One of the Americans trapped in Egypt is a University of Cincinnati student.David Watkins told News 5 by phone Monday that shots were being fired right outside his apartment.Watkins is originally from Sidney, Ohio, north of Dayton. He said when he signed up to study abroad in Egypt to learn Arabic, he wasn’t expecting to be witness to the turmoil in that country right now.Watkins had an apartment in Alexandria and said he’s been trying to get out of Egypt for days."We had to go through several checkpoints,” Watkins said, “and you could tell things were evolving. There were no traffic cops and the trash was piling up."As News 5 talked to Watkins, he was headed to board a flight to Prague and was expected to land in Poland on Monday evening.Watkins said he was disappointed about leaving, but he knows some things are more important."When guns are shooting right outside your window, it’s time to go home,” Watkins said. “I’m ready to see my family and take a hot shower and get a good night’s sleep."While he’s glad to be leaving, Watkins said he recognizes that he’s now a part of history."I hope not to experience it again in my life,” Watkins said. “It’s something I’m going to be able to tell my kids and grandkids that I was there when the revolution began in Egypt."Watkins was scheduled to be in Egypt until May. He hasn’t decided if he’ll go back.
