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"This experience has undoubtedly shaped my plans for the future, as it further confirmed my desire to pursue a role that strengthens ties between the regions, through enhanced cultural sensitivity and contribution of fresh and nuanced insights."
When I first started drafting my thesis proposal, I knew that spending time in Egypt and conducting fieldwork in Cairo would be essential to obtain the best results for my research. As my research focuses on identity and urban space in New Cairo, these dynamics could not be understood from a distance, and simply had be observed and engaged with closely. The travel grant provided by the Lutfia Rabbani Foundation did more than just find my trip, as it allowed me to spend crucial time to immerse in the environment giving my research depth and authenticity,
The fund gave me the needed financial stability to fully focus on my fieldwork. Being in Egypt was both familiar and new, as I had previously spend a semester at the American University in Cairo. However, this time I was not a student supported by a syllabus, but an independent researcher. Instead of worrying about how to finance my stay, I was able to truly observe daily live, conduct interviews, and collect data. I met people who shared stories about living in New Cairo and navigating questions of belonging and identity, through conversations that continued beyond interviews, over coffee or in other social settings. The LRF’s financial support for my extended stay enabled me to form new connections and strengthen existing ones, which enhanced the authenticity of my research. The relationships I built with my participants allowed for them to share their thoughts and stories comfortably, and allowed me to follow their experience closely. My research therefore does not exist of just data, but observations made through human connections. Reconnecting with contacts and expanding my social circle also gave me a stronger sense of belonging in the region, as these are connections I intend to maintain in my future. These connections have also showed support
This experience has undoubtedly shaped my plans for the future, as it further confirmed my desire to pursue a role that strengthens ties between the regions, through enhanced cultural sensitivity and contribution of fresh and nuanced insights. It demonstrated how persistent and widespread misconceptions about the region continue to shape public perception and influence the way people engage with the region. At the same time, I observed that perceptions of the west, and the Netherlands in particular, were similarly shaped by generalized narratives that did not necessarily reflect my own experiences, revealing the mutual misunderstanding and lack of information across contexts. This further fueled my motivation to contribute to research that challenge such narratives and foster mutual understandings.
Living and researching in Cairo has sharpened my academic focus, and illuminated the need for increased and stronger intercultural communication. However, most importantly, this grant gave me perspective. It allowed me to live in and experience Egypt not merely as a tourist or as a researcher, but as someone embedded in everyday live. I learned to navigate language, routines, social norms, and diverse lifestyles in a way that transformed my understanding of the region from theoretical to experiential, and learned that the complexity of the lived realities could not be captured from a distance by academic frameworks alone. The insights and connections I gained from this, academically and personally, will forever continue to shape my work and ambitions for years to come.
