To Paris, the city I love.

I was traveling last week to France where I have spent almost a week.

I can't express my feelings, going there back again after several years since my last visit in 2018. I didn't anticipate that I'll fall in love again with Paris. I didn't realize that I have been missing it, until I was there roaming in the streets. It is like meeting with an old friend, remembering old feelings, rediscovering the city. This may be my 7th time to visit (the longest was around 3-4 weeks, the shortest was few hours for transit) but it feels like I have been there forever. I was not feeling like I'm a tourist or a stranger, it was more like back to my old backyard. It's very strange to have such a connection with a place that I haven't visited that often.

The best part of it was the connections I had during this week which is something I haven't experienced since a very long time. 

Meeting colleagues for the first time face to face after so many years meeting virtually, getting to know new people and feel the power each one was bringing to the group.

Meeting family and feeling the sense of belonging.

But mostly, spending quality time roaming the streets and chatting over nice meals, feeling that nothing else matters but living the present moment. I can't remember when was the last time I had experienced all this. What started as an outing for an evening, turned into something more than just a dinner with a friend. I have enjoyed all the walking, all the sight seeing, all the talking and all the discussions about anything and everything.

I remember in one of the discussions, we talked about having (out of necessity) or choosing to move to another country. I remember my answer was I don't mind living anywhere as I can easily adapt but it's not that easy to leave everything and start over if there are no work plans for example. What I didn't mention is that there could be other reasons to decide to move (it is not all about work) and when the time comes, I wouldn't mind to live here for example.

One of the proud moments I had was when attending a light show about the Pharaohs of Egypt. It was on a Sunday morning so it was full of children who were excited to see it. I wish that in Egypt, all children would feel the same, that we teach everyone to be proud of our heritage and learn from it. This is coming at a moment where we see the authority in my country doesn't care about the heritage and destroying old places like mausoleums and old cemeteries instead of taking care of these old sites and develop them to be accessible for all. 

It's making me sad to see in Egypt all the destruction of trees and gardens to make way for larger streets and bridge without thinking about the right of people to live a better live and have access to the greens. 

Another turning point was attending a small gathering in solidarity for Lebanon, but also for all countries suffering war and turmoil. No one can imagine the huge impact of this on people. We can talk all the time about the human rights, the respect of life, the right to be safe but unfortunately the more we live in this world, the more we see injustice and disparity. Those who have money, have power, and those who have power can do anything they want without being judged. I know that God will judge all at the end, but this is not enough. Sometimes I try to imagine how my life would have been, if there were no wars in my 2nd home country (Iraq). I would have the opportunity to spend time with my family, getting to know each others, having a lot of memories with my grandparents and cousins (instead of some pictures). I may be lucky I didn't grow up there during the hard times, my life would have been different but still it feels sad that part of my life was altered due to these wars. Still, what's currently ongoing is far more worse and I can't imagine what people may be feeling trying to stay alive. How can we have a better world when there is more hate and destruction? How can we preach to be civilized and educated when we witness these barbaric actions? and for what? I really wish to witness the day when all this ends and everybody lives in peace but I know deep inside that this day may not come anytime soon.

Finally, I would like to thank my friend who without knowing it, has impacted me deeply. I realized after I returned back home, that I have regained parts of my old-self, I have found the passion that was lost in the way and looking forward to do again the things I used to enjoy.

And here I'm, back to my blog, writing about my world and I hope that this time, I can keep it up a little bit longer like I used to do.

Cheers to the new decade (old post from January 2020)

I was about to write a new blog, after several years of stopping writing anything.. and found this post still in the draft.

I know between the time I wrote this and now a lot has happened... but I'll publish it as it is since I guess this was my intention to reflect on what I have lived and what I thought at the time.

I know there are a lot of other important moments I have lived and maybe it was still in the draft because I wanted to add more. 
And as I'm adding photos to show a glimpse of these moments caught it time, I found others that probably I would have added if I worked on this post for some more time.

