The Delta Project

Hey everyone -

Quick update: Morocco was grand, I took a little vacation in Italy on my way home, and now I'm in Jersey, living in what could aptly be described as "Hogwarts." Many thanks to Mom and Dad for driving me and all my stuff out. My sentiments are somewhere between anxious and excited for the semester to start.

I find myself thinking most days about the political transitions going on throughout the Arab world. Just under a year ago, I wrote several personal statements detailing that I wanted to study political transitions and reform in the Arab world. I had been living in Egypt and loving it, and I was ready to study the region and the language forever. Then the Arab Spring began. Now I find myself wondering if I shouldn't be back there studying the current transition on the ground instead of in a far off Ivory Tower. My current path is, of course, an amazing opportunity, and I don't regret enrolling in grad school. But I still wonder what I might be missing.

Excitingly, I can live vicariously through three of my former co-Fulbrighters who are traveling back to Egypt to document the current transition... except, unlike every major news outlet, they aren't doing it from Cairo or Alexandria. They're focusing on the region that claims a majority of the Egyptian population: the Nile Delta. They all lived in the Delta this past year, speak Egyptian Arabic, have good contacts in their respective cities, and will do a really fantastic job.

My friends are just looking for a little funding. Fortunately, the entire project shouldn't cost very much, and they're going to produce a book and DVD that will be available to funders at the end. They're also talking about setting up Skype interviews with schools or organizations that help fund the project. More details are here.

In less than a week they've achieved almost half their fundraising goal, and in the next two weeks they hope to raise about $3000 more. Let's make this happen! Also, just so you know, if you pledge money through this site but then they don't reach their goal by Sept 21, you will not be charged; the pledges will only turn into donations if the project moves forward.

Finally, if anyone knows of any organizations or grants that might fund projects like this, please e-mail me or leave the info in the comments section. Thanks!

Al-Akhawayn!

Part two of my summer Arabic extravaganza has started! Last week I moved to Morocco to enroll in Al-Akawayn University's summer Arabic program. Al-Akhawayn (click link to see wiki page of university and a picture) is a beautiful place. We will have class 5 hours a day, and apparently there will be about that much homework each evening. Hopefully it whips be back into shape before I head to grad school this fall - I fear I've gotten lazy in the past couple years. I will have a Moroccan roommate (don't know this person yet), and I don't have internet in my room, which should be great for studying but terrible for keeping in touch and staying afloat with world affairs. I promise to respond to e-mails, so please keep in touch!

Enshrining Bigotry

Minnesota’s recent push to vote on a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage is not a move to “let the people have a say,” it is bigotry in its most raw form. The best part of the debate is that the two sides are talking past each other when they don’t have to: attacking the Republican argument directly better highlights the contradiction therein.

Democrats have a host of familiar, and very valid, arguments. Voting on the rights of a minority is not appropriate. Lawmakers should be using the last weeks of the season to focus on the budget, not passing constitutional amendments targeting minorities (especially when there is already a state law banning gay marriage!). And when one Republican said, “People have indicated they would like the opportunity to define marriage. They don’t want to leave it up to the courts,” Democrats rightly retorted: That’s what courts are for - not allowing populist sentiments to target minorities. But if we dissect the Republican argument, we see it for what it is: an embarrassment to the great state of Minnesota, driven mostly by fear.

Republicans are coyly using populist rhetoric to get away with doing something very shameful. They know that the only time a state beat a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage was in 2006 in Arizona, where two years later a similar amendment passed. But such amendments won’t be possible forever, and the ones that do pass thankfully won't be around forever either. Public opinion is quickly swinging. That’s why there has been a mad-dash by Republicans nation-wide to stall the inevitable advent of marriage equality. Republicans know that the amendments aren’t passing by overwhelming majorities anymore, and that the number of people nation-wide who approve of same-sex marriage rises every year. CNN now reports that more than half of the population nation-wide approves, and this poll favored people with land-line phones - disproportionally older people who are more likely to vote against same-sex marriage. Republicans are running out of time to enshrine hatred. So they resort to constitutional amendments. Why? Constitutional amendments are more difficult to overturn than mere laws.

Republicans don’t just want people to vote on marriage equality (which is heinous in and of itself), they want people now to dictate morality to future generations. Republicans are arguing that people in 5 and 10 years don’t deserve the same “say” that they’re demanding now. In 5-10 years, the law would likely be overturned, either by popular vote or a court. Writing discrimination into the constitution will make it much more durable.

