Egyptian Culture

Egyptian culture is very warm and friendly by nature. When walking through the communities you will be building in you will hear many people welcoming you and using what English they do know to try to communicate with you. Children are the most vocal and you will probably hear dozens of little voices saying, “Hello!”, “What is your name?”, and “Welcome to Egypt!”. You can feel comfortable responding to them with kind words and smiles.

A majority of the Egyptian population is Muslim and thus you will need to take this into account as to how to conduct yourself in public and on the streets. Muslim women are very conservative and are held very sacred so should be treated as such by all who come to Egypt. Physical contact is not allowed. If you are unsure of who may be Muslim or not, it is better to be safe than sorry and not make any type of contact unless first approached.

Generally, men and women not related to each other do not have much interaction. However, it is acceptable for you to shake hands with both men and women when introducing yourselves. Both men and women often greet members of the same gender with a kiss on either cheek, but this is not done with the opposite sex and is not obligatory in any case.    Just remember to be respectful and use your best judgment when dealing with a member of the opposite sex. Married couples and unmarried couples traveling together on a Global Village trip should refrain from holding hands, kissing or other overt displays of affection in public, particularly in the affiliates.

Egypt is famous for its traffic in how dangerous and out of control it can appear. However, be assured that in the mass of cars, trucks, scooters and farm animals, there is an understood semblance of order. This does not mean it is safe for those that are on foot. You will see vehicles weaving in and around each other, not stopping or even hesitating for pedestrians. Crossing the street is extremely dangerous and should be avoided if possible. If need be cross very carefully, looking both ways even if you are on a one way street. 

Another thing to keep in mind as it relates to traffic is that delays are common. Due to the high number of vehicles on the road traffic can often become slow moving and traffic jams can be expected during peak traffic times.

You can visit the following website to obtain general information about Egypt and the culture that will be very useful.
http://www.touregypt.net/magazine/modernegyptculture.htm

What to Wear

In Egypt, the sun can be intense and temperatures high from late spring to early fall. You can check average temperatures and short-range forecasts for Cairo on the internet at www.weather.com. Keep in mind that during certain months the temperatures can be scorching during the day and chilly enough to need a jacket or sweater at night.

Many of you have asked about appropriate dress for Egypt being that it is largely a Muslim country.

Below are the guidelines given to me by the local affiliate and I ask that you respectfully ask that you follow them. 

On the job site:

 
In Egypt both men and women dress modestly in the villages wearing shirts to their wrists and pants or skirts to their ankles even in the summer heat. Neither men nor women may wear shorts.  

While in the community (on the build sites, visiting neighbors, at your accommodations) you will be representing Habitat for Humanity, and you will be expected to dress appropriately. Modest dress is a sign of respect for the culture and people, and will earn you the same.

Women and men alike should wear loose-fitting shirts that cover the shoulders, upper arms and torso - no tank-tops/sleeveless shirts or shirts exposing the midriff. 

Please keep in mind that you will be bending and stretching during your building with the community and that clothing tends to move and shift. Full length pants for women are appropriate at all times.

Foreign women are not expected to wear headscarves or cover their faces.

Clothing with offensive or suggestive logos, pictures, or writing, in English or any other language, is inappropriate and should not be brought to Egypt. In general, HFH Egypt also requests that you wear clothing without obvious commercial logos during your build days, since such images create problems when using photographs for communications purposes. We will also be providing each volunteer a HFH Egypt T-shirt that can be worn during build days.

Make sure you have sturdy, closed-toe footwear for the times when you are building. Keep in mind that your shoes will get dirty – with dust, dirt, and cement – and possibly ruined.

Sightseeing in Cairo or elsewhere:

Modest dress is still strongly encouraged, however men may consider wearing long shorts and women will be accepted in long crop pants. Keep in mind that even in Cairo the majority of the population dresses very conservatively. As a representative of Habitat for Humanity International, we ask you to keep this in mind while packing. Regarding the Nile cruise, I have asked the agent for proper dress code during these activities.

Fundraising Ideas

We are approximately 5 months from our Egyptian Habitat Experience!

Many GV participants decide to fund raise for part or all of their trip cost, and I highly recommend trying this route.

If you are fund raising, I encourage you take a few minutes to create a fund-raising Web page at www.habitat.org/gv/create.html

What I've done in the past is to send out a heartfelt email letter with the trip cost, emphasizing the fact that any contribution is 100% tax deductible to friends, family, co-workers and beyond. I encourage everyone to this message onto to others they think would like to contribute. You'd be surprised at some of the donations I get from strangers!

It's also a GREAT time to start asking for donations, since most people being getting these requests around the second week in November. Get out there early!

You also want to make it as easy as possible for your donors. Set up a fundraising link on the Habitat website and include the link several times in your email or snail mail flyer.

Make your pitch as meaningful & colorful as possible. Most of the photos off this blog are from other volunteers who have sent me their build photos.

One of our team members has already sent out a mailing and included a self-addressed stamped envelope to the Habitat Americus office. This is a great way of making it easy for your potential donors... just don't forget pertinent information like your Team #11100 and your Habitat ID#. (And let me repeat that ... Make It Easy For Your Potential Donors!)

*See my link: GV Member Donation Page  at the bottom of this page, you will see my name, Trip # & Habitat ID #. 

Other team members are hosting a pancake breakfast. On my Moloka'i build, our youngest member had his neighbors donate old items, and then he organized a highly profitable yard sale, of which the proceeds covered his entire trip.

Please let us know how your fund raising is going, what ideas you've come up with and if you need support in any way.

Everyone must have their funds in total by September 1st that we can prep the build.