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It's the start of a new year, of a new decade.. It has been long time since i stopped by to write. Maybe it's time to come back to writing among other things I'm trying to restart in my life.

Since we are celebrating the start of the 2020's. I thought it's time to remember the great moments marking the last decade (now that sounds a big a word).

The main highlight would be, welcoming new members in our family, the new generation Alpha and of course welcoming my niece Rita.

Travel has been a big part of my life, reaching country #40 last year. I have been to many places in all continents. It's really difficult to pick the best city or country because each place has its own charm.

The top moments (not in a certain order):

• Swimming with Ray fishes and small sharks in French Polynesia in the pacific (furthest place I have been to in my life) - Dec 2016

• Attending a rocket launch in Cap Canaveral (Aug 2019), 20 years after seeing the first rocket Ariane 4 in Kourou, French Guyana and missing the launch due to weather conditions (1999)
  
  
  
  
  
• Attending the holy mass with Pope Francis on Copa Cabana beach with estimated 3 Million people - July 2013
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  Hiking in the mountains of Sinai - 2010
  3 photos from 3 different places (El-Galt El-Azraq, Serabit El-Khaddam and Abbass mountain)
  
  

  
  
  
• Visiting Gaudi landmarks in Barcelona - August 2011
  
  
  
  
  
• Visiting Foz de Iguazu falls in Brazil and Argentina - August 2013

• Traveling alone on vacation hopping from one city to another in Italy - August 2012
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Traveling 1000km by bus from Florence, Italy to Riga, Latvia - December 2016
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Watching Federer play live in Montreal's final in his perfect 2017 season although it was just his 5th match he lost that year (lost to Zverev). I reserved ticket for the final as I had arrived the night before so this was the only match I could attend and I just hoped he make it till the end.

• Attending matches in the Philippe Chatrier at Roland Garros - May 2011
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Obtaining the MBA. It has been 2 hard years, running around the clock, running around Cairo from one side to the other, pushing for the extra mile not taking stops (taking 2 summers and 1 winter in between the normal spring and fall semesters) - 2012-2014
  Photos from the graduation, Feb 2015
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Living a dream of a better country, after Feb 2011 (for a moment of time), aka Tahrir Square

What is more important is the journey itself and all the friends I made throughout these trips.

A day to remember: "Memory, Courage, Future"!

A month ago was the last day of the World Youth Day, Krakow 2016. It was the most unexpected day of the 2 weeks I have spent in Krakow.

It started on the previous day, the day of the Vigil at Campus Misericordea. Once again, I attended it online as I was working... more about it in another post.

There was an idea to catch up the final mass with the Pope early Sunday morning. By early, I mean taking the bus for media at 4:30 am. I really wanted to attend the mass as it was one of the most memorable moments in Rio... but I had to let go of the volunteers meeting with the Pope as it was difficult to do both. It was a tough choice for me but I decided to go to the mass even if it was a challenge itself.

Arriving at Campus Misericordea brought back the memories of WYD in Cologne, 11 years ago.. a big field, people waking up early morning, the queues for bathrooms and for food.. But the mind and heart have changed in between.

I had to depart from my friends which whom i made the way as I didn't have a pass to the media section. I was supposed to meet another friend at the volunteer section. Going there, one Spanish pilgrim, asked me for help. She wanted to return to her section but the security didn't let her pass and she didn't have her ticket pass with her nor the mobile to contact her friends. She was really anxious on how to get back. I guided her from another way following the map and made sure until she found her group. I felt joy seeing her so relieved and thanking me for the help, as if I rescued her life. You never know the impact you have on people even for doing small things until you see it in their eyes. That's what volunteering is about.

I decided to find some of my pilgrim friends until my other friend arrived but I failed to reach them as they closed the main intersections before the Pope's arrival for security.. when I decided to return back to the volunteer section after staying stuck for a while, the moment I turned, I saw my friend I was supposed to meet.. Imagine seeing the person you were supposed to meet (at another point) in the middle of hundreds, thousands.. or shall I say 3 million people! It's like, divine providence, you don't need to worry about the how, you just leave it to God and everything will be managed on its time.

