The Climb Anonymous

People’s cultures are like fingerprints--no two are ever the same. Although I was born in the United States, I can truly say that I have grown up with two different cultures. My family originates from Egypt, and I am the first generation to be born here. Although this used to be something that I was ashamed of, in high school I finally began to embrace my Egyptian and Coptic Orthodox background. To begin with, I am a fluent speaker of the Arabic language. I grew up learning Arabic first, and English was left to be taught at school. Arabic speakers make up about .25% of the United States population and even fewer are Coptic Orthodox Christian, a religion that traces back to the year 42 AD. Coptic Orthodox Christians make up less than 1% of the United States’ populous and about 10% of Egypt’s.

Being a minority in this country has exposed me to many experiences that others have missed out on. First off, I play an active role in my church, St. Mina’s Coptic Orthodox Church in Holmdel, New Jersey. The majority of my life has been cemented there and I am a committed parishioner, attending liturgy every Sunday. I have also fostered a passion for alhan, commonly known as the Coptic hymns, and this has motivated me to learn the ancient...