My wife and I were in Egypt last summer visiting friends during a great time. It was exciting to see how the people had changed in post-Mubarak Egypt. I would spend nights at Qahwas with friends who were present in Tahrir Square on January 23rd- the day that Mubarak stepped down. One friend told me that his wife was in labor at the hospital that day, but he was in Tahrir because he knew that his participation in the protests would bring his new daughter something better in this life. It was very inspiring for me to hear their stories as an American. For me it was as close to talking to the American Founding Fathers as one could get in this life. These Young Egyptians of the Arab Spring were debating about rights, government, the separation of Church and State, and openly criticizing the past regime.
My wife and I did not plan on visiting Tahrir Square because we felt that it was still to dangerous. However, when we arrived back to downtown Cairo in a bus from a day excursion, our friend Ahmed decided to take us to Tahrir Square because he said that "it was something that we had to see." I remember approaching the Square at midnight and I could see huge lights rising out of this square from blocks away; you could also hear the chants and cries of the people. As we approached the square, I noticed that it was still civilian policed- a man at a make-shift gate asked us for our passports, and let us in the square.
Tahrir was filled with tens of thousands of people that were made up of people from all walks of life. There were tents, booths, banners, and lights- once you entered the square it was like daylight. It was surreal to walk around, hear the speakers, and feel the exctiement- We were in Tahrir! The center of the Egyptian Revolution!
We returned home, and the next morning my wife commented to me, "Ryan, Tahrir was not that bad- why don't we go back today and go in the Egyptian Museum?" I thought that sounded like a great idea. We called an Egyptian friend, and we went in his car down to Tahrir again in order to go inside the Egyptian Museum. We stayed in the Museum for an hour and a half. When we came out of the Museum, Tahrir square had erupted. It was complete pandemonium. People were running with sticks, propane tanks, and banging on anything metal as if to sound an alarm. The problem was that our car was on the other side of the square, which meant that we had to cross directly through the pandemonium. We went to the edge of the square and argued with the gate-keeping civilian to let us through. He finally obliged, but told us to run fast!
I'll never forget the what I felt and saw as I grabbed my wife's hand and began running through Tahrir Square. All around us there were thousands of protested sprinting back and forth as if they were mobilizing for an onslaught. Then as I looked up one of the main streets, I could see the Egyptian police and special forces marching up the road with their riot gear and tanks. The sound of their marching resonating in the square, and the people were lining up to face them with their sticks and propane tanks.
We got to the other side, entered the car, and we were able to speed away without harm. With Tahrir behind us, I had a chance to think about the road that the Middle Eastern people have ahead of them as they strive to make changes that produce real political development. May God guide all sides so that the outcomes of the Arab Spring produce better governance for the Arab people.
My wife and I did not plan on visiting Tahrir Square because we felt that it was still to dangerous. However, when we arrived back to downtown Cairo in a bus from a day excursion, our friend Ahmed decided to take us to Tahrir Square because he said that "it was something that we had to see." I remember approaching the Square at midnight and I could see huge lights rising out of this square from blocks away; you could also hear the chants and cries of the people. As we approached the square, I noticed that it was still civilian policed- a man at a make-shift gate asked us for our passports, and let us in the square.
Tahrir was filled with tens of thousands of people that were made up of people from all walks of life. There were tents, booths, banners, and lights- once you entered the square it was like daylight. It was surreal to walk around, hear the speakers, and feel the exctiement- We were in Tahrir! The center of the Egyptian Revolution!
We returned home, and the next morning my wife commented to me, "Ryan, Tahrir was not that bad- why don't we go back today and go in the Egyptian Museum?" I thought that sounded like a great idea. We called an Egyptian friend, and we went in his car down to Tahrir again in order to go inside the Egyptian Museum. We stayed in the Museum for an hour and a half. When we came out of the Museum, Tahrir square had erupted. It was complete pandemonium. People were running with sticks, propane tanks, and banging on anything metal as if to sound an alarm. The problem was that our car was on the other side of the square, which meant that we had to cross directly through the pandemonium. We went to the edge of the square and argued with the gate-keeping civilian to let us through. He finally obliged, but told us to run fast!
I'll never forget the what I felt and saw as I grabbed my wife's hand and began running through Tahrir Square. All around us there were thousands of protested sprinting back and forth as if they were mobilizing for an onslaught. Then as I looked up one of the main streets, I could see the Egyptian police and special forces marching up the road with their riot gear and tanks. The sound of their marching resonating in the square, and the people were lining up to face them with their sticks and propane tanks.
We got to the other side, entered the car, and we were able to speed away without harm. With Tahrir behind us, I had a chance to think about the road that the Middle Eastern people have ahead of them as they strive to make changes that produce real political development. May God guide all sides so that the outcomes of the Arab Spring produce better governance for the Arab people.
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