FORUM ON ADVANCING THEORY ON NATIONAL IT POLICY
CAIRO, EGYPT
OCTOBER, 2004
Sponsored by:
- National Science Foundation Grant # INT-0322501
- Georgia State University
- American University in Cairo (AUC)
- Social Research Center, AUC
INFORMATION ON VISITING, TEACHING AND RESEARCHING IN EGYPT
May 21, 2004
Prepared by Detmar Straub
Safety. I have found Egypt to be very safe. So have women who have accompanied me here over the years, including colleagues, my sister and my wife.
Appropriate dress is important so that one does not offend and draw unwanted attention. Otherwise, normal social behavior in public is all that is required.
Men should avoid shorts, except in heavily “touristic” (the term Egyptians use) areas. Place like Luxor and the Red Sea resorts are very indulgent and women are commonly seen in shorts and short sleeves in these areas. Men in Egypt most often wear long sleeves, even in the summers heat, but it is not uncommon to also see short sleeves. I often wear short sleeves – t-shirts or polo shirts – and it does not seem to draw special notice.
In the cities and rural communities, women should wear clothing that covers their arms. Long dresses or pants are also recommended.
Egypt is extremely security conscious and you will see cultural and antiquities police everywhere, including hotels. Outside very sensitive areas, like the US Embassy and other embassies, there will also be detachments of soldiers.
This security consciousness is the result of the killing of 75 German tourists in 1995 in Luxor. The effect was devastating on the large tourist industry here and the government has cracked down since to ensure that this does not happen again. Traffic of cruise ships along the Nile between Cairo and Luxor was shut off in fear of fundamentalist attacks from shore on boats, and trips by land from Luxor to Aswan were only permitted in convoys with protective guards.
Since 1995, there have been no incidents. Some think the tight control via shutting down river traffic and convoys is no longer necessary, but the government is taking no chances and these restrictions are still in place.
Egyptians strongly favor the Palestinian cause in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as you might expect. They were also solidly opposed to the entry of the US into war with Iraq, again as you might suppose. There are rallies in the major cities occasionally that support the Egyptian position (some of these draw quite large crowds), but there have been no incidents related to foreigners in connection with these displays of public sentiment.
Eating Out. As in many developing countries, it is a good idea to drink only bottled water or prepared drinks like Cokes. Other than in the major hotels, it is wise to avoid ice. I have been told by Egyptian friends that the water is treated with chlorine, as we treat our water in the US, but it is perhaps better to be safe than sorry and so avoid anything but bottled water. Drinks like lemon juice are popular here, and in the good restaurants, these are typically made with bottled water and are safe.
By the same token, salads that involved the washing of vegetables may be problematic. I eat salads all the time here, but my system may have accommodated over the years and I may be immune to this trouble now.
Jogging. Jogging in the city streets is not a good idea, maybe even suicidal. The Egyptians drive very fast and without any feeling that the lines on the highways dividing lanes are meaningful. People jaywalk all the time and both cars and people seem to be unphased by what we would call very close calls. So the prospect of jogging through such a maze is not very appealing. And could lead to a dangerous circumstance.
Cairo, for example, has one of the highest fatality rates in the world for pedestrians.
Best to run in parks (circles) or along corniches that border the Nile, the Mediterranean Sea, etc.
When jogging, men can wear short sleeved t-shorts. I usually wear long pants, but have seen both Egyptians and foreigners wearing shorts. Women can wear spandex for arms and legs, with shorts over the spandex leggings.
Massages. Massages are excellent in Egypt and inexpensive by American standards. For 100 pounds plus a 10 pound tip, one can enjoy 45 minutes of brisk, Swedish massage. This amount to less than $20 USD. The Nile Hilton has a health center with massages. The Falamenca Hotel in Zamalek offers massages at half the rate of the Hilton. Cab fare to the Falamenca from Tahrir Square (the Egyptian Museum) is about 10 pounds each way.
Reservations should be made in advance as these are very popular.
Taxis and Tipping. Prices can be negotiated before entering cabs, and the hotel people can give you a price that is likely to be on the high end. No tipping of taxi drivers unless the cab gets stuck in traffic for unusually long times.
I usually tip about 10% at restaurants. This is in addition to the typically 12% service charge that is added to the bill. Rounding off small amounts in favor of the waiter/waitress is common practice.
HOPE TO SEE YOU IN CAIRO!
Last Updated: June 23, 2004 (rmc)
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