A group of University of California students returned safely to the Bay Area after being evacuated Wednesday night from Cairo.
The 10 students had been on a study-abroad program and were in the midst Egypt’s turmoil.
Five of those students and the program instructor’s 12-year-old son were on the Air France flight that touched down at San Francisco International Airport just after 7 p.m.
Christine Sifferman, a UC Davis senior, walked out of the gate Thursday -- a moment of relief and joy for her parents finally seeing their daughter home safe from Egypt.
“The last 48 hours were stressful knowing the coup was coming, the removal of the president was coming,” said Dan Sifferman, of Concord, whose daughter was returning home.
Christine Sifferamn exited the plan and was greated with a hug from her mother.
“I think I’ve been awake for 48 hours now, ‘cause we left so early in the morning we didn’t have time to sleep,” Chrisitine Sifferman said.
The students had been there since mid-June for a study-abroad program with a comparative literature instructor.
Instead, they ended up with an education in civil turmoil and witnessed a turning point in Egyptian history.
Islamist President Mohamed Morsi was removed by the military following massive protests against his government.
“It unnerved me a little when the embassy recalled its staff and I thought that was a sign that things had degraded to the point where we should be concerned,” said Gary Tremblay in Sonoma. “In the next few days, it could get stable or it could go crazy and we just don’t know.”
This wasn’t the summer trip Alex Shenton of UC Santa Cruz had planned.
“I came there to see some pyramids, just didn’t bargain on a revolution,” Shenton said.
But students got to celebrate two Fourth of Julys, one in Cairo and one in the U.S.
“I think there’s probably more fireworks in Cairo today than there will be in America,” said Caitlin Tremblay.
For some, the idea of freedom really hit home.
“You have, like, different governments being deposed one day, just a new government in place after that,” Sifferman said. “And worrying that the military might be taking over, that’s something you don’t have to worry about it here, so it really made me remember I really can’t take my freedom for granted.”
