By Nashwa Adel Salem Omar Al Shamlan
Once or twice a year, I travel to Egypt. People find it strange that I love Egypt this much. It’s not because I come from Egypt or just because I have friends there. Egypt is simply a place my parents and ancestors have always loved.
It’s the only place in the world where I can imagine myself living besides the UAE. It feels like my own country.
It’s true that Egypt isn’t as developed as many other countries, including Qatar, and UAE. But it has its own magic that no other country in this world can replace. Whether it’s the people or the places you go, you always feel like you’re at home when you’re in Egypt. You always feel like you belong to this country.
The people there are amazing, very kind and pure-hearted. Every time I talk to them, I feel like I’ve known them my entire life! I have never met anyone as friendly, kind or as funny as Egyptian citizens. Whether they’re rich or poor, they are always smiling, always laughing and always they’re for you when you need them the most. It never matters where you come from or whether or not you can speak Arabic fluently, they will always be there next to you to support you and help you out.
The two main religions in Egypt are Islam and Christianity. And I can tell you from visits to Egypt that religious differences do not matter to most Egyptians. Everywhere I go to, I always see mosques as next-door neighbors to churches, and churches are neighbors to mosques. This beautiful feeling of mixed culture and beliefs is a small proportion of why I love this country.
The people who I look up to and inspire me to become a better person with a bright future are Egyptians. They are the most lively and active people I have ever seen in my whole life. They don’t care about age, nationality, or job status. They just welcome you with their opened hearts.
Egypt is a big country, and its amazing from A to Z. The capital Cairo has plenty of places to visit and discover, like the Great Pyramids of Giza, located in the middle of the desert full of lambs and horses that people can ride instead of just walking for long hours.
Several museums offer deep explanations about Egyptians civilizations. Cairo’s most famous shopping venue is the Khan al-Khalil Bazaar, a large open-air market located amid medieval ruins.
Here are some pictures that I took while I was in Egypt:
Sofitel Aljazeera Resort. (Nashwa Al Shamlan)
Room with a view from the resort, overlooking Nile River. (Nashwa Al Shamlan) 
Sofitel Al Jazeera Resort where we stayed for four days. (Nashwa Al Shamlan). 
Nile River. (Nashwa Al Shamlan)
This story was originally published on May 10, 2017. It was re-uploaded on Jan. 2, 2021.