Most exciting of all, this amendment is a tacit admission that Republicans are on the wrong side of history. They see the momentum and know what's coming, and yet they're still choosing to stand on the side of hatred and intolerance, hoping to delay same-sex marriage for a couple extra years. They acknowledge that they've lost the war. Otherwise, they'd be more likely to trust people in 5-10 years to make up their own minds as to whether they'd like to repeal the anti-same-sex marriage laws.

Our nation’s courts – comprised of our country’s legal experts – are finally figuring out that LGBT people are an historically marginalized minority. People nation-wide are meeting LGBT friends and family members and seeing that they're totally normal people with the same motivations and life goals as anyone else. It's smashing our hetero-centric mindsets. And instead of welcoming this process – a process that recognizes that love is something to be celebrated, and that will inspire fewer teens to kill themselves every year – social conservatives are doing what they like doing most: subjecting their neighbors to their supposedly heightened sense of morality through legislation that will embarrass our grandchildren when they look back and wonder how we could have been so backward. Republicans in Minnesota aren’t motivated by "wanting the people to decide” – they’re driven by fear of the future, a rejection of loving families, and a distrust of legal experts. Minnesota, you deserve better. It’s time to say no to bigotry. It’s time to beat this amendment.

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A couple links:

A nice editorial from Winona, MN - not a huge town by any means. I'm impressed.


A republican law school professor who does not support gay marriage talks about why this constitutional amendment is still a terrible idea.


A MN Senator: "How many more gay people does God have to create before we ask ourselves whether or not God actually wants them around?"


Another scathing piece from the Star Tribune


Great summary of articles written state-wide - turns out ZERO editorial boards have come out in favor of this amendment, which really makes one wonder which "people" are asking for this to be brought to a vote, as one state senator keeps claiming.

GaGa's latest hit

Let’s take a break from Egypt. I could bore readers with tales of life here; seriously, my life isn’t terribly exciting: I go to Arabic class, study Arabic, spend too much time online, exercise (but not enough), and squeeze in quick trips to Cairo or Zagazig on the weekends (much to the chagrin of my perpetual intentions to Study All Weekend). Instead, I'm going to talk about pop culture.

Since first heading to the Arab world almost three years ago, I’ve become something of a connoisseur of all things stereotypically American. Things I never really enjoyed when I lived in the USA – silly comedies, trashy pop music, French fries, soda – suddenly became remnants of a life I missed and desired, even though I didn’t partake when I was there.

Partway through Peace Corps, one such obsession emerged: Lady GaGa. Poker Face mystified me. I still laugh hysterically every time I watch the music video for Telephone. She was “the next Madonna” with only a few singles released. Her songs break records instantly. I’ve studied, memorized, and analyzed her lyrics and beats, and gotten giddy waiting for new songs to come out. But some critics are starting to wonder if GaGa has already peaked.

Born This Way was hyped to be the anthem for our generation. ...I wouldn’t go that far, but I wasn’t as disappointed or underwhelmed as some, either. I found it catchy. It lacked the intentionally vapid quality of her other songs that always hid something slightly sinister – an ability to convey a message and an attitude while ostensibly just writing about fame, fortune and individuality. This was a quality I liked and respected in her music. But she branched out. Born This Way is a nice, feel-good song. It was perhaps just overhyped.

Some felt Born This Way was a remake of Madonna’s Express Yourself. I’m not sure that's true, or if it matters. Madonna has always been one of GaGa’s biggest inspirations, and GaGa has not apologized for it. Born This Way was something new too: it was, unquestionably, the most LGBT-friendly song to ever hit mainstream pop culture. I can think of no other hit song’s chorus that includes the word “transgender.” GaGa is still pushing the envelope, and I love her for it. Who cares if she was merely pandering to her base?

There seem to be two mainstream interpretations of Mother Monster and her relationship with her fans: that she is an artistic and musical genius who is decades ahead of her time and that anyone who doesn’t like her is a simpleton who doesn’t understand her; or, that she is a great marketer with fans who will gobble up any garbage she produces, and who will convince themselves they should like it. I guess I’m somewhere between these two camps. While I haven’t been blown away in a little while, I am certainly still engaged and impressed. (I hope she makes an acoustic album sometime – that girl’s piano remake of Viva La Vida is my #1 most played song on iTunes.) She amuses like none other. She keeps coming up with new ideas for costumes, grand entrances, and even wackier explanations for what her actions really “mean.” Some don’t make sense, but they certainly make you wonder if she’s a genius or if she might just be insane.