At the end of the mass, we started to walk to the bus drop off point.. at this point I realized how many people were actually there! It was so huge! I saw families, parents with children, even babies. People from all the places around the world.. all together in one place, chanting, praying, even dancing. I sometimes wonder, what if we remove all barriers and notions we have about countries, languages, culture, stereotypes. Wouldn't be a much nicer world to live in? 

Many people started to walk, everybody talking, and also waiting to hear the announcement of the next World Youth Day. We stayed a little in the shades waiting for the bus and watching pilgrims passing by. 

Of course no World Youth Day without rain. It stared to rain a lot.. luckily for us, we had the bus to go back to the media center, to continue working from there.. Everybody else had to walk under the heavy rain. I still had my fair share of the heavy rain later in the day. 

The day didn't end at this point. We went back to the media center to prepare for the last hours before leaving. We watched the Pope at Tauron arena, with all the volunteers. It was really amazing specially when Pope Francis decided to discard the prepared speech and to speak from his heart. Lucky for me he spoke in Spanish so I could understand it directly as I'm not that good in Italian which I started now to learn to be prepared next time.The speech (link in English) was so inspiring and can be summarized in 3 words: "Memory, Courage, Future"

"...Do you want to be the hope for the future or not? Two conditions that cost nothing. The first is condition is to remember. Trying to understand where I come from: the memory of my people, my family, my whole history... Second condition. If I am hope for the future and I have memory of the past, then what about the present? What must I do in the present? Have courage, be strong, don’t be afraid..."

Reflecting on the speech, it's true that to carry on in the future, we need to know our past, our history and heritage.. but not stop at this point and live in the past. Many Egyptians would say, we are the 7,000 years civilization, we are the builder of the pyramids.. but this is not enough.. the past is already gone, we live in the present and it's the present that will determine the future. If we live on the memory of the past then we will be stuck in our place. We need to have courage, not to be afraid and fight for a better future, our future and the future of our children and grand children.. Looking back on the past 5 years, we have gone through a lot in Egypt, politically, socially, economically, emotionally.. you name it.. 

At some point I had lot of hopes and waiting for the change. I was doing my best to be part of it, to be engaged in everything. I was always the person looking to the half full glass not the empty half. But gradually this has changed to being indifferent to the fights and divisions between people and just watching from far cos I know that we reap what we sow and these are the consequences of the peoples' choice.

The present may not be that optimistic, but I have faith that someday it will get better, but it will only get better if we have the courage to be part of the present. We are the hope of the future, we must act now and not wait for something to happen.

As every story comes to an end, to start a new one, the World Youth Day came to its end in Krakow, to start a new journey to Panama.
For this last night in Krakow, we met with some of our Social Media team for dinner in the city center.. On the way back, I was so tired and maybe feeling a little bit sad for leaving with the hopes to meet again someday, somewhere. It was my last walk (not counting walking under the heavy rain to the bus station and train station few hours later). Every step was becoming heavier, with tiredness, with bitterness.. Streets were empty compared to the previous days as many people already left Krakow. One last discussion until it was even tiring to think or speak or walk.. I remember my friend saying that the best thing was to see how we are part of the change of people. This includes me on a personal level as he was part of my transformation during this journey even without knowing it. We may not realize it but surely we impact the people we encounter. Like the girl I helped on that day or the discussions I had with friends or people I may never see again, or even family and friends.. I remember once my brother told me that he is proud of me and I never realized that I really could affect him in that way before that moment, cos we are brother and sister.

I truly miss the World Youth Day for all these small moments, the talks and discussions, the encounters, the connections with people. Getting to know each other, learning something new every day, a new experience, a new information, a new feeling. The feeling that you can do whatever crosses your mind, the freedom of being myself, the true me that's sometimes hidden as people see what they are used to see in their mind. I miss all the moments I could connect with myself and listen without thinking of everyday's preoccupation. It's like switching off and reconnecting.

