Great and Wonderful Egypt

"Wake up Ade, Iv'e got something great for you and I know your going to like it !", this is what I heard one faithful sunday morning of 2009. You see my father did have something great in store for me; I just didn't know yet. 

Early school year in 2009 my father came to me with the idea of the both of us enrolling in a program that would help to not only educate but emerse us in African/ African-American history. Being that I was fourteen at the time I was stricly against it, no way was I going to go learn about some boring old people that I've never met instead of just hanging out with my friends. The program required that we go on a series of field trips and attend a series of seminars so that we coud be prepared to embark on an intense trip to Egypt in the summer of 2010.

â–º  QUARTER FINALIST 2012 TEEN TRAVEL WRITING SCHOLARSHIP

Making the desicion to agree with my father to embark on this journey was the best descion I've made in my young teenage life. Not only did I get to learn about pioneers both in African and African-American history such as Mansa Musa and Booker T. Washington, but I was able to learn more about my father and the journey helped to create a stronger bond between us. The name of this program is the D'Zert Club Teen Summit. A group aimed at helping teenagers to understand more about their history and culture. The program is located in numerous areas including New Jersey, Atlanta, Brooklyn, Philadelphia and more. My father and I participated in the Brooklyn program. All of the members of the entire national program went together to Egypt in a group of more than four hundred people. Ages ranging from 3 yrs old – 70 yrs old. 

The first few days in Egypt were perhaps the most difficult ones but they were still easy days. The reason they were more difficult than any others (other than the last day) was because we as group of four hundred people didn't really know each other but after a number of days most of the teens including myself of course were all inseperable like a team. A team that consisted of about 50 plus kids. In Egypt being that it was 2010 revolution was stirring up and we could taste it as we moved around the different pyramids and museums. The people were out in the streets speaking of protests luckily it didn't conflict with anything we were trying to do on our trip. We visited the great pyramids and were amongst thousands of tourists. We were able to travel under one of the pyramids and visit an actual tomb/burial site. The whole site was guarded heavily by big tough guards with AK-47s. The steps of the great pyramid of Giza were tremendous and on average each of the limestone blocks wiegh about the same as a truck in metric tons.

Another terrific component of the trip was all of the materials that were available for us to buy in Egypt at different markets. We went to a papyrus shop where authentic papyrus was being created and sold. We were also taught while there the process of how Egyptians made their papyrus many years ago. Buying different materials and items is a different process in Egypt because you can see the passion in the artisan's eyes something which captures you as soon as you meet them.

In the last leg of the trip the rest of the group and I stayed in the Isis hotel which was located on a little island in Aswan Egypt. This was one of the most impactful part of our trip this was when every body had basically became friends and we were thouroughly enjoying each other's company. The teenagers had to gather on the second to last day and show what they learned. I got together with a few of my friends from the bus I rode on and we presented some the things we learned in a rap. 

Egypt is one of the most majestic places I've ever had the pleasure going to in my life, but one of the main reasons for that is I had the pleasure of being accompanied by a wonderful group of people. Egypt was a life changing experience and because of that the next time my father wakes me up for anything my bags will already be packed.