Profile by kaye yap

Stewart Fahmy

Chasing the American Dream Written and Photographed

by Kaye Yap

As I drive up to Sarwat Fahmy’s house during a late Saturday afternoon, I am greeted by his wife, Colette, who immediately welcomed me inside the home. As I walk through the lavish mansion located in the hills of Los Gatos, I am introduced to each of his family members, who are all gathered for the celebration of his niece’s marriage. Fahmy and the men of the family are playing a game of cards, being loud and yelling each other over what the next move should be. While the woman of the families are in the TV room, playing with the grand-

son and watching the slideshow of the wedding photos. As out of place I feel, everyone else seems to be perfectly content and comfortable in this setting.

Something that’s so every day to them, was such a culture shock to me.

Sarwat Fahmy, or known as Stewart to some, represents the modern icon of the American dream. The dream that labeled America as the “land of opportunity,” where people from all over the world came in hopes of finding new jobs and becoming successful. A dream that

has evidently dwindled down through these last couple years.

According to The Atlantic, the American Dream is no longer in America and has moved to other countries such as Denmark. It’s significantly harder for the poor to get ahead in these times due to the problems of inequality and mobility. Fahmy emigrated to the United States of America from Egypt in 1977, where he sought out to make it big. With his ambition and fearlessness, he was determined to accomplish anything. Although he faced hardships, discrimination, and many challenges, he was able to overcome these to find these with

his golden touch to find success in things he endeavors in. He uses his failures as reconstruction points and builds himself as a stronger, better, and wiser person through his mistakes and experiences.

ing medicine and distributing it to pharmacies and doctors. He worked at hospitals and was able to improve his English through his experience in the medical department. However, he discovered he had a passion for the

His sister, Mary states, “Then he studied law, which we all thought that was so left field for someone who was very mathematical by nature and very much into science and not much politics or law or political science. I guess that

real estate business when he was able to sell his house on his own without help from an agency.

He studied and got a real estate degree and became a real estate agent and the founder of his own company, Calandev, which stands for California Land Development. Throughout the years he

was way left field for all of us.

But he excelled in that, and he opened offices in law.” (Gad). Although he currently has stopped practicing law, he still enjoys and respects the aspects of it. Fahmy was beaming when he said, “By keeping yourself educated and going to school and going to seminars and learning it really keeps you young.

Mentally and otherwise. It also gives you an edge to your competition.

Because if you know more than your competition, theoretically you should do better” (Fahmy). He got his last degree just four years ago, at the age of 64, from Harvard University, something that he is very proud of because they ask him to come back each year and speak

Fahmy was born and raised in

Egypt with his family, which included four younger brothers and one younger sister. He attended Cairo University where he got his agriculture degree right after high school. Not long after, he was presented with a job opportunity to teach French at a school in the Congo, which Fahmy took without hesitation. After teaching French in the Congo for a couple years, he was given the opportunity to get his visa signed and approved by the US Embassy. Fahmy and a few of his friends emigrated to America in 1977, at the age of 25.

His first occupation was study-

has been able to obtain several Century franchises and became very successful through the real estate business. He also got a law degree and opened his own law firm with an old time friend.

to the student. He now resides in his beautiful house in Los Gatos, with his wife of 43 years. His son and daughter are close by his side and he is a loving and respected member of the community.

On a Wednesday afternoon, Fahmy is appointed by the Santa Clara County to be the arbitrator of a case revolving around a personal injury. Arbitration is a legal process used in order to resolve an issue without involving court. The arbitrator is the neutral third party who hears both sides of the case and concludes a decision that is usually binding and cannot be repealed.

As I watch Fahmy go from two separate rooms, to hear both sides of the case, I can hear laughter coming from both sides. Even though this was a serious case, Fahmy is able to lighten up the mood with his humorous personality, genuine smile, and boisterous laugh. He intently listens to each party, while trying to be as unbiased and fair as possible.

Although a difficult task, Fahmy conducts this professionally without a problem. Something

that looked and seems incredibly complex in my eyes, was done so swiftly and casually.

I am invited to one of Fahmy’s family get togethers, something that for this family occurs weekly. One of his favorite pastimes is to play cards with family members, a game that can climax very quickly. Fahmy intensly stares at his paper playing cards, trying to carefully map out what the most strategic next

move would be. As he makes one bad move, he quickly learns from it and carefully plans out the next in order to win the round. Fahmy tells me later on, “In order to succeed in life, one must have failures. Because without failures, how are we ever going to learn to do better? Therefore yes, of course I’ve had some failures, but from them I learned so much, not only about life lessons but also about myself as a person.” (Fahmy). Just like playing cards, make one bad move and you learn from it and know not to make the same mistake again. Applying this to his life, he made many mistakes and has admitted to multiple failures, but without them he says he wouldn’t be where he is now.

Fahmy tells me about one thing he most disliked about his career path, was becoming a lawyer. If he could change something about his past, he would choose to not go through the process of becoming a lawyer again. He disliked the occupation and it didn’t make him happy, in contrast to how much he enjoyed the real estate

business. However, although it wasn’t enjoyable for him, Fahmy believes it was an important stepping stone in his life. Through trial and error, he learned that this kind of job wasn’t for him and from this experience, he learned more about himself as a person. One must make mistakes in order to succeed because you never know how much better you can do.

So just like making mistakes in playing cards, you must make mistakes in life. Without making failures, you will never know how far you can make it because you have nothing to learn from. Fahmy doesn’t allow the deck of cards to control him, he controls the deck of cards. Just like in his life, he is in control instead of life controlling him.

He takes initiative to strive and be better, always.

Although at 68 years of age,

Sarwat isn’t heading anywhere towards retirement. “ Retirement in my mind is maybe doing things that I want to do, not having to work. But I think I’ll always be involved in some sort of business or some sort of adventure or investment or something, I don’t think I can really sit still.” (Fahmy). With his high energy leveled personality, and his drive to

always want more and strive for the better, he still looks forward to making great memories and achievements with his business, his family and friends, and also within himself. He continues to educate himself constantly, and keeps his schedule packed daily to keep him active and involved within his community. “ It’s amazing what we can do if we just want to do it. i mean really it is amazing. It’s very simple. If you want to do something you’re going to find a way to do it. If its legal of course.

Even if its illegal! You know you’re going to do it.” (Fahmy).