In case you haven’t noticed yet, there is one thing we learned the hard way here in Egypt which is that succeeding and being Egyptian are mutually exclusive. It’s depressing really, especially for those people who have pretty big dreams like saving the world or crafting the next best airspace ship. We go through things that most people can’t relate to or can’t understand. This article is for all of you who have been struggling to succeed. We understand what you’re going through, and we’re willing to share it with the world.

No matter how hard you try or how hard you work, it seems that your road is always blocked

Growing up, you did all the right things. You studied so hard and went to every class, but karma screwed you over and over again. The first time was probably when you realized that all the studying in the world won’t guarantee you an A if you don’t smile at your professor or talk to him in a certain way. After you graduated from college with the perfect GPA, you applied to the UN position you have always dreamed of, only to realize that unless you have a high profile connection, you’re not even a candidate for the job! What a shame, right?

People mocked your dreams and told you to aim for something realistic

When we were young, grown ups would ask us what we wanted to be when we grew up, but they never really stopped to actually listen to what we had to say. So at 18, when it was time for you to choose which college you wanted to attend, they were stunned to find out that you wanted to study law or literature. To them, there was no way you were going to make a living out of that. You suddenly found yourself in a position where you felt you had to defend your dreams.

Your achievements were never really acknowledged

Remember the days when you were so happy you got a raise or graduated with honors? Those days when no one seemed to care, because you were not studying medicine and you were surely not an engineer. You were proud of yourself and what you’ve accomplished, but everyone thought it was OK to shatter your dreams because you didn’t measure up to their uncalled for expectations. In Egypt, if you are not an engineer, a physician or a pharmacist, you’re not really worth much.

Finding a job turned out to be about as real as learning how to fly

The job market in Egypt has honestly never been worse. Finding a job which matches your future ambitions has become impossible, let alone making a living out of it. That left you stuck in a dilemma of whether you should give up on your dreams or starve to death for the rest of you life.

Finally, it’s important for you to know that nothing in life ever comes easy. So whoever you are, wherever you are, stick to your dreams. You WILL succeed!