The Foreign Local

You might wanna grab a snack as you listen to this episode because Dina El Gohary has her Masters in Cultural Heritage Management with a focus on Egyptian food Heritage and currently works with Egyptian food tour company Bellies en-Route. So, you already know what this episode is going to be about. But, before we dive into the food, we're following Dina's story from Saudi Arabia to Bahrain and getting to see yet another perspective on growing up in the Gulf that's perhaps a bit unexpected. In this episode, Monica and Dina discuss lifestyles, privilege, and navigating where and how they fit into the day-to-day poetic chaos of life in Cairo. And food, obvs.

Ahmed Najeeb has changed his relationship status with Saudi Arabia to ‘It’s Complicated.’ Living there in peak morality police era against a backdrop of negative stereotypes about Egyptians, it’s no wonder young Najeeb was dying to come back to Egypt. When he did come back, he faced two very different culture shocks: life in Mansoura and life in Cairo. In this episode, Najeeb reflects on how his parents tried their best to minimize the damage of life in Saudi by befriending like-minded people, switching school systems, and instilling his love for photography. Then, shifting the conversation to his transition to Egypt, Najeeb shares his stunned reactions to street fights, Cairenes’ satisfaction with subpar food, and the mere ability to casually exist outside his home past 11 PM. Naj shoots people for a living and shares it on Instagram @najpictures. While you’re there, follow The Foreign Local (@theforeignlocal) for more stories connecting the Egyptian diaspora with everyday life in Om el Donya. 

Acceptance letter to a Belgian university in hand, Mariam Hanno was a woman with a plan. Unfortunately, a mix of travel hurdles and souring political relations between Egypt and Qatar turned her life upside down. Finding herself on a flight to Egypt instead, Mariam’s expulsion from the diaspora was sudden, unexpected, and painful. How do you even begin to deal with that? In this episode, Mariam gets vulnerable about grappling with social isolation, struggling to understand the local lingo, and the grief she experienced while saying goodbye not to a person but to an entire lifetime left behind. So, yes, this episode is basically the therapy session Monica and Mariam didn't know they needed. And, despite talking about her language barrier, Mariam does it all with a flawless Egyptian accent. Join in on this therapy session through Instagram @theforeignlocal.

Like so many Egyptian families in the late 80s and early 90s, Nada's family moved to Saudi Arabia in search of a better life. Years later, they returned to Egypt for the exact same reason. But those years in the middle were pivotal in shaping Nada in the same way they were pivotal in shaping Egypt's social landscape. Now on the other side of the Egyptian dream, Nada reflects on the world she knew growing up and how – at such a young age and having known nothing beyond the reality she was raised in – her soul knew that there's gotta be more to life than this. Though Monica and Nada come from completely different worlds, they find that they have far more in common than they could've imagined, including this strange sense of longing for a home they never quite knew. See Egypt through Nada's eyes on Instagram @nada_abdrabou. While you’re there, follow The Foreign Local (@theforeignlocal) for more stories connecting the Egyptian diaspora with everyday life in Om el Donya.

Despite growing up in Saudi Arabia to an Egyptian father and Lebanese mother, it was always instilled in Mustafa that Egypt was home. Now, for those of us who grow up outside of Egypt, our perception of the country is rarely shaped by Egypt itself. Instead, it ends up being shaped as we live vicariously through the stories of family that grew up there (i.e., our parents), family that's still there, and Egyptian media. We don't quite get the chance to formulate our own perceptions through firsthand encounters. For Mustafa, hearing about Alexandria through his dad's lens left him excited to come back and visit this coastal city he'd heard so much about... except, it ended up being nothing like he'd expected. In today's episode, we follow Mustafa's observations about growing up in Saudi Arabia, the shocks that came with his move back to Alexandria, and how and why he began his Instagram account where he documents Alexandria's changing architectural landscape. Mustafa and Monica also dive into the beauty of Egypt's architectural landscape, the importance of archiving and documentation, and how to progress without losing the beauty of what once was. Mustafa documents the details of Alexandrian architecture on Instagram @alex.archi. While you’re there, follow The Foreign Local (@theforeignlocal) for more stories connecting the Egyptian diaspora with everyday life in Om el Donya.

