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The Egyptian gynaecologist who fell in love with Romania and Romanian women
Alexandra Mănăilă - Reporter
9 December 2014
Mohamed Daoud is 45 years old, but neither his age nor his origins are visible. One can guess by his accent that he comes from the Arab world. He is actually Egyptian and his friends call him Alex, because he comes from Alexandria, the second largest city in Egypt after Cairo.
I met him at the training for journalists held in Cluj between 30 October - 1 November 2014; the event was organised by Institutul Intercultural (Intercultural Institute) in Timişoara, Asociaţia pentru Apărarea Drepturilor şi Integrare Socială (the Association for the Protection of Rights and Social Integration) in Bucharest, Centrul de Resurse Civice (the Centre for Civic Resources) in Constanţa and Liga Apărării Drepturilor Omului (the League for the Defence of Human Rights), Cluj Branch. We stayed in touch after the course and a few days ago, when he came to Bucharest to swear the oath for Romanian citizenship, he called me to say how happy he was. Finally, after having lived in Romania for 27 years, he became a statutory Romanian citizen.
For Mohamed Daoud Romania is home, because it is here that he was trained as a gynaecologist medical doctor, here he plans to create a family, he made friends here and he even wrote a line of recent history here, by participating in the Revolution in 1989.
Reporter (Rep): Congratulations, you have very successfully passed the Romanian citizenship exam. Was it difficult?
Mohamed Daoud (M.D.): It is very difficult to obtain Romanian citizenship. It is even more difficult than the American citizenship, which was obtained by all my relatives who left 10 years after me.
Rep.: Why have you left Egypt?
M.D.: To be earnest, those who came here came because they had to. Initially I wanted to study Film Direction or to become an air plane pilot, and my parents let me try everything. I managed as an army pilot, but my mother told me I would never have a family and convinced me to give up. The same happened with film direction; I had some uncles working in that field who worked at night. My parents told me this was not very good so I oriented towards Medicine, but I didn't manage in Egypt, although I had studied at a very good high-school. When I left Egypt I could be admitted for medicine studies in Hungary, France, Turkey or Romania. The only place which was convenient for me at that time was Romania. Any person with foreign currency was always welcome here. I wanted to come to Bucharest, but finally I went to Iaşi. At that time (before 1989) the Egyptian government accepted the transfer from Medicine universities in Romania to Medicine universities in Egypt and most students were coming here for one year and then transferred home, as they were not able to stand life in Romania. I stayed, for love of Romania. I mean it... Or maybe I'm in love with Romanian women (he says it with a smile, but does not hesitate to reinforce his statement). I really mean it, all the more considering that I was studying at my own expense, and the amounts were not insignificant at that time. I could have bought 6-7 apartments every year.
Rep.: Why was it so difficult for many Egyptians to stay in Romania?
M.D.: Because of the communism. About 200-400 Egyptians came for the preparatory year and none of them was staying afterwards. Out of the first Egyptians who came here, that is about 200-300, there are only 3 of us left.
Rep.: You came actually very young, and the Revolution helped you become rapidly mature...
M.D.: I was 17 when I came to Romania. I was in Iaşi in 1989 during the Revolution and a taxi driver wanted to kill me, saying that our father Ceauşescu has died. I was one of the Arabs considered to be terrorists fighting for Ceauşescu at the Revolution, and I spoke on the Romanian Television, saying we stand by the Romanian people.
Rep.: How have you learned the language?
M.D.: I still make mistakes now, but when I came I spoke no Romanian at all. I saw the times when the TV programme lasted only two hours per day, so it was out of the question to learn Romanian that way. I learned from a teacher who spoke no English. I remember, for instance, that for the word "ear" the teacher would show us signs, as for illiterate people, but finally I learned.
Rep.: Is it difficult to find a job in Romania as a foreign medical doctor?
M.D.: I was different from other foreigners, I used to open doors my own way. My father was a journalist, he worked for France Press Agency in Saudi Arabia, he had a particular relationship with various consuls and ambassadors, so when I came to Romania I was invited at the Central Committee of the Romanian Communist Party. However when I was doing my doctoral studies in medical sciences I was not told about my right to teach at the university, although it was their obligation to offer me a position in the hospital and in the “Gr. T Popa” university to teach during my doctoral studies. I found out afterwards and I had to look for a job, to take an exam for a position. Now I work in a private cabinet. I have worked for free for the state so far and I would continue to volunteer, if only they would let me work in a hospital, because otherwise I lose my practical surgery abilities. One cannot do surgery in a cabinet. However the plan of the Ministry of Health (editor's note: Eugen Nicolăescu, former minister) to bring medical doctors from China to practise in Romania has not helped us, has never allowed us to work as volunteers. As a foreigner or migrant you are seen here as an investor. If you are a student, you pay a tax, they are not interested in what you do, what you learn, whether you have a right or not, anyway you leave and all they want is your money.
Rep.: Do you know any immigrant Egyptian medical doctor who became famous in another country and whom you would consider as a model in your life?
