The Egyptian Revolution of 2011 is Egypt’s largest national demonstration in over thirty years.  Even though the event took place in another country, the social movement affected the lives of one Nicholls student and her family.

    Jordan Castille, nursing sophomore, lived with her family in Egypt for seven years before returning to the United States in 2009 to study at Nicholls. It was a move she made with difficulty because of her close relationship with her family and Egypt.

    Jordan’s father, Mark Castille, relocated his family to Egypt eight years ago for his job in engineering.  Jordan and her four younger siblings were home schooled in Egypt.

    Communication was made difficult once the government ordered all cell phone and Internet services be temporarily shut off.   

    “My mom had posted on her Facebook that they were going to Cairo and there would be protests right outside their hotel,” Jordan said.  “A few days later I saw things on the news and got worried.  I tried calling my family but the cell phones and Internet were down. I started getting worried. I prayed so hard and God definitely gave me comfort, and soon the phones started working for a short time and I was able to talk to them and learn what they were going to do.”

    When Mark’s company, Lockheed Martin, provided the family with a flight out to Paris, the family and their 8-year-old Yorkshire terrier traveled to the airport in a van.

    The protesting largely occurred in Cairo and Alexandria. The Egyptian people were calling for an end to President Hosni Mubarak’s thirty-year presidency.

    Heeding the demands of public protestors, President Mubarak announced on Feb. 1 that he would not seek another term as president, and after nearly three weeks of violence and unrest, Vice President Omar Suleiman publicized that Mubarak had stepped down as president on Feb. 11.  Authority was transferred to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.

    Though she says many people are glad to see that her family is back safe in the United States, feelings about Egypt are bittersweet.

    “I am really upset that we won’t be able to go back. The Egyptians were the nicest people. They treated everyone as family,” she said.

    The Castilles left behind most of their possessions, and the chances of returning to Egypt remain unknown.

    “As for returning, my family will probably not be returning to live, only to get their things. And it’s not even certain when that will happen,” Jordan said. “It will be at least two months.”