Making of “A Family´s Collection”

Going into Elrazaz: This summer, I lived in Cairo for seven weeks. During this time, I met the NGO, Life Makers, which took me to a community called Elrazaz. This neighborhood is surrounded by trash filled mountains and dirt roads that seem to never end. Brown-brick houses stack next to each other, creating an ongoing […]

LIVING A DIFFERENT EGYPT

Friendly people, delicious Arabic food, peaceful deserts and spectacular ancient architecture are a few things today´s media fail to mention when talking about Egypt, where half of the population protested against its recently overthrown president, Mohammed Morsi. But it was precisely the people, delicious food, peaceful deserts and ancient architecture I experienced for the seven […]

A photograph’s connection

On May 30, 2013, I visited the Mosque of Amr ibn al-As, the first mosque built in Africa. I went along with a few colleagues of mine who were also international students on an internship in Egypt; our internship consisted in visiting different places inside and outside Cairo. On that day, after walking around the […]

What are you up to, Egypt?

The last six weeks that I have been living in Egypt, the ambient has been frantic due to Cairo´s nonstop city life; however, despite the daily chaos, life in Cairo has been safe and tranquil. Yet, since my arrival I have discovered the unrest of half the population in Egypt toward its current president, Mohammed […]

Al Moe´z Street: discover Cairo

If you are traveling around Cairo, a must-see area is Al-Moez Street, one of the hidden beauties in the city. It is the oldest main street in Islamic Cairo, and holds several mosques established in the Fatimid era, which served as schools, hospitals and an orphanage. The first mosque on the street is Al-Azhar Mosque, […]

Kids from the block: Nasr City

First time I interacted with Ahmad Hatem, 14, was at the convenience store below my apartment. I was trying to communicate with the owner by making hand movements as if I were a bee since I wanted to buy honey. I had found a golden jar which appeared to be honey, but by any means, […]

Taxi!

My everyday transportation consists of sweaty and sometimes crowded taxi rides around Cairo; puzzled looks between the non-arabic speaking passengers and the taxi driver, as well as various hand signals trying to show train stations, restaurants and traffic signals, such as right, left and straight. My roommates and I have had unusual conversations in broken […]

Elrazaz

CAIRO-Elrazaz is an isolated community within Cairo. It is only a few blocks away from several main streets, but manages to maintain its own identity. The over one million populated region represents a lower socio-economic section in Egypt’s’ society. Dirt roads filled with trash lead the way to run-down brick houses and unsteady doors and […]

Walking down Cairo

CAIRO- Over a thousand years old, Al-Azhar Mosque, was established as the center of culture, as one of the firsts universities in the world. Today, hundredths of people visit this temple to pray and study Islam, and create a daily unity that promotes knowledge and belief. Photo: Constanza Gallardo

Number Eleven

After living two weeks in Cairo and going up and down the elevator several times a day, I have gotten used to the sudden thump as the small lift decides to move. The first day I saw the elevator, my heart stopped for a few seconds. It barely fits five people, but in Egypt, you […]