge absorbing everything around me," he says. "I'd seen a lot of the Middle East before coming here, but this is entirely different. I'm now seeing in 3D; my perception of the world is changing." The programme that works in communities throughout the UK, Africa and Asia, has witnessed over 30 teams working in 15 countries. GX has added something to the city of Zagazig and its people over the past three months. But more importantly, it will leave an impression on 24 promising young people from different parts of the world, stressing their diversity and opening their eyes to their partners round the globe. The young cultural mix leave Egypt tomorrow for England, where round two starts.
