In Cairo's slums, a young boy rises at sunrise. His mother prods him to awaken and tend to the horses so he can earn money for dinner despite his hunger. As he works, the boy takes in the stunning view of the pyramids illuminated by dawn's early light.
Accompanied by saddled horses, he goes to the pyramids and finds his friend waiting for him. Even though the first tourists have already showed up, Habibi's responsibility is to lead them on horseback and offer them rides around the pyramids, for a fee. Despite the horses enduring challenging work, they are united as a strong and dependable team. They are motivated to work hard for Habibi because they know he values them. As they continue to work together day after day, their connection intensifies.
Habibi wishes to pursue his passion for
...horse riding and education in a foreign country. Nevertheless, he is torn as he and his father are the sole breadwinners while his mother cares for their younger siblings - two sisters and two brothers.
In Egypt, it is typical for boys to begin working at a young age. Habibi presently has a job and anticipates that his six-year-old brother will soon join him in the workforce. He looks forward to working alongside his sibling as he believes it will be enjoyable. Furthermore, Habibi has arranged for a tourist to take a horse ride around the pyramids so that his brother can earn his first income, which he knows will make their mother happy.
Habibi feels a sense of accomplishment when his mother expresses pride in him. After accompanying a tourist for a quarter of the way, Habibi arrives with
the tourist back at the pyramid where he should receive payment. However, when the tourist dismounts and departs on foot, Habibi chases after him to collect payment. Unfortunately, the tourist doesn't respond and blends in with the crowd, leaving Habibi without payment.
Despite feeling disappointed in himself and betrayed by the people he thought he could trust, Habibi pushed through the heat and sweat of a fifteen-minute walk to find he did not receive the money he had expected. This left him feeling upset with the urge to cry, stamp, and scream, but he knew that it wouldn't help. Instead, he took a deep breath and began searching for another tourist to give a ride to, this time insisting on payment up front. By evening, Habibi walked happily down the long road home.
Despite one tourist not paying him, Habibi was fortunate to receive payment from three sympathetic tourists. This guaranteed his ability to have dinner that night. Regrettably, upon returning home, he learned from his sorrowful mother that his youngest sister had succumbed to malnourishment. Devastated, Habibi reclined on his improvised bed of only a few blankets on the ground and held himself responsible for Shirana's death. He incessantly repeated this self-blame.
After a period of reflection and inner turmoil, he eventually fell asleep. But upon waking up the next day, he was convinced that he didn't fit in. He strongly believes that he is an unlucky individual who brings about negative events in his life, including his sister's passing, his mother's persistent sorrow, and occasional food scarcities. He is certain that if he remains with his family, more misfortune will befall them, and he won't allow
that to happen because their welfare is paramount to him - even if it requires leaving.
His plan for the week is to amass as much money as possible before departing with his two horses. One of the equines will be designated for his brother's daily trips to the pyramids, where he'll earn income for their household. This is a meticulously devised scheme that he deems favorable.
The following week, Habibi receives a substantial amount of money from numerous tourists, providing for his family. Despite his plans to depart the next day, he currently requires rest to alleviate a throbbing headache. As he reflects on his current state, he encounters a lengthy, obsidian passageway with a small, luminous, ivory gleam at the far end. Despite his urge to approach the illumination, he is unable to reach it.
. Despite the passage of significant time, the protagonist perseveres in his effort to reach the light, and eventually gets very close. As he continues, he experiences the sensation of his spirit departing from his physical form, and observes its peaceful appearance while lying in bed below. His body is situated between his younger siblings.
As he flies towards the light through the tunnel, leaving behind his troubles after giving his all, it feels liberating. His eyes glance back one last time. This experience is reminiscent of when I vacationed in Egypt with my family five years ago.
During our visit to Cairo, Egypt's capital, the poverty that millions of its inhabitants endure every day left a profound impact on me. The widespread destitution and slums, particularly in the district known as the City of the Dead, detracted from my holiday experience. Despite
this, we still visited the three pyramids located just outside of Cairo. During our visit, we witnessed children like Habibi earning money through horse rides, as well as numerous individuals selling goods and begging for money to make a living.
During our visit to Memphis, the former capital of Egypt, and the queen Hatshepsut temple, we encountered many impoverished individuals who relied on begging from tourists as a means of earning a living. Typically, in areas where poverty is prevalent, animals also suffer from neglect. For instance, in Egypt, many people lack the resources to acquire trucks for transporting heavy loads such as bricks and stones from manufacturing sites. Consequently, they resort to using malnourished horses to carry out these tasks resulting in the sad situation of emaciated animals struggling to haul heavy loads.
My reason for writing this story is to bring attention to the appalling living conditions that both humans and animals endure in this area. Habibi's daily life is a mirror of what others face every day. I wanted to raise the question of what these people think about on a daily basis, especially if they too want to escape. Additionally, I hope that through my story, readers can empathize with Habibi and others in the same situation.
Through adding various emotions, such as feeling the warmth on his skin and seeing the rising sun, I aimed to give readers an insight into what life in Egypt is like. In addition, by describing how he takes responsibility for Shirana's death and falls asleep while crying, readers gain a better understanding of his character. Selecting the term 'tunnel' was deliberate, as I viewed it as an
innovative concept, referencing the passage people travel through upon their passing. Furthermore, being able to write about something I witnessed firsthand provides a greater ability to express the topic precisely and vividly.
While in Egypt, I observed the enduring bond between children, residents, and horses despite challenging circumstances. I wanted to communicate this aspect of my journey with readers. Furthermore, although it was an English class assignment, I found writing about my experience to be enjoyable.
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