since mid 60s till 2003, 4 million Egyptians are living abroad, and from 2003-2008, 7 million Egyptian are living abroad; ya3nee the Egyptians who left Egypt in the last 5 years is equal to the ones who left it since October 73 war!!
ya tara leih? :( and what will the future bring?!!
Mohaly
Just take a moment and imagine Egypt with these extra 7 million people. It is chaotic as is (in my opinion) with approximately 74 million citizen residents and a growth rate is 2.2% each year - that count probably does not include visitors and tourists.
ReplyDeleteThe real problem is the quality of people who left. el nas elly bethrab heya el nas elly betfham. Brain Drain. ay 7ad with any potential beynfed begldoh, personally I have no friends left in Egypt. My friends are spread all over the globe. Starting the U.S & canada in the west to China in the east, Finland on the top of the world and Australia with the kangaroos.
ReplyDeleteEl moshekla el akbar en most of the Egyptians now are on hold 3ashan yel7a2o elly herbo. Koloh mestany forsa.
zaman, Egyptian were known to be nas mesh beta3et safar wala hegra this fact changed alot nowadays. We
I tend to respectfully disagree with you Shimaa.
ReplyDeleteIn this particular case, the population and population growth rate is the major concern for Egypt. It is pretty challenging to provide an even semi-decent services to that many people.
Plus, I am sure that Egypt has lots of talented people and great teachers which we will only be able to see and hear when we truly open our hearts and minds to listen to what they are really trying to say, but generalization and stereotyping do color our perceptions sometimes.
Actually I have a different point of view regarding the population in Egypt. I don't think population is a real problem as they tend to make it. If we have a problem it is an allocation problem. How this population is allocated, how this population is treated as a resource and how this resource is misused.
ReplyDeleteHaving these Egyptians scatered around the globe isn't the thing that will really help ease the population problem. They are still Egyptians unless Egypt has made secret contracts with the under-populated countries to be the sole producer of thier new citizens. And it is not only that we don't have as much brains left, "masr walada" as they say. But it is the fact that the trend is to escape Egypt. And one brain less should be counted a loss.
The problem ya Mona is that Egyptians are running away.
I hear you.
ReplyDeleteMy observation though is that most people who lived abroad for years and years ended up returning back to Egypt to enjoy the closeness and warmth of their families and friends, while bringing back new knowledge, skill set and wealth that could be used to enrich our society if well invested.
Just a thought!
It is dilemma.. Even on the personal level.. Although I decided more than 10 years ago to settle in Egypt and decline any tempting offers to work abroad, but from time to time I wonder if I am an idiot that I Think I can make a difference, or I am really part of positive change but I just can't see it now!
ReplyDeleteIf all the good minds left, who will drive the country to be better so that it attracts the ones who left again?!
Shimaa I aggree with you that Egyptains are "running away"
ReplyDeletelook around you in the streets mosh fe masr elgededa wel ma3adi plz laken masalan fe Ramses aw ay makan feh elnas betesta7'dem wasa2el elmowasalat el3ama wa 2olely law ay wa7ed balado redyetlo enoh yetsha3la2 fe bus betare2a elmometa deh mosh hayehrab leh
kaman as we are all know en lakadar allah law 7ad fa2er 3eyee fe masr haymot :(( bas noway mafesh ta2men se7y wala felos tab ma3 awel forsa mosh hayehrab leh
7ata even elnas ely mostawaha kawayes tab ana 3andy felos hamshy fe shaware3 mo2refa wa traffic wa aslan fe sho3'ly aw ay makan ata3al ma3 nas host of them dema3'hom 3'areba leh mafesh 7ad 3awez yetawar aw ye3mel 7aga wa law enty 3awza te3mely 7aga mosh hatla2y ely 7awaleky 3awzeen fa matahrabesh wa tela2y nafsek fe makan tany leh
elmawdo3 keter sa3b sakafet sha3b wa gasha3 7okoma wa7ed aw even 1000mosh haye3melo 7aga
about meyself I am looking to a chance to run away :))
Hello Mona
ReplyDeleteI can see your point that Egyptians abroad are a way to bring back different ways of thinking not only because they will evenually come back home because not all of them come back but also by the simple act of keeping in contact with thier homeland. Which isn't always a good thing, for instance Egyptians working in the gulf brought back the gulf's consuming habits, along the gulf's "3abaya" and version of Islam! Not that good I think :)
Mohaly I completely agree with you. If all the good minds left there will be no one left to make Egypt a better place.
Mai :)
ReplyDeleteBelieve me el wa7ed bey3mel :) even el sefr bey3mel, zeros are the thing that makes a million a number.
ya benty kol liel we loh akhier :) howa sa7ee7 me7tageen zarka2 el yamama 3ashan teshoof the light at the end of the tunnel but believe me there is a light there. El mohem e7na mashyeen to its direction wala la2.
mesh ha2olek e7na mashyeen in its direction le2n as far as I know en7na dakhleen fi el 7ieta :) bas if we all left we won't be having someone to turn the wheel into the right direction :)
Hi Shima2
ReplyDeleteWalahi kalamek gamel, bas let's say en elwa7ed momken ye3mel 7aga fe masr aw bara masr wa aho bara bardo hay2olo en folan masry 3amal 7aga bas elwa7ed yo3od hena wishing 2 be better it is so hard I won't spend all my life wishing
Mai,
ReplyDeleteThe grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.
Mona,
ReplyDeletesometimes the grass is actually greener on the other side of the fence.
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ReplyDeleteGypo,
ReplyDeleteJust read your comment 5 days late. I see what you mean. I guess what I meant to say that the package of challenges is different on the other side of the fence and the grass does not turn green by itself at no effort. People do work hard to maintain it.
Then maybe the secret lies in the soil itself!!
ReplyDeletemaybe the soil on the other side of the fence is more fertile:)
I totally agree with you.
Gypo,
ReplyDeleteI am impressed by your argument. It totally escaped me to think about the soil. I guess we could explore the concept of natural and artificial fertilizers at some point. Have fun for now.