She writes, edits, and shoots multimedia content for the Associated Press, Voice of America and International Herald Tribune - Daliy News Egypt.

She graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism with a Master of Science degree in journalism.

She is proficient in French, Spanish and Haitian Creole. While in Cairo, she is advancing her knowledge of Egyptian Colloquial Arabic.

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But for some tourists, the pyramids and other sites are much more than stops on a sightseeing itinerary. These visitors view Egypt as an ancient sacred homeland, and they come hoping for a spiritual transformation.

Numerous specialized tours cater to these seekers. June Schatilly, 82, of Saginaw, Mich., signed up for a spiritual tour earlier this year despite the discouragement of her family. She was drawn to Egypt, she said, after having several visions of herself in a past life there. After a two-week excursion, Schatilly said she feels renewed.

"I'm 82, but I'm a kid again," Schatilly said. "Everything might be the same thing, but I'm going to be experiencing it in a different manner."

Schatilly took her trip through Heartlights Sacred Journeys, a company that combines Egyptology and metaphysics with visits to sacred sites. The trip starts with visits to the Pyramids of Giza and the mysterious Sphinx. Visitors explore the subterranean chamber or otherwise known as the pit, the queen's chamber and the king's chamber. Group members are also encouraged to participate in meditations and chants.

JOURNAL ENTRY - August 26, 2009 11:08 PM

It was as if I had won the lottery. Out of the 250 plus passengers on my flight from JFK to Cairo, I was chosen as a "random suspect". The man at the quarantine desk took my passport and told me to stand by the side. As I watched him just wave through the other passengers, he stuck a plastic strip which looked more like a pH strip and told me to hold it under my tongue.

Then, I was told to wait at the health desk.    In what looked like a simple operation, two young men who looked like they had just graduated high school were watching two monitors in where they showed people's body temperature. People who were hotter were colored in as molten lava while they cooler you were the yellowier your body. I was initially impressed with this bit of technology but then soon realized that there was no communication between the health desk and the initial point of entry. There wasn't a sign of a walkie-talkie, hand signals, or even a messenger acting as a go between for the two operations. That led me to believe that I was not selected because I truly had a fever but because some employee with a plastic strip for a thermometer deemed me ill. If my temperature in any way was above normal, there are many factors that could have increased my temperature. Being packed in to a shuttle with many other people in 90-degree weather. Being in a hurry rushing to get to the immigration desk before the next person. However, instead of looking at these possibilities and then having a doctor take my temperature with a thermometer, I was placed on the side. In a quarantine section, which was truly a transfer point for passengers, and then told to wear a mask. They later explained to me that a doctor would be arriving to exam me. Although slightly annoyed and frustrated by my warm welcome, I agreed to be patient so that I could be seen by a doctor. The doctor arrived about an hour after that moment. This young woman Dr. Germine with the typical hijab and over-sized sunglasses told me her specialty was dermatology and that she was working at the airport for two months as a part of her training. Instead of taking my temperature at the airport, they said that they needed to take me to a hospital that was only fifteen minutes away. There they would proceed with the investigation.

Naively, I asked her if I would be done with this investigation for Iftar, the breaking of the fast at sunset for Ramadan. She told me that it didn't seem likely. I have always seen ambulances on the crowded streets of Cairo and often prayed that I would never be inside one. The streets are congested at almost any time of day, and if there is a shoulder lane it's often occupied by cars that have transformed it into a driving lane. The ambulance driver turned on his siren and roared through the streets. Other driver would reluctantly move to the next lane or slow down so that the ambulance could pass.

We finally made it to the hospital, called the Fever Hospital of Abu Sayda. I was escorted into a bare room with an examination bed and told to hold that same plastic strip under my tongue. I intentionally did not place it in the back of my tongue but right on the tip to see if it would change the reading. The nurse tool the strip out and made no further comment. Dr. Germine who informed me that they were transferring me to a different hospital so that they could hold the investigation however that it would cost me $300 dollars later approached me. I adamantly refused to giver her the money explaining that if the government suspects that I have swine flu it should come out of their pocket. Also knowing that in Egypt everything is negotiable or changeable with a right connection or bribe. Furious with the situation, she changed her tone as soon as I said that I was calling the U.S. embassy because this was certainly not coming out of my pocket. She then said that we would go to the new hospital in Nasr city called Gerehat il-yom il-wahead. In about fifteen minutes, we arrived at the gates of this hospital.

