Pyramids, camels, and sand dunes come to mind when people think of Egypt. However, these symbols became just minor details on my own journey within this African country…
Before my trip to Egypt, I served as a student ambassador with People to People for five years, and traveled to over fifteen countries. For my sixth and final trip, I wanted to do more than visit governmental buildings and take pictures next to popular tourist spots! I wanted to fully immerse myself in the country, the culture, and the typical life of an Egyptian; more than that, I wanted to create a positive change in the society I visited. As a middle class, Caucasian teen attending a private boarding school in one of the wealthiest counties in the nation, I have been blessed with a privileged life. People to People’s Global Youth Forum gave me the chance to fulfill the obligation I knew I had: to use all that I had been given, and to improve the world by helping people who occupy it with me.
During my travels to Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan, I participated in many humanitarian efforts. From boxing meals at food banks to visiting the mentally handicapped, I was able to assist people in ways that I had never experienced before. The most anticipated activity, however, was our People to People visit to the Awlady Orphanage in Cairo. My passion for working with children only catalyzed my excitement days before, but not even anxiousness could have prepared me for the emotional impact of finding joy among the destitute. Walking up the tree-lined street, I could hear the faint sound of children laughing in the distance. The white-picketed fence enclosed an Eden of swings, slides, and sand boxes. A picture of Cinderella had been painted on the side of a building. Although the temperature was hot outside, the orphanage gave off a new type of warmth that began in my heart, and slowly seeped throughout my body. When we finally reached the building, the humble, innocent faces of Egyptian children greeted us. The first thing I noticed was the smile each child wore. What is it about a child’s smile that makes a heart melt? We had only just arrived and already the children were ecstatic.
Leila was a six-year-old girl with wild, dark curly hair. Her eyes were dark chocolate, her nose was small, and her grin lit up the entirety of her face. Leila was the most beautiful child I had ever met. Without warning, she smashed her delicate face into my hip. “Opa, Opa!” she cried, flailing her arms upward as she giggled. I reached down to pick up her tiny body and placed her in my lap. From that moment onward, we were inseparable. We danced, we walked, we sang, we laughed. Twirling Leila around the yard made my day all the while I was trying to better hers. This little girl lived the grim beginning of a Cinderella story: no surplus of toys, no wide assortment of clothes, no education, no family. Leila’s story might not end with ‘happily ever after’, but I like to think that our day did. Spending time with the children and their governesses in Cairo made me realize how often I had gone through the motions of living without truly feeling. I realized how often I lost myself in the chaos of daily life. Those few hours with Leila and the children of Awlady Orphanage taught me more about myself than any class ever could… It took me seventeen years to realize how little my privileged lifestyle had done for my emotional state.
Traveling to Egypt was a rewarding experience. However, the moments I remember most are not about standing in front of ancient monuments, but the moments I spent serving others, and learning about a much worthier cause: true happiness.
- Amanda Bruening, GYFHC Delegate (Grand Blanc, MI, USA)
** Amanda is in the above picture (far left) at the Awlady Orphanage in Cairo
