The first female captain in the private sector in Egypt, Nerin Salem, discussing her journey to becoming a pilot, her parents' reactions to her decision to become a pilot, along with the challenges she had to face and overcome.

Transcription: 

The first female captain in the private sector in Egypt Nerin Salem, discusses her journey to becoming a pilot. Her parents’ reaction to her decision to become a pilot. Along with the challenges that she had to face and overcome. 

When did you figure out that you wanted to fly. And what were your parents reactions?

	Ever since I was a little kid I wanted to fly maybe at the age of six or seven and you know normally people ask little kids that what would you like to be when you grow up. I used to say I want to be a pilot. And they used to laugh at me and at that age I was wondering how aircrafts flew I was used to watching airplanes in the sky. And I was like Wow these big things how do they fly in the sky and it made me it made me wonder a lot. And well my parents didn't react except by laughing. 

And what was like..how did you become a pilot and what did you like what are the challenges that you face and what did you have to overcome in order to reach where you are now? 

	Well after I finished my high school I asked my parents to join the aviation academy but they denied my request. And at that time they told me that two females were not allowed to fly and that the Academy doesn't accept females. So I went to Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management and after I graduated I found out that there are female pilots in Egypt at the age of 30 I already had my daughter who's you. So I thought at that time it was now or never. And I had to sell my car to try and collect the money to to to fly to the states and I had to take some money from my parents and and from my mother in law. But they were just to get to and I had to pay to pay it back but not to my parents of course. And at that time people thought I was crazy because I was already 30 pilots who are much younger didn't have much much much of a chance to to fly for an airline and for me I had less chances because I was old and a female. And but I had to take my chances. And it's happened. 

What was your feeling when you were like flying by yourself like how would you express thoughts?

	I was…I can't I can't explain my feeling because I was like more than happy excited thrilled. Anything you can call it anything. And the first time I flew an Airbus 320 I after I landed and disembarked the aircraft. I stood there looking at the aircraft and I thought well did I fly this Big Bird in the sky and then got it back on the ground. I couldn't believe myself. And I'm still happy with my with my job or my career until today.

Woman in the Air

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