A Russian woman vacationing in Egypt shared her experience and talked about some of the tactless questions that Egyptians ask tourists at every turn. In her channel “Olga about Egypt EG and not only” in “Zen” she raised this hot topic, highlighting some of the features of the local culture.
“Egyptians are extremely original, they are afraid of being judged for national wife dances that border on divorce, but they are not afraid to snuggle up to foreign women and drag women like paper stuck in their ass, because they know that the risk that a foreign woman is something what he can do in a foreign land, not knowing the language or laws, is extremely small, and therefore the devils rage, ”said the compatriot.
The Egyptian feature of breaking personal boundaries and asking personal questions is not liked by many vacationers. While maintaining their uniqueness and tradition, the Egyptians could have paid attention to external perceptions and maintained a greater level of tact. Such inappropriate questions and intrusive behavior only undermine the impression of a beautiful country and its hospitable people, the author of the blog is sure.
According to her, it will not be difficult for a tourist to understand that he is in Egypt if he hears in his address six tactless questions from both women and men.
First question: “Are you married?”
One of the favorite questions of the Egyptians, which they begin to ask even when passing through passport control upon arrival in the “land of the pyramids”. While in other countries people meet and communicate without imposing personal questions, in Egypt this question is common. The answer to it may raise the following question: “Is the husband Egyptian?” Even if there is a husband of Slavic origin nearby, the Egyptians do not see any problem in this. “And if the husband was left in a foreign land, then the carnival is guaranteed. Why do foreigners come to Egypt?” added a compatriot.
Second question: “What is your name?”
Everyone asks this question: shopkeepers, bartenders, waiters, etc. Interest in the name of a foreigner for them becomes part of establishing a connection and creating “familiarity” for further commercial purposes.
Third question: “Where are you from ?”
This question is usually followed by a list of countries that could potentially supply Egypt with foreign tourists. Often the Egyptians are guided by standard donor countries, and sometimes they do not even guess the correct answer. People who come from less popular countries may encounter misunderstanding or lack of information from local residents. “With a smile, I remember how my friend and I walked through the bazaar past the shops in the old city of Sharm el-Sheikh, and we tried to get an answer to this question from her. After all the memorized locations, they did not guess the correct one. It’s just that the Egyptians think in stereotypes and they simply couldn’t understand that a blonde of Slavic appearance came from Kazakhstan,” the Russian woman shared.
The fourth question: “Where do you live?”
Arriving in Egypt, tourists may hear this question from the Egyptians. Although in some cases it may be normal, for example, for a taxi driver to deliver to the right address, but in other cases, as the author assured, he is intrusive. Such a question may seem strange and even unacceptable if it is asked by a stranger. The Russian tourist pointed out that local people may be trying to assess the income level of the interlocutor in this way, but for compatriots, as a rule, this is a manifestation of an invasion of privacy.
Fifth question: “What is your religion? »
Another question that tourists face in Egypt is: “Are you a Muslim or a Christian?” A compatriot compared this with Russian reality: “This is a personal question for us, and we have enough sense of tact not to ask it, but if we are sincere, then we don’t care about who believes in what.”
Sixth question: “What is your job?”
This question may not seem so obscene, but in Egypt, a profession can be an indicator of position in society, income level and other social aspects. The Russian woman noted that the Egyptians are “class people” and think in the corresponding categories. They have their own ideas about trustworthy and respected professions. The question of occupation can be especially vexing when asked by a merchant who is trying to estimate how much a traveler is willing to spend on shopping.
“Yet the Egyptians don't ask about age, weight, clothing size. Here, of course, everyone’s preferences take place, as they say in taste and color, and to ask about the obvious, what an idiot you have to be, ”the blogger said.
In conclusion, the Russian tourist emphasized that often obsession and the tactlessness of the Egyptians causes a negative reaction among the guests of the country. But each adult decides for himself with whom to talk and make friends, and who should be ignored.
For those who care about a healthy lifestyle, we recommend reading: “Russians were told why it is dangerous to buy watermelons in July.”