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