Tips for all going to Egypt

[wnissen]

Just a typo, but one worth a chuckle...

I'm interested that a beards is a mark of religosity, but I would be extra polite and courtly to someone with a bear, too! Wouldn't want to get them angry.

 

[Paul Desmarais]

That's funny two ways. A man with a bear, that's not good, but a Muslim man with a beer, well, that's not as uncommon as you think, but never in public.

 

[bvbellomo]

No one under 70 in Egypt greets with Salema Alykoum/alykoum salema

This is a religious. formal greeting. It's not wrong to use it, and people will understand you, but... For a young foreigner to use it would be both stuffy and a little presumptuous. If you are older and speaking to someone older than you are, particularly a man with a bear, it might be the right way to go.

I grew a long bushy beard during the pandemic - I look like a bear. I'll probably trim up before I go, but are there any customs I should be aware of as a Christian if I don't? Might I have issues as a man with a beer?

 

[Adr1an]

I grew a long bushy beard during the pandemic - I look like a bear. I'll probably trim up before I go, but are there any customs I should be aware of as a Christian if I don't? Might I have issues as a man with a beer?

Keep in mind that a beard on a young guy in Egypt is a clear sign of affiliation to more radical Islamic groups. If you go to desert trips around Bahariya oasis for example you'd totally raise a few eyebrows at check points.

 

[bvbellomo]

Good to know - but I don't think I can pass as a young guy anymore. Does this only apply to "Bin Laden" bushy beards? Or would Sean Connery (after 1980) have had the same problem?

 

[Paul Desmarais]

Keep in mind that a beard on a young guy in Egypt is a clear sign of affiliation to more radical Islamic groups. If you go to desert trips around Bahariya oasis for example you'd totally raise a few eyebrows at check points.

This is not correct.

Beards are common on all ages of Muslim men in Egypt, regardless of how religious they are. Many non-Muslims wear beards just because they are popular and girls like them.

The kinds of beards that signal religious devotion are what we would call a strap beard. (no mustache, like the Amish men wear). Men that wear that type of beard are typically (though not always) very conservative (Think Southern Baptist or Church of Christ in the US) not radical Jihadists.

If you are older, like me, and you grow a beard, people you meet casually will generally treat you with more respect and deference. I noticed a marked difference in how Egyptians in shops and markets responded to me when I grew a (mostly white) beard.

If you are younger, with a beard, people will think of you as more serious.

A couple of cultural observations.

Grown men do not wear shorts in public except at resorts, sports facilities, and so on (It is the same in Mexico outside of tourist areas) outside of a few tourist areas. Egyptians do not expect foreigners to behave as they do, but they will appreciate cultural respect. There are things that will cause issues - approaching veiled (wearing a hijab) women or speaking to a veiled woman in public is not done by Egyptians or foreigners. She won't speak back, usually. Typically, veiled women will not get into an elevator, or anywhere else where they are 'alone' with a man not their husband. If a veiled woman (or women) is in an elevator and you get in, she/they will probably leave; so the polite thing to do is to let the doors close and the elevator proceed without you.

You will find people in Upper Egypt (Aswan, Luxor, Nubia) to be more 'laid back' than other areas.

Police are suspicious of foreigners traveling in private cars and will stop you frequently. most foreigners travel in tourist buses, so being in your own car or a private car without an Egyptian driver is unusual. Police in Egypt, like police everywhere, do not like unusual. I had my own car, and I got stopped a lot. Be patient and just answer if you can, otherwise just be relaxed, smile, and keep saying "Ana Mish Fahem, lau samat" meaning; I' sorry, I don't understand. Or Ana Mish bitkallem Araby" I don't speak Arabic. Eventually they will wave you on.

For pronunciation, check you tube for Egyptian Arabic.

 

[Paul Desmarais]

I grew a long bushy beard during the pandemic - I look like a bear. I'll probably trim up before I go, but are there any customs I should be aware of as a Christian if I don't? Might I have issues as a man with a beer?

The beard will help not hurt. Serious men wear beards. A young Egyptian guy with a clean shaven face is considered not serious or what the kids would call a 'playa' if people still use that term. The rules are different for foreigners, but a man with a beard will always be seen a deserving of more respect than one who is clean shaven. It is a sign of maturity, more than anything else.

 

[admikar]

The beard will help not hurt. Serious men wear beards. A young Egyptian guy with a clean shaven face is considered not serious or what the kids would call a 'playa' if people still use that term. The rules are different for foreigners, but a man with a beard will always be seen a deserving of more respect than one who is clean shaven. It is a sign of maturity, more than anything else.

Except if the shaven part is your head. It is unbelievable how much respect is given to 120 kg guy (mostly muscle) and almost a meter across the shoulders with beard and shaved head. Even airport security looked intimidated.
On more serious note, just be polite. Even if locals can't understand what are you saying they can see your stance and will usualy respond accordingly. Yes, if you are a woman, you will probably get across some douche that will treat you with contempt, but that is not something that we don't see in our "civilised" countries too.

 

[Adr1an]

This is not correct.

Beards are common on all ages of Muslim men in Egypt, regardless of how religious they are. Many non-Muslims wear beards just because they are popular and girls like them.

I will have to disagree

Having spent quite a few months in Egypt (and not just in sea side resorts) during the last 3 years I definitely noticed that young (as in under 30) fellows with bushy beards are uncommon and definitely related to conservative Muslim environments. We're not discussing Mo Salah style of beard (which may be seen on young 30ish men). And even Salah got some flak from a government newspaper for his beard Mohamed Salah Encouraged to Shave 'Terrorist' Beard by Egyptian Journalist

I agree that a fellow with a long beard and no mustache clearly belongs to radical Muslim groups, but (at least according to my own experience) no young Egyptian will sport a bushy beard unless he belongs to certain environments.

 

[Adr1an]

Good to know - but I don't think I can pass as a young guy anymore. Does this only apply to "Bin Laden" bushy beards? Or would Sean Connery (after 1980) have had the same problem?

It's about Bin Laden bushy beards. Sean Connery "hunt for the Red October" beard would be totally normal for a guy in his 50's or even mid to late 40's.