December 4, 2024

After Cairo I decided to do a little more research on the government of Egypt. The news is not good. The current government, a semi-presidential republic is led by Abdel Fattah el-sisi since he was elected in 2014. He is responsible for perpetuating the country’s poor human rights record.

In 2024, as part of its Freedom in the World report, Freedom House rated political rights in Egypt at 6 (with 40 representing the freest and 0 the least). Not a good score!

Egypt, officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and the Sinai Peninsula in the southwest corner of Asia. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Gaza Strip of Palestine and Israel to the northeast, the Red Sea to the east, Sudan to the south, and Libya to the west. The Gulf of Aqaba in the northeast separates Egypt from Jordan and Saudi Arabia. It is alarming that a country with such a strategic location in world events has such a poor human right record. I would be concerned that their loyalty is up for grabs to the highest bidder.

I decided to take a panoramic tour of Alexandria, a seaport city in Egypt, I had not visited before. The traffic congestion is worse than Bombay. There seemingly are no traffic rules, as buses, cars, motorcycles, tuk-tuks and horse-drawn carts create their own lanes.

I was surprised to see so many unfinished apartments. Buildings are not taxed until completed; many contractors leave the work unfinished for years. It must be disheartening for residents to pass by apartments they know they will never be able to afford.

But one photo in particular seemed to summarize my experience in Egypt.

A young couple rode by on a motorcycle — he wearing jeans and a T-shirt, she covered from head to toe as she tucked in behind him.

I wondered what she thought of a society that imposed such different standards for men and women. I wanted to ask her, but impossible to do from a bus window.

I know I see things through my red, white and blue American lens. Yes, I still yearn for more freedom for suppressed women throughout the world. But I realize the world is complex, and my goal in traveling is more to observe and learn rather than judge. Yet I know that sometimes we are quiet when we should be bold. Sometimes we take a seat when we should stand. Unlike the United States, in these foreign countries I am sometimes conflicted as to my role.

At the end of the day, Chongae and I took a walk along the seaside pavilion. I do not know if it is because of my height, because of my different complexion or the fact that I purposely wear colorful caps backwards so that Chongae won’t lose me in a crowd, but wherever we go children like to have their photo taken with me. They will approach Chongae making picture snapping gestures with their hands and virtually take my hand to prepare for the photo. Here are a few examples:

In those moments, all of my concerns were transformed as I held those Muslim children. Perhaps they represent a different future whereas the saying goes: “We can all live in Peace.”

Let’s hope so.

Thanks for traveling with us.