Occupy Wall Street through Egyptian eyes

Inspiration comes from far away places. The people of Egypt and Tunisia, for instance, demonstrated to the world that mass popular mobilisation is still a viable means of achieving political goals. As one protester said at Zuccotti Park - formerly named Liberty Plaza Park - the site of the Occupy Wall Street movement, "If Egypt can do it, so can we."

Egyptians and others from around the world urge protesters on in New York City via Facebook and Twitter. Yet, the Egyptian presence at Occupy Wall Street is closer than some would imagine. Parked on the South East periphery of Zuccotti Park are the carts of several Egyptian food vendors. I decided to ask for their impressions of the ongoing protest.

Zeinab Belal-Elnadori from Staten Island has been selling coffee from her cart since she came to the United States from Egypt in 2000. Her experience in New York is in many ways emblematic of the current protest movement. Unlike many of the other food vendors who keep their opinions of the protests under their breaths, Zeinab vocally supports the Occupy Wall Street movement.

When I met Zeinab she was busy contacting a lawyer because the NYPD had been giving her trouble with her food-vending permit - a common problem amongst food vendors in New York City. Zeinab, like many Americans, is deeply in debt. She has paid off $40,000 but still has $45,000 outstanding. Today, the costs of day-to-day life are proving to be all she can handle.

"I work for 13 to 14 hours a day, just for the clothes on my back and to feed myself and my child," said Zeinab. She has decided that she will not continue trying to pay off her debt.

Zeinab's experience is reminiscent of that of many other single mothers. After 12 years of marriage her husband divorced her. "The courts allowed him to take everything and stay with his girlfriend and I can't say a thing," she said. "He gives his child $100 a month, do you think that that's fair?" After work, Zeinab has to return home to take care of her child.