Although now thousands of years old, the ancient story of "Sinuhe the Egyptian" reveals a lifetime of trials and tribulations comparable to the experiences of the modern-day immigrant. The story is about the life of Sinuhe, an Egyptian palace official, who flees Egypt after the death of his king. He begins a new life in exile under a ruler in Syria, and as a result, encounters many obstacles along the way. Some of these obstacles are physical, such as when he is challenged to a duel by a Syrian champion, which he ends up killing. Other obstacles are purely mental, such as dealing inwardly with his cowardice that made him leave Egypt in the first place. The modern immigrant faces the same types of physical and mental obstacles when leaving their home of origin and coming to begin a new life in another country as a foreigner. This paper will compare the physical and mental experiences faced by both Sinuhe and the modern immigrant.

             Sinuhe fled Egypt because he feared strife after the king's death. When speaking of how he left, Sinuhe states in the translation, "I removed myself in leaps, to seek a hiding place.I believed there would be turmoil and I did not expect to survive it (Touregypt.net, at pp.1)." Modern day immigrants from countries such as Cuba flee to another country under the fear of persecution, or in search of a better life. Sinuhe also encountered other physical problems, for example at one point he kills an opponent; it is after this occurs that he is able to begin a period of peace. This "killing of an opponent" can be compared to the modern day immigrant's experience of overcoming the unfamiliarity's associated with a foreigner. In the story, it appears that Sinuhe's life became much better after he overcame this obstacle. The translations states "I was given a house and garden that had belonged to a courier.Meals were brought to me from the palace three times, four times a day.