Khiem Huynh: Cultural report week 1

Khiem Huynh

Jean Rene

Saqer

Some interesting culture facts about Egyptians

The first thing we should know, before discover how Egyptians manage their time to celebrate or interact with others, is the time zone of Egypt. Egypt is +2 hours GMT. In common, appointments and confirmations are necessary when you need to appoint with someone or to make a reservation during business hours. Time managements are big deals to them. So let’s find out how different between your country and Egypt.

The Egyptians celebrate many important events and festivals in Cairo throughout the year. Those big days are one of the main attractions to tourist all over the world. According to Majed (Egyptian, Advanced II), Egyptians celebrate three big holidays a year, known as: Ramadan (The holiday that refrain Muslims from food, drink, and physical activities during day time), Hajj, and the October 6^th(The day to tribute Egyptian President Anwar el-Sadat). Couples from over the worlds find out that Egypt is a wonder place to celebrate their weddings .One article said, people would like to have outdoor weddings in Egypt. And, the best times to celebrate outdoor weddings are during winter.

Beside holidays, Majed also mentioned that people are usually on time, but not most of the time. Buses and planes, trains are not leaving on time, plus people are usually late for events. He also said people usually say “Hi” and walk away if they don’t really know you. But if the person really knows you, he or she will continue the conversation maybe up to twenty minutes or more. About greeting, Sam Welbeck (a London resident who moved to Cairo) had an interesting experience at Cairo. Sam was amazed how man greets each other with kisses.

Another article from Ehow also mentioned that while talking to each other, Egyptians have faith in eye contact because it’s presented truth and honesty. Moving back to how time effect Egyptians’ life, Majed informed that it usually takes them between one to one and a half hour to eat and talk with each other during meals’ time. Discussions during meals’ time are really important not only in Egypt but also other cultures too.

Egyptians have an ancient but interesting culture. Those interesting facts demonstrate a picture of what a beautiful Egypt looks like. How people communicate and celebrate holidays are also helpful for visitors or people who want to know more about this active country, especially in Cairo.