With all the unrest and rebellion in Egypt over the last few years, I cannot say that I wasn’t worried about taking my family there last month.
Below are several reasons why I decided to go:
1) I
had been there previously in 2007.
2) I
was treated very well and much better than I expected 6 years ago.
3) I
wanted to contribute to an economy that desperately needs to keep their tourism
flowing.
Many American friends warned me not to go or showed great
concern. I understood their feelings as most had never been to that part of the
world, so their only framework was from TV or the news.
Upon arriving in Egypt, the passport guard
wasn’t pleasant and asked me sternly, “Where is your home country”. I
said Sweden
as I am a Swedish Citizen, although that is not the answer he wanted. He asked
again. This time I said the United
States. He let me through but never took
that scowl off of his face.
I didn’t let his spirit deter my spirit as I figured he must
be having a bad day.
Our time in Egypt
couldn’t have been better other than the temporary sickness of one child –
something many families experience in Egypt. The men (only saw a few women workers) once
again treated me as if I was one of them, often saying “You look like Egyptian
man” or “We love Obama” or similar wording.
Everywhere I went at the resort, I was greeted with a smile
and often engaged in stimulating conversation. One guy told me that he has
worked 11-12 hours a day for the past month, although his demeanor couldn’t
have been more positive. He also said, “The first chance I get, I will leave Egypt”, after I
inquired about his desires in life.
The trip provided much needed fun in the sun for my wife and
kids as the resort was terrific! The conversations were always interesting and
gave me great insight into this complex country.
I hope to see Egypt for the third time, sooner
rather than later.
Happy Gswede Sunday!
