Why did you come back?

“Back to my roots” – is the reason I left my home country Germany behind and moved to my country of origin Egypt. Without knowing exactly what my roots are I felt like this is the solution for me to fill the gap I had in my so called perfect life “Barra”. Indeed, it seems to make the impossible possible, things which can’t be reached in Egypt happen to be easily accessible. It seems like life begins there: High education, latest technology, hottest fashion, adorable products, democratic regime, social systems are in a frame of never ending liberty. This is the desirable place to be where nothing is impossible. Well that’s just one side of the coin and they are only partially right in the pursuit.

What people here don’t see or realize is that everything has its price. From my point of view the price they pay “Barra” is very high, too high for a long-term basis. It’s the price of losing values and morals as a result of this unlimited liberty and the “everything is possible” attitude. The society is about to be dimished as the oldest community of mankind “the family” is about to disappear. Every man and woman can be together and leave each other any how and at any time. Additionally, the immense strive for individuality absorbs the space of sharing, tolerance and flexibility which is essential to build up a strong and stable family, which manifests the growth of a healthy society. When everything becomes available and effortlessly attainable and values are not recognised anymore this is bound to happen.

 

Exactly this state of mind is what lead me to feel my other side, which I constantly tried to fight while growing up. That other side I recently discovered seemed to offer me the values I was longing for. Apart from many other reasons, the most significant one was religion, which at that point got more and more important to me filling the emptiness and coldness of my surrounding environment.

There is nothing nicer and more precious than the warmth and safety I feel when I hear the Adan on prayer times I tell the people here only to look in flabbergasted eyes wondering how come I even mention something so normal. We all take things for granted regardless where we live.

 

For myself I have taken a good decision. Certainly, having a porter who is there for you at any time or knowing that the "Ironing Man" comes without telling him or getting everything through home delivery makes me feel like living in paradise. And above all I discovered the most important opportunity in this city: to be a woman.

 

Nowhere did I see the multiple chances women have like in this society. Protected by the warmth caring of the family and respected at work as a woman doing a good job rather than a woman trying to be a man to get accepted paves unknown ways for women. The combination of working mum and stay-home mum seems to be not only possible but healthy for the family. If you don’t have your mum caring for the children you will find a sister, an aunt, a cousin or a nanny where your beloved ones will be looked after. Apart from all that what totally makes it for me is the combination of so many worlds in this city; Modernity and Tradition. "Barra" is about to become one with "Gua", may be this is not the reason I came back but it’s the reason I would like to stay, for these are the perfect conditions for me.