The trip was educational both professionally and in the way it opened my eyes to how culturally removed Cairo and Alexandria are from the rest of the country. Cairo is so crowded and overwhelming that one often forgets that its residents, and its commuters, are in fact a minority of the larger Egyptian population. I'm among those who complain about the enforced social conservatism of Cairo, and, like most, I usually attribute it to religion. I had forgotten all about straight up traditionalism. I guess that's easy to do in an enormous, mostly Muslim city setting. The following is an email I sent to some friends mid-way through the trip, pointing out various things I had learned about the s3eed by that point :
- It is rude for women to chew gum.
- It is rude for women to cross their legs in public. It is not, however, in any way notable if a man sits with his hands cupping his balls for about 15 minutes, or picks his nose continuously (really, really picking. Like exploratory digging.)
- If you are not veiled, do not be surprised if a development "professional" asks you if "you guys are fasting these days."
- There is a kabab store in Fayoum called "Kalbaz". I look forward to seeking it out tomorrow almost as much as I look forward to having a beer and wearing a (gasp!) half-sleeved t shirt on saturday.
I did indeed make it to Kalbaz, and it proved to be the cheesy, brightly colored, lard-smelling, flourescently lit place I had imagined. Other highlights of the trip included:
- Walking through a village and hearing about how they had to enlarge the police presence after a case of taar (revenge killings) left 3 people dead a few months ago.
- Quickly realizing that unless you specify otherwise, any cup of tea that is given to you will be unbelievably sweet, and dark to the point where it looks thick. It makes Lipton seem like some sort of baby-faced pre-pubescant whose voice hasn't yet cracked.
4 comments:
sounds fascinating ! I've always wanted to know whatthe rest of egypt is like beyond cairo and alexandria . don't you find that generally that cities are merely the facade of a country whilst the countryside is somehow it's real self ?
you forgot about traditionalism ezay? am always going on about how universally held (i.e. by all the copts i know) most of the conservative ideas are. tits.
and didn't u say it was rude for all people to leg cross?
Well conservatism of the religious sort is so pervasive and widespread that i'd forgotten about the other types. And yes, it is rude for all people to leg cross but of course for women to do so is closer to scandelous. We always get it worse around here.
1. it's rude for everyone to cross their legs. I dont think you can claim this one for the women. Sorry, but you have enough exclusive stuff.
2. It's rude to chew gum. PERIOD. Anyone over 60 thinks so; it's not culturally specific. They probably think, like i do, that gum makes people look like cows. I also think, when i can hear people's gum, that they should be standing under a street lamp in synthetic materials.
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