Egypt - Part 4 – Smiles and Esplanades

Before I go into the specifics about what surprised me, I want to point out that most of my observations come not as an American, but as an American who has lived in East Africa for a year. Since Egyptian culture has more in common with Uganda than with America, I found myself making Egypt vs. Uganda comparisons rather than Egypt vs. America. A Friendly Atmosphere As is customary in America, I didn’t say anything as another person entered the elevator. But to my surprise, the man asked my name and then offered me a cookie. This was one of many instances where I experienced the friendly and social culture in Egypt first hand. The Egyptians I came in contact with, which were a mixture of Muslims and Christians, were quick to smile, laugh and help the silly foreigner. It surprised me a lot. People were not shy about showing the Americans new things. One man was not shy about asking me for a light. Another encouraged me to get a video of him blowing beans into the mouths of pigeons he was selling, though I never got an answer about why he was doing this. One of my favorite memories from the trip was giving a very long list of food orders at McDonalds for my entire team with a Muslim woman. She was very kind and patient with my inability to speak Arabic and scribbled mess of a list. It included such items as a McArabia. It was just nice to admit my lack of Arabic skills while being accepted. I even joked with her. Even though I didn’t belong to their culture, every Egyptian I met made me feel welcome and not just because of the tourist dollars I brought. Actually, I didn’t have any money the whole time until someone gave me five Egyptian pounds. Divided Highways Driving in developing nations can be a scary experience for westerners, and an even scarier experience for former Transportation Engineers. Nobody pays attention to the lane lines, honking is used to communicate such things as "hello" or "good job," and stop signs are no where to be found. In Egypt however, it was nice that all two way roads were divided. It took a lot of stress off my nerves. I haven’t posted any picks yet, so I think I’ll just post five a day in no particular order. Old Fairhaven Building