M.D.: Yes, Magdi Iacob, he is an Egyptian medical doctor, the personal cardiologist of the Queen of England and I think he is a model for all Egyptians or Arabs. He was among the first to make heart transplants. He was fired from his first job, being considered a butcher, but he did not give up.
Rep.: Do Egyptian women come to deliver babies with your support?
M.D.: There are not many Arab women in Romania. And there is one more problem: Arab women always avoid Arab doctors. I'll give you an example. I spoke to an Egyptian colleague in Cluj who had a Romanian wife who was pregnant. I offered my support, she could come and deliver with me. He got red with anger saying that our women (but remember, his wife is Romanian) should not be seen by other men. So Arab women do not go to Arab male doctors, but only to female doctors. Another example: my female colleague who is a Romanian doctor has many Arab female patients who come to her for hymenoplasty (restoration of the hymen). They don't come to me, as they don't want to be seen by me.
Rep.: There have been discussions lately about circumcision practised to little girls in Egypt. What is your opinion on this practice, in your capacity of medical doctor as well as Egyptian?
M.D.: It is a mistake. It is practised, I cannot say it isn't, but it is practised in certain Arab countries. It is an Arab custom, it is not related only to Muslims. Christians do it as well. It is something traditional. While I was in Egypt I hadn't heard about this, I have heard all these stories only during the last 4-5 years. My mother, my family have not done this. Most girls in Egypt do not discuss about this, but they don't even know about it. It is not widely practised, but Pandora's Box has been opened. In Egypt this practice is called eltahara (in Arab language) and actually consists of a reduction of the labia, to prevent women from getting easily excited and thus from sinning. There are many medical complications associated with this: from infections to bleeding. Women are deprived of their feminine pleasure. From a psychological point of view, I consider circumcision in girls as a mutilation.
Rep.: Do you still have time to get involved in immigrants' life?
M.D.: I have been the Egyptians' leader for a very long time, now I am a member of the Committee of Egyptians in Romania. We opened a cultural centre called the Oriental Cultural Centre. I am the president and I wanted to do something to represent us.
Rep.: Do you no longer wish to leave Romania?
M.D.: No, I got used to this place. For me this is home. I will get married soon, I hope to have one, two, three children soon. Here is where I've lived, my friends are here as well.
Rep.: How should Romanians see Egyptian women? And how should they see immigrants?
M.D.: They are the same women, with their kindness and malice, with their follies, with their beauty. The only difference is the approach. When you visit a monastery you speak to a nun differently than to a girl in bikini on the beach. Romanians could be more open towards immigrants. I personally managed very well, but this idea of investor should be got rid of. Immigrants are normal people like anyone else, who need money, a better life, need to be paid, need a kind word, need a chance.
I met him at the training for journalists held in Cluj between 30 October - 1 November 2014; the event was organised by Institutul Intercultural (Intercultural Institute) in Timişoara, Asociaţia pentru Apărarea Drepturilor şi Integrare Socială (the Association for the Protection of Rights and Social Integration) in Bucharest, Centrul de Resurse Civice (the Centre for Civic Resources) in Constanţa and Liga Apărării Drepturilor Omului (the League for the Defence of Human Rights), Cluj Branch. We stayed in touch after the course and a few days ago, when he came to Bucharest to swear the oath for Romanian citizenship, he called me to say how happy he was. Finally, after having lived in Romania for 27 years, he became a statutory Romanian citizen.
For Mohamed Daoud Romania is home, because it is here that he was trained as a gynaecologist medical doctor, here he plans to create a family, he made friends here and he even wrote a line of recent history here, by participating in the Revolution in 1989.
Reporter (Rep): Congratulations, you have very successfully passed the Romanian citizenship exam. Was it difficult?
Mohamed Daoud (M.D.): It is very difficult to obtain Romanian citizenship. It is even more difficult than the American citizenship, which was obtained by all my relatives who left 10 years after me.
Rep.: Why have you left Egypt?
M.D.: To be earnest, those who came here came because they had to. Initially I wanted to study Film Direction or to become an air plane pilot, and my parents let me try everything. I managed as an army pilot, but my mother told me I would never have a family and convinced me to give up. The same happened with film direction; I had some uncles working in that field who worked at night. My parents told me this was not very good so I oriented towards Medicine, but I didn't manage in Egypt, although I had studied at a very good high-school. When I left Egypt I could be admitted for medicine studies in Hungary, France, Turkey or Romania. The only place which was convenient for me at that time was Romania. Any person with foreign currency was always welcome here. I wanted to come to Bucharest, but finally I went to Iaşi. At that time (before 1989) the Egyptian government accepted the transfer from Medicine universities in Romania to Medicine universities in Egypt and most students were coming here for one year and then transferred home, as they were not able to stand life in Romania. I stayed, for love of Romania. I mean it... Or maybe I'm in love with Romanian women (he says it with a smile, but does not hesitate to reinforce his statement). I really mean it, all the more considering that I was studying at my own expense, and the amounts were not insignificant at that time. I could have bought 6-7 apartments every year.