Judas, in my opinion, shows some of GaGa’s best qualities, but it also highlights some of the concerns people have expressed about her. It is catchy and edgy, beyond a doubt. Many people are already up-in-arms with a variety of analyses: is it a love song for Jesus from a Mary Magdalene who relates well with Judas, or a praise song GaGa herself is singing to Judas, or, perhaps a love song Jesus (one could be forgiven for thinking she’s comparing herself to Jesus) sang to Judas? And by love, she doesn’t mean, “love as a brother or sister in Christ.” The language is fairly explicit and sexual. And if you’re offended, “wear an ear condom.” GaGa is going to f*** with your mind, whether you want it to happen or not. All you can choose is if you want to get infected.

References to a sexual Jesus often aren’t taken well. References to a sexual Jesus from a potential male lover who betrays Jesus – that’s straight-up scandalous. This is not the first time it’s been done, but it's certainly the first time a pop icon wrote a mainstream song about it. She says Judas is merely the next step from Bad Romance – a story of being in love with someone who’s terrible to you. But her refusal to analyze her own lyrics further when there is so much ambiguity is a return to intentional vapidity with dark undertones, taken to a new extreme.

GaGa’s confession that the song is influenced by Bad Romance raises concerns: she might not be a true creative genius – heck, her songs already sound the same. (Seriously, there are some chord progressions that I know I’ve heard before and that lyrics from Bad Romance fit too well over.) That said, given her recent appearance in an egg and her new protruding cheek bones, I don’t think we’ve seen the last of this woman’s creativity. The other fear is that the fame is already going to her head and, if she wasn’t a little wacky to begin with, that she might be going truly insane. Only time will tell on that. For now, I look forward to Just Dancing several nights away to Judas and several other songs that will be released on her new CD next month.

Until then,
A Little Monster

I'm baaaaack...

I'm back in Alexandria, not with Fulbright, but studying Arabic privately. Couldn't pass up this opportunity to be back in Egypt during the current political transition. Holla now, ya hear?

Egypt, I already miss you...

A week ago, Fulbright contacted us and told us that we aren't being invited back... at least not yet. Things apparently haven't stabilized sufficiently. Granted, I'd feel totally safe in Zagazig, and I'd even love to be in Egypt during the current political transition - seems like a fascinating period - but the majority of the other Fulbrighters are in Cairo, which Fulbright (or the people Fulbright takes orders from) feels is still unstable enough to preclude our return.

I'm sad about this. I adored my town, my classes, and the UNESCO English club. I will miss these things terribly if we do not return. Unfortunately, it seems like the things Fulbright is concerned about are "uncertainty" and "instability" - things that don't disappear in the short-term. So, it's probably time I start looking for some way to pass the time between now and this fall when I hope to enter graduate school. I was thinking about heading to Damascus to study Arabic, but I'm starting to feel like this might not be the greatest time to head to a country in the middle east known for violently repressing dissenting voices. Morocco might be a better choice for the summer. For now, I may just stay in Chicago. This city is fantastic, and with some luck I might even be able to find some sort of temping gig until the end of May, when I hope to head to Morocco.



Dear Morocco,

Please don't go the way of your North African neighbors.

Love,
Carl

An Open Letter to Mssr Qaddafi

Dear Mssr Qaddafi,

I don't understand what you've been thinking these past couple weeks. You are going to lose. It's inevitable. You are going to go down in textbooks as a murderer. Or be tried in international courts for heinous crimes against humanity. Why condemn yourself to such a fate? You have seen the protests in your neighboring countries just swell in the face of government crackdowns; what makes you think that those in your country will be any different?

This interview with the BBC/ABC certainly was amusing, but do you even realize that everyone is laughing at you? Do you believe the things you say? Have you surrounded yourself with so many yes-men that you really think you are still serving your country well? That people like you? Or are you a straight-up liar?

What really scares me is that you seem to think that you can tell the international community that all your people love you, that there are no protests, and that the only people against you are Al-Qaeda members, and you actually expect us to believe it! Do you realize that this is the 21st century? Do you realize that half of your constituents have facebook profiles and phones that can record videos? Do you think that by simply denying the protesters' complaints and killing them they will go away? Because they won't. When you began your presidency, that might have been an option, but it isn't any longer. It isn't even a viable intimidation technique any longer. People will oust you. You're in trouble. I hope you realize this sooner rather than later - it's the only option that will avoid unnecessary killings and international shame.