Today’s episode is a little different.  Unlike most other episodes, this one doesn’t dive too deep into Sherin’s story of growing up in the UAE and moving back to Cairo for university. It starts that way, yes; but, in typical Sherin and Monica fashion, the conversation is basically one giant tangent that starts with a very important question: wtf is a Gulfie? Bringing two very different perspectives to the conversation, Sherin and Monica discuss the word ‘diaspora’ – what it means, who it entails, and the very particular experience it represents – in contrast with the third culture kid experience that most Gulfies identify with. If we’re honest, this episode is basically just shitting on the North American diaspora and its relationship with Egypt. In other words, Sherin shitting on Monica and her kind. We’re sure you’ll have some strong opinions just like we did – we’d love to hear them via Instagram. Sherin hides from social media like it’s a bors, but you can share your thoughts with us at The Foreign Local (@theforeignlocal) and follow us for more stories connecting the Egyptian diaspora with everyday life in Om el Donya. — Also, esta7meloona; we’ll go back to recording with a sound engineer next season, 7ader.

Mark Hanna’s a storyteller with one hell of a story to tell.  From Saudi to the UAE to Canada to Egypt, Mark immerses us in the narrative that leads to him unexpectedly dropping his life in Canada to pursue his filmmaking dream in Egypt. Kicking off the second season of The Foreign Local podcast, Mark and Monica talk about… basically everything. No, seriously. As they recount the stories of Mark’s many moves, they talk about… how the rhetoric your parents use shapes your perception of the country school in Saudi vs school in the UAE Star Wars and Gladiator integrating into new spaces and getting bullied Coptic Orthodox church culture in North America McMasr how Egyptians in North America and the Gulf have very different relationships with Egypt romanticization, nationalism, and patriotism how seemingly small decisions can alter the course of your entire life crazy faith moments you couldn’t script if you tried how they both ended up in Cairo and working at the same agency one year apart And, in an unprecedented turn of events, Mark flips the script and welcomes Monica as a guest on her own podcast to talk about the other side of her Egypt story that she’s never shared before. This is one for the record books. Mark Hanna is in the house, ladies and gentlemen; let’s GOOOO. -- Mark tells stories on Instagram @hannam6.  While you’re there, follow The Foreign Local (@theforeignlocal) for more stories connecting the Egyptian diaspora with everyday life in Om el Donya.

Working in media gives you access, perspective, and mild workaholism. Perhaps that’s because of the adrenaline that comes with the industry’s fast-paced nature. Or perhaps the fact that Egypt truly does not sleep and there’s always a place to be and a story to tell. Or perhaps it’s because the media industry draws impassioned storytellers who pour of themselves into their stories, carrying the responsibility of telling every tale as though it were their own. In this bonus segment, we talk about Amira's work as a journalist and how it allowed her access to some of Egypt’s most iconic goings-on at a time when being a journalist was truly exciting. In case you missed it, you can listen to Amira's full episode on The Foreign Local wherever you get your podcasts. You can find Amira on Instagram @amiralx. And if you aren't already, follow The Foreign Local on Instagram ⁠@theforeignlocal⁠ and ⁠visit our website ⁠for more content connecting the Egyptian diaspora with everyday life in Om el Donya.

Ahmed grew up immersed in all English all za time before coming back to Egypt for med school 20 years ago without much Arabic in his arsenal. Now, the doctor-turned-writer and English teacher is adamant that you can get by in Egypt without speaking any Arabic. In this bonus segment, two writers and language nerds discuss the development of language in Egypt's English-speaking bubble. In case you it, listen to Ahmed's full episode on The Foreign Local wherever you get your podcasts. You can find Ahmed on Instagram @⁠theainasser⁠. And if you aren't already, follow The Foreign Local on Instagram ⁠@theforeignlocal⁠ and ⁠visit our website ⁠for more content connecting the Egyptian diaspora with everyday life in Om el Donya.

