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There are subjects or ideas we cannot talk about here in Egypt, like women’s rights. You will not be able to talk about relationships and politics. Getting your point of view out to the public in Egypt is challenging.

I studied filmmaking, and I am an independent filmmaker. I like to do documentary films, whatever the genre of the film.

We don’t have the opportunity to screen our films. You will get the chance if you have relatives or a friend who is of higher authority. But, if you don’t, you will never get the opportunity. So you take another track to become known in filmmaking in feature or short movies. As independent filmmakers, we submit our films to festivals and organisations outside Egypt, like The Berlin Film Festival or Sundance.

In my films, I focus on what people are like on the inside. I ignore the outside. I like to focus on their humanity. I want to explore their inner attitude, their feelings and thoughts, and what life means to them. Sometimes I see people are so empty inside, like a machine. I see people with something good inside, yet they are afraid. They fear what their community might think and what people will say.

Living in a country where you cannot speak up makes me feel like I need to emigrate and live anywhere. It’s not about the country. It’s about the people and the government because they are very conservative, and our government does not allow people to think. The government is fearful of what people think. People are afraid. When I communicate with anybody here, I hear them say it’s okay, it’s good. I don’t debate with anybody.

I don’t need to be like them. I need to be someone simple, someone unique, someone different. I need to be good with other people. I need to have humanity inside me and humanity in my attitude, humanity in my mind, my heart, and my soul.

When I sit with my friends, we talk about God, and we talk about relationships. We talk about life, humanity, and all different topics. We question our existence. and sometimes we don’t have any answers. Actually, we never get a result or the answer to this question.  We have flexibility in our discussions, and we do not judge.

In Egypt, women who are genuinely feminists face a lot of problems. Walking in the street, they experience harassment and in the workplace, in transportation. They are trying to survive. It’s not only here in Egypt, but I think it happens everywhere in the world.

We have young women who just need to marry, but we also have young women who need to work, learn, and get a degree, and that’s good, but they face many problems with their families and community. I know some women who travel and emigrate if they are not married. If a woman is single, an adult and her family allow it, she can travel. Sometimes married women can travel if their husband accepts it. If he’s not accepting, she’ll never travel. A husband can have so much influence.

When I was at school, from five to seventeen years old, boys and girls were the same. The boys were my friends, and they were like my brothers. It’s at university, and when one starts to work that things change. I have seen a lot of men taking the upper hand. I understand men are men, but it’s only a different gender; ultimately, we are all human. This life’s so temporary. We can enjoy success in this life, but we must see our humanity. For me, film is such a great way to connect to people. To show a different perspective and act as a trigger for people to question that perhaps there is another way.

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I still remember how proud I felt the first time I got my first pay check. I was working at a local second hand book store as a cashier whilst on my gap year. Whilst the pay check was very little. It did give me the freedom I needed to do the things that I wanted to do that year like go out with friends. Top up my cellphone with data and airtime. And even do some shopping. Sometimes however, after a busy weekend, I dreaded going to work. And my little pay check didn’t feel like enough motivation despite the little luxuries it afforded me.

Growing up with a single mother who believed in a good work ethic however, meant that even though I wanted to. I did not leave my job and expect my mother to pay for everything. Even when I saw girls I went to school with and felt embarrassed by my minimum wage job. This attitude and lesson helped to prepare me for my next few jobs in University where I helped pay off my university living expenses and fees working at the university library and the apple store on weekends. I remember how tough it was in University to sometimes get to my weekend job that was almost 4O minutes away by taxi. But I kept going. Again not because I was forced to but because of the independence it gave me.

Whilst my friends had to ask their parents for money. I made most of my spending money myself and felt good when I was out with friends on weekends able to buy what I wanted. As I’ve grown older these little jobs helped set me up for success in some ways as they taught me about perseverance, doing something as a means to an end. But also about making and spending my own money.

Today I am 31 years old, have two jobs, and own two homes with my husband on different continents. As we both work, we have made it a priority to own our homes instead of renting (at least not for long). Which has meant neither one of us owns a car (I owned a scooter for many years instead). And when our goals call for it, we find work to pay off our homes and live comfortably. We both still have to work hard even on days we don’t want to and the responsibilities pile up. But one thing that is a big motivator is remembering what we are working for. At this stage in our lives it is to travel,  afford our homes and take care of our daughter. And when all is said and done, so that we can go out for the occasional meal out. Or do something fun for ourselves.

Luckily we are both home bodies and don’t really spend much going out a lo. Which means that instead we make our homes our refuge. Our places to have fun, work, raise our family and see friends. But let me tell you getting to this point in financial freedom is not always easy.

As I write this both my 8 month old and I are sick. We are moving to our new home in two days. And the last thing I want to do is work. But I also have to remind myself why I am doing it. And also see the bigger picture. Some days its worth it, other days it feels like pulling teeth. But if there is one thing I have learnt in my 31 years it is that money does not grow on trees. And all the things we want in life are a hard days work away. So if you want financial freedom, remember that it is not always glamorous. Nor is it something that you will always love (even if you like your job or work).

There’s a saying I try remind myself often that goes “we do what we have to do so we can do what we want to do”. It is the motto that got me through some hard months working in jobs I hated. Jobs that ultimately led me to where I am now. Working in not one, but two areas I love (most of the time). I also try to remind myself how lucky I am to even have a job in the first place when so many do not.

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