In the ambulance, I was texting all of my contacts telling them about my situation and how they wanted me to pay $300 to hold an investigation. I got in touch with my AP colleague who recommended that I speak to the embassy and she told me that she was notifying the rest of the bureau about my situation. Perhaps, I had been in America too long but I thought that if I handled this calmly and rationally that we would solve this problem sooner. Dr. Germine entered the hospital and told me to wait outside. I was immediately suspicious and had the U.S. embassy on the other line so that there could be an Arabic translator and witnesses to situation. Thankfully, I had a cell phone and was able to update them of any new developments. Dr. Germine then approached me again and told me that I could stay in this hospital for $100 dollars; I asked what would this $100 be covering. A swab test and s 24 hour stay in the hospital while they waited for the results. The embassy official on my phone advised me not to pay anything and told her that I wasn't going to do anything until I had her properly take my temperature. She agreed to take my temperature at the original hospital so we went into the ambulance and returned to the hospital.

At this point, it was Iftar and Cairo comes to a standstill. I had been in there custody for five hours and I had only had my temperature taken by that plastic strip for a thermometer. I was reaching the end of my patience but managed to keep my cool because I knew of several people who had to be quarantined after the swine flu hysteria. With such a densely populated city, I understood why Cairo had to be cautious so I was willing to go through the process for public safety. I knew that I wasn't sick. Like a fine clock, I am very in tune if a tick or a tock is one second too late. I didn't have any of the symptoms of the flu, aching, diarrhea, chills, etc. I knew that it was just a misunderstanding that needed to be cleared up.

Being that it was the end of their work week, it was pretty obvious that Dr. Germine wanted to go home. She was not interested and failed to take my temperature once we arrived because she said that she was handing over the case to a different doctor. I was immediately frustrated and had her explain the situation to the embassy and then I was told that I would not have to pay for the investigation. It went from what would have cost me $300 to being completely free. This is Egypt I thought to myself. I waited for Iftar to end and tried my best to remain calm. The doctor taking over the case finally arrived. He got my contact information but seemed to be more interested in asking me inappropriate questions like if I was a virgin. The lack of professionalism was outstanding even for Egyptian standards. I lived in this country for about a year now and in some respects had adapted to the systematic and cultural differences. But it finally took them after about 8 hours to take a swab of my mucus and they told me it would take 24 hours to get the results back. I immediately contacted my friends and family members.

I am writing this as a warning to any future voyageurs to Cairo. I am placed now in a single room with a bed and bathroom to myself. Thankfully, I am not sharing a room with someone who truly as swine flu. However, I can't help but feel that I am amongst people who do have the disease and am now being extremely cautious of everything I touch. I am turning this negative experience into an opportunity to expose the structural flaws and inadequacy of the system.

At 10 PM, I receive a knock on my door from a nurse explaining to me to take Tamil flu and another drug written in Arabic. I speak a decent amount of Arabic and I was able to brush her off without having to take the medication. For any other tourists especially who are new to Egypt, I could only imagine how more horrific this situation could be. I do have my belongings in my possession, which is some comfort. I plan on waking up tomorrow and being adamant about getting out of here. However, I will try to interview people as well to get a sense of others stories. If they are getting they treatment they need or is this becoming another example of Egyptian hysteria and a lack of adequate resources.

To improve their services, Egypt should have those who are qualified medical practitioners to conduct any sort of temperature reading. Furthermore, they should make an effort to explain the investigation more thoroughly and provide these people with the necessary tools and information. There needs to be a set standard that all patients are treated with and respected through the process. Lesson learned: pack a thermometer next time you visit a country where swine flu is an opportunity for swindlers.