View of a Local in Giza, Egypt

Canadian Maryanne Gabbani has lived in Egypt for almost 20 years. In this View of a Local interview she tells us about her view of the country and how to make the best of your visit to Egypt.

Briefly, please could you tell us a bit about yourself?

I’m a Canadian currently living on a farm just outside of Giza, Egypt. I take visitors out riding in the area to see the farms of the Nile Valley and the way that the Egyptian farmers work the land as well as the local antiquities and desert. I also write three weblogs about different aspects of life here and images of the country.

How long have you lived in Egypt and what made you move there?

I’ve lived in Egypt since 1988, having moved here with my late husband and children. He was Egyptian and had created some businesses that needed his presence here rather than in Canada. We initially came for a two year stay but when we voted whether to move back, everyone wanted to stay.

What do you like most about living in Egypt?

I think that one of the things that I like most about living in Egypt would be the Egyptian people. On the whole they are some of the most friendly, helpful, and humorous people in the world. Of course the almost endless sunshine helps a lot as well. I also love the cooking.

Is there anything you do not like about living in Egypt?

I don’t like the congestion of the cities, which is partly caused by the lack of arable land in Egypt. While it looks quite roomy on a map, virtually all of the people are living in the Nile Valley, a narrow strip along the river. Unfortunately, as the population increases, the cities become more crowded and spread into the rural areas.

Do you speak Arabic and can visitors get by in Egypt, if they don’t?

I do speak Arabic, however brutally I may murder the language. I learned to speak it by simply practicing with the local shopkeepers, mechanics, and repairmen, so I don’t speak the most elegant Arabic, but people are delighted when you try even if you speak it incorrectly or mispronounce. Most Egyptians speak at least one other language than Arabic, but you miss a lot of fun by not being able to speak to people. If you are travelling in the more common areas for visitors, you will usually find people who speak English and can help you. The further off the beaten track, the less common English speakers are.

Why should travellers visit Egypt?

Egypt is one of the oldest countries in the world. It has been a site for tourism for thousands of years as people travelled to visit the antiquities here. At the same time there are many ancient traditions that continue to this day. For example, it is a country where most of the farming is still done by hand. The view of Egypt in the press in much of the world is not at all as visitors experience it and the contrasts give a chance at a new perspective on life here.

What do you wish travellers would do when they visit Egypt?

I do wish that people would try to understand the culture of a place that they plan to visit. This is a fairly conservative country where people dress in a less revealing manner than they might in Europe or North America. Wandering around the Giza plateau or downtown Cairo in almost nothing makes a lot of people uncomfortable, and thus isn’t very polite.

What do you wish travellers would stop doing when they visit Egypt?

There is a tradition of people here asking for “baksheesh” or tips whether or not they have done anything to earn them. Basically, handing out presents of small cash for nothing encourages people to believe that it isn’t necessary to work for a living. When someone has actually done a service, it’s perfectly reasonable to pay them.

If a visitor had time to do or see only one thing in Egypt, what should it be?

That’s so hard to answer. If somehow someone were to come to Egypt and have so little time, I would suggest sitting in a sidewalk café and simply watching life go by around him. Egypt is one of those places that is like being involved in street theatre constantly. There are so many important and interesting things to see in Egypt that I can’t pick one thing or place, so it’s better just to get a feel for the people.

If a visitor had time for only one meal in Egypt, which dish would you recommend?

Most people visiting Egypt find that the traditional breakfast of foul and ta’ameya is really satisfying and delicious. Foul (pronounced fool) is fava beans that have been cooked slowly until soft and then prepared with some oil, herbs and sometimes garlic and onion. Ta’ameya (also known as felafel) is also made from fava beans that have been soaked and then ground to a paste with fresh herbs, mixed with egg and then fried in patties. These are often eaten in pita bread with some salad.

Do you have any other insider tips for visitors to Egypt?

Give yourself time to enjoy your visit. So many people try to cram too much into a visit to Egypt and then end up running through the antiquities, museums, markets and mosques without taking time to really experience them. They end up exhausted and overwhelmed. Egyptians live at a much slower pace and this is one of the gifts that visitors can take home.

Note

Anni Poulsen: Maryanne’s remark that being in Egypt is like being involved in street theatre sums up beautifully my ultra-brief visit to Cairo some years back. I went to Cairo for business, but had only 6 hours there. Thanks to my Egyptian colleague we managed to squeeze in dinner on the Nile and a drive around Cairo after work. But the most memorable experience was drinking tea in a back-alley café at 1 o’clock in the morning just watching people, experiencing the different smells and sounds of Cairo. I can still smell the spices and it was the one experience that made me feel that I got to experience a little bit of Egypt after all, despite my very short stay.

Maryanne blogs at Living in Egypt , so head on over there for some great stories from Egypt.

All photos above belong to Maryanne Gabbani.

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Our View of a Local series consists of interviews with local people in various towns and cities in different countries.

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TAGS: Egypt, Giza, travel, view of a local

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