Immersion and Its Consequences

Not that I wish to be overly dramatic or deviate much from my usual cheerful tone exerted in my previous posts, but I feel moved by recent experiences to relate some interesting observations about my immersion into Egyptian culture. Foremost, I wish to emphasize that what I am about to write is purely my opinion and is not intended to act as an authority on Egyptian culture; I only speak from what I have observed first hand and the thoughts they have stirred. With that being said a number of insights into the nature of Egyptian society have presented themselves through my day-to-day interactions with other American and Egyptian students, as well as individuals I have encountered while traveling, getting meals, etc. One of the most apparent characteristics of Egyptian society is that it is very much a two-tiered system, much like any other militarized pseudo-democracy, such as Russia or various South American nations. While coming here I had been aware that Egypt was definitely more authoritarian than the United States, I was not savvy to what extent that meant and how it would affect my life as a student in Cairo. The military definitively controls the nation's populace through a distinct presence, namely by doing things such as flooding the population with military propaganda in the form of the 6th of October Victory bridge and memorial. To be brief, these monuments attest to the government's desire to paint a different picture of the nation's near destruction at the hands of Israel in their war over control of the Suez by claiming the Egyptians could have marched on Tel Aviv had the US not intervened and called for a cease fire. I was floored when an RA told my friends and I that exact version of the Egyptian-Israeli conflict - I held my tongue and just shook my head internally. Then again, every country does things like this in some fashion; unfortunately, the old saying to the effect of "the victor gets to write history" holds true everywhere. Getting back to my main point about the two-tiered structure of Egyptian society, this became very apparent through my experiences on campus and exploring the city. For example, the Egyptian students I attend the university with are among the wealthiest in the country and oh, does it show! Despite being used to this with attending Ursinus (I'm looking your way, Main Line), my shock was not lessened when I walked on campus the first day. I've never seen so many Louis Vouton bags, pairs of Gucci shoes, or designer jeans in a single place until the first day of classes last Sunday. Not that I do not enjoy luxury items (mom and dad can attest to my affinity for JCrew) but it felt like you had to flaunt them to be accepted among the Egyptian student population. I also noticed that unless engaged by you, many Egyptian students will not make any attempt at conversation or introduction. This may have several causes, which I have not fully perceived just yet, but it seems like Egyptians have become very conservative in their social interactions. From this I'd like to move onto another observation: the blatant biases found throughout Egyptian culture. One that I experience daily is rooted in the fact that I am a white, male foreigner - a target for being charged more for a cab ride around the city, food from small vendors, and merchants at markets. Fortunately, I always have the option of declining whatever is being offered to me since there's always a dozen more options available. Much of what I am experiencing in Cairo conjures up thoughts of what it must've been like to be an African-American living in the South during the pre-Civil Rights' movement era. Additionally, the girls I have befriended here have been subjected to sexual harrassment, ranging from cat calls to groping on the streets. What is more appalling is that Egyptian women are also the victims of this treatment and many remain silent about it! While I understand the social reprocutions for speaking out about this for women, it does not excuse the government's apathetic stance in policing the crime.

Enough ranting for now; I need to get some sleep before classes tomorrow.

Ma'salaama for now,
Andrew