never gained traction no one accounted for how many people would embrace former regime figures especially in a crisismost egyptians abroad have not been politically active fearing for family and friends back home but some have continued on the path begun on jan 25 2011tamim heikal working in the corporate world when the protests erupted had doubted the government could ever reform but he soon became a communications manager for an emerging political party later he watched others being locked up and knew his turn had come when he got an invitation from intelligence officers in 2017 to come have coffeehe booked a ticket to paris and hasnt gone backnow at age 42 he wants to educate himself and others for when a popular movement reemerges in egypt he makes ends meet by editing translating and doing consulting work for rights groups and tries to network among the diasporaits as if i was infected with a virus after the revolution he said i dont know how to go back i wont be able to relax until change happensothers try to cope in strange lands asma khatib and her husband arent sure what to say to their young children when they ask where theyre fromabouelgheit the doctorturnedjournalist worries his son wont speak arabic after so much time in the united kingdomhe hopes to go home one day but in the meantime hes considering returning to the medical profession