By Amy Webb
“Egypt is black history. It is African history. The news tends to paint Egypt in a hostile light, but the country isn’t that way when
you’re there,” states Amy. “I want to bring people to the motherland to experience the divine connection and show the real love
and beauty of the Egyptian people.
I was born and raised in Southern California, far away from the land of my ancestors, Egypt, where my parents immigrated. Egypt, however, is never far away from my mind. I am a proud woman of color, daughter of immigrant parents, and an entrepreneur driven by my passion for connecting people and building communities. My marketing career has always focused on connecting people. I am devoted to propelling women forward ideas and fostering cultural representation. Thanks to this, I have lived unforgettable experiences and built lasting memories.
I was taught to treat others with kindness, love, and generosity throughout my life. I believe heavily in giving back to those in need, especially within my community. As a proud Egyptian-American, I have always been intrigued by the juxtaposition between America’s opinions on Egypt. On the one hand, it’s one of the most alluring destinations for travel lovers and usually on their wish list. However, there is a perception that it is an unsafe country to travel and visit. As I learned more about Egyptian history and culture, I knew that there was a need to get involved and create change. I had heard enough misconceptions about the Middle East and Africa, so I started searching for practical ways to open people’s eyes to the beauty and history that I experienced in Egypt.
This idea became more tangible while planning the destination wedding to my now-husband, Kyle. We knew we wanted to get married in Egypt. It was essential to show our family and friends all of our history. Egypt is black history. At first, we thought it would be a long shot if we could get even 30 people to say yes to meeting us on the other side of the world. We did not prepare a typical destination wedding; as interest grew amongst our family and friends, we planned a ten-day excursion and sold out rooms to host people! We quickly realized that Egypt was one of those countries everyone has on their bucket list, yet no one knows how to plan a trip there or is perhaps a little intimidated about going.
Our wedding party and guests soon embarked on a memorable trip with a carefully curated ten-day itinerary. There was a lot of sightseeing in-between the celebration, of course, but beyond the usual tourists and wedding activities, each day had an intention set by the group. These intentions included legacy, community, history, service, etc. On the dedicated day of service, we took our guests to participate in a day of giving back to a school located in Trash Village on the outskirts of Cairo. These locals live in the trash and sort through trash to make a living. Our guests brought clothes, socks, shoes, and school supplies for the families who live there. The villagers were deeply appreciative of our group and dressed my husband and I as bride and groom. We all celebrated our union as a united community of Egyptians and Our wedding party and guests soon embarked on a memorable trip with a carefully curated ten-day itinerary. There was a lot of sightseeing in-between the celebration, of course, but beyond the usual tourists and wedding activities, each day had an intention set by the group. These intentions included legacy, community, history, service, etc. On the dedicated day of service, we took our guests to participate in a day of giving back to a school located in Trash Village on the outskirts of Cairo. These locals live in the trash and sort through trash to make a living. Our guests brought clothes, socks, shoes, and school supplies for the families who live there. The villagers were deeply appreciative of our group and dressed my husband and I as bride and groom. We all celebrated our union as a united community of Egyptians and Americans. On the dedicated day of history, 100 of us sat on the pyramids together and sang “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers, unplanned. On the day dedicated to community, we all toured the great sites of the Valley of the Kings and walked into the tombs of pharaohs from 4,000 years ago.
As co-founder of Bucket List Egypt, Amy Webb is on the mission to transform the narrative and negative assumptions of traveling to the middle east. After a life-changing experience of bringing 100 American travelers to Egypt for her wedding, Amy Webb founded Bucket List Egypt to ensure travel enthusiasts enjoyed Egypt’s most sacred places with safety and ease of mind.
Bucket List Egypt is a woman and minority-owned travel brand dedicated to curating an unforgettable experience for your trip to Egypt. We know that Egypt continues to be on so many people’s bucket lists, but most don’t know where to start or HOW to travel to Egypt without connections. We believe in traveling with a PURPOSE. Visit bucketlisteg.
