Filastin beckons

It's funny. Living here, sometimes, I feel so inexperienced and wide-eyed at times. I constantly meet people who are doing way more interesting things than I have, who have lived in far more cities than I have, who have travelled to far more destinations and far flung places than I have. A lot of my friends here are older, many are journalists, people working in human rights, development — and everyone has such fascinating stories to tell. I now know several people who have lived and worked in Palestine (someone was just telling me about getting shot at by Israeli soldiers), and suddenly being a journalist in Cairo just sounds pussy.

But then I remember that, this is Cairo. This is where all the interesting people come to. This is where interesting things exist to be DONE. Back home (wherever that is) I'm practically the only person in my friends circle who isn't working in a bank or in law school, let alone being a journalist. I remember that nearly everyone back home is still living in the city they were born in, or went to college in. I remember that a lot of people's idea of traveling is a run to New York or to some random Turkish beach.

So in the normal world, where normal people live — I'm a little exotic, well-travelled and wild. But here in Cairo, I've met my match and beyond. But isn't that what life's all about? Traveling far and beyond to constantly CHALLENGE yourself. To not sit around and be comfortable and assured, that Oh, I'm so exotic and experienced. To go away from home and to feel vulnerable, to feel dumb, and to constantly learn to keep up with higher and higher standards of experiencing what the world has to offer?

So I think I'm glad that sometimes I feel like a bimbo. Or that I feel like I haven't really done anything with my life. Because thats when you realise how much more there is to discover.

Thursday I take the road to Palestine myself. I will head to Jerusalem, then to Ramallah, Bethlehem and back. Pray for me.