thank God for everything. the good and the bad. this year didn’t go the way i expected it would, but in the end its been an incredible journey. the hardest parts have made me a stronger person, the best parts have made me a happier person. i couldn’t have made it through it all without all of my amazingly supportive family and friends. i’ve done amazing things, been to amazing places, i graduated and started a new journey. i’ve made such incredible new friends this year; i’ve missed my best friends who went away for college but we’ve been by each others sides with hundreds of miles between us. i’m studying what i love in a place that’s magical. what more could i ask for?

2013, i’m ready for you! 

hi everyone! thanks for following my blog :)

i havent been posting recently as much as i usually do, but i’ve been crazy busy with college and everything!

i shall post more soon and upload some pictures!

hope you all have a great week! 

xx, Perry

that’s me like 50% of the time

sometimes i get really sad when my family in Egypt doesn’t try to reach out to me or don’t return my trying to reach out to them. i know it seems like i have so many blessings as the “cousin that lives in America” and i do and i am so grateful for every single one. but its also not easy to be here without any family, only my mom, brother, and i. the past few years haven’t been easy on me and they know that very well. just because i put up this facade on Facebook of leading a perfect life doesn’t mean i don’t need my family. they’re all together. they celebrate the good and the bad together. when i got accepted to georgetown and later the other universities is when i first realized that they held my living abroad against me. few congratulated me, it seemed like they went out of their way not to show any happiness for me. i completely understand how they may feel, but they also didn’t see how hard i worked to achieved what i did. they didn’t see the incredible double standard i have to live under, they didn’t see the hours i stayed up late working to study or fill out applications. they didn’t see the pain i went through when i was hurting. no, they assume that my life is all fine and dandy here, that i don’t need them, that i am too good for them? well the truth is i need them. i need their love and support and i would be ecstatic to give it to them. 

my life hasn’t been easy and theirs hasn’t been either. with the revolution there has been great instability and uncertainty in the country. i am blessed with so much, alhamdulilah, for everything. but i’d also like them to realize that our relationship shouldn’t be about what i have and they don’t or vice versa, it should be about loving one another and been there for each other through thick and thin. usually we talk and Skype and just send each other nice messages during Ramadan. this year, nothing. i will take it upon myself to reach out to them, but there’s only one of me and so many of them. 

my cousin is getting married in august. there’s nothing more i wish than to be there with them to celebrate this joyous time. he’s the first cousin in the family to get married and i am so incredibly happy for him and his bride. i can’t wait to see all the pictures and hear the stories and to one day meet her. i want to celebrate with them, to wish them the best and the happiest, brightest future together.

because that is what family is about. loving one another unconditionally, regardless of wealth or status or opportunity. caring about one another simply because there is that (nearly) unbreakable bond between you.