252 CultureShock! Egypt
where you are from, direct eye contact connotes honesty,
respect, disrespect, fl irtation or a sexual come-on. Among
some subcultures, direct, non-prolonged eye contact means
sincerity and truth. Among other groups, it is a sign of
disrespect. Typically, northern Europeans are among the least
comfortable with high levels of gaze during conversations.
This is true for either male or female, whether in mixed or
same sex groups.
Direct, semi-prolonged or intense eye contact between
same or mixed sex individuals in a business meeting implies
honesty and sincerity among Egyptians. This gets back to
reading eyes. Most people cannot control pupil dilation when
their interest is aroused. It doesn’t have to be sexual interest
between a man and a woman. Any kind of interest will do,
for example, a comment made in a business meeting which
triggers interest in pursuing the business deal. Therefore, to
the Egyptian, much can be learned about the honour and
integrity of a person by gazing intently into the eyes.
In a society such as Egypt, where men and women do not
customarily have a great deal of social or verbal interaction
except in school, within the family or in conducting
business transactions, eyes tell much about the character
of the individual. Inadvertent, frequent eye contact can
be particularly hazardous for the Western woman in non-
business related settings. Even relatively brief eye contacts,
especially when repeated a few times, denotes interest and
might be considered coquettish, fl irtatious or an open sexual
invitation. Certainly, the more educated or Westernised
Egyptians accept greater latitude in eye contact than do
others due to the simple fact that they have more frequent
contact with outsiders and are more able to judge behaviour
on non-ethnocentric guidelines.Touching
As mentioned above, same sex interactions are replete
with touches and gestures. Keep your hands to yourself in
mixed company! Unmarried males and females simply do
not touch one another, especially in public. Married people
often walk arm-in-arm or occasionally hold hands when