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veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

On a regular basis on this board we get asked about safety in the Middle East. Those of us who have spent years teaching in the area are sometimes accused of downplaying the dangers. Just this week there were bombings in the Egyptian beach resort of Dahab, and this time one of us was caught up in it. A teacher in Cairo, who is a member of this board and has posted now and then, was injured and is currently in the hospital. He and three members of his family have been flown for treatment to a hospital in Cairo and their injuries are described as ��serious, but not life-threatening,�� but so far I have no other details.

The reality is that nowhere is safe anymore. Bombs can go off in any city or holiday resort. If I was not retired, I would still be working over there and still feel safer than living in any medium to large city in the US. But it is something that needs to be looked at realistically when one is considering taking a job in this part of the world.

My thoughts and prayers go out to a young couple that I have never met, but have communicated with since they decided to try teaching in Cairo.

VS
(If anyone is in Cairo and has more current information, please come on and post or send me a PM please.)

Queen of Sheba · Joined: 07 May 2006 Posts: 397

VS-Yes it was very sad, as a AUC alum, I went to Dahab a few times and always loved the relaxed scene and diverse attitude of the locals towards visitors of all nationalities. There has always been an Israel link to Dahab because of the high number of Israeli vacationers due to Mt. Sinai and their close proximity. Maybe its safe to say nowhere is safe anymore, not even Suburbia, USA.

Of course now Sharm El Sheikh has had its share of tragedy as well. Fundamentalists Egyptians and their cohorts have never been happy about these spots. They have stayed away from Pharoanic sites lately haven't they?

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

My MA is from AUC and I spent many years living in and visiting Egypt. But, I'm not a beach person, so I never visited Sharm or Dabab or Hurgada.

No... nowhere is safe anymore.

My acquaintances have been quite badly injured and are back in the US. Their blog has gone quiet. They are having to deal with reconstructive surgeries and rehab. I wonder if they will be able to return to Cairo... or will want to. Crying or Very sad

VS

stoth1972 · Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 5:38 pm Post subject: They're in my thoughts....

I have many fond memories of Dahab, and friends who were there during those explosions fortunately escaped upharmed. Sending positive vibes in direction of your friends, VS.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Thanks Stoth... they need all the good vibes that they can get. Not to mention money as they are now locked into the US medical system with no health insurance. Their hometowns are doing fundraisers for them, but...

VS

Cleopatra · Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 6:16 am Post subject:

It just might be worth pointing out here that in the Dahab bombing, as with similar incidents in Egypt and elsewhere, the majority of the victims were local Egyptians, rather than "Westerners" on a beach holiday.

I can't imagine they can avail of much in the way of accident or health insurance either.

stoth1972 · Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 3:53 pm Post subject:

VS, if there's a charitable website, please PM me with it(or post it, since these are our peers out there). True, there were more Egyptians injured than anyone else. It wasn't a crime against any one group-just a crime against one community.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

As far as I know they don't have a website, but this information was given in one local newspaper:

Donations can be sent to: Help from Home Fund, c/o Bank of the West, 300 S. Wolcott St., Casper, WY 82601. Those interested can also call (307) 577-3000.

I would reference the Lamberson/South fund. I would assume that their bill will run easily into hundreds of thousands of dollars. The latest article suggested that his treatments could last for the next year.

I'm sure any help would be appreciated.

VS

stoth1972 · Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 8:28 pm Post subject:

I'll send that info around to some friends in the ESL community. Hundreds of thousands of dollars...makes you want to move to Canada.

Queen of Sheba · Joined: 07 May 2006 Posts: 397

It's very depressing to think of your friends and what they are facing now, I hope they will recover easily and quickly. It's hard to imagine Dahab in shambles, it was such a happy spot...with really nice people.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

In one of the last articles in the local newspaper, the visiting mother-in-law, who was the slightest injured and was only in the hospital for a couple of days, was interviewed.

She said that even with the horrors of the day, one of her strongest memories will always be the kindness and concern of the people of Dahab, who did everything they could to help the injured. Even early on when no one was sure if there would be more explosions or not.

I was happy to see her stress that detail as a counterweight to the negative press about the bombers who represent such a small minority of the Egyptian people.

VS