Rep.: Why was it so difficult for many Egyptians to stay in Romania?
M.D.: Because of the communism. About 200-400 Egyptians came for the preparatory year and none of them was staying afterwards. Out of the first Egyptians who came here, that is about 200-300, there are only 3 of us left.
Rep.: You came actually very young, and the Revolution helped you become rapidly mature...
M.D.: I was 17 when I came to Romania. I was in Iaşi in 1989 during the Revolution and a taxi driver wanted to kill me, saying that our father Ceauşescu has died. I was one of the Arabs considered to be terrorists fighting for Ceauşescu at the Revolution, and I spoke on the Romanian Television, saying we stand by the Romanian people.
Rep.: How have you learned the language?
M.D.: I still make mistakes now, but when I came I spoke no Romanian at all. I saw the times when the TV programme lasted only two hours per day, so it was out of the question to learn Romanian that way. I learned from a teacher who spoke no English. I remember, for instance, that for the word "ear" the teacher would show us signs, as for illiterate people, but finally I learned.
Rep.: Is it difficult to find a job in Romania as a foreign medical doctor?
M.D.: I was different from other foreigners, I used to open doors my own way. My father was a journalist, he worked for France Press Agency in Saudi Arabia, he had a particular relationship with various consuls and ambassadors, so when I came to Romania I was invited at the Central Committee of the Romanian Communist Party. However when I was doing my doctoral studies in medical sciences I was not told about my right to teach at the university, although it was their obligation to offer me a position in the hospital and in the “Gr. T Popa” university to teach during my doctoral studies. I found out afterwards and I had to look for a job, to take an exam for a position. Now I work in a private cabinet. I have worked for free for the state so far and I would continue to volunteer, if only they would let me work in a hospital, because otherwise I lose my practical surgery abilities. One cannot do surgery in a cabinet. However the plan of the Ministry of Health (editor's note: Eugen Nicolăescu, former minister) to bring medical doctors from China to practise in Romania has not helped us, has never allowed us to work as volunteers. As a foreigner or migrant you are seen here as an investor. If you are a student, you pay a tax, they are not interested in what you do, what you learn, whether you have a right or not, anyway you leave and all they want is your money.
Rep.: Do you know any immigrant Egyptian medical doctor who became famous in another country and whom you would consider as a model in your life?
M.D.: Yes, Magdi Iacob, he is an Egyptian medical doctor, the personal cardiologist of the Queen of England and I think he is a model for all Egyptians or Arabs. He was among the first to make heart transplants. He was fired from his first job, being considered a butcher, but he did not give up.
Rep.: Do Egyptian women come to deliver babies with your support?
M.D.: There are not many Arab women in Romania. And there is one more problem: Arab women always avoid Arab doctors. I'll give you an example. I spoke to an Egyptian colleague in Cluj who had a Romanian wife who was pregnant. I offered my support, she could come and deliver with me. He got red with anger saying that our women (but remember, his wife is Romanian) should not be seen by other men. So Arab women do not go to Arab male doctors, but only to female doctors. Another example: my female colleague who is a Romanian doctor has many Arab female patients who come to her for hymenoplasty (restoration of the hymen). They don't come to me, as they don't want to be seen by me.
Rep.: There have been discussions lately about circumcision practised to little girls in Egypt. What is your opinion on this practice, in your capacity of medical doctor as well as Egyptian?
M.D.: It is a mistake. It is practised, I cannot say it isn't, but it is practised in certain Arab countries. It is an Arab custom, it is not related only to Muslims. Christians do it as well. It is something traditional. While I was in Egypt I hadn't heard about this, I have heard all these stories only during the last 4-5 years. My mother, my family have not done this. Most girls in Egypt do not discuss about this, but they don't even know about it. It is not widely practised, but Pandora's Box has been opened. In Egypt this practice is called eltahara (in Arab language) and actually consists of a reduction of the labia, to prevent women from getting easily excited and thus from sinning. There are many medical complications associated with this: from infections to bleeding. Women are deprived of their feminine pleasure. From a psychological point of view, I consider circumcision in girls as a mutilation.
Rep.: Do you still have time to get involved in immigrants' life?
M.D.: I have been the Egyptians' leader for a very long time, now I am a member of the Committee of Egyptians in Romania. We opened a cultural centre called the Oriental Cultural Centre. I am the president and I wanted to do something to represent us.
Rep.: Do you no longer wish to leave Romania?
M.D.: No, I got used to this place. For me this is home. I will get married soon, I hope to have one, two, three children soon. Here is where I've lived, my friends are here as well.
Rep.: How should Romanians see Egyptian women? And how should they see immigrants?
M.D.: They are the same women, with their kindness and malice, with their follies, with their beauty. The only difference is the approach. When you visit a monastery you speak to a nun differently than to a girl in bikini on the beach. Romanians could be more open towards immigrants. I personally managed very well, but this idea of investor should be got rid of. Immigrants are normal people like anyone else, who need money, a better life, need to be paid, need a kind word, need a chance.
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