90 CultureShock! Egypt
separate groups, after dinner for example, eliminating the
issue. Does anyone recognise this pattern of behaviour from
American parties? In Egypt, practice assists foreign women
who might be placed in an awkward situation.
Say, for example, you are an unaccompanied man in a
setting with an Egyptian man and his wife. In this situation,
conversation should probably be kept at a fairly casual
level. If the woman seems to not participate extensively in
conversation, it is not necessary to try to involve her more
in the conversation. By some standards, this might seem as
if she is being ignored, but by Egyptian standards, it may
be perceived as normal. Follow her lead and you probably
won’t go wrong.
If a woman accompanies a foreign male (again in a
setting with an Egyptian man and his wife), the women will
probably engage in a separate conversation from the men.
More commonly, after perfunctory greetings and initial
conversation are over, the men or the women will retire to
separate rooms for conversation.
At the dinner table or at a reception when there is a mixed
group, just remember to keep the conversation very casual
and never try to engage an Egyptian woman in discussions
of personal issues. If you do get off on a topic that is
deemed too personal or one which is inappropriate for the
setting, your Egyptian host will indicate this by giving you
a totally non-committal answer or by casually changing the
subject. Don’t forget, topics considered as appropriate for
casual conversation in the West can easily be out of bounds
in Egypt.
Foreign men should never try to start conversations with
Egyptian women to whom they have not been properly
introduced, except as required for a business transaction.
This could be interpreted as a sign of disrespect, and thus
by extension risk compromising the woman’s reputation.
A foreign man’s interest in an Egyptian woman could be
interpreted (especially by less educated Egyptian men) to
mean he wants the woman for his wife or worse, suggest
less acceptable intentions. Unless this is what you want, it is
best to avoid speaking to women who are strangers. However,