Having received invitation letters from London, Edinburgh and Lund, I opted for CMEPS, because I found the opportunity to live and study in Egypt truly unique. Yet the programme offered so much more: theoretical and empirical insights to succeed not only in academia, but also in the think tank world, civil society, and international institutions. Rolling hills surrounding Tübingen and its mixture of historical charm and youthful energy provided a perfect setting to do my M.A. Not to mention a close circle of like-minded coursemates, whom I am happy to call friends and colleagues to this day.