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Summer vacation is a great time for students to see a different part of the world. For one UCLA student, “summer trip” meant heading into the middle of a North African revolution. Chris Jeon, a 21-year old mathematics major from UCLA, decided to travel to Libya and join the rebels trying to overthrow Qaddafi because he “thought it would be cool…This is one of the only real revolutions in the world,” writes The National.
In mid-August, Jeon purchased a one-way ticket from Los Angeles to Cairo; then, he used a series of trains and buses to reach the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi. Once there, he hitched a ride with rebels heading west toward Tripoli, Libya’s capital.
While Jeon’s decision might seem foolhardy—not to mention dangerous—the rebels have taken a liking to the American student they have dubbed Ahmed El Maghrabi Saidi Barga—a combination of the names of local tribes and regions he has passed through.
Even though he speaks no Arabic, his enthusiasm has garnered respect from his companions—who have gladly armed him with shotguns and AK-47s to aid in their effort. While Jeon is more of an observer than a fighting participant, he claims he has captured some great video footage and seems not to worry about capture or death.
In fact, his biggest fear is that his parents find out where he went, “Whatever you do, don’t tell my parents. They don’t know I’m here.”
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