Coming to America: An Egyptian's Story

Like many college students, Jack Souweha wants to get the most out of his educational experience. He can be seen at many campus events charming new friends because he is very easy to talk to, however something noticeably different than most other students at Gordon is his accent.

Souweha was born and raised in Giza Egypt, and decided at 24 years of age, after completing a BS in mechanical power engineering at Cairo University, to return to school. “I chose to come to the United States because my second language is English,” he said. “I wanted to study theatre, I was always fascinated with the American progress in this field.”

While first year students struggle with the transition from high school to college, that transition is only made more difficult when the student is international. Souweha, unlike most, is also faced with the struggle of being a 24 year old man in classes filled mostly with 18 year old students just out of highschool.

Ironically, through all the cultural differences, age has been the hardest adjustment for Souweha. “I'm a special case. I'm a graduate. I have work experience – two years,” he said. “ It's pretty difficult to communicate with people younger than me – they've just graduated from high school. Their interests are completely different than mine, I'm a little more serious than they are. I wasn't culturally shocked at all, I knew a lot before I came. Being older is the hardest thing.”

Nate Conant, a 21 year old student who returned to school this year after 2 years of working fulltime, understands the frustrations of being an older student. “It can be challenging. We are in different stages of life, and are definitely working through different things,” he says. “I remember being their age and having a whole different set of worries and interests.”

In addition to struggling with being older like Conant, Souweha also grew up in Egypt. He says that what surprised him most about America was that we are not all as sexually forward as we're portrayed. “When I came here I realized not every American is like that,” he says. “Everyone in Egypt thinks Americans are all abnormally open minded [sexually]. And, no it's not like that. There are religious people who care – and moral people. That's the most surprising thing I think.”

Sarah Riad, a 19 year old first year from Cape Cod MA, also has seen the cultural differences between Egypt and America. Her father was born and raised in Egypt and it wasn't until he married her mother, an American he met while she was teaching in Egypt, that he moved to America. “One of the biggest things that was hard for my father was that his sense of humor was totally different,”she says. “So he would say something and be joking and somebody in America wouldn't understand it and be offended. You don't expect that.”

In addition to expectations being different, there are also some pop culture things that are differ from Egypt to the United States. “Sports here are completely different. Hockey – we never play hockey – baseball, football, lacrosse - no, we don't play that,” Souweha says. “I don't know anything about football – everybody speaks about football – of football teams, I can't participate in their conversations.”

Riad commented on the different ways that Egyptians and Americans differ on a more personal level. “Everyone in Egypt shows their emotions, people aren't afraid to speak their mind to each other,” she says. “They just say they don't agree. I think in America everyone sort of tip-toes around everything and we repress emotion. Egyptians don't have reservations.”

That sense of emotional honesty may be one reason Souweha says he misses Egypt. “I miss friends a lot. I also miss the ability to speak in public language. I can speak English, but not public English. Like slang. That's something I am trying to get used to.”

Still, Souweha says he values the freedoms Americans have. “The government in Egypt claims that democracy and the freedom of opinion is what rules the country,” he says. “However when the citizens try to protest in demonstrations, nobody listens. Instead the government sends policemen to suppress the situation by hitting them and arresting them.”

Riad says her father also faced discrimination because he was a Christian in a Muslim country. “It's difficult to be a Christian in Egypt.” She explains that if you are a Christian student and have a Muslim professor he can find any excuse to fail you. “The dean's have to sign something to say you can graduate and you can be threatened with not graduating just because they are Christian.”

Souweha explains that in Egypt everyone carries an ID card on which your religion must be printed, an idea that he doesn't quite understand unless it is merely a means to discriminate. “ Also, if there are votes for official positions in the government, Muslims will never vote for a Christian, which means a Christian will never be in charge and represent the minority. If this is allowed to keep going, it will never end,” he says.

Though transitioning both because of his age and culture, hasn't been simple, Jack is enjoying being in America. “I love being here in America,” he says. “I’ve never been this happy because now I’m studying what I’m passionate about. I’m so grateful to God that I’m here, I believe that it was God’s guidance that led me to Gordon College.”

Salem News Professionals Visit Journalism Students

On Thursday November 4, David Olson, Editor of the Salem News, and Muriel Hoffacker, Copy Editor for the Salem News visited the journalism class at Gordon College, to share their advice on journalism,  including the need for "persistence and patience".

Journalist Shares is Advice with Students

On Thursday, October 21, Dan MacAlpine, the Editor of the Ipswich Chronicle, came to speak with the journalism class at Gordon College. He offered some advice to students looking to have a career in the field. He made 10 suggestions including use active verbs, summarize and then expand, and don't be afraid to use bullet points. It is clear from his time in the field (over 20 years) and his enthusiasm that he truly loves what he is able to do every day.

Keeping Our Eyes on the Prize - The Civil Rights Movement Today

What would Martin Luther King Junior think about the America if were alive today? Seeing how far the people have come – from segregated classrooms and marches for freedom, to a country that is led by an African American man.

Dr. Martin Luther King, was no doubt a major part of the Civil Rights Movement - his approach to equal rights was highly influencial. “I am convinced the most potent weapon available to oppressed people”, he said, “as they struggle for freedom and justice is the weapon of non-violence.”

After years of non-violent protests were met with violent opposition, the American people were given a challenge. “Now the time has come for this nation to fulfill it's promise”, said John F. Kennedy, “We face, a moral crisis as a country and as a people. It is a time to act in Congress, in your State and local legislative body, and above all, in all of our daily lives.”

But what would Martin Luther King Jr., or JFK say about Civil Rights if they were here today? “In 2010, discrimination persists—both blatant discrimination and the dangerously subtle kind—in so many of our institutions, showing up in our schools, in our workplaces, in our health care system, in our financial system”, says Thomas Perez, U.S. Attorney General for Civil Rights, “These are the challenges that face us each day in the Civil Rights Division.We know that the landmark civil rights laws already on the books have holes yet to be filled, and we are working to pursue policies that protect the rights of all individuals.” There is still tension amoung whites and non-whites, men and women, or between heterosexuals and homosexuals. Everyday people are discriminated against and kept from freely living in the United States because of their race, religion, or sexuality.

Perez said in a speech he delivered at the annual AFL – CIO King Day Celebration, that “Together, we can continue our great progress. We must continue to work collaboratively for our common goals.” And as Dr. King once said, “Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for freedom.”

Gordon Alumni Offer Advice to Current Students

It’s easy as a college student to get caught up in classes, homework, part time jobs, and trying to balance all of that while maintaining a healthy social life. However, many before, have come and gone, and experienced very similar situations – both wonderful and stressful. A few have offered their advice.

“I always try to learn something new with every story I write,” Jon Phelps, says. Phelps, who graduated in 2008, works as a Journalist for the Eagle Tribune, a career he would have never realized his passion for if not for taking the class at Gordon. He says to keep in mind that “no story is too small” - advice that seems journalistic, but is important for all students or graduates.

Marywin Light felt Gordon very much prepared her for life in the real world. Light graduated in 2009 and is currently working towards her Master's degree in Intelligence and National Security at the University of Texas at El Paso. “Gordon prepared me for this very different life”, she says, “they're pretty good at producing revolutionaries.”

Heather Lobe would agree. The day after graduation, Lobe, a member of the class of 2010, moved to New York City. “I was challenged daily, and had to learn that I couldn't do this on my own. I couldn't have made it without the strength of the Lord,” she says, “I definitely feel like my time at Gordon strengthened me as a person and prepared me for my time in NYC.” Just like John and Marywin, Lobe says, “My time at Gordon taught me about myself, the world, and my limits.”