Last week President Obama declared that the US would be willing to intervene in Libyan affairs if the crisis worsened. Mssr Qaddafi, this is big. Nobody likes a nation-builder. They're horribly unpopular. If a man who championed himself as the anti-nation builder is saying he'll intervene in your country if things worsen, you should know that you've done something terribly wrong.

So, what should you do? Well, you could flee. Oddly enough, that's probably your most dignified option. Sticking around, even on the off-chance that you might try instituting some reforms (which you won't) is no longer an option. You really might be killed if you stay much longer. And you won't die a martyr. History will view you as a tyrant who oppressed your North African nation. So seriously, just get out. You probably won't leave, which is dumb of you, but I hope you realize what you are condemning yourself and your country to by staying.

Cheers,
Carl

Mubarak Steps Down!

Congratulations to my Egyptian friends. After Mubarak's poorly received speech yesterday, he resigned a little bit ago. I'm a little surprised he'll be staying in Egypt. I hope he doesn't become a target for disgruntled protestors.

Let's hope the coming transition is peaceful and meaningful. ...I might return to Egypt yet! Again though, no viable transition is in place. The protesters have rejected the VP who is now in power (with help from the military). That said, the biggest rallying point was hating Mubarak. If he's out, things could return to normal-ish.

As I mentioned yesterday, this may mean more unrest for the region. Other countries in the Middle East/North Africa now have Tunisia and Egypt to look to for inspiration.

Ladies and gentlemen, the fun isn't over yet.

Egypt: A Preliminary Sorting of Thoughts

Since returning to the States, a number of people have asked me for any insider points of view I might have on the situation in Egypt. I've hastily brushed off all such requests. "How do you feel about being back in America?" Fine. "Do you think you'll return to Egypt?" I have no idea. "What do you think will happen next in Egypt?" Your guess is as good as mine. "Do you think this unrest will spread to the rest of the Arab world?" Not sure. Probably nowhere besides maybe Algeria and Yemen, but I was shocked when Egypt exploded as quickly as it did, so I'm probably not the best person to ask.

...but then something unrelated will set me off, and I'll go on an unorganized rant. I apologize to any friends who have suffered this mindless prattling. Again, I'm no expert on what's going on. My guesses on the future of Egypt are typically based just on anecdotal evidence and hunches. But in an attempt to sort out my thoughts, mostly just so I don't end up doing so verbally with friends (think "word vomit" from Mean Girls) I've decided to sort out my thoughts a bit each day with a journal entry/blog post. If any of you feel motivated to read my disorganized spiels, go ahead. I just can't promise they'll be worth much. Okay, enough qualifiers. Here goes nothing:

Today, I'd like to start with President Mubarak's shocking afternoon speech. After two weeks of escalating protests - tens of thousands of people are still pouring into Cairo's Tahrir Square by the day - Mubarak announced he would give a speech this evening. Most assumed he would step down. Top military officials in Egypt said that "the protesters have won." Even the head of the CIA thought Mubarak was going to resign. Instead, in an amazing show of defiance, Mubarak reiterated that he would stay in power. He promised to transfer some power over to the (not terribly popular) new Vice President.

Mubarak has often cited his "responsibility" to the country of Egypt as his reason for sticking around until the election in September. He frequently threatens that the region would descend into chaos without him, namely in reference to Israel. Scarily, one doesn't know how far off-base this threat is. Mubarak's regime receives a lot of money each year from the US to like Israel, and Egypt carries a lot of clout militarily and diplomatically throughout the Arab world. Egypt also is at the other end of a bunch of tunnels often used to smuggle arms into Gaza, and while Egypt has typically closed these tunnels as they've been discovered, these tunnels might become more tolerated under a new regime. Whatever democratically elected leader replaces Mubarak likely won't be as nice to Israel because, well, people in Egypt are really, really pissed off about the entire Palestine/Israel conflict. Last fall, even after a round of embarrassingly rigged parliamentary elections, most Egyptians I spoke with didn't seem too riled up about their country's political situation (which is one more reason I was shocked to see such grassroots anger explode in the past two weeks). Mention Israel, though, and you got a lot of impassioned Egyptians. I never really encountered much anti-Americanism during my tenure in Egypt. Unless one somehow started talking about Israel. Then people got irate and started yelling.

