Despite growing up in Saudi Arabia to an Egyptian father and Lebanese mother, it was always instilled in Mustafa that Egypt was home.

Now, for those of us who grow up outside of Egypt, our perception of the country is rarely shaped by Egypt itself. Instead, it ends up being shaped as we live vicariously through the stories of family that grew up there (i.e., our parents), family that's still there, and Egyptian media. We don't quite get the chance to formulate our own perceptions through firsthand encounters.

For Mustafa, hearing about Alexandria through his dad's lens left him excited to come back and visit this coastal city he'd heard so much about... except, it ended up being nothing like he'd expected.

In today's episode, we follow Mustafa's observations about growing up in Saudi Arabia, the shocks that came with his move back to Alexandria, and how and why he began his Instagram account where he documents Alexandria's changing architectural landscape. Mustafa and Monica also dive into the beauty of Egypt's architectural landscape, the importance of archiving and documentation, and how to progress without losing the beauty of what once was.

Mustafa documents the details of Alexandrian architecture on Instagram @alex.archi.

While you’re there, follow The Foreign Local (@theforeignlocal) for more stories connecting the Egyptian diaspora with everyday life in Om el Donya.