Tahrir Square Today!

Their demands? To put Mubarak and Senior Regime on trial. I think it's a reasonable demand, don't you think?

In other news... Ah France, when will you stop?

Peace.

Times... they are a changin...

Hello friends,

 (photo credit: Inge Warga)

They painted the sidewalk of the famous pyramids street in Egypt's flag color, they are having seminars to educate the regular people (like myself) about political issues, the constitution...etc


New emerging Egyptian lingo (copied from twitter): Positive:
Enta Gamed Tahrir = you're Tahrir cool.
Waheshny mozaharat = I miss you as massive as protests man.
enta gamed 25 haga = You're awesome like 25 jan.

Negative:
Enta wad agenda = You're an agenda dude.
Enta fakes Kentucky = You're Kentucky shameful.  (you know coz the government was giving out KFC boxes to bribe pro Mubarak protesters)

 ***

I definitely feel like I'm missing out. I do feel like my humble contribution is taking care of my family, especially my slowly-stress-recovering-babes. We are staying with my in-laws in Madison/WI for the time being, everyone here has been more than wonderful, changing their lives and routines to accommodate our family. We are truly blessed.
My husband is honoring his one year teaching contract and flying back to my free Egypt tomorrow... I am jealous, sad, excited and nervous all at the same time. He is looking forward to experiencing a new Egypt (although we still have a long way to go) and re-uniting with his post revolution students.

So my girls and I are hoping Egypt will accept this very small offer (big to our family) of staying with out our rock for the coming five months. I would fly back with him in a blink, if we haven't been hopping three continents for the past two weeks. The girls are the ones who are suffering at the moment and they need to settle down.

So here are some shots from our settling down process:

Peace.

Fallen heroes

Let us take a moment amidst all the celebration to remember our fallen heroes. 300 killed and 5000 injured. The death toll keeps going up. (amongst the fallen is an 8 year old boy)
Please recite al fatiha for their souls, may God give them the highest ranks in paradise amin.

Egypt remembers.

Peace.

Jealous

I am still on Cairo time. I haven't changed any of my devices to U.S time yet. I left my heart there last Wednesday. And I am really jealous of all the people back home experiencing this historic moment. All my friends (even nursing mommies) and cousins are there, at the heart of Tahrir square... waiting. Mubarak is to speak in a few hours, and rumors have been circulating since last night that he'll be stepping down tonight.
Pray with us. Pray for a better Egypt. Pray for our freedom.



And pray for peace...


***

....and he spits on our faces!

News and Links

To all you lovely people who have been following my crazy little world recently, here's one more crazy news for you. We are back in frozen land, where your eyeballs can actually hurt from sub zero winds hitting your face... and I thought I was never going to see snow this winter, ha!

We once again hit the skies and after a sixteen hour flight made it to the opposite side of the globe,  to America's heart land. The girls are jet lagged and happy if the two dare mix, the grown ups are jet lagged and relieved. So...on with today's revelotion links, 'cause you know I'm Egyptian 'n all, and if fate would allow it, I would be at the heart of Tahrir Square in a blink of an eye (well maybe more like a sixteen hour flight plus stops plus another four plus some rest, then voila.)


Today's article pick is revolution logistics... just in case you're curious.

Today's youtube inspirational video is *Wael Ghoneim's interview. You need to speak Arabic for this one, but if you don't, I'm pretty sure his energy and sincerity still crosses language barriers. Here's a very good piece about the interview in English.

And finally my music pick of today is this:




***

Completely off point. I received a couple of comments on how to follow my blog. Here's how:

On your left hand side of the screen, on the very top of the blog page you will find the following: A search bar for blogger, followed by a 'follow' button that you can click on if you wish to follow me, followed by a share button... etc. I hope this was useful. (btw once you follow me, you will not see it on my blog page because I don't display my followers. I find it to be awkward to show off the people who want to read my updates. I hope you are not offended. That's just how I roll*smile*)

Pray for Egypt.

Pray for peace.

***

*Wael Ghoneim is Google's Middle east executive. Got abducted on Jan 28th by the Egyptian police, and was kept blindfolded in isolation for twelve days until his release two days ago.  After his release he spoke on an Egyptian Satellite channel to inspire people and tell his story/ the revolution's story. Right after the airing of his interview, Tahrir square witnessed the biggest turnover since the beginning of the revolution.

Update:

Just realized the English Wael Ghoneim article has an English subtitled video of the whole interview. A must watch.

Awesomeness!

Protesters break into song in Tahrir square last night.


Eighty year old *Nawal El Saadawi still rocks it!

*an Egyptian feminist writer, activist.

Pray for peace.

What are Egyptians at home saying

I am posting this so you get a feel of Egypt through the majority of it's people not in Tahrir square but in their homes. Waiting... exchanging opinions on Facebook.

I never thought a day that i would be pushing a baby out and hearing gunshots at the same time would ever exist...

prefers freedom over a false sense of security or so-called stability.

It would be a great honour for the people who were brutally killed in the past week when they peacefully vocalised their opinion, when we are able to say: it was because of them that we stand here today, free to express our thoughts and opinions

Now that all media and foreigners are out of Tahrir, what do they have planned which they don't want the world to see? Should people reconsider?

 Scared for what's going to happen tomorrow....

mohammed hossam didn't come back since yesterday from tahrir square plz if u know anyone in tahrir square and can look for him plz do and call his sister May Hossam 0111434341
share plzzz

YES to Reform, YES to true Democracy, and NO NO NO to Resignation. Thank you Mr. President for letting us live in peace for 30 years, I have no idea what the word "war" really means because of You, Thank you for not letting a foreign country set their base in Egypt.Thank you for not leaving us in such hard times. You came to office as a hero and will leave as a hero. Please accept ALL my appreciation and respect..

A response to the above from another friend:

Mubarak didn't serve the country for 30 years. The country served *him* for 30 years. Call things as they are.

 I'm about to go in labor!! is this guy for real..hawlid khalas!!! JUST STEP DOWN.. Can I sue hosni for triggering early labor?

So proud...so very very proud!

 

Pray for peace.

A tribute...

for my brothers and sisters rising right now in Egypt and sister countries:


Pray for Egypt. Tomorrow is the March of Salvation Friday. May God protect the people marching tomorrow.

Pray for peace.

Save your brothers in Tahrir.

Don't be fooled by Mubarak's speech. Don't be the reason for lives lost in vain.
Read this:

Egypt right now!

Pray for peace.

I hope you read the link before it got suspended.

Robert Fisk

Please read: Robert Fisk: Blood and fear in Cairo's streets as Mubarak men crack down on protests.

Pray for Peace.