---
title: "Samah's Journey: From Cairo to Calgary"
description: Meet Samah, guest service agent at Delta Hotels Calgary South, and discover her journey into the Calgary hospitality industry.
image: https://www.calgaryhotelassociation.com/hubfs/Calgary%20Hotel%20Association%20LinkedIn%20Storytelling%20Campaign%20(19).png
---

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Members Home\>Samah's Journey: From Cairo to Calgary

# Samah's Journey: From Cairo to Calgary

[Author: Calgary Hotel Association](https://www.calgaryhotelassociation.com/calgary-hotel-association-blog/author/calgary-hotel-association) |  Date: OCTOBER 13, 2026

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In 2019, Samah left Cairo, Egypt, with her husband and their three young daughters, searching for something she had begun to feel was impossible to have back home: safety, peace and a future for her children.

At the time, her daughters were just 10, 8 and 6. In Cairo, Samah worried constantly about their safety. Stories of kidnapping, human trafficking and other dangers had made her afraid to let her children experience the simple freedoms many families take for granted. She would drive her daughters to school in a private car because she was afraid of what could happen if they travelled alone.

Leaving Egypt was difficult, but staying had become harder.

When Samah arrived in Calgary, everything was new. She knew no one. She did not understand the culture, how healthcare worked or how to navigate her new community. She remembers feeling lost and scared, unsure of what the future would hold.

But slowly, Calgary began to feel like home.

Here, Samah found something she had been searching for — the freedom to raise her children without the same fear. She discovered a community where people were open, welcoming and less judgmental. She experienced a lifestyle where she could speak freely, meet new people and make her own choices.

And, for the first time in her life, she began to build friendships.

Her family continued to grow in Canada, welcoming a son who was born here. Today, Samah describes the lifestyle in Calgary as good and, most importantly, safe.

Then, in 2022, another important chapter began.

Samah started working at Delta Calgary South. It was her first job ever.

She began as a room attendant, learning the hospitality industry while also learning more about herself. Over time, her confidence grew. So did her skills, her relationships and her sense of belonging.

Today, Samah is a housekeeping team lead, but her impact goes far beyond her title.

Because she remembers what it feels like to arrive somewhere new and not know where to turn, Samah makes a special effort to help new employees feel welcome. She supports newcomers, translates when needed and helps people understand their new workplace. She knows that sometimes a friendly face, a familiar language or someone simply saying “I can help you” can make all the difference.

Her own journey has made her a natural bridge between people and cultures.

Samah says Delta Calgary South feels like family. She feels valued, supported and appreciated for who she is and what she brings. She loves working alongside people from different backgrounds and believes the diversity of the hotel makes the team stronger.

Perhaps the biggest change, however, is the change in Samah herself.

She describes herself as once being a very private person who rarely opened up to others. Today, she has friends, confidence and a voice. She has stepped outside her shell and discovered that she can contribute, lead and help others find their place.

She is still working toward permanent residency and hopes to remain in Canada forever.

For Samah, Canada is more than the country where she lives. It is the place where her children can grow up feeling safe, where her son was born, where she found her first job, made her first friendships and discovered a confidence she did not know she had.

And Alberta is better because she is here.

Every day, Samah brings her experience, compassion, resilience and understanding of what it means to start over to her work in hospitality. She welcomes guests, supports her colleagues and helps other newcomers feel that they belong.

She came to Calgary looking for safety and a better life for her family.

Along the way, she found something else: a place where she could finally become the person she was always capable of being.

 

 

 

 

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