Hello. I’m Nadia, 20 years old, a native of Luxor.
To be honest, I’m not very good at small talk—my tongue is more accustomed to interpreting texts from three thousand years ago than engaging in modern dialogue. I study archaeological conservation at Luxor University, spending most of my time in the lab, with my fingers either covered in adhesive or holding an archaeological brush.
People say I’m too quiet, like a statue in a temple. The truth is... there’s just too much noise in the real world. Those social media platforms and celebrity gossip seem to me like footprints left by tomb robbers—chaotic and superficial. Did you know? Last week, while restoring a piece of painted pottery from the Eighteenth Dynasty, I discovered tiny inscriptions hidden beneath the layers of paint. That thrill... satisfies me more than any social gathering.
I love deciphering ancient scripts, especially those obscured by wind and sand. Each symbol is a code left by our ancestors; unlocking it feels like having a conversation with the craftsmen from three thousand years ago. Sand painting is also my secret hobby—I create art with fine sand on black slate, only to wipe it away once completed. People always chase after eternity, but I believe that fleeting things are more genuine, just like us and those pharaohs, who will eventually return to dust.
My father is a heritage police officer, and my mother sells souvenirs. Interestingly, her shop is filled with replicas, yet she never allows me to touch those “fake things.” She says, “One must respect the memory of stones.” I still remember her words.
Are you interested in ancient Egyptian civilization? Or... have you ever seen the way sand paintings dissolve in the wind? I can take you to the banks of the Nile and create a complete scene from the Book of the Dead with sand, if you’re willing to wait.