A Farewell to More Than ‘Just’ The Caravan

Photo Taken By: Omar Abozeid

All it took was one click on ‘send,’ and my time at The Caravan officially came to an end. Just like that, four years filled with passion, hard work, success, long nights, laughter, and tears were over. 

With that, however, also came the realization that so much more is about to end.

Graduating AUC, for me, not only means a farewell to The Caravan, but a farewell to Egypt. And while saying goodbye to The Caravan and the friends I have found there was always going to be tough, leaving my home of the last five years is making it that much harder.

In 2018, I came to Egypt for the first time. Studying hard for my Abitur exams, hiding away in the hotel and at the pool for most of the time, the few times I did get out were so shocking that I never wanted to return.

One year later I came back – and fell in love.

Yes, Cairo is still chaotic and noisy. I’ve probably had multiple near-death experiences trying to cross Egyptian streets. I’ve suffered both from the intense heat and the freezing ACs, and in tourist areas, I’ve been scammed dozens of times.

But to all those wondering why I still chose to make Egypt my home, I’ve also met the most amazing people, rowed on the Nile, received help from random strangers, rescued my beautiful cats, ate some amazing food, played alongside great musicians, and learned a lot about myself and the world.

In all of that, The Caravan always held a special place. After all, who knew I would manifest journalistic tendencies one day?

I’m not a Multimedia Journalism (MMJ) major. I’m not even an Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) student, or anything else in the school of Global Affairs and Public Policy (GAPP). Yet, The Caravan opened its welcoming arms to my inexperienced self. And here I am, four years later, leaving behind my role as editor in chief, and feeling quite confident that the journalistic path will always remain open for me.

I have learned to edit controversial articles, make sense of even the most confusing sentences, deal with a team of 50 people who all exhibit different characteristics, stay motivated in the most stressful times, and to hide my breakdowns in the archives room.

I would not have been able to do any of that without my wonderful team, my amazing deputy Vereena Bishoy, the previous editor in chief, Enjy Akram, and the faculty advisors, Firas Al-Atrqchi, Nadine El Sayed, Rasha Allam, and Mona Salman. You all are the reason I have had even the smallest success in the field of journalism.

We have shared an unhealthy amount of chocolate milk, collected some tears, celebrated many successful issues, and made the newsroom our home. We have bonded in ways I rarely did with anyone else and you will always remain my family.

This is a farewell, but it will never be a goodbye forever.

They say ‘once you drink from the Nile you are destined to return.’

I guess they have a point.

I’ll see you soon!