Follow the jump links to learn more about Egypt:
Lifestyle and Family Living
Teen Life
Dress and Appearance
Diet and Meals
Educational System
Geography and Climate
Population
Language
Government
Religion
Spending Money
Safety and Support
Fun Facts
Lifestyle and Family Living
While Egyptian life is centered on family and religion, there remains a great difference between the rural and urban peoples of Egypt. Generally speaking, life outside the country’s major cities is in keeping with tradition. Communities are patriarchal, with men in dominant roles. Family ties are very strong and neighbors are often treated as family. People in urban centers such as Cairo and Alexandria still maintain these traditional values but to a lesser extent. They tend to follow a more modern and Westernized lifestyle.
In cities, the majority of Egyptians live in apartments due to the scarcity of land. Ornate furniture, colorful wall hangings and expensive ornaments are popular. In most houses (Muslim and Christian), families hang decorations reflecting their faith, such as ornaments of Jesus Christ, Mother Mary, different Saints, verses from the Quran and the name of God in different Arabic writing styles.
Shopping at outdoor bazaars, shopping malls, going to the cinema, spending a day in a sports club and visiting relatives are favorite family activities. For the most part, Egyptians are extremely patriotic and are known for being helpful and friendly.
Egyptian host families, like all AFS host families worldwide, are volunteers and are not paid. They open their homes to students in order to share their community and culture as well as to enrich their own family lives.
Teen Life
Teen activities vary from each region. Most teenage Egyptians enjoy going to the movies or to cafés. Shopping malls are a popular attraction for young people as well.
Some families are members of clubs (nadi) where they drink and play sports. Often there is a range of sports facilities, which usually includes a swimming pool. You will not be able to jog in the streets, however, or play sports in public, as this is not considered appropriate.
Most young people spend their free time socializing with friends in coffee shops. It is customary that in coffee shops, young men, and more commonly now young women, smoke water pipes (oriental smoking devices).
Most young people like going to movies, particularly since cinemas in Egypt have become up-to-date with the latest releases from the United States and Europe. Many young people like to attend concerts and performances.
A large number of cultural centers can also introduce you to the different forms of Egyptian arts. Few young people in Egypt go to bars and clubs. It is very common, however, that young men spend time with friends playing soccer.
It is also customary that young women spend an evening at a friend’s home socializing, but slumber parties are uncommon. Egyptian families tend to have early curfews for their children, and you will be expected to respect the curfew your host family determines.
Dress and Appearance
Egyptian men and women tend to dress conservatively, in accordance with their Islamic beliefs. Both must be decently covered, especially the women. In recent years, however, Western styles of dress have become popular throughout the country.
Even teenage boys and girls are required to cover their shoulders, and girls’ skirts must be knee-length, due to religious customs. Girls may opt to wear long (to the floor) skirts. In fact, this is much cooler than jeans during Egypt’s hot months.
Even though it has become commonplace on the streets of the main urban centers, particularly Cairo and Alexandria, to see women dressed in Western fashion (short skirts, tight trousers, sleeveless shirts), it is not considered appropriate by the average Egyptian citizen. Women are still expected to comply with the traditional and conservative culture of Egypt by dressing conservatively and moderately.
However, if you go clubbing on weekends, customs are different. You may dress very “out-on-the-town” Western but generally you must wear a jacket to cover up a snazzy outfit until you get inside the club. Wearing such dress on the street would be considered offensive to the public at large. It is advisable to remain conservative in your clothing while going to clubs to avoid being harassed by drunks and young men. It is very important to ask your host family about the appropriateness of dressing in such a way.
For men, shorts are only worn on the beach. Elsewhere, shorts are inappropriate. But T-shirts are no problem. Egyptians try to keep their clothes tidy. So you should avoid clothes that have holes or look scruffy.
Men with long hair will get misunderstanding looks, as this is considered to be feminine. Dreadlocks are very uncommon in Egypt, so if you have them, you will be quite an attraction. Most people will think that you never wash nor comb your hair.
It is neither common nor accepted for men to wear earrings, pierce their noses, tongues or other parts of their body. You are strongly advised to remove any piercings before you arrive in Egypt. It is also not accepted for men to dye their hair.
Egypt is an Islamic country, and most women do not dress as revealingly as in some Western countries. So women should bring blouses, long trousers and long skirts. Because fast-changing fashion in other countries is usually totally different, you would be wise not to buy new clothes for your study abroad prior to departure but to do so after you arrive.
You might have heard that some women wear scarves to cover their hair, but this is not true of all Egyptian women, and it will not be expected of you.
Diet and Meals
Egyptian cuisine reflects the country’s melting-pot history. Native cooks have adapted Greek, Lebanese, Palestinian, Syrian and Turkish, dishes to accommodate the country’s customs, tastes, local ingredients and budgets.
The dishes are simple, made with fresh fruits and vegetables and seasoned with spices. Bread is the mainstay of Egyptian diets and comes in several forms. Aysh shami, a flat, pita-type bread made with refined white flour is the most common. Rice and fava beans, cooked in a variety of ways, are other staples.
Typically, most Egyptians begin the day with a light breakfast of foul and falafel (cooked beans or bean cakes), eggs and/or pickles, cheeses and jams. Most families eat a large, starchy lunch around mid-afternoon and follow it with a siesta. Dinner usually consists of lighter fare.
For most Egyptian families, beef is a luxury used in small amounts, cooked with vegetables and served with rice.
Educational System
Exchange students usually attend private language schools. Students there may have studied English from an early age and speak it well. Some classes may be taught in English and others in Arabic. Subjects can usually be chosen freely, depending on the school. The school year goes from September until May.
