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Student Voice
Posted: February 2, 2011
WORLD

Egyptian Teen Reports on Political Protests in Alexandria

Jessica Elsayed, Age 17
Nikolas Rybar

Jessica Elsayed, a teen from Alexandria, Egypt who is a senior reporter for Youth Journalism International, has been experiencing her country's revolution firsthand. Below, she describes participating in a massive march with her mother.

Click here to hear a recent radio interview with Jessica.

Click here to read all of Jessica's reports from Egypt.

 
 

I have just come back from the million man march. I am overflowing with emotion. I cannot find the right words to describe how proud I am today, how proud I am to be an Egyptian and how proud I am to be an Alexandrian and how proud I am to be Muslim. I am proud to be part of a movement that could only be called historic.

My mother and I ranted as we marched along with doctors and engineers and writers from all walks of life. We felt freedom, and we felt bravery. Walking next to a million of my brothers and sisters, we were, and still are, invincible. I feel that no matter what happens today, Egypt is victorious. We have a newfound sense of pride and dignity. We are all one hand, all working together towards a greater good.

People congratulated us just for being in the million man march. We cheered for every man from the military and put food on their tanks. Together, our voices shook the ground beneath us as we cheered for the vigilant heroes courageously guarding our streets.

I saw my city in new a light today. It was a once-in-a-lifetime, priceless feeling. I’ve never before felt this way, and will fail to ever feel this again. Today, I officially fell in love with my country and nothing else could possibly compare.

Love, peace, freedom and liberty. Those are the words that embody the Egyptian men and women that we marched together with today. We marched long, and there are still millions that are camped all over Egypt on the streets that they rightfully own, sharing water, rants and poetry.

The pain in my legs, and the pain in my mother’s legs, are the greatest pain we’ve ever felt. Today, I’ve inhaled a new air and we feel that victory is near.


Jessica is from Alexandria, Egypt, where she is a student and a senior reporter for Youth Journalism International.


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