Caroline had only ever spent about two weeks in Egypt (ever) before suddenly finding herself in med school in Egypt. Needless to say, there were a few fears involved. In this bonus segment, Caroline shares how she overcame some of the fears that kept her from enjoying Egypt. In case you missed it, you can listen to Caroline's full episode on The Foreign Local wherever you get your podcasts. You can find Caroline on Instagram @caroline.gabriel.  And if you aren't already, follow The Foreign Local on Instagram ⁠@theforeignlocal⁠ and ⁠visit our website ⁠for more content connecting the Egyptian diaspora with everyday life in Om el Donya.

If you've listened to Ramzi's episode you'll know he's not one to shy away from having a strong opinion. Today's hot topic: cultural appropriation. But how did we get here? It began as a conversation about how Egypt's architectural landscape has us trying to look like Dubai while we're sitting on 7,000 years of civilization that everybody and their mother has borrowed from at some point or another. And on that note, how do you draw the line between appropriation and inspiration? In this bonus segment, we ask life's important questions—like are galabeyas even Egyptian? In case you missed all the bleeped-out F-bombs amid a whole lotta laughter, check out Ramzi's full episode on The Foreign Local wherever you get your podcasts. You can find Ramzi on Instagram @⁠human_nature_design⁠.  And if you aren't already, follow The Foreign Local on Instagram ⁠@theforeignlocal⁠ and ⁠visit our website ⁠for more content connecting the Egyptian diaspora with everyday life in Om el Donya.

Egypt’s entrepreneurship ecosystem is thriving and Christine Sedky is 100% here for it. Through her extensive experience working with Egypt’s entrepreneurs, we actually get to see a very different and often undervalued angle to Egypt’s entrepreneurship narrative. In this bonus segment, Christine shares stories of working with Egypt's artisans and entrepreneurs. In case you missed it, listen to Christine's full episode on The Foreign Local wherever you get your podcasts. You can find Sarah on Instagram @withlovefromcairo. And if you aren't already, follow The Foreign Local on Instagram ⁠@theforeignlocal⁠ and ⁠visit our website ⁠for more content connecting the Egyptian diaspora with everyday life in Om el Donya.

Hashem El Garhy grew up in New York where people called him just about anything but Hashem – there’s Hasheem, there’s Hashbrown, and then there was also… Mitch. He wasn’t raised in a thriving Egyptian community, but Hashem learned to roll with the punches. Then 9/11 happened and he wound up getting uprooted from the States and tossed into life in Cairo where maybe – just maybe - people would actually call him by his name. Spoiler alert: they didn’t. In this bonus segment, Hashem lets us in on how he really feels about people not quite getting his name right. In case you missed it, you can catch Hashem's full episode on The Foreign Local wherever you get your podcasts. You can find Hashem on Instagram @⁠hashemelgarhy⁠. And if you aren't already, follow The Foreign Local on Instagram @theforeignlocal and visit our website for more content connecting the Egyptian diaspora with everyday life in Om el Donya.

There’s a huge privilege that comes with having been raised abroad and getting the choice to move back to Egypt. Once you're here, how do you acknowledge that privilege? And what do you do with it? We dive into the privilege conversation in this insightful bonus segment with Sarah Moussa who grew up in California before moving to Egypt with her husband and son in 2015. In case you missed the mishmash of fun, hilarity, and honesty, listen to Sarah's full episode on The Foreign Local wherever you get your podcasts. You can find Sarah on Instagram @samoussa87. And if you aren't already, follow The Foreign Local on Instagram ⁠@theforeignlocal⁠ and ⁠visit our website ⁠for more content connecting the Egyptian diaspora with everyday life in Om el Donya.

Eric's an Egyptian-Canadian who grew up playing street hockey in Mississauga and was the last person anyone expected to move to Egypt. Now he lives in Cairo, teaches at an elementary school, and is working his way through understanding himself as an Egyptian and how he relates to life here at home. When the noise of Cairo gets to be too much, Eric seeks solace somewhere amid the alleyways of 7ay el zabbaleen. Bit of an uncommon place to hang out, isn't it? In this bonus segment, Eric lets us in on why this unlikely neighborhood is his favorite place to be. In case you missed it, make sure you listen to Eric's full episode on The Foreign Local to hear his story of making the move from Canada to Cairo. And if you aren't already, follow The Foreign Local on Instagram @theforeignlocal and visit our website for more content connecting the Egyptian diaspora with everyday life in Om el Donya.

