Travelling for the first time to another country made me nervous and also jet lagged due to 10-11 hours of travel. But also I was so excited to meet new people and experience new culture and for my internship. Travelling to Egypt and that too in Ramadan was like cherry on a cake. I am so glad I met a girl from Mumbai in Kuwait to accompany me till our destination (Suez, Egypt) . When we reached we took rest for an hour and then left our apartment for outing in night. Let me tell you these outings were the best thing we had their. Which started from 9 pm and never ended. We used to stay out the entire night till the sunrise and eat falafel ( Egyptian food) and have tea and talk about life and our religious beliefs or our family our experiences our carrier etc. All this was like meditation to me. We reached the office , and had our induction meeting. And then we were taken to buy sim cards. Rehan took us to the shops. Rehan is an Egyptian and a volunteer to take care of all of us. I was the only one who paid from card. We were tiered so we decided to go back to our apartment as soon as we were done. Rehan wanted me to go to the outing with him. While his friend Kareem wanted me to go back and take rest. Both of them were fighting like kids on the middle of the road. I couldn't control myself from giggling. Finally we decided that I will go back to my accommodation. On our way back Kareem and i exchanged our numbers in case I needed any help .
Day 2
I woke up in the morning with a text " boogaa!! 😂😂 ". Egyptians were so bad at pronouncing Pooja that they always called me booga, buja etc. 🤦 . I realized the text was from Rehan. He was asking what I wanted to do today. He had exam in the next week so I couldn't meet him for some days.
Day 3
After the outing when I reached my apartment at 3 am. I recieved a text "reached? "
That was Rehan. I said "yea, and what about you , go back and study don't write songs in exam" ! He always laughed on my jokes. And I loved watching him laugh because his laugh was the funniest thing I've ever seen 😂😂.
Day 4
We started talking everyday. He used to ask me where I wanted to go, or what I wanted to do. If I was out with my friends he always kept texting me every minute to ask me where I am, or if I needed anything. Even though he had his exams but he never left me alone.
Day 5
It was 5 am in the morning we were still on the roads. And Rehan was going to pickup a girl from the airport who was coming from India, I asked if I can come along. It was not allowed to travel with him. But somehow we managed to do so. We didn't sleep the entire night and in the morning we were travelling wow that was our first crazy plan. We returned till noon. And also before travelling in the morning he took me to his home, I met his mother she was so sweet she gifted me some badaams,kaju as I am a vegetarian . I realized people are so sweet and pure from their heart. I was looking at him that how nicely his mother raised him and made him such a man.
Day 6
We 11 people are travelling to 3 cities and Rehan is the only incharge. He was always helping me with my bags. Everyone else was like help me also , and he said what!!! carry your own bags!! 😂😂 Stupid!!
I don't know what I ate,my mouth had so many ulcers and I wasn't able to speak or eat anything I just had mango juice. He was so worried he took me out and we started serching for a pharmacy at 4 am on the streets of Cairo. But we didn't find any. I said it's okay I am fine. He was so worried he went to a shop and bought a mango juice for me. Because he knew how much I love mango juice.
Day 7
We reached Alexandria. In the morning everyone was still taking shower and getting ready. He took me to a pharmacy so that I can take a medicine. As soon as we left the shop he was behind my life to apply the medicine now. I didn't wanted to apply because of the pain it will cause. So many things happened on this trip all the people who went with us decided to stay back and not cooperate with Rehan. So me and another Indian girl and Rehan decided to go back Suez without them.
Kareem was waiting for us with his car when we reached Suez. He dropped us to our apartment.
Day 8
He used to wait for me in the outings. One day I left the outing because my mind was messed up due to something. I was going to take a taxi. Rehan was walking next to me. I couldn't control my tears. So I was hiding my face from him. He saw me and got so worried. He was asking again and again what is bothering me!? I just wanted to go back. He didn't leave me alone. He was sitting on the middle of the road and saying if u don't tell me what's wrong with you I won't get up from here. I was crying and laughing so hard both at the same time. He didn't let me go back that night. We stayed with others for watching the sunrise. I was feeling something which I can not explain, that feeling was so pure, and I still feel that for him. I respect him so much that my words cannot ever express that. We just met few weeks ago and he understood me the way I never knew myself. He made me love myself. He made me believe that I am the best. He was so perfect. We spent almost all the days together till I was their. I know he loves me. He has never expressed his feelings directly but I think why do we need to name each and every relation we have in our life. Some relationships are just based on trust, respect, love faith and so many other things that can never be expressed but felt. Before going to Egypt I was in love with a boy. That was just from my side. I loved him for more than 10 years. But he just couldn't , we were childhood friends. He knew everything, he respects me so much, we have a relation which is above the relation of love. We respect each other and he was with me whenever I needed anyone to share my jokes, or to cry or when I needed a partner for let's go somewhere.
But after Egypt I realized that sometimes "tHE LOVe we give to someone doesn't always returns to us from the same person" but it does returns we just need to have faith in God and be patient. I remember Rehan came to see off me on the airport. When it was time for me to leave he grabbed me and started crying so badly. I wanted to cry loudly as badly as he was , I didn't know what to do. My heart was saying I don't want to go but ... I never felt that helplessness in my entire life which I felt on my last one hour in Egypt. I didn't want to go anywhere I wanted the time to stop or I wanted to miss my flight or I wanted to run away. He bought some cute gifts for me. Which I still have kept safely with me. And it will stay forever with me. As it is from the person who made me realize my worth and made me love myself ,and made me believe more in humanity. After crying for 20 minutes he finally walked with me till inside and we had a final hug and he said don't worry I am here if u need any help just text me, I was trying to see him one more time but I couldn't see him after I crossed the security line. I received a text from him saying that " I am here and text me if u need anything". I told him I will be fine,don't worry and go back. But he didn't go back. He stayed outside the airport for few hours. I was sitting in the plane and when it started to move I finally felt that it's time to go now! I realized I won't be seeing Rehan now every night , no more sunrises with him, no more tea, falafel nights with him. No more mango juice which he bought for me, no more funny laughs, no more boogaaa!!! I kept hands on my mouth because I was loud this time when I screamed...
Some people come into our life to teach us our worth, and where exactly we belong, and that we deserve the best. I just pray to God to bless him with happiness and love and everything that he deserves. We talk everyday on phone. And he still has my back. If I feel bad or if I want to cry or if I am sad or tensed due to some reason, I don't know how he calls or texts me that very movement. I don't know how he gets to know that when do I need him the most. He encourages me to do my best. I don't know if we will ever meet again or not. But I trust God and I feel like one day we are going to meet again! I am just waiting for that day.
Thank you Rehan for everything!
