© 2007 Institute of Current World Affairs
The Institute awards long-term fellowships to develop a deep understanding of an issue, country, or region outside the US and to share that understanding with a wider public.
Institute of Current World Affairs - Home Page

Below is a hobbled text version of a PDF document.
In order to read the actual document please click the link below and register if necessary.
(One-time registration is free and very quick.)
Read article

4/1/1983 - Two Egyptian vignettes by Kenneth Cline

INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS merican Express KWO I Sharia Kasr El Nil Cairo Egyp Two Egyptian vignettes Peter Bird Institute Current World Affairs Wheelock House West Wheelock Street Hanover N K Dear Peter The Quiet Americans Bokr Land After Swissair flight fromNew York touched Cairo International Airport night April I fortune offered Maureen guide New York based group aureen I chatted across aisle during Zurich Cairo stretch She amused describing trials tribulations condua covey elderly American tourists through strange territory Egypt The hazard never crack Egypt before leave States unprepared experience Indeed piled outside airport countmymen could sight those walking around galabiyahs Do suppose anything under voice heard exclim jocular manner Culture shock surely atmus formal minded Egyptians think about funny According informal surveys taken several tourist spots around always American group French British German greater propensity funny boating women baseball golfing colors rainbow young American ascending staircase Nile Hilton Arab headdress Leaving airport drove through darkened streets HeliopOlis Nasser City cairo center small passed suffused inside bright I looked seeanEgyptianmanbehind thewheel hiswifebeside children All riveted portable television propped dashboard I watching Throughout Iaureen delivered educational briefing PI system She pointed outthat Egypt United States things moved slower situations different expectations Kenneth Ci aVillage Reporting Fellow Institute studying ofthe Egyptian peasantry The common expressions while Egypt okra_ tommorow which means doesn matter Learn those words because often aurean worked South America several years before offered present Because mastered manna_apeto company apparently could handle bokra mentality plane From night I alert signs mentali Egyptian But I disappointed I Egyptian bokra malesh context ureen But I myself The occasion discovery hotel staff mistakenly almost shavin cream This followed disappearance socks laund Facing apparent culprit I pointed motions hands deScribe uchtar second floor helpfully scraped pantomime shaving That I uchta shrugged shoulders sorry another pantomime illustrate something being thrown while cleaning Raising palms upward I actually malesh course really matter You Get Better Rate Samadoun Travelling marked tourist Egypt You Cairo Luxor Alexandria inexpens comfortable speed trains available But getting place Shibin E1 Kom kilometers problematic Even though capital inofaya richest agricultural governor Delta Shibin El Kern never visited westerners unless specific business there I discover later middle class conscious Egyptians buses taxis between Cairo Shibi Ei Kom These journeys piasters Not knowing I central railvy statio Shibin Ei Kom There third class piasters The lrice certainly right although I suspicious factor I second third class train E1 Cairo chugged Ramses Station hours morning hours But I Shibin E1 Kom until morning And anyway about I actually mixed Egyptian peasants third class train start An Egyptian third class railroad capacity closely resembles American college people stuff tlephone You close people during excursion The situation Ramses Station Although seats taken first aboard I found floor doorway Perched I comfortable enough Several other spread newspapers floor necessary because trash there serenely until Slum northern outskirts capital Another deluge assorted crates boxes baskets washed From standing unless climbed luggage racks One soldir dangling smoking cigarette chatted companion civilian A below found himself brushing ashes galabiyah Ang mutteriugs directed eagle perch The soldier smoking shifted cigarette other chuckling companion Shortly after I became object mutterings thought I being inoffensive possible But frail womanwh pinched standing right rumbled audibly about something Some people around peered curiously Although rub0ing shoulders large voman placed large basket laundry right I manage sidle millimeters towards Thethin woman silent As people particular train stopped nearly every village meandering journey across countryside excursion bargain But A group students spotted Easily recognizable their western style