Love it or hate it, there are two things not to be ignored about the Cairo Scholars online email service. It is both useful and pioneer.
The emailing list gathers over 3000 expatiates who are currently living, or have lived, in Egypt. It allows them to send mass emails to everyone on the list, asking for all sorts of help. Finding an apartment might seem to be the main topic on the list, but many different messages are sent daily including cultural event advertising, sexual harassment rantings, requests for language exchange partners or joke sharing.
The list was created the night of 5 May 2005, when esteemed Egyptian professor Samer Ali was doing research for a book. He was having trouble finding things around Cairo despite years of experience in the city. The doctor was rightfully thinking to himself, "If I'm having trouble getting things done in Cairo, what's a 19-year-old to do coming to Cairo for the first time?"
“Study abroad to the Middle East was a growing phenomenon around the world because of security issues and globalization,” says Ali, who currently is working as an associate professor in University of Texas at Austin. “There wasn't any resource to help students and scholars find housing, get a washing machine or discover a good doctor.”
The list has become a huge success in years since, with many expatriates in Cairo using it as a first resource for information about issues running the gamut. Ali, who read most of the emails sent to the list, tries to always keep the list as moderate as possible without restricting freedom.
“I do manage the list myself, but I don't moderate each individual message,” the professor says. “After much trial and error, I now take great pains to make sure that members are vetted for seriousness of purpose, but after I approve them, I expect them to follow the three simple rules in CS Terms of Use.”
“I try to ensure that I don't spend more than 10 hours per week managing the list and so far, it's been manageable and enjoyable,” Ali adds.
Despite his restraint, Ali's passion for the list is evident.
“It is my side project to promote cultural exchange by providing concrete advise for students and scholars,” Ali says. “I think down the road, I would like CS to become like a bulletin board community, so we can accommodate more members. I just hope we preserve that sense of community as well.”
Beneficiaries of the list are not hard to locate.
“I found two writing jobs through [Cairo Scholars],” says Ben Leung, a 30-year-old Brit who was advised to join the mailing list prior to moving to Cairo. “I was pretty much up-and-running jobwise within a couple of weeks of arrival.”
Leung tends to read all the emails he receives through the online service. “Even accommodation ones even though I have no need for it, but it's always good to get a god idea of what other people are paying and what problems they have–should I ever need to move.”
There are those emails, Leung skips, however. “Not too keen on beauty tips or waxing e-mails though,” he says.
Professor Ali says he's content with the development of Cairo Scholars.
“The list is meeting its intended purpose I think,” says Ali. “But I have always been pleasantly surprised that it also serves as a support group to help students and scholars work through the challenge of living and coping with a foreign culture.”
Elisa Wynne-Hughes, a PhD student from Canada, joined the list back in 2008 to search for accommodation, but she managed to use it to make contacts for her academic research.
“[The mailing list] helped me find a conversation partner, plus useful things like duvets, speakers and such,” says Wynn-Hughes.
These kind of small house items are usually sold on the list as a “everything-most-go” kind of emails, which sometimes can leave a room for jokes. A scholar by the name of Yusef Rashid recently sent an email selling multiple items including pictures of his ex-girlfriend.
“Comedy and practical jokes are a natural part of being a community, and I don't want to disrupt that,” says Ali, with the caveat that some talk simply crosses the line. “The rule of thumb I communicate to members is this: If it's inappropriate for the workplace, it's inappropriate for CS.” he says.
Matthew Kuehl, who rarely reads Cairo Scholars emails, has them sent to a folder in his gmail account for future reference and skims over them every now and again.
“I do love the rambles and petty fights.” Keuhl says. “Always a good conversation piece among friends for the 'did you see that on CS?'”
Elisa is interested in reading some of the Cairo Scholars emails, but the “sexual harassment emails” always grab her attention. “I read especially the ones about sexual harassment since it's part of my PhD on the politics of tourism," Elisa says. "I find it interesting how people are talking about it.”
According to Dr. Samer Ali, once or twice a year there will be a renewed discussion about the harassment of women on the streets or at work, or how to discuss sensitive cultural and identity subjects, such as the holocaust, racism, human rights, and post-colonial resentment.
“I don't think there is another forum in Cairo available 24/7 to voice those questions and concerns open to 3000 members,” the list moderator says. “CS is also a support group, so just hearing that others connect and sympathize online can help to give people the courage they need to deal with the brick and mortar challenges of living in an unfamiliar culture and in a megacity.”
