My Time in Egypt

The night before we arrive at each port, we have a cultural and logistical preport. This is a chance to give some basic language, arts, music, and cultural information about each port. Our academic dean or executive dean generally begins the presentation with “name of port, tomorrow” so in this case “Egypt Tomorrow” or a few days ago. Wow, I was not ready for Egypt by any means. It was a place where I unlearned all that I was taught from 10th grade World History and even in earlier grade school. While I was taught about Pyramids, Kings, Queens, Mummies, Tombs, and in general Ancient Egypt, not knowing much about modern Egypt took me to a different place. We docked in Alexandria named after Alexander the Great. It was a pretty hot day but Marco, Kat, and I decided that we would spend the day wondering around given that we would be going to Cairo the following day. Walking out of the terminal into the city you are greeted with individuals who want to drive you around. You get prices that vary and persistent individuals. As I attempt to say “no thank you” and walk away you are reminded that you no longer are on the ship or in Italy but a developing country with individuals trying to earn a living. We hit the waterfront and go in the wrong direction that we had intended on. I see a bakery and think oh great my first introduction to some Egyptian delicacies. We enter a store and find on one side of the store desserts that I find in the states strawberry shortcake, cheesecake, chocolate cake. On the other side you find items that I don’t have a name for. You taste different spices mixed in giving you a moment in appreciating the other. You also find yourself unable to communicate with the salesperson only to try asking for a few pieces and walking out with 1 kilo worth which included about 50+ 2x2 square inch sweets. Luckily we found a group of students walking by that we were able to share it with. Again I was at a place where I had to find other ways of communicating. I did not understand them and they did not understand me. Is it rude using your hands to make gestures? I’m not completely sure. But the gentle smile on their face and the sigh of relief and smile on my face communicated that we both reached our goals. She got me the desserts I came to buy and I walked out with my desserts. Kat split off after that, it was about 92 degrees with 77% humidity so it was hot. I don’t think any of my shirts had been completely drenched in any of my trips so far. We made our way to the original goal, the Alexandria Library, finding that we were exhausted and made way back to the ship. On the walk back, we see the city moving, the heart of life is centered around the square and shops in the streets, what you find at a bazaar but this was much of the city center. There are not traffic signals anywhere and you do your best to make sure you cross without getting hit. I’ve now learned the skill of dodging cars. The rest of the night was uneventful, we had to get up early for the Cairo trip so we walk around. The city is not awake until 11am and most stores close up shop around 1 or 2am. You find everyone walking around, men at hookah rooms smoking and drinking mint tea. You see the mosque awaiting individuals for prayer. You see women covered up from head to toe. You see the differences of values and culture and are humble to be reminded of the diversity you see in front of you and the diversity and freedom of being in America.

The next morning we took off for Cairo, a 2.5 hour bus ride where we see salt lakes, and industrial pollution. Nivene our Egyptologist guide is giving us a history lesson and glimpse into the world of Egyptians. She prepares the Americans for what they will be seeing. The cultural sights and how to protect oneself from the aggressive individuals trying to sell you things. During the history lesson, I’m taken back to high school, being reminded about how pyramids were built, the king and queens that ruled the Nile, the British colonialism, and much more. I start to make sense of things and boom we past by the pyramids, built over 4500 years ago and I am taken out to the dessert trying to create an image of ancient Egypt. We visit the tombs of the dead called “Mastaba’s” and experience the intricate details designed to honor the dead. I see paint bushed on by papyrus trees still intact. You see the images of life and understand why people love history and why history matters.

In short the trip was filled with visiting pyramids, museums, and stopping at the bazaar. While I could continue to write about how beautiful it was to see the pyramids, what I truly walked away with from this trip but a humbling reminder of my privilege, going back to what I started writing about earlier.

Looking around and seeing the living conditions of the city and seeing people bare the 100 degree weather in hopes that a tourist would buy the white cloth that you wrap on your head or the postcard, small statues, pictures, clothes, and so much more. In this process you realize that while they set the price so that you can bargain, I just wished I didn’t have to and that I could just give them a value to a product that was reasonable. I do this because having the bargain and be told by our guide to do it reminds me that people come into Egypt in hopes to get cheap goods. While everyone wants a great deal, it was really hard to not want to give them their asking price. While they asked for 1 dollar, having to bargain down to 50 cents was a conflict. While this is part of the social networks of the countries to do the bargaining, how does one choose one store over the other because someone gave it for 20 cents less? The students I think found themselves in a place where they could appreciate what they have as they saw what others did not have. I was pretty impressed by how the students reacted. I think given that I had gone to Thailand before, I wasn’t really surprised, but with students who’ve for the first time left the United States, I hope they are eagerly waiting on their next trip back. This wasn’t a place where you could hit up the designer stores, sit at clean cafés, relax by the pool. It was a place where life was happening and you were experience it. I have so much to still think about Egypt and that’s why it’s taken me a while to write this post but I look forward to more.