I'm not even going to try to delve into Palestine/Israel in this entry. Too hard. Too messy. All I'm going to say is that Egyptians are pissed about the mess, largely at Israel and, because of the aid we give Israel (nevermind that Egypt is the second highest recipient of US aid in the world, after Israel [excluding Iraq/Afghanistan as of late]), they're also mad at us.

So, how does the US respond to the current situation in Egypt? By doing just what we've been doing: acknowledging the protesters and affirming their complaints as legitimate, but by not saying much more. Why? Well, first off: the complaints really are legitimate. Imagine the grassroots anger that must have been present for a leader-less group of protesters to organize a million people, especially after the internet was cut nation-wide and cell phone reception blocked in Cairo. But Mubarak is digging in his heels. Part of Mubarak's speech today was dedicated to rebuking any outside powers that want to meddle in Egypt's future. We have no idea what kind of power vacuum would be created if Mubarak did suddenly leave office. Mubarak's days are numbered. But creating some sort of transitional government is the best way to ensure an orderly transfer of power. It may mean that the new government is largely a reshuffling of the old one. But maybe some decent political reforms (term limits for future presidents, greater autonomy for the Supreme Constitutional Court, more oversight and accountability during elections) can be snuck in in the process.

Furthermore, the United States has been rebuked for engaging in too much open nation-building as of late. It's horribly out-of-fashion. Making conclusive statements about who should or should not be in power is a great way to make enemies, especially when nobody really knows who will be in power in six months. It's also a great way to end up fielding the blame when the person we do endorse turns into a dictator. Furthermore, given the lack of leadership or organization in the protests, there aren't a ton of viable candidates to promote. So maybe staying silent-ish is the best option. Push for constitutional reforms with a nice mix of soft power and that multi-billion dollar aid package we throw at Egypt each year and hope for the best.

Unfortunately, this plan isn't helping the US's credibility with the Egyptian people. Since we aren't pushing for change, at least as outwardly as Egyptians are, we're seen as agents of the status quo. And if there's one things Egyptians do agree on, it's that the status quo needs to be over, yesterday.

When the protests in Egypt first started, some uninformed, alarmist reporters State-side (*ahem* Fox News) warned that Egypt could go the way of Iran. That's unlikely. Egyptians don't want that to happen. And I'm confident that Egypt's rather strong army would step in if the government in Cairo started resembling that of Tehran. Sure, power vacuums are scary. And the Muslim Brotherhood isn't a huge fan of Israel. But the MB isn't behind the protests. It's also not a monolithic block that is against all things democracy and Israel. Its leadership has even sworn off violence as of late. The MB is a highly complicated, multi-faceted organization and, as of now, it's saying it won't try to come to power at all. And even if the MB were better represented in future governments - which it perhaps should be, if the government is to reflect the Egyptian people's views - that doesn't mean that Egypt will be the next Iran. Again though, it could mean that a new regime is not as friendly toward Israel, which is unsettling because it could upset the precarious balance of power in the Middle East/North Africa.

So here we have it: a most intense version of the balance we try to promote with our foreign policy - democracy and stability. Nobody wants Egypt to descend into chaos. I would hope that even Mubarak doesn't want that, though given his nearly sinister response to the protesters starting a week ago (seriously, molotov cocktails? being thrown at peaceful protestors?) one can't be sure. I hope that he is just understanding the region's intense need for a stable Egypt. Sure, he's overstayed his welcome by using stability as an excuse. But he'll be gone soon. Given the response to Mubarak's speech tonight, I'll be shocked if he really does make it until September. Hopefully the protests don't get much more violent (...tonight might be scary after his speech). That all said, if Mubarak proves resilient, it may dampen the other protests in the region; if he goes, other countries might be inspired to pull a Tunisia. But are these excuses to keep a leader around when at least a million people are calling on him to leave? Will it hurt our credibility that he is assumed to be working with us? In the name of stability, do either of those questions matter that much?

All things considered, I really don't know what will happen next. I don't know if the region will plummet into chaos. I'd like to think it won't. At least not in the extremely repressive (Libya, Syria) or wealthy (Saudi Arabia, the Emirates) states. Again though, I didn't think Egypt would turn this violent, and I was obviously wrong there. Hilariously, Iran is siding with the protesters, while Mubarak is probably just hoping to re-enact Ahmadinejad's amazing ability to stay in power after rigged elections and nation-wide riots.

