I would like to start this article by saying I am not Egyptian but consider it a friendly country to me as both an American and a Libyan. My time spent in Egypt includes family vacations dating back to the late 90s, on our way to Libya when Muammar Al Gaddafi was still in power to the 2000s, and my favourite experience, my wedding in 2016. I spent about a year there, as a wife of a business owner and journalist. This is significant because our story took many turns. We decided to leave Egypt for America as it is where we both grew up and felt most comfortable. A decision only time can test. 

There are many benefits to living in Egypt over America. The first is economic. You get more for your buck which means restaurants grocery stores and rent are cheaper. The second is cultural as Egypt tends to be more family oriented than the US. It is in some ways easier to have a sense of community whether you are employed or not. The third is weather. Egypt had less snow storms and rainy days but more sunshine and drier climates. 

The cons to living in Egypt vs America tend to be bureaucracy as it gets harder to navigate rules especially as a foreigner. Traffic is a big concern as it can take an hour and a half to get to work, which in and of itself has problems of its own.  Career limitations and favoritism in the workplace due to social class or family name is also a handicap.

In Cairo it’s nice to be around family and major tourist sites like museums and the pyramids. Sharm el Sheikh, Hurghada and Gouna aren’t far if you are craving a beach trip.  Arts and cinema are accessible to all members of society. When I was sixteen we went and saw the play “The Body Guard” starring Adel Imam and Raghda and directed by his son Rami Imam. I still remember what I wore- a red and white polka dotted shirt, white pants and white wedges. An Egyptian woman who knew I wanted to become an Actress growing up said to me “If you want them to like you, you must wear low-cut tops and big earrings.” I didn’t think much of this at the time but later when I grew up and worked in media in Egypt I noticed women had to play to men’s desires to get noticed. This creates a schism and form of hypocrisy in Egypt because Al Azhar mosque and institute, considered one of the most prestigious universities for Islamic learning in the world is the de facto rule of law even in educational matters. Religion in Egypt forms identity. Many women still wear hijab and live in conservative households. Tension is high when it comes to Egypt’s religious vs secular society. We saw this play out when Islamic-backed Mohamed Morsi was elected as the Egyptian candidate for presidency on June 30 2012. His term was cut short on July 3, 2013 when  he was ousted on July 3, 2013. 

It can feel dangerous to be a journalist or activist in Egypt as many are jailed. Most notably is activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, who was released by presidential pardon in September 2025 along with two other female journalists. 

In high school I remember my father telling me acting is too scandalous a profession and I should focus on something else, but these days it seems like the news is the real scandal. Being a journalist or outspoken citizen in the Middle East or America comes with its own form of peril- take for example, the assassination of right-wing media personality Charlie Kirk- a cold-blooded murder simply for speaking his mind. 

Growing up between multiple worlds you get this advantage of hearing more than one side to every story. Egyptian and Libyan friends that invited us for dinners over the years and talked politics had very different views than some of my colleagues and friends did on Israel and Palestine. The current media wave of diverse voices seems to point in the direction of Gaza being a genocide while Israel maintains it is protecting itself from Hamas terrorists. Egypt has maintained its stance of keeping the Rafa border closed while assuring the public it stands with Palestinians. Both countries have an interest in containing Hamas. For Egypt it is a matter of national security, and prevention of dissolving the Palestinian cause.

Many Arabs view Palestine in a romantic way, saying it is in our blood to support the oppressed and refuse to see Israel as anything but an evil occupier. This creates a sense of unity that was felt during the  Arab Spring in 2011. I was in Egypt and Libya then, witnessing the Tahrir uprising and Libyan revolution and active on X formerly Twitter. I began working with an NGO that allowed me to network and visit Tunisia and later Qatar. I spoke to BBC and wrote for The Huffington Post and the revolutionary channel Libya al Ahrar. To be clear at that time I was only twenty five and many of my views on life, love, and politics have changed greatly. For example, I am able to critically think about taboos and the idea of being with a movement just because it is popular. I am now 40, more distrustful of people and politics, a mother and a wife who knows wars are fought for more than just religious differences. We see this in Russia and Ukraine and Venezuela where a war over resources is developing.  
As an individual, you make and lose friends as a result of so many different factors. As a country, maintaining or losing a friend can be the risk of annihilation or a thriving  political climate. Despite the grief over loss of life and despair over war, Arab countries hold a deep regard for the sacred and respect for their ancestors, the stepping stone for all of humanity. Their stories- passed through generations- live within us. 

Kind Regards,

Yusra Tekbali