Students reach out to their families in Egyptphone with her family, anticipating the phone call for which they have been waiting all week. When the phone abruptly rings, the Judeh family jumps up and all grab for the phone at once. On the other line are their beloved family members in Egypt, and just hearing their voices makes the whole week better.
The recent Middle Eastern revolutions have taken a toll on thousands of Americans’ hearts and homes. Although the revolutions are happening over 6,000 miles away, the effects echo here in the US in the lives of their loved ones.
It is often times that family members in the US know little about their family’s situation in the Middle East when there is political turmoil. Senior Ali Mohamed has a hard time communicating with his family members overseas.
According to Mohamed, it was hard to reach his father in Egypt with the phone and Internet services cut off.
For most CHS students, feeling safe in their home environment is rarely an issue. However, in the Middle Eastern and African nations in turmoil, families have to be cautious whenever they step outside their front door. Mohamed’s father fears for his children’s safety in Egypt.
“My dad said he wouldn’t want his kids to be going out because of all the violence going on in the streets of Egypt,” Mohamed said.
According to Judeh, it has been scary for her family members who live in Egypt.
“They’ve had to stay at home for a while, not going anywhere that wasn’t necessary,” Judeh said. “Their schools are closed and the men have to watch guard at night because there have been many robbers and thieves.”
This dangerous environment has caused many families to not get involved in the chaos that surrounds them.
According to Judeh, her family has not taken part in the revolutions because they are too dangerous; they try to stay away from it as much as possible.
According to Mohamed, his father stayed with his aunt in New Cairo until the revolutions calmed down because it wasn’t as bad there. Junior Shimaa Makkawy’s family also tried to avoid the protests.
“No one that I know actually got involved in the chaos that happened in Egypt,” Makkawy said. “But they’re proud of those who did.”
With censored emails and phone calls and the inability to travel overseas, many CHS students and their families can do nothing but wait for the turmoil to end so they can finally breathe again.
“For us, all we can really do is just hope and pray for them that nothing bad happens,” Judeh said. “Now it has started to cool down, but it is still not safe, so I try to call my friends and family there every day to make sure everything is fine.”