By all counts, Narges Ibrahim is an American success story.
The 61-year-old Egyptian native started her own business out of a booth in a flea market and built it into a 2,400-square-foot store at Discover Mills mall in Lawrenceville.
But now she wants to leave. Leave the business, leave America.
Egypt is calling her.
"I was waiting for it," said Ibrahim, who came to the United States in 1990. "I saw the corruption a long, long time ago, because the people were up to here with it. They couldn't take it any more."
The Jan. 25 revolution energized her, and she resolved to pack up and head to her native land right away.
"She mentioned the possibility of leaving, and I started to cry," said Leonie Collins of Loganville, a regular customer at Egyptian Corner for more than five years. "She's willing to go the extra mile for you. It's a little hard to find that type of courtesy nowadays."
In the weeks since, Ibrahim has come down to earth a bit. She now hopes to put her affairs in order before leaving, probably by the first of May.
"I said it is time for me to do something there," Ibrahim said. "I was thinking about retiring, but retire to do what? I'm still active. I have many hats."
Many hats is right.
Ibrahim came to the United States in 1990 after having served as executive secretary to the wife of the Crown Prince of Kuwait.
In four months, she had her green card, but it took her almost six months to land a job as a data entry worker in New Jersey. In 1998, she was working as an accountant when her employer, Daewoo, moved to Atlanta.
The next year, she went to work as an IT specialist with Ward Financial in Johns Creek. It was there that her co-workers took note of the souvenirs she had brought back for them from a trip to Egypt.
"They asked me why I didn't sell them," she said. "I said, sell them where? They said, at the flea market. I said, what is that?"
She set up a booth at the weekend flea market in Jonesboro, starting with a table of items she had gathered from around the house. Soon, customers were asking for more. So she made a list and sent it to her sister, who shipped the items to America.
In 2005, she decided to quit her job and go into business for herself.
"It was very scary," she said. "It was hard to start a business, especially with no security, no paid benefits. But I had people help me a lot."
She has been at Discover Mills for four years, having moved from a smaller location near Venture Mall in Duluth.
"I've built up a very good clientele," she said. "I had people follow me from the flea market. I'm doing great, even with the recession and the economy."
Still, in the wake of the upheaval in her home country, she is resolute about leaving.
"I think this is the time for me," she said. "Even with a small investment, I can go back and open a small shop like this. I don't know what I'm going to do, but I could open something like this and put people to work, and these people will support their family. Their family will have good education and a good life. I will see what I'm going to do when I get there."
Sam Abdelaziz, a native Egyptian who helped organize local rallies in support of the revolution last month, said many Egyptians are contemplating returning to their homeland. Some are torn, though, between whether to stay here and send money or travel back to lend their skills in person.
"I don't know a specific person who has said, ‘I'm selling my house tomorrow and going back,' " said Abdelaziz, who moved to the United States in 1988. "I know a lot of people in the community are asking this question."
Still, he added, the events of the past few months have been overwhelming, and it is understandable Egyptian emigres are a little confused.
"What has happened in Egypt is something I never thought I would live to see," he said. "It's so exciting."
Like Abdelaziz, Ibrahim says immigrating to the United States gave her a chance to prosper.
"Some people asked me: ‘Do you like it more here or there?' I say no. I've been here for more than 20 years. I love it," she said.
Even with the most recent flareups in the country, Ibrahim is resolute about returning.
The army's position on a number of issues continues to feed fears of religious persecution with little adherance to equal rights. But, she said most of the turmoil was an isolated incident between two rival families.
Since the initial thrill of the revolution, and speaking with customers and friends, Ibriham is trying to be a little more practical. She is looking for a buyer.
"If I don't sell it, I'm not going to be sorry for anything," she said. "I'm going to put whatever is left up for donation, and I will go. Moneywise, here is not important. It's important, but not that important."
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