Dear All: KUL AAM WA ANTUM BEKHAIR.
You feel stranger in any society when you are treated like a second class citizen and have way less rights than those of the inhabitants of this country. With all respect to all of our Egyptian brothers and sisters who live in the Gulf States, this is a real fact. They have to have a sponser, they can never own a piece of property, they can never vote or freely expressing their ponit of views in life, can never get treated in their hospitals or attending their schools or universities, can never move freely on the streets and on, and on.
However, when you live in a country that treats you like any of its residence even if you are here temporary, you will never feel that you are a stranger within this society. Your children attend the same schools and universities exactly like their own citizens. Your children will get the academic recognition as long as they deserve it. You can buy and sale properties, starting a new buiseness and no one will question you. Then and after a period of time you become a citizen of this country participating in the selection of your leaders from president to the local representative.
Now, I'm sure that you concluded that I'm talking about the greatest country in the world, the USA. The american society is known to be like the MELTING POT where everyone comes from every corner of the world seeking a better life for himself and his family. They melt together respecting each other's religision, political view and live in such harmony titled by TREAT OTHERS THE WAY YOU LIKE TO BE TREATED.
In fact, I'm sorry to tell you that I feel stranger when I come to Egypt and treated at the Airport with an egotistical police officer asking all kind of questions. I compare this with when I come back to New York Airport and a civilian employee at the custom asks me politely how long have you been out of the USA and follw with WELCOM HOME SIR.
I feel stranger when I falsely beleive that a car will let me cross the street and it does not and almost drives over my body.... I do not need to go through all the social ills the Egyptian society became infected with in the recent years. I do not have to list the coomon practice of lying, the disrespect of appointments..etc.
Then, someone may ask why did I decided to establish a residence in Egypt, the answer will be that I was promised many things and people did not live up to their promises as usual.
For those who had a chance to stay in the USA and decided to go back, this was their personal decision. However, in my openion they deprived their children from the chance of a life time which is getting a good education. If you ask their children they will tell you that they prefered to attend Harvard, Stanford, Penn Estate, New York, Pitt, Ohio Estate .etc. universities and they can decide for themselves either to stay or go back to their mother country with this kind of education. Again I do not need to describe the Education System in Egypt nowadays. I will let you do so.
Finaly there are those who MIGRATED and those who IMMIGRATED. The difference is huge. Our beloved Messenger Mohamed (PBUH) migrated at the begining of RESALAH. I do not need to go through the success he realized as a result of such move.
To the HONORABLE friend Mr. Ibrahim Serry, if you decide to write a book about this subject, and I encourage you to do so, I will adopt the opposing point of view. Please accept my sincere regards and respect for such subject. I'm looking forward many like it in the future.
All the best.
Aly Sharaf