Identity Magazine: Marwa Rakha's Special #Jan25 Revolution Coverage
March/April 2011
Sarah Naguib – Cairo
Frankly, I was curious. I wanted to see if the 'facebook event' and its RSVPS actually made it to the streets, so I packed my camera, lied to my parents and hit the road. As the day unfolded, I saw it was a reality, and every reason I could have fathomed came to the surface: I was fed up, I was frustrated, I felt suffocated, and I was scared. I was also angry at the violence, the corruption, and the police. I was done with it all. So I went out the next day and the day after that…and it became a revolution that suddenly I was part of.
I will never forget those moments when I was watching people die and their bloods spill, unwarranted, inhumane violence, and worst of all, it was the fact that I was watching, and I was helpless. Whether it was on the 28th of January, or on the 2nd of February and early hours of the 3rd of February – it all felt unreal! The sequence of events and the speed at which things deteriorated all belonged in a movie; I couldn't have possibly been living this nightmare. On top of things, with the media and telecommunication blackout, being disconnected from everyone and everything was so cruel. I was in a constant state of fear and panic and worry for 48 hours straight; no sleep and no food – just fear. I was scared for my life and my friends' and family and my countrymen – and my country, though I was so angry with my country, I was still scared for it.
And who could forget the President's speech on the 10th of February, after our hopes were high and our spirits soaring, we all crashed and burnt. Despite my efforts all day to keep my expectations low and draw up the worst possible scenarios, once the speech was delivered I started getting chest pains, I'm 25 years old!
My happiest moments happened to coincide with all the above – which was why this was all so crazy! You'd be scared, you'd cry, you'd be in shock, yet seconds later you'd be the happiest person alive because your friend turned out to be okay or because that phone finally picked up! It was a constant emotional rollercoaster, we were all seriously and continuously emotionally unstable for 18 days. But naturally, on the 11th, after listening to those 7 or 8 words (when the president finally stepped down!), my hands started shaking and tears started rolling and I was screaming and repeating it to everyone in the house like I was the only one in the world who heard the news.
I don't think I can sum up what I learnt, but some realizations will stay with me forever; I am proud, I am thankful, and I am happy to say that I am one patriotic Egyptian 🙂
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