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American
University in Cairo
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In
light of the attack on the World Trade Center of September 11, 2001 and the U.S.
attack on Iraq, it seems that visiting an Arab country (much less living in one)
is out of the realm of comprehension for most Americans. Yet, despite the
general misconceptions that many U.S. citizens hold about the dangerous and
aggressive nature of the Middle East, more Americans are coming to Cairo to work
and pursue their studies.
Whether
finding intellectual value in residing in Cairo or appreciating a refreshing
change of pace from the “go out and get ’em” approach of America’s
competitive work day mentality, a large number of Americans find themselves in
Cairo for extended amounts of time. Several had studied at the American
University in Cairo (AUC) and have been drawn back for personal or academic
reasons, while others have come to Egypt to learn Arabic for their jobs. There
are also many Americans who find well-paying jobs teaching in private English
schools or writing for English publications. In any case, there is a large
community of Americans who choose to make a life for themselves (at least
temporarily) in Cairo.
Surprisingly,
and against the common assumption, the number of American students coming to
Egypt to study abroad has increased significantly since the World Trade Center
attack and even more significantly since the U.S. began a war with Iraq.
“There
is definitely a greater interest in the United States to learn more about the
Middle East and the Arab world,” explains Tomader Rifaat, the Director of
International Student Services at the American University in Cairo. Rifaat
succeeded in dispelling the common assumption that the number of American
students would be on the decline in light of conflicts in recent years.
She
also stated that there has been an increase of American students interested in
AUC’s Middle Eastern Studies program and the Arabic Language Institute (ALI),
an intensive Arabic language program at AUC.
Rifaat
said that she usually has about 100 study-abroad students enrolled every
semester, and so far she has over 135 enrolled for this coming fall semester,
and the application period is not even over yet.
“Students
see more opportunities for jobs in the U.S. government think tanks, et cetera
…for those with knowledge of the Arab world, Arabic and Islam,” explains one
American student in Middle Eastern Studies from Ohio.
“I
think it is all of our responsibilities to learn about the world and be able to
form our own opinions. In a world that is becoming smaller and smaller, I feel
like more people are making it a priority to be an active part of the world.
That is why I am here in Cairo,” says a part-time English teacher from
Michigan. “I also want to say firsthand that although tourism in Egypt may be
down in comparison to other years, it is not a reflection of Egypt’s safety
for visitors, but rather a reflection on American perceptions of the Middle East
as it is presented by the U.S. media.”
Rifaat
agrees that students feel “very safe” here in Cairo.
This
sentiment was also echoed by a journalism student at AUC: “I feel quite safe
and comfortable here in Cairo. A person from the West who has never visited
Egypt and doesn't understand what it is like here might say that I am deceiving
myself. I guess it is similar to trying to describe to someone that has never
been outside of Egypt that the U.S. is safe, when it is incomprehensible to
them, when they know that people are murdered, robbed and raped there daily.”
After
the attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001, only 15 American students
attending AUC left Egypt. However, Rifaat clarifies, “Out of those 15 students
who left AUC after the attacks of September 11, over 50% of them were forced to
leave.” And she adds that one student’s parents even came to Egypt from the
States and physically brought their daughter home.
On
a more positive note, Rifaat said that she did not have one single student leave
this past semester after the outbreak of the U.S. war with Iraq.
A
common observation made among many Americans is that Egyptians have a better
ability than Americans do at separating the intentions of individuals from the
actions of the governments of their country of citizenship. When asked about
their feelings about being in Cairo during the onset of the U.S. attack on Iraq,
students and non-students living in Cairo responded similarly. The general
consensus is that when the war began, no one knew what to expect, but after
feeling out the situation, they realized that they were not in danger.
“I
was a little scared [when the Iraq war broke out] because one does not know how
people will react. However, I did not experience any uncomfortable, dangerous or
threatening situations. Cab drivers and people in my neighborhood treated me the
same as always,” said one fair-haired and fair-skinned American primary school
teacher.
“I
felt a bit jolted,” echoed one sophomore of English Literature at AUC. “I
was afraid that we would be sent home. I felt only a little unsafe, but not
treated any differently; taxi drivers were actually more talkative.”
Trying
to educate and reassure friends and family back in the States seems to be one of
the biggest challenges for students and non-students alike living in Cairo.
“It
seems that there is a lot of misunderstanding between those Americans who have
visited Egypt (or other Middle Eastern countries) and those who have not,”
explains one returning graduate student of Middle Eastern History. “Most of my
family was apprehensive concerning my return to Egypt. None of them have been to
either the Middle East or Egypt, so it can get quite frustrating for me because
I don’t feel like they understand in the least, nor does it seem that they
care to make an attempt to understand by visiting themselves.”
Even
recent attacks such as the terrorist bombings in Saudi Arabia and Morocco have
not swayed one American AUC student’s feelings of personal safety here in
Egypt. “Since the two bombing incidents in Saudi Arabia and Morocco, I have
become more aware, but not in the sense that I fear for myself, but for the
region and the world, for something else will surely occur.”
When
it comes right down to it, people can sense what is going on and determine
whether there is danger. “Students are open-minded and can sense what is
happening, they can sense any antagonism,” Rifaat reiterates. “There is
none.”