As someone hoping to study political transitions in the Middle East/North Africa, I must admit that the whole situation is at the very least fascinating. Before going to Egypt I remember lamenting that I would be there the year BEFORE the presidential election next September. I thought any interesting transitions would happen then. Good thing I'm not a professional analyst: I totally failed with these predictions.

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May 6, 2011
An end note: It certainly was interesting to go back and read this blog three months later. I hilariously mentioned Libya and Syria as places where the governments might be too repressive for protests to take hold. Totally wrong! :) This momentum isn't done yet, folks. We have interesting short- and medium-terms ahead of us in the Middle East/North Afria.

Again?

It's true: We've been evacuated. Is that verb supposed to be passive? I'm beginning to hope that "being evacuated" doesn't happen to me too often in life. Twice has proven plenty.

Fulbright informed us last Tuesday evening that we had to leave Egypt. After 84 hours of traveling and 2 lost bags, I'm back in Chicago, safe and sound. Fulbright will decide within a month if the situation has improved enough to bring us back.

I'd love to offer some sage insights about the current situation in Egypt, share some thoughts about what might happen next, or at least speculate about whether the Fulbright program will be reinstated. Unfortunately, my understanding of the situation is just as dependent on CNN as anyone's. I'm also hesitant to say too much on a public blog. I have no idea who will be in power in a month or how receptive this person will be to critiques of Mubarak's regime. However, given the chance to return, I hope to.

For now, please send your thoughts and prayers to the people of Egypt. The suffering in Tahrir Square - blocks from where my ETA companions and I lived during training in Cairo - the incredible damage to infrastructure, and the uncertainty surrounding the future of the political system there... very stressful and scary. All we can do is hope and trust that things will get better, eventually.

Jordan!

Fulbright brought all the ETAs (English Teaching Assistants) from across the Middle East and North Africa to Amman, Jordan for a four-day mid-year conference. The conference itself was nice. Uncle Sam put us up in a swanky hotel, gave us some money to spend (even though all meals were covered) and, using as many euphemisms as possible, encouraged us to drink with our fellow ETAs and share stories and strategies discovered during our first semesters as professors. We also attended a semi-professional conference by day, but like most public-sector trainings I’ve encountered, this was at best a bit underwhelming, and at worst a shameful waste of money. Enough ranting: I did have fun. Fulbright even let us stick around several extra days and do touristy stuff.

One thing that struck me was the amount of history such a small country can boast. We saw remnants of civilizations spanning several millennia. A favorite was Petra. One of the new seven wonders of the world, Petra is an ancient Nabataean city carved into rocks that you may recognize from an Indiana Jones set. Also impressive were Jerrash – a well-preserved Roman city – and an Arab fort used to defend against the Crusaders in Ajlun. We waded into the Dead Sea and dipped our fingers in the Jordan River where Jesus is believed to have been baptized. We tore across the desert in a Jeep to see ancient carvings (of dubious veracity), find shards of turquoise stones (ditto), and let our vertigo trip alongside gigantic crevices that descended deeper than my eyes cared to venture. Jordan is yet another part of the Middle East/North Africa with a unique, fascinating history. I highly recommend a visit if you ever get the chance.

Nevertheless, it was nice to return to Egypt. In the short 24 hours since returning, Nick and I have experienced Cairo’s smog, argued for what felt like hours with taxi drivers about fares, nearly died in rickety cars speeding across the Nile Delta and, most importantly, reconnected with friends in Zagazig who one would swear thought we went to America for several months instead of nearby Jordan for eight days. Egypt also has an impressive history, and over the next two weeks Kathryn Nishimura – a good friend from Peace Corps – and I plan to explore as much of it as possible. Updates to come.

On Security

As today’s other entry mentions, the Fulbright ETA crew headed to Jordan last week. One salient characteristic of Jordanian society is the apt security force. When we arrived in Amman, a suspicious metallic object was placed under the visas in our passports (tracking devices?), and we had to put our eyes up to something that looked like I imagine a retina scanner would. I didn’t really think anything of it – the security was for my safety, right? – until one evening when some friends and I experienced an odd quirk in the security apparatus.

