Come back to where you belong
After studying in Europe for 6 years and traveling extensively within the USA for one month I met a lot of brilliant people from the Middle East, building, innovating, creating amazing things with their work and lives. Whenever I speak to them, many request that I start a new life elsewhere, for the safety, comfort, and significant amount of financial and social opportunities. It’s very tempting. Sometimes I get so frustrated and uninspired in Bahrain knowing that not many people are involved in the kind of work that I do, realizing the apparent lack of any internet-focused projects that interest me. It gets a bit depressing sometimes when I talk to my friends and family who don’t really understand the reason or impact of this kind of work.
But the truth is that’s exactly the reason why I should stay where I am and build new things HERE as opposed to elsewhere. Because it makes a difference, and I feel it, and I take pride in it. I’m a strong believer in the fact that if there aren’t any opportunities provided, you simply build it, and create that opportunity for the many others who wish to get involved in the area of your interest and expertise.
The Middle East generally is a great place, with so much cultural and historical significance, despite all the things many suffer through here. I am saddened by the fact that many people I meet abroad react with pity when I tell them that I live and work in Bahrain, surprised why I didn’t seek a life anywhere else. Why would I? Sure the region has corruption that is sometimes unmatchable, but that’s why people have a responsibility to stay and rebuild it. Needless to stay, this country is also way different than any of its neighboring countries, so the lifestyle is much more comfortable than Iran or Saudi Arabia.
Either way, social change is not possible when you rely on foreign governments, while working abroad with the likes of the U.S State Department, preaching to us from the comfort of Washington or Geneva or anywhere of the sort. If you’re a citizen of the region, come back and commit to your values here, teach it to younger generations, risk your life building a better future for yourself and those around you. Don’t leave it behind to rot in the hands of corrupt leadership or extremism, because upon leaving that’s what happens. And if I had left, I would feel responsible for that.
Of course this excludes those who left for reasons such as severe persecution, many of whom dream of coming back to their countries of origin, where they feel historically attached as a population. It also excludes those living in political exile, many of whom also wish to return to the country they committed to and risked their presence for.
This region is so inspiring to me. The amount of people who have given their lives to the betterment of our societies. The amount of people working for real change and human rights isn’t something that should go unnoticed.
No government, no sole leader, no foreign interference will result in social change in any country of the Middle East – it comes from collective efforts. People like you. And if you’re living and working abroad simply for financial reasons and the opportunities it offers I suggest you come back to where you belong.
It’s great to get opportunities abroad, and I feel lucky to have been given a chance to be educated elsewhere. But I knew I’d come back immediately. It’s so tempting to leave this place, but that’s just a sign begging you to stay. If only all the experienced doctors, scientists, developers, businessmen, professors, et al stayed here and built their careers from scratch, this place wouldn’ve been entirely different.
We all need you here.
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Amen
Bravo, Esra’a.
I’ll pray for your success, wherever you will be.
Bahrain is a moderate country compared to many neighbors, including Iran. You can see that SHiites and Sunnis live in peave and you have the fist country in the region who let a member of religious mionorities represent your country overseas. You are just across these waters, on the other side of the corals, where people can dive into the gulf to bring back the most precious pearls. The word Bahrain comes from ” Bahr” Which means the sea, and it is just on the other side of the sea, calm and peaceful, you definitely have a beautiful country which is proud to have children like you, who wouldn’t cease to inspire the youth of the region. May one day we the people of Middle East have the opportu ity to vist all the countries within, may we have authorities who are the true representatives of our people, may we have freedom, may the world cme to this point to appreciate what Middle East is beside terririms and poil and gass. Wherever you stay dear Esra’a, you are an energetic source of inspiration and change. G-d bless you my dear.
I am happy that you are back 
Dear Esra’a,
it is interesting how often
countries become movers of history. In science, philosophy, politics …
Big countries are rather static. They usually have huge bureaucracy which is afraid of changes, and they are sort-of inertial. It takes a long time to change their course, same as with a big ship. And they can usually afford suboptimal results.
Small countries are more unstable, and in order to compete effectively, they need to adapt and correct their mistakes. If you look at the current West, much of it has been created on examples, scientific results and ideas that came from the Netherlands, or from the then-small countries of northern Italy, or from England, which, at the beginning of the modern ages, had relatively small population (especially when compared to France. Today they are 1:1, but in the past, they used to be even 4:1 in favor of France). The USA in 1776 was also a country which was huge by territory, but very sparsely populated at that time.
This is why I believe that Bahrain may be more important to the spiritual and philosophical future of the Gulf than, say, Saudi Arabia.
This is also why I disapprove of further integration of the European Union. The internal competition of the European states was much too crucial for development of the continent to be sacrificed in name of a political behemoth.
Dear Esra’a
Thank you very much for your inspiring words; shall these find the open ears of the addressees! I think you are a really rare example of a highly educated person of this region who refused the tempting opportunity to live abroad. You are right, that it makes a total difference to be in a comfy place abroad and tell smart-alecly what to do. To be on the grounds give you the credibility and earnestness to speak up and to advance change. I don’t know if I would have made the same decision as you. Therefore, but not just for your choice to return and stay in Bahrain, I hold you in high esteem!
For the days coming I wish you a pleasant and interesting time at the “re:publica conference”!