In this final episode of season one of The Foreign Local, Monica dives a bit further into her Egyptian diaspora upbringing—namely her relationship with Egyptian pop culture and wrestling with whether she's too Egyptian or just not Egyptian enough. You can find Monica on Instagram @monicagerges. Season one's all wrapped up, but season two is coming in June so make sure to follow The Foreign Local on Instagram @theforeignlocal and visit The Foreign Local website for more content connecting the Egyptian diaspora with everyday life in Om el Donya.

Amira moved to New York as a child knowing that she'd eventually move back to Cairo. That was the family's plan all along. Yet when she moved back to study at the AUC, Amira struggled to get plugged in and to reconcile the Egypt she experienced during her summers in Alexandria with the Egypt she discovered when she moved back. Then, diving into the world of journalism and later media, she discovered a whole other Egypt. Because journalism gives you access to a space in ways most people don't get to experience. It opens you up to the layered goings-on of the city and, suddenly, you're on the ground taking in, partaking in, and documenting all these layered moments to share witih the world. You develop a very different relationship with the city. In the final episode of season one of The Foreign Local, Amira gives us a glimpse into Egypt through the lens of a foreign local journalist in the early 2000s. You can find Amira on Instagram @amiralx. Make sure to follow The Foreign Local on Instagram @theforeignlocal and visit our website for more content connecting the Egyptian diaspora with everyday life in Om el Donya.

Ahmed Ibrahim grew up between the English-speaking compound culture of Saudi Arabia, the less-than-welcoming culture of Austria, and... Connecticut. Immersed in all English all za time, he came back to Egypt for med school without much Arabic in his arsenal. That would be fine and dandy if he'd made that move within the last few years—amid the boom of Egypt's English-speaking bubble—but Ahmed moved here 20 years ago when there wasn't much of a bubble. In fact, Ahmed got a front row seat to the social and cultural shifts that brought about the growth and development of that bubble. But in the meantime and in between time, he did manage to pick up a bit of Arabic from the local milkman. Tune in to this week's episode as Ahmed and Monica unwrap the birth and development of Egypt's English-speaking bubble of foreign locals, the assumptions people have about why Egyptians choose to move back to Egypt, and how the country has changed over the past 20 years. You can find Ahmed on Instagram @theainasser. Make sure to follow The Foreign Local on Instagram @theforeignlocal and visit our website for more content connecting the Egyptian diaspora with everyday life in Om el Donya.

Caroline Gabriel — affectionately known as 'Caroleen Canadeya' when she first arrived — spent her whole life in Canada and had only ever visited Egypt for about two weeks. Ever. Suddenly, she found herself in med school in peak suburbia: Egypt’s 6th of October City. A few years later, the same girl who barely spoke any Arabic was knee-deep in her emteyaz at Demerdash Hospital, dealing with the Egyptian medical system and its professionals. Would you have given up at this point? Yet, along the way, she’s picked up the language and fallen in love with the culture, and even become the tour guide for her Canadian-Egyptian friends when they come to visit. You can find Caroline on Instagram @caroline.gabriel.  Make sure to follow The Foreign Local on Instagram @theforeignlocal and visit our website for more content connecting the Egyptian diaspora with everyday life in Om el Donya.

“I’m a very proud Egyptian and I’m a very proud American. And I expect a lot. From both.” Ramzi Makram-Ebeid – yes, Makram-Ebeid Makram-Ebeid – spent his formative years ping-ponging between Egypt and the States before finally choosing to call Cairo home and start his own design firm where he can make a tangible impact on Egypt’s design landscape. You see, Egypt is going through a design renaissance and Ramzi is absolutely here for it. Between bleeped-out F-bombs and a whole lotta laughter, we’re looking at Egypt through the lens of a creative foreign local. You can find Ramzi on Instagram @human_nature_design.  Make sure to follow The Foreign Local on Instagram @theforeignlocal and visit our website for more content connecting the Egyptian diaspora with everyday life in Om el Donya.