Those precious moments will be in my heart, until we meet again.

SDM Krakow 2016! A life changing experience!

Once again I am part of this incredible journey, the World Youth Day, this time in Krakow.
I can't describe all my feelings but definitely this time it has really changed me from inside. I feel more connected to myself. I listen to my real voice. I totally let myself be guided and open to everything.
I may have not participated in the main events like I did the two previous times but I don't regret it cos I lived something deeper.
It is hard to explain but I believe that everything happens for a reason; the people I meet, the friends I make, the things that I see. It is all connected together.
I may not have done everything I planned for but I learned to let myself just be free. It doesn't matter because every step will add a new encounter, a new experience. So maybe not what I have in mind but I am certain that it will lead to something.
I may still have doubts, I may still wait for answers but I just leave all the worries away and live the moment.

I'll try to summarize all what I have experienced in those two weeks in several posts.. It's not that easy to recount everything but I'll try to capture the essential.

A month ago, I left Cairo with lot of excitement. Excitement to meet my old friends, my team in social media since I've been working with some of them online for more than a year and meet new friends.
On the way to Krakow, we were 4 volunteers taking the same flight. We already arranged to meet before boarding the flight from Paris as we were coming from different destinations. By the time we arrived to Krakow, we were a bigger group of volunteers on the way to our accommodation. In the bus, we kept all talking and trying to figure out which will be our stop.. I remember there were several Polish old people and they were looking to us with happiness and maybe admiration. I believe they knew why we were here. The next challenge was to find our accommodation "Wisla". It was a Sunday so everything was closed, it started to rain while we were walking but we managed to arrive finally to our home for the next coming weeks. 
As soon as we entered, I felt happy. Someone playing music, others gathered and talking.. All international volunteers were grouped in two main accommodations, but for the early comers, we were all together in one big hall. It was a challenge to find an empty bed but luckily there were still some places.
It was a like a very big hostel where you can hear all languages spoken, yet I was not feeling a stranger but rather being with my family.

The main hall where I spent the first night..
after that I was sleeping on the floor of a Judo hall

The following morning, they turned the lights at 5am, don't ask me why.. some people had to leave to their other accommodations, the rest, we were waiting for our volunteers kit. 

The church

Kościół Najświętszej Maryi Panny z Lourdes

I heard that there is a morning mass at 7am in a nearby church but I was too tired to go out and by the time I was on my feet and ready people already left. I decided maybe I will try it another day. I didn't know at the time that 2 days later, i'll go every single morning to this little church at 7am to attend the morning mass. Sometimes I was late a little bit but still I went. 
This experience has transformed me. To be united in prayer with volunteers as well as with local people even if I don't understand every word (1st week mass was in Latin, 2nd week it was in Polish). I was doing my best to participate whenever there is a text I can read from and even if I don't pronounce correctly every single word. This little church next to a garden was so peaceful and yet energizing. At first I didn't believe I can get up early enough to attend the mass but I was surprised that almost during all the 2 weeks in Krakow I was even getting up earlier than I did in Egypt.
After the mass, sometimes i was staring at the nature in the garden early morning, or walking in silence and enjoying some quiet time with myself away from all the noise or talking with friends on our way back.

Staying all together in one place, made it possible to meet my old friends who were in different assignments, even just to say hi while passing or to meet on our way back home. I may have wanted to spend more time with them, but in a way or other, we are already connected.

