Yesterday (Sunday) we all went back to each of the three places where we helped out for our service learning project. We built a website for each of the three places, the glass blowing, sewing, and carpeting shops. Going back to these areas was a sort of bittersweet experience. Obviously, presenting our work to the Charlie Bros. and everyone else is very rewarding, seeing the happiness that only a couple week's work brought to their faces. Driving in and out of Stabl Antar brings about much different emotions, however.
The ear to ear grins of the dozens of kids in the village speaks of their innocence to the bitter feelings and resentment of Westerners (mainly Americans) that is seen just as clearly on the faces of most of the adults. I'm told often how relations between America and Egypt are good. This seems to be true for the most part; case in point with all of the local Egyptian students we've met that have been extremely friendly and welcoming. But going to places like Stabl Antar clearly shows the other side of this story, showing the ignorance that the government displays toward the overwhelmingly large poor population that exists in many parts of Egypt, the majority of this population being uneducated.
Obviously, there are many things that need to change if Egypt wants to progress and become a world leader and a more developed state, but this will never happen if such a huge part of their population is ignored. Also, this un-education (which is certainly evident in America as well) only adds to the unintended misconceptions that often take place about each culture.
Even though I couldn't help but thinking these things on the drive home, it was still great to present our work and be able to help out these people who have so little. Honestly, I wish we could have done more, but at least something is better than nothing.
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