“How? To Egypt alone?”
If you are reading this post, it is probably because you are a woman, you are thinking about going to Egypt and you may be asking yourself some of the following questions: Is it dangerous to travel to Egypt alone? How should I dress? How will I feel walking alone in the street?
As a general rule, if you do a quick search about traveling to Egypt, you will find warnings such as that you should be very careful, wear loose clothing so as not to show the shape of your body or that you should cover your hair.
Misinformation is the order of the day, so let me tell you about my experience as a woman after more than a year living in the province of Sinai.
Life in Egypt
It is important to be aware of the country you are going to visit, whatever it may be. In this case, you should know that Egypt is a predominantly muslim country and our physical appearance and our way of dressing may sometimes be different from theirs.
At this point, it is important to note that we will draw attention not because they want to reprimand us or because we are bothering them, it is simply because they are not used to it. Let’s be honest: all of us at some point in our lives have kept our eyes on someone simply because they arouse our curiosity, because they are or dress differently. Curiosity is intrinsic to us, humans.
In addition, most people who decide to visit the country do so on organized group trips, so seeing a woman traveling alone draws attention. It is important to me to point out that there is a much greater inconvenience in their society regarding non-muslim egyptian women than the rest of women. They know that we are tourists and that we are not muslims. By no means do we as a society think that all women in the world, regardless of religion, should follow the same codes of conduct and dress.
Let’s face it: there are more good people in the world than bad. Still, you might come across some idiots along the way. In case someone tells you something you understand (or not), ignorance is best. This, unfortunately, can not only happen to you in Egypt. These experiences are, therefore, something to which we as women are exposed. Therefore, my advice is to ignore the comments that may be made and go on with your business.
How should I dress?
La respuesta es simple: en Egipto no existe ninguna prohibición con respecto a la forma de vestir.
The answer is simple: in Egypt there is no prohibition regarding the way of dressing.
As we have mentioned above, dress customs are different here, so if you want to avoid stares, it is best to avoid very short and tight clothing. Personally, I prefer to opt for long, thin, loose trousers, which I find more comfortable and cooler to withstand the hot months. You can wear suspenders if you wish.
If you are going to visit a mosque, it will probably be necessary for you to cover yourself if they consider that your clothing is not appropriate for the place you are going to visit because it is considered a holy place. You can carry a scarf in your backpack, which is usually very practical in these cases.
We should not make the mistake of thinking that this only happens in muslim countries. In Catholic churches or Buddhist temples you will almost certainly also see similar restrictions when entering with certain clothing. If you consider it appropriate to cover your shoulders when visiting a Catholic church, this is something similar.
The people
In Egypt, as in other muslim countries, you will be invited to tea. And yes, they only want to invite you to tea. For them, it is a popular custom and their way of welcoming you to their country. A conversation with local people is always one of the most pleasant experiences you can have while traveling. In Egypt, you will most likely end up talking to men, since it is usually the men who work in the tourist sites and the women are usually at home. Although this is changing.
They will probably ask you where you are from, if you are enjoying Egypt, if you are going to return or what you do. Believe me, they are just curious. They are moved by a feeling of curiosity as well as a feeling of happiness to be visiting their country. After the Arab Spring, Covid and the war against Palestine, tourism has plummeted. Their goal, although sometimes we perceive it as a clumsy or miscalculated gesture, is for us to enjoy our time in their country and invite many more people to come.
Dahab
The Jewel of Sinai. A Bedouin village in the middle of the Red Sea. The Bedouins are a people of Arab families with a nomadic way of life who have inhabited the Sinai for centuries, long before the map knew the borders of the current countries. They are the only ones who know every inch of the desert, their home.
In Dahab you can be whoever you want to be, it is a community where “live and let live” is the order of the day. You can leave your bike unlocked, you can forget your wallet in a bar (surprise, you will get it back, without missing anything), you can swim in a bikini, you can walk alone down the street whatever time of day it is.
Don’t be afraid; when you finish your trip through Egypt you will surely find yourself breaking some preconceived thoughts or ideas about this wonderful place. And this is what traveling means :)