I've worked most of the 2 weeks as first I was by myself then my friend arrived. It was very tiring at some moments but nothing compares when I see lot of messages from pilgrims sending their photos, asking questions or followers who couldn't come to Krakow and this was their way to follow live the World Youth Day.
Arabic may be small compared to other languages but what I saw was far beyond the numbers. It's how we touch people's live and make them all unite together regardless of the distances or the difficulties they are facing in their countries, giving hope and spreading joy. This what kept me going and pushing myself to do even more, knowing the impact I have on others.
This is the spirit of the World Youth Day volunteers, to serve others and through them to experience the love of God and live the World Youth Day.
Yes I may not have the possibility to attend many of the events, but sharing these moments with my team in the social media room watching what's happening on the big screen and sharing everything with the audience in social media is truly something not to miss either.
Also seeing how the impact of the social media has grown since Rio is like seeing your baby grow. You feel like you were there in every step, watching it evolving over the time.. and this made possible with the hard work of all the team who made it possible to have all this content (graphics, videos, gifs....) and managing all this together.
All the team cheered at the end of the facebook life session recordings, or when we see someone we know on the big screen, or when reaching milestones... we are all one family, praying together, caring, encouraging and cheering for each other.



The world of the Social Media Team



These 2 weeks have been the most rewarding and most incredible experience I ever had and I'm thankful for every single moment.

Nos vemos in Panama!

A year after, JMJ Rio, trainings and sightseeing

17/07/2013: General training for all volunteers & visiting Pao Açucar

On the way to the metro station from my accommodation

Yes, that's right. We take our volunteering job so seriously. The 1st training day it was general for all volunteers to know more about the general important information like in case of emergency, the schedule of events.. There were different sessions for the different languages so me and my friends attended the English one. We were gathered in a big auditorium. We had the chance to see some of the volunteers that were communicating with us about the JMJ before travelling.

Australia, North America, Africa and Asia :)

After the session, we decided to go and have lunch. It was a new area so we were just walking till we find a small restaurant. We were just a small group, mainly most of the Arab countries (Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Egypt) as well as the only volunteer from Iran. Then other friends were also looking for a place so I tried to explain to them how to reach where we are on whatsapp and sending them our location. Actually, whatsapp was our most important way of communication since we were working with different teams and working in different areas so whenever we try to arrange for something, we just discussed over whatsapp.. of course by now most of us had a Brazilian number to ease the communication. 

After that some went off right after lunch and the rest we just went walking. We found a little church so we went inside to visit it. The priest when he knew we are voluntarios, invited us inside and asked to take a photo with us. He told us that this is the 1st church for Saint Rita outside Italy and it was very old (built in 1722). The style of the church was different than in Europe. I felt like it was bright and with much decorations. He was so kind and offered for us cold water to fill our bottles.

Group photo with the priest at Saint Rita Church

On our way up to Pao de Açucar

We had still all afternoon so we decided to go to Pao de Açucar or Sugar Loaf as called in English. It is a hill where we go up on a teleferic and you can see Rio de Janeiro and the famous Corcovado hill. We arrived just on time to watch the beautiful sunset over Rio. It was an unforgettable scene.

Panorama view of Rio de Janeiro at sunset from Pao de Açucar

18/07/2013: Communication team training & visiting Corcovado

View from the Media Center at Copacabana

This is the 1st day at the Media Center where we had the communication department training. Since all the girls with me in the accommodation are volunteers in communication, we headed up all together to the media center situated at the end of Copacabana beach. We didn't know that the metro ended 1 station earlier than the map so we had to walk a bigger distance to arrive. I didn't have much time to enjoy the walk on the beach as we were already late and we had to move fast to catch up but i managed to take few photos. 

Schedule of shifts

Arriving at the center, they gave us special tags so that we can move freely inside and outside. I was impressed by the media center. It was very crowded in the auditorium and we had to sit on the floor to attend the presentations. We had a quick tour after finishing the presentation and met the team of social media. We were divided by languages and for each language there were official accounts on facebook and twitter and our role was to manage them. for the Arabic language, we were 4, 2 from Syria and 2 from Egypt. We were luckier than others who were alone for their language so they had to work all the time.