Our third night in Jordan, before joining the other Fulbrighters at a local bar, two of my best friends here (Ella and Alex) and I decided to enjoy a bottle of wine in our hotel room. Lacking a corkscrew – we hail from Egypt, after all – we called down to the front desk and a man promptly appeared to open our wine. In the interest of not mincing words, let’s just say the situation could have looked... well, sexual, especially to someone from a country where girls don’t hang out alone with boys and most people do not consume alcohol. Even in Egypt, unmarried, opposite sex couples often aren’t allowed to share hotel rooms. So the situation could have seemed odd: two guys and a girl were sitting around in a dimly lit hotel room, listening to Kanye’s 808’s and Heartbreaks album (arguably his smoothest and slowest compilation), and drinking wine. Moreover, across the Levant nicer hotels are often venues for businessmen and politicians to host escorts. Our uncorking friend could perhaps be forgiven for assuming a ménage would soon be underway.

About half an hour later, Ella looked up and said that she saw the reflection from a mirror under the door. The mirror disappeared, and by the time Ella made it to the door the hallway was empty. I hastily dismissed Ella’s analysis of the situation – why on earth would there be a mirror peeking under our doorway? – and Alex and I suggested several possible alternative explanations: someone with metallic shoes had walked past, a service cart had rolled by, etc. Ella remained insistent for a moment or two before we all internally decided not to ruin the wine/music with silly debates.

Another half hour later, Ella pointed Alex toward the door, and this time Alex also saw a rectangular object peeking underneath, reflecting light from the hallway in a concentrated beam that caught different objects around our room. Alex started walking toward the door, the light disappeared, and by the time Alex was in the hallway our sneaky friend must have absconded into the service closet, elevator, or a nearby room. There was no uncertainty in either of their minds: a mirror had been placed to allow outsiders to see into our room. Upon closer examination of the door, we discovered that the bottom inch was sawn off (haphazardly, I might add) and that, if someone wanted to they could lay down in the hallway and see into the room. There were also mirrors placed in the entryway that allowed one to see nearly the entire room from the doorway. Lacking anything to conceal, we weren’t too worried about it; nevertheless we did finish our libations quickly and left, intentionally informing as many hotel staff as possible of our departure by asking inane questions about directions and taxi fares and whatever else we could come up with. Again, it’s not that we had anything to hide: Alex and I just didn’t want anyone deciding to enter the room when the lights were turned off.

And now, the burning question in everyone’s minds: why on earth would the hotel staff care even if we were having a threesome? I still struggle to wrap my mind around it. But the frequency with which the mirror appeared (every half hour) suggests that the hotel staff could not have been merely doing a routine check of every room in the hotel. Something was wrong with our room, and that something began when our friend opened our wine. In a conservative region of the world, perhaps sinful actions like threesomes are not tolerated by the government, or at least by certain hotel staffs. I’ve heard of opposition candidates in the Middle East being blackmailed with photos and movies taken in hotel rooms, so some level of surveillance isn’t entirely uncommon. Or maybe we just had a pervert on our hands. Yet one more mystery from our time spent in this region.

On Safety

A few people have expressed concern over my safety since the church was bombed in Alexandria last weekend. I just want to take this moment to assure everyone that I’m really fine. I mean, to be honest, it was a bit rattling – we had been at a nearby church a week earlier for Christmas Eve – but I’ve also been amazed by our Egyptian friends’ reactions. They’re as horrified as we are. Here’s a decent piece in the Times that shows the outrage.

I’d like to corroborate that piece with a personal anecdote:
Tonight is Christmas Eve in the Coptic Church. A year ago there was a shooting outside a church on Christmas Day. Tensions are high. After the bombing a week ago, there were reports that the Coptic Pope was going to cancel Christmas this year. Many churches are still holding services. In an amazing show of solidarity, many of my Muslim friends here in Zagazig are going to the Christmas Eve services. It's a nation-wide movement. The assumption is that nobody will blow up a building packed with Muslims. And then Copts can still have Christmas. This inspiring act shows the extent to which Egyptians will go out of their way for others. It’s an intense example of the attitudes Nick and I have encountered in Zagazig since day 1. No, we’re not Egyptians, we’re not Muslims, and while we do our best to peter around with Arabic, we’re certainly not natives. But it really doesn’t matter. The residents of Zagazig have smothered us with genuine care. They do more than just respect our differences – they embrace them, and us. In four short months, I’ve fallen in love with this town. And we still have five wonderful months left here.

So Merry Christmas everyone. Let’s all say a quick prayer for a safe evening.