All students are expected to attend classes on a regular basis, to complete the work assigned in and out of class and to show effort in the fullest potential. Students will be expected to wear a school uniform and will be supervised by a counselor (volunteers) who will touch base with the student at least once a month. Students are encouraged to contact their counselors whenever they have a question, face a problem or need to talk.
While it may be possible to obtain academic credit for the coursework you successfully complete abroad, AFS cannot guarantee this. Please discuss your plans with your school before you go abroad.
Geography and Climate
Egypt lies in North Africa, bordering Libya to the west, Sudan to the south and Israel to the north. The heart of the country is the river Nile that serves the country with water. 90% of the population lives in the narrow Nile Valley, where they are able to grow fruits and vegetables.
The rest of the country is very dry desert. There are only a few oases where people live. The capital of Egypt is Cairo, one of the biggest cities of the world and home to about 19 million people, almost a quarter of the entire population.
Egypt’s weather is mainly hot and dry, except in the winter months from December to February. Then it can get quite cold, and few houses have heaters. So if you will be in Egypt during these months, bring a jacket and a sweater.
Population
The vast majority of Egypt’s 81 million inhabitants live in the Nile valley and delta, and the rest of the country (about 96% of Egypt’s total land area) is sparsely populated. Most modern Egyptians are of a complex racial mixture descended from ancient Egyptians, Berbers, sub-Saharan Africans, Arabs, Greeks and Turks.
Language
Arabic is the official language. There is a wide difference, however, between the language spoken on the streets and classical Arabic, which is the written language and used in prayers and on the radio or news on TV. If you want to learn Arabic before you come here, try to learn the Egyptian dialect. Many educated Egyptians also speak English and French.
Government
Egypt has been a republic since 1952 and is governed under the constitution of 1971. The president, who is nominated by parliament and approved by public referendum for a six-year term, holds executive power. The legislature consists of a people’s assembly and an advisory council. The government must approve the formation of political parties, and those based on religion are illegal. However, the largest party, the Muslim Brotherhood, has been permitted to operate openly at times. Aministratively, Egypt is divided into 26 governorates.
Religion
A majority of Egyptians are Sunni Muslims, and most of the rest belong to the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church. Egyptians are very much influenced by their religion. So your host family might pray five times a day, and the women in the family might wear scarves to cover their hair.
Girls traditionally do not have boyfriends, but today this custom is observed mainly in rural areas, so you can find more and more girls who date (mainly in the big cities such as Cairo). If you are a girl, you must ask whether you are allowed to date. In most families, a boyfriend will not be allowed into the host family’s house.
Even if you are hosted by a very religious family, you will not be required to attend services on a regular basis, though we suggest that you attend a religious service at least once to gain some level of understanding regarding the family’s practice.
Spending Money
The Egyptian pound is the official currency in Egypt.
Your program and country information packet (provided in the months prior to your departure) will give you an idea of how much spending money is appropriate and whether you should arrive with any amount of the local currency in hand.
Host families pay only for ordinary family events in which you are expected to participate. When you do such things as shopping for yourself or going out with friends, the expenses are your responsibility. Depending on the cost of living in your host country, we recommend you budget about $100-$300 per month.
Remember: never travel with large amounts of cash. Instead, bring travelers checks or follow the advice in the country and program information packet. Another option for obtaining money while overseas is to use a debit card linked to a checking account back home (but try not to use a debit card for daily purchases since there are ATM and currency exchange fees). Or, you can transfer money using wiring services such as Western Union.
You and your parents should determine a budget and preferred money transfer plan before you depart so that you are not caught without spending money while abroad.
Be conscientious of your spending since conspicuous consumption may not be viewed favorably and spending more than your peers and family may create a distance between you and them.
Safety and Support
The welfare, safety, and security of our participants are always our first concern. AFS maintains a network of experienced staff and trained volunteers who provide support in each country. In the event of an emergency, 24-hour assistance is available.
An AFS Situation Response Management Team is in place at all times to monitor events throughout the world and respond as necessary.
Your AFS tuition includes comprehensive medical insurance coverage to ensure that medical care is available to our participants at all times.
Learn more about safety and risk management.
Fun Facts
- An ancient Egyptian cure for baldness was a mixture of crocodile, goose, hippopotamus, ibex, lion and snake fat.
- In ancient Egypt, priests plucked every hair from their bodies, including their eyebrows and eyelashes.
- Both Easter and the coming of spring are symbols of new life. The ancient Egyptians and Persians celebrated their spring festivals by coloring and eating eggs. This is because they considered the egg a symbol of fertility and new life. The Christians adopted the egg as symbolic of new life, the symbol of the Resurrection.
- “Mummy” comes from the Arabic mummiya, meaning “bitumen,” a dark, waterproof substance sometimes used to coat mummies.
- We owe our calendar of 365 days to ancient Egyptians. They were the first to divide the day and night into 24 hours and to use clocks.
- Egypt is a land of many firsts: ancient Egyptians invented beer. There were more than 17 varieties. Ancient Egyptians were the first known people to fish for pleasure and to keep bees for making honey. And the earliest toilet seat in the world comes from the Egyptian city of Akhetaten, circa 1350 B.C. (toilets with wood, pottery and stone seats were placed above large bowls of sand).
- Egypt’s first above-ground pyramid—rising 62 m. (204 ft.)—was built ca. 2630 B.C. for Pharaoh Djoser. Until then, pharaohs had been buried in underground tombs.
- The oldest Egyptian hieroglyphs ever found date from between 3400 and 3200 B.C. Do they reveal ancient religious rituals? Civil laws? Important pronouncements of pharaohs? No. They are labels from containers of cereals, oils and textiles.
