180 CultureShock! Egypt
through doors and windows, and even lodges itself under
the fingernails and toenails. The sand is so finely grained
that when you rub it between your fingers, it does not feel
particularly harsh. Sand blows in from the desert and cannot
be eliminated or controlled, even with the most zealous
attempts by Egyptians. Shopkeepers and hotel attendants
constantly wash pavements, foyers and any other surface
on which dust can collect. Floors are almost constantly
being swept or washed with soapy water and a squeegee.
Pavements are frequently hosed down and swept to control
the dust.
Truly, nothing works for long. The climate is so arid that
within minutes, the dust dries, starting its cycle of collecting
everywhere once again. Most stores, homes and hotels have
one or two bristle mats for wiping your feet when you enter.
It is a common courtesy to wipe your feet carefully when
entering any establishment or home.
In some cases, when you enter some homes you may
even be expected to remove your shoes. I have always
heard of this custom, but have never actually seen it
practised. So the best advice is, do not remove your shoes
unless everyone else has removed theirs. Do what your
host or other guests do. Removing shoes is particularly
unwieldy to Westerners because they usually wear socks or
some type of hose to protect their feet from direct contact
with their shoes. You will find that, except when dressed
in Western business attire (males and females), most
Egyptians do not usually wear hose or socks. The most
common shoes are open, sandal-type shoes. On the street,
especially among the working class, flip-flops are the shoes
of choice.Waste Material
Initial perceptions of the streets of Egypt definitely shock the
most experienced of travellers. Everything looks dirty. Part
of this is due to the monochrome colour of Cairo. Another
contributing factor is the result of constant building and
renovation throughout Egypt. Unused building materials
and numerous piles of debris are usually left wherever