Marc's Recollection of the Last Days

So it’s been one week since the total craziness began, and I’m still trying to wrap my head around it all. Bear with me as I summarize and re-process the events of our last few days.

Friday, January 28, 2011 (no internet; no cell phones)

Was meant to be a guys’ poker night and girl’s who knows… maybe nail painting night. The initial protests had taken place on Tuesday, on Police Day here in Cairo, and Friday's larger demonstration resulted in a curfew, so a group of us living nearby assembled at Guy’s place for a guy & girl combo night, watching the protests and socializing. In the early evening, Bill (another neighbor) came over to let us know that looters & rioters were entering Maadi. Guy lives on ground level, so we quickly decided to come up to our apartment on the 4th floor. The 8 of us (Guy & Katherine, Ben & Emily, and Conner & Kate + us) came over, and were then joined by Bill and his family, as they also live on ground level. Things calmed late, but six stayed over that night. There was quite a bit of shooting in the distance, fight in the areas around the police station and prison.

(just before bed)

Saturday, Jan 29th – the night of intensity (no internet, no cell phones)

Right after curfew, our pastor and his family drove Ben, Guy and me around to see and take pictures of the tanks and area where the previous night’s fight(s) took place.

Kate and Conner began their company’s evacuation from Egypt. We received an additional guest, Anne-Marie, who lives downtown and was organizing her evacuation for the following day.

That afternoon, all police were told to abandon their posts, and the rumors of looting flew around. The Thomas family joined us for the night, so we were blessed with nine guests that night. At one point, we received a call that looters with guns were headed our way. We barricaded the door (see picture), and even had a knife on the counter top with a discussion of how far we fight if they get in. The neighborhood groups formed after dark, setting up barricades and carrying pipes, knives, guns, etc., but that night, we didn’t know for sure if the those walking below were the good guys or bad guys. Shooting was within a couple blocks of our apartment that night. Needless to say, nerves were on edge and sleep restless.

(smoke from explosion -view from our window)

(product of our panic)

(our living room that night)

Sunday, Jan 30th (no internet)

As we had the opportunity to walk around Maadi (our suburb) this morning, we were able to see all the looting that we though was transpiring all around us was nowhere as bad as what we had thought. The shooting and gunmen that ran down our road were actually fleeing after trying to attack the apartment of the chief of police, a block away. There was looting that took place throughout Cairo that night, and speculation is that it was organized by those in charge.

Katheryn and Anne-Marie left this day. Bill asked his gardener to come and arrange extra security outside his house, for the next few nights, so their family could stay at home, and it actually helped us all feel safer at night. The military came to Maadi in greater force this day. There was still some shooting, but the night was much quieter. Ben and Emily moved over to the Chandlers’ apartment so Guy was our sole other family member that night.

Monday, Jan 31st (no internet)

An even quieter day and night, but a number of embassy dependents from next door get picked up that morning. The protest is continuing to be peaceful and even celebratory, and I go down for a couple hours to walk around and take pictures. There are families around, and although there is some chanting taking place, it is peaceful.

(first 5 = on the way to Tahrir Square)

(the next few are within the square)

(the next few are along the edges)

(revolutionary trash can!!!)

(museum on right; government bldg which was attacked Friday night on left)

(last = on the way home)

(one perspective... )

(those on the opposite platform are heading downtown)

I got in touch with my teacher (grad course), and heard myself say something like, “so I’m trying to read a section on attention-deficit disorder and then hear gun fire in the background, and I can pay attention!!!” Needless to say, I’ve been granted some grace during this time. We had a great dinner at the Chandlers apartment that night.

Tuesday, Feb 1^st

Our Counseling department starts processing paperwork that we need to get to colleges asap. This is the day of the million man march, which keeps us glued to the TV… again….. Again – a quieter night than before. Still no official security, but the neighborhood watch program is in full effect. US embassy evacs all non-essential staff, and two of Mel’s supervisors leave. The Australian Government is offering free evacuation flights to Europe and even back to Oz, and Mel registers for a Thursday flight. Without internet and with NAMRU shut for the time being, not to mention the Mel is unable to get any work done here, and so we plan for her to go to visit our friends in Poland for a few days.

Wednesday, Feb 2^nd

Processing more papers at the school. Internet returns in the late morning, and all the sudden things just look brighter! Then the violence begins downtown and we can’t believe what we’re seeing. This is not Egypt. There is no way that this violence, like the looting of a few days before, takes place without the urging of powerful people.

Thursday, Feb 3^rd

Melanie leaves first thing in the morning and Guy leaves at around noon. We finish all of our documents for colleges and at this morning’s staff meeting staff are given the opportunity to evacuate Friday. Steve Hoffman – a friend from church who works at another school in town, and whose wife and kids left a few days before, comes over for the night. We have a great conversation and dinner… and cigar on the balcony! Big plans are made around Cairo for the “Day of Departure” protests after Friday prayers, and we are all on edge. Steve decides to leave Friday morning and I have to admit that I was did have some doubts about my decision to stay….

Friday, Feb 4th

A few teachers and families return to the US, hopefully to return when things here are closer to "normal." Church is canceled today, as there are no police to protect the church. In addition, Ben & Emily, and the Chandlers leave for Europe and the US respectively. Some friends invite a group of over for morning coffee before Friday prayers, and another friend invites a group to play poker at his place for his birthday. Then home for the rest of the day. Peaceful for the most part, and I am able to turn off the news and even watch a movie!

Saturday, Feb 5^th

Still incredibly quiet. I go to Lucille’s for breakfast and learn that they are now open 24/7 (despite the “curfew). Then to hang out with Conner and Kate’s cat for a while and to the school for a swim. We receive word that students are invited to come and meet with teachers tomorrow and Monday from 9-1, and hopefully we will be up and running after that! This brings us to the present… the protests are still taking place and the situation is far from settled. We are guessing that about half of our 1500 students are out of the country, so a lot of uncertainty remains about the coming weeks and beyond in Egypt and at the school.

Thanks for joining me on this cathartic trip through the last 9 days… I don’t have the memory or energy to include all that has taken place in Tahrir Square, and I’m sure that I’ve missed and confused some details, but I can pass that off on genetics! We have been blessed by new and improved friendships permanently fixed by the shared experiences of the past days, and we'll look forward to future, hopefully less intense times together. Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers, as well as your perseverance in walking through this with me.... Please do keep ALL Egyptians in your thoughts and prayers, as this is not over.... Also, pray for our staff and students, as we all have a challenging road ahead.