!!And you still have no passport
" I had no time to get a passport...soorry :D..and remember we were all busy with voting on the constitutional amendments.. right??? *looking around for supportive nods*..by the way, did you vote?" my question was met by a cold look, so I continued staring at the ceiling while the so-unfriendlly official worked on my " permission card"
I travelled with a crew including Egyptians and Norwegians (a correspondent working with CCTV and a journalist)
Hossam, an Egyptian cameraman with the crew, told them some fairy tales about how desperately they needed me: "She's the interpreter, how can they work without one hah?? I can't talk to these ppl..I have to draw on sand if I wanted to say something"
BTW: This time it took me even longer to convince my parents. NATO forces gave my mother the execuse to officially call it WAR. I told her that we will only go to Salloum and see if we can go into Libya. They were finally convinced ...almost. After I made it to Salloum, they called: Come back! (sounds like i'm not adopted afterall)
Salloum
Here we come again
March 21th
We arrived at night. The hotel was full of journalists most of which were waiting, like us, trying to evaluate the "security situation". Some were talking about journalists being kidnapped and how it was dangerous to wander alone. ( yea yea! I'm sure those journalists were sent by my parents to dissuade me from going)
We didn't stay there for a long time, but I was able to capture a couple of street photos
A woman from Salloum,on the road in front of the hotel
Locals from Salloum
Once we set foot in the hotel, all concerns were vanished. Everybody was smiling. The hotel was full of rebels and they were all..smiling. You could tell how high their spirits were
A mosque in the town of Tubruq
Next morning, we were able to meet Salma, a mother and an activist who, after the revolution broke out, took it on her shoulders to help families who fled violence in Ajdabiya seeking shelter in Tubruq.
"We have lists full of names of people who want to give their spare apartments to families coming from Ajdabiya"
She took us to visit Farag's family, who left everything in Ajdabiya. The father and two sons were still stranded somewhere there. All communication was lost
Farag family from Ajdabyia, an emotional moment as father and sons remembered
Moatasem, the youngest memeber, was very concerned about his father and brothers..and his two pet birds: Panda and Fooly. "I used to feed them everyday, now I don't know if they were alive or dead"
Moatasem, youngest of Farag's Family. Talking about his bet birds he left home
Video report: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZnUWynLXjs
( I did the voice over for the mother, isn't this coool!!)
People
People in Benghazi are simple, helpful and very cooperative. We had zero hard time anywhere we went in Libya. One can't help but love them and pray Allah grant them victory very soon
Local man showing a photo for his family to his friends in a small cafe in Benghazi
I loved everything about Benghazi: people, weather, revolution spirit...but one thing blew my mind away: TRAFFIC
Coming from Cairo, I would rejoice at seeing cars lined up without the watch of a single traffic officer or the aid of cameras to bust offenders red handed. I was mesmerised at how they have the patience to just wait and wait till the light goes green.
It was very cool seeing children organizing traffic!!! They were respected and greeted by passangers
Childern were encouraged to take more responsibilities, like directing traffic in Benghazi
In time of revolution, people are even nicer! We had a special treatment for being journalists, but I and the cameraman had royal treatment for being Egyptians. We would tease the rest of the crew: "The owner of the resturant gave us those drinks for free! and do you know why?? do u know why!! Because we are EGYPTIAANS! (*victory sign)
Protests
In Mahkama (Tahrir Square equilavent in Libya) mass protests held almost daily. Women protests were always different. Such driving force and energy that only blend you into a sea of emotions. I was among brave wonderful and inspiring women who were chanting beautiful songs. I fought tears back and kept taking photos. I left the square only to come back again and hug those wonderful women!
Amazing inspiring women of Libya in demonstrations, Mahkama, Benghazi
We met a Syrian family who has been living in Ajdabiya for 20 years. Mostafa and his wife took their seven childern and flee to Benghazi when Gadaffi forces attacked Ajdabiya, but went back home when news were spread about rebels recapturing the town. Water and electricity were cut off for days and it was very difficult for the kids "Youth from Benghazi came to our rescue and installed water tanks for us" . The mother looked sad and weary. I can't even imagine the kind of stress she's been going through. "My youngest Abdelsalam would grap on to me and say i'm terrified mom, when they were bombarding the city. I would gather all my kids in one room so if we died, we die all together"
Mostafa, a Syrian father living in Ajdabiya hugging his youngest Abdelsalam
Marwa, go take some photos
!!I can take photos, but not of DEAD BODIES
NATO airstrikes left so many of Gadaffi forces tanks and bodies burned on the road between Ajdabiya and Brega. We were just in time before they took the bodies away. I started taking photos ...I was grateful their faces were covered. I almost screamed at one local who thought he's doing me a favor and he uncovered a body's face
Bodies of Gaddafi's troops (locals covered the bodies in respect
Airstrikes blew tanks leaving huge holes as a result
Kids
- A little girl sitting with her father in the lobby of the hotel, with the Libyan flag printed on her small cheeks looked at me then when I looked back she dropped her eyes in shyness. I asked her if she would sing the national anthem and to my surprise she sang OUR national anthem. Her father explained that she spent some time in Egypt not too long ago. (she must've spent that time in Tahrir Square)
- While taking photos one day in Tubruq, a group of kids gather around me .. I asked them if they would tell me some of the slogans they chant when they go with their parents to demonstrate. Some of their chants were: Tell Gaddafi and his children, Libya has real men". " Moamar out, Libya free". and the the most fameous of them all:" The people want to overthrow the regime
Libya Free, Gadaffi out! mini protest in Ajdabiya
Libya chocking Gadafi
Hullicination pills contents
Photographer
I was basically hired as a translator, but there they needed someone to take photos too. It was a great opportunity for me, the camera i used was bit better than mine and allowed me take some better shots than what I usually take.
Two photos were published in Dasgavisin, a Norwegian newspaper. one of them were for the family in Tubruq watching the news, but I can't get a copy of the one published in the newspaper. Here's the other one