Posing with my friends at Corcovado

After staying for a while in the media center and getting everything set for the work, i went to Corcovado. I had already reserved a ticket the day before to go by train as my friends advised me that it's very crowded and if i just show off i could wait for long time before finding an empty seat. 

It was very crowded and very difficult to take photos cos this is what everybody is doing. I tried to look for someone who seems to know about photography to take me a nice shot with the Redeemer. The place was full of volunteers, pilgrims and others with flags from all nations. Luckily, i found some of my friends up there and we took some photos together. The view from the top was amazing. I never imagined Rio to be that beautiful.

The view of Rio from Corcovado

Cristo Redentor, Corcovado

Cristo Redentor at night

I stayed there till the night. On my way back by train, i met a French freelance photographer who was there to cover the JMJ. It's so amazing how you can meet people everywhere and you can start any conversation. It's like a one big family and it doesn't matter from where you come from or what language you can speak.

A year after, JMJ Rio, Ready, Steady & Go

16/07/2013: The long awaited gathering

The first morning in my new accommodation at the nun's convent of Saint Joseph. We went early most of the volunteers staying there to the Cathedral for the 2nd time to get our volunteer kit. It was the 1st time to walk from the convent to the metro station, a descending road taking about 15 to 20 minutes. It was easy and the view was a nice as you can see from far away Corcovado and El Redentor (Redeemer). It was a lovely walk.

Meeting Chiara from Italy,
just before getting my badge

We arrived at the Cathedral and there were lot of volunteers as well but everything was going on smoothly.. at some point i was near the end but didn't reach it and they were calling for those in countries with few volunteers since it won't much time to find the badge and then go and collect all the stuff and of course Egypt was among those countries with small representation.

After i fetched my kit and was waiting on the outside, i met the 6th Egyptian volunteer which turned up a girl I've met the year before. It's a small small world! 
I also met the 3 musketeers, a.k.a the 3 Jordanians I already knew from facebook and whatsapp and 2 from Palestine.
For once we could speak in Arabic without the need to translate from one language to another.

4 Egyptians, 3 Jordanians, 2 Palestinians and others

After picking up the kits, i went to meet the rest of my friends. Long before we travel we have decided to gather all for lunch and our Brazilian friends have reserved in a restaurant not far away from the Cathedral. We ended up a bunch of 40 people walking in the streets going out for lunch. I was following my GPS, i gave my Egyptian flag which was now mounted on a big stick to a friend so the rest can see and follow us. We literally charged in the restaurant. Imagine like 40 people in a restaurant. This was the best restaurant ever, Kilograma. The food is served as open buffet, you pick up whatever you want but you pay according to the weight. I later on discovered that this concept was in many restaurants in Rio but it was totally new to me. I ended up paying a bill of around 36 Reals, i was fearing i would surpass the 40 Reals limit of the day with the food card.

After the restaurant, some went for a walk before going to the Cathedral for the mass for volunteers, me and others went straight to the Cathedral. On our way, i tried my first açai. It is a sort of fruit like berries with dark purple color but crushed and iced and you just eat it like ice cream or use a straw and drink the melting liquid.

At the Volunteer mass

At the cathedral we attended the 1st mass of the JMJ. It was for all volunteers. It was so crowded, full of volunteers from all around the world. Although most of the mass was in Portuguese, i enjoyed it, specially the hymns that were sung.

After the mass, when i was outside, a reporter saw me with the Egyptian flag, taking a photo with other people. He asked me if i can make an interview. It was much fun, he was a Brazilian reporter and speaking little Spanish and I tried to answer his questions in Spanish although it has been ages since i spoke Spanish and I had to work hard to find the right vocabulary. Of course, his questions were about Egypt, how it is to live there, if there are any problems for Christians and so on... later on in other interviews it was the same subject, same questions because Egypt was on the news.

