2 CultureShock! Egypt
LIKE MOST PEOPLE, I ENTERED EGYPT BY AIR through the Cairo airport.
There are other ways to enter Egypt, of course—by air at
another airport, by boat or over land. Since most people
enter through the Cairo airport, I will devote this arrival
discussion to that port of entry. Four things come to my mind
when anyone asks me about my fi rst impressions of Egypt.
Wherever and however you enter Egypt, your fi rst challenge
will be to go through customs to get your feet on Egyptian
soil. You will encounter most of the situations listed below
no matter how you arrive.My First Time
I would be remiss if I didn’t say my very fi rst feeling when arriving in
Egypt the fi rst time (in 1988) was one of sheer panic—panic at the
sudden realisation that I did not know how to communicate what I
needed or wanted. I did not know where to go, what to expect or what
to do. I did what is normal for an American travelling—I looked for
a sign with directions. But when I looked around, I didn’t recognise
(for the most part) any letters or words. Sounds were different. I was
truly humbled at my ignorance! I felt the way I imagine a child feels
before they learn to read but after they have fi gured out that the
symbols they see ‘mean’ something. Of course, there were many
welcoming Egyptians speaking to me in English (my native language)
to help me as my feet touched Egyptian ground, but I still remember
that short moment of unbelievable panic. Egyptians who were total
strangers made me feel at home and welcome when things around
me didn’t look familiar!
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