Le Caire 2012

So, yes, I'm still in London, albeit with a few stints on the continent thrown into the mix. Unfortunately, I haven't yet come closer to realising my long delayed plans of spending a few months or longer in Cairo. Needless to say, this has been one of the primary reasons why this blog never took of, or at least why it has been on hold since, well, immediately after its inception. I'm still committed to the original goal, that is of documenting the journey and time spent within one the Middle East's truly ancient cities, but life, work, and my masters program at SOAS have proven quite adept at keeping me busy so we'll have to see what 2012 brings.

I could mention that I've just submitted a proposal to present a brief paper at two conferences taking place in Cairo in February and March 2012 respectively. The former is politically themed, the later more more historical in its approach to examining the events associated with the Arab Spring and the social and political underpinnings that contributed towards them. Wish me luck. 2012 might just be my year.

On this note, let me wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Kull Sana'a wa antum bi khair. Inshallah. And before I retire these keys - Let's pray for the amazing, brave people out on the streets in Syria, Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, Bahrain, Palestine, Libya and to all those struggling for social justice and open, pluralist and ultimately more accountable societies elsewhere. Even if they are based in London or Washington. You are an inspiration.