On my way back to the accommodation, i lost my way because it was dark, i didn't remember the exact street and I was on my own. I found out that the area is all residential, no shops, no one to ask about the way. Even when i found a doorman in a building, he didn't know about the convent then a passing guy, came with me and we walked till we found it. Many Brazilians speak only Portuguese, especially the elder. Thank God I arrived safely but it was already late and raining and the nun in charge was kind of worried because i was late. I make a mental note to save the location on GPS, to know the name of the street and to return earlier.

A year after, JMJ Rio, the beginning

14/07/2013: Meeting with the group

I arrived in Rio on the 14th of July 2013. It was a long trip, Cairo to Amsterdam then Amsterdam to Rio. I started to feel the mood and the ambiance just before going on board of the 2nd flight as there was a group of pilgrims having fun and waiting to board. I couldn't tell from which country they were but it was obvious they were going for the JMJ.
I had a nice trip sitting next to a person from Madagascar working in the Netherlands and a lady who is half French half Brazilian. we had long discussions about many things, and of course about what was happening in Egypt as it was right after the famous June 30th.

Finally I arrived to Rio at night and went straight to the Che Lagarto hostel where i was supposed to meet some of my friends for the 1st time. We knew each other from whatsapp months before the JMJ. This is one of the great things about JMJ, is that you get to know people from all around the world and with the new technologies like whatsapp and facebook, and distances and time zones are no longer a barrier.

Caipirinha com Maracuja

We decided to go out for the night.  We ended up a bigger group as others from the hostel joined us. We went to a club we heard there was a party there to join but it was already raining heavily and when we arrived there we found it closed. So we headed to another place where we can have a drink and eat something and i tried my 1st caipirinha, but it was with maracuja!!



15/07/2013: Volunteer kit retrieval, 1st trial

Our group (9) moving from Che Lagarto to the Cathedral

We moved early morning to go to the Cathedral where we were supposed to get our volunteer kits, with the cards for food and transportation then to go to our respective accommodation. No one of my friends was assigned with me in the same accommodation as no one was with me in the team of communication department except one Egyptian guy but he was assigned to another place.

Inside Catedral Metropolitana
de Sao Sebastiao

It seems we were not early enough as there were already long queues of volunteers inside the church, all with their luggage. We met the rest of our friends who arrived earlier in the morning to Rio so more or less, all the gang was complete. In order to pass the time, people started to talk together, taking photos with flags, singing... I couldn't find my big stick inside the bag to put my flag but it didn't really matter cos we met the most craziest and loudest Egyptian in the whole Brazil :). I knew before travelling that we were 6 Egyptian volunteers, 2 of them were already my friends and i was wondering if i would meet the rest. I met 2 that day and the 3rd one the day after and it turned out to be someone i know also.
So our dear friend, who can considered as the most famous volunteer after Antonio Mateo (the manager of international volunteers) in no time made people singing Egito Egito... we can say that Egypt's name was even louder with the echo of many others from around the world.



The queues were moving slowly and slowly.. people started to help each other, like someone going
It was kind of a problem because we didn't receive our cards for food and transportation and we had to manage. Volunteers arranged with each other, so some would go out to get anything to eat for the rest of the group while others wait to save the turn... till maybe at the afternoon where we heard that there are no more kits and we have to leave and return the next day.

Photos with volunteers from Nicaragua & my friends from
Egypt and Singapore

Meeting with Paula who turned to be my colleague in
social media team and Jamil, 1 of the 3 Jordanians volunteers

They tried to organize people by accommodation so the group goes to the place together but i couldn't find anyone staying in the same place as me.. so i went on my own. I didn't have the exact address as i was supposed to first to report to a church and they would show us later on the place we should go to. I arrived finally to the church, it was only few stops by metro from the cathedral. It was a little bit an adventure moving around with my luggage but i made it. At the church, we were a small group and we stayed for a while before taking us to a nearby place. While waiting, we had small talks, getting to know each other. I was happy cos they were from many countries and they were all assigned to the social media team.
They took us in cars to a convent of nuns. We tried to settle, we were more than the number of available beds so we got mattresses to sleep on...