clothes waved I I falling again familiar pattern I squeezed through central aisle where sitting Egyptian sadents practice their English Americans They genuinely enjoy speaking foreigners As When I approached group young vacated ushered I usual protestations Egyptian hospitality relentless I They immediately plied usual questions about whatcountry I profession I Egypt I I going Shibin E1 Kom Coming sides inquisition intense But limited their English skills Once excha pleasantries basic information could farther With rudimentary Arabic I couldn Rua Yarid pseudonym better English oters Anagriculture student university Shibin E1 Kom forever rattling Latin Zmmes local flora slende clean shaven decided sophistication about His father secondary school teacher Although never visited Europe United States Farid attended secondary school Libya before relations between Sadat Khaddafi soured His perspective outside world little broader village friends When invited lunch village Samadoun I He See guide Egyptian village The first major structure I disembarked white cross hurch I asked Farid Samadoun Christian village The majority groups along together Farid himself Later afternoon climbed minaret mosque tallest structure village panoramic Samadoun neatly ordered fields surrounding Like houses village Farid constructed brick cement although I baked village walls courtyards animal But attractive stucco finish electric buzzer tipped Farid belonged village S wealthier families The house contained other amenities inside floors partly covered tapestries adcrning living including scene Kaaba European style chairs couch Italia stove kitchen running water bathroom electricity After I visited other houses village belonging Farld relatives I atypical These etherdwellings apartment blocks multi storied smaller rooms cheap furniture little decoration One raising raits They electricity though Farid I hearty sardines Japanese import mixed tomato mashed potatoes stewed tomatoes fasulya homemade unleavened bread I assume Farid mother lunch although I never Faid itroduced brothers preteen sister adult women house Once I caught glimpse woman observing adjoining Sh disappeared I looked I assume Farid mother because wearing black dress married women country The segregation village AlthouGh Farid introduced least males mostly student friends ation seemed attend school another young girls I never adult woman Som younger women watched frank curiousity I paraded about village standing rabbit warren I woman sitting doorvy shyly But hefty middle woman scampered house startled I walking Farid excellent during lunch continually pushing But slightly discordant struck before Farid asked I wanted change money A friend village Taken guard I maybe later Whatever I suprised Farid question because change money common expressi foreigner hears Egyp It comes never women street hotels shops I approached guard National Antiquities understanding Egyptians better price imported goods foreign currency Delivery supposed faster What I grasp imported automobile watch radio orelectric heart Cairene might desired Samadoun After lmnch Farid launched He asked usual pounds dollars Cairo I pound piasters dollar The official piasters dollar He sheet paper carefully wrotethenumbers1 ThisrateinCairo hesaid I nodded wrote This Samadoun amadoun better Cairo I asked Bad people Cairo replied Whateer could madefor rewarding people Samadoun difference great But problem I simply trito explain Farid another E ptian lyingaboutmyhotelroomul beanuisance He could grasp point He sheet paper underlining figures emphasis This Cairo Samadoun Samadoun better I became _ucreasingly annoyed thought invited lunch pleasure talking foreigner banal transaction It about minutes comprehend dfeat He folded piece paper while I looked window studied adjacent erse_em_ field You change money asked N0 I The interaction between I different quality after It relief because dropped excessive politeness Bm espite obvious disappointment secariug foreign exchange Farid remained conscientious This might necessity The train Shibin El Kern again Samadoun another three hours stuck After lunch discarded western shirt slacks donned C otton galabiyah Looking representative Samadoun gentry conducted through village pointing different crops introducing friends By reached station train I detected better feeling between As lunch I offered lunch visited Cairo I would merica requested topic States I think heled When I train several people place I Shibin E1 Kom In these young neither spoke English wanderiz about ctywith asking directions hotel While saying goodbye Farid again happy I visited village He hoped I returned Samadoun I think meant friendly gesture But likely thinking about offering Received Hanover