posted 10 February 2004 12:54 PM            

Let's share some positive experiences that we've had with 'Egyptian men' in order to be fair to the nice guys out there.

I'll start.

I got hit by a car my first year in Egypt. The person who hit me drove away. A very nice Egyptian man took me to a hospital, got me looked after (back and neck trouble-nothing serious) and then took me home to his mom. His mom then decided to feed me, give me clothes to change into and lecture me about how I should not cross any streets in Egypt ever again. Even after I went back to my apartment and was all healed, this man often came by to see if all was well. He would wait outside the building (I lived alone and it would have been improper for him to come up) and the bawab would come get me. He continued to do this for almost the whole time I was in Cairo. It was a great introduction to the generosity and decency I would experience during my stay in Egypt.

posted 10 February 2004 04:26 PM            

No, when I arrived in Egypt to work as a babysitter (for children only!!!!!) I had the first Friday off. I didn't stay on the hotel beach (Suez) and explored by myself the lonely beach next to it. I spent the whole afternoon there and felt like Robinson Crusoe. I never saw in my whole life (and I was only 20 years old) palms before and the color of the water was just so amazing. I thought I was really dreaming - well I got a bad sunburn too.

Anyway I saw Egyptian children w/ their mothers coming up to me and they were looking for shells. So I started to try to communicate w/ them but that didn't work. I just helped them finding more shells on the shore. One woman ask me w/ hand sign if I would like to eat something. I agreed and we went up to the field. Well another woman put me a big cover over my body since I was still dressed as a "dumb stupid" tourist in a bikini. Well the women brought me than couple of pillows and more covers and ask me to sit down w/ them. Boy I was sweating in the heat but they really treated me like a queen. The husbands came then and we all sat together. You know they did fresh bread in this little oven (?) and gave me also fresh milk (I probably shouldn't have drunken that but I couldn't reject since they were all so friendly; thanks God I didn't develop any problems later on either). Anyhow this village people were so so nice to me and this was one of the first great experiences I had when I arrived in Egypt.

posted 11 February 2004 06:41 AM            

Here is a simple story for you:

SHE was in Egypt for her Ph.D in Anthropology, and met HIM during her research. He was a young Egyptian Professor.

The Egyptian professor, took her home, introduced her to his family, to make her feel secure, at ease and comfortable, and took her all over Cairo for her field work - discovering the lives of the unprivileged/very poor women, in Egypt - for 2 years!

He constantly gave her support, translated many dialogues for her, and all that was done out of pure generosity and a beautiful friendship blossomed.

When she obtained her Ph.D, she dedicated her first book to him.

They are still in touch, they both live in different countries - both married with children - but still friends!

There was no 'abuse' of any sort, it was a matter of Egyptian generosity, and respect.

CHEERS to all the Egyptian men, with a heart of gold!

Monica

posted 11 February 2004 09:43 AM            

One man offered to help and spent ages phoning and trying to track him down. He must have used all his phone card. He didn't pretend that my guide had gone out of town and he would help me instead. When the telephone number was fruitless he asked around for me and found someone who knew him and had his mobile number. He then finally made contact and after an hour I finaly was reunited with my guide. The helpful man took no reward, didn't hassle me and didn't try and 'steal' me from my original guide.

PS My guide later became my husband so the helpful man was a bit of a cupid too although he didn't know it.

posted 12 February 2004 08:45 AM            

"don't be so afraid of me, i'm not trying to sell u anything or chat you up. Anyway i'm a tourist myself. Why are you with that music in your ear when you're in such a beautiful like Luxor. This is the first time i've seen that in Luxor, walking with a walkman. You know what, i don't know where you're from and i don't care, but i'll tell you that you should smile and make the most of your holidays cause when you're back in your country, you'll regret it. Believe me, life is short. You've got such a beautiful smile! Before you start to believe i want something from you, i'm gonna leave you but please, take off this music from your ear and enjoy the view and the sound of the Nile."

He get up to leave. I didn't talk to him at all but i said "excuse me, but are you Egyptian?"
I asked the question cause he had an accent but definitely not from Egypt but Spanish.
He said: "I could lie to you and tell you i'm not Egyptian but i am. I was born here, grew up in South America but came back here 5 years ago cause nowhere is better than home. I know that sometimes lonely women can feel too much hassle here but believe me most of Egyptian people are very friendly. I don't know why you're so sad and don't want to know it but forget your worries and enjoy life while you are in this wonderful city."

posted 13 February 2004 10:29 AM            

As i said before, i'm not with my boyfriend anymore since a few weeks, since i made a visit-suprise to him in Luxor and discovered he was married to a 71-year old English lady for her money and besides that had at least 5 other young and western "girlfriends" like me to enjoy himself sexually and receive the latest gadgets from them like phone-cameras, expensive perfumes....
Fortunately, i discovered that before i made a bigger mistake that i already did. I do accept a part of responsability in that story cause i should't have trusted him so easily. I'm not a naive 18-year old teenager. I'm a responsible 25 year old and i've travelled a lot to countries like Turkey, Tunisia, Spain, North America... to name a few. I've never been involve with anyone else while in those countries but I don't know I did it in Egypt. For sure he is a professional liar. He can look at you without a blink of an eye and still lie!!! i won't extend on that.

posted 13 February 2004 07:38 PM            

I didn't have a clue that he pulled that BS on you, that's just really terrible. I believe deep inside you knew you had to go and check. Your heart told you you were right. You should be glad to see him like that, he doesn't have any class, he doesn't deserve you.
Gosh, I am so glad that stuff like that never happened to me.

Many people who work in the Egyptian travel industry often have a disturbed character. You should be very careful around these people. But please it is not everyone. You can tell when you around them enough.

posted 14 February 2004 10:53 AM            

Thanks Egyptians for being so wonderful!

Sincerely,

Monica
.................
Ana baheb Misr

quote:

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Originally posted by gebo:
Despite my experience I'm also happy that you've started this optimistic topic.
That's why we are writing.

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posted 16 February 2004 05:01 PM            

I was in Sharm last week for... you know. My bf had to go to Dahab for business in the night and told his boss some story, just to be with me for my last day in this beautiful little town.
To get there we decided that i have to take the first public bus in the morning. The guard of the house would get me, take care of the taxi, carry my luggage as i had to leave directly from Dahab and take me to the right bus.
Well, i couldn't wake up this guard and stood there, with all my luggage at 5.30 in the morning. There was a private car in the side street. When i walked to the main street this car was already there. the man asked me 'taxi'? What could i do? No 'real' taxi in sight.
So, i got in (how adventurious) and told him where i had to go. He asked 'tourguide?'i said 'no, tourist' and thought - how stupid, now he is going to charge me 100 pounds.
He didn't try to get me involved in a conversation as they normally do, when asking for a kiss sometimes even. He got me to the busstation, told me to wait in the car, found the right bus, took my luggage, asked only 30 pounds and wished me a good journey!

posted 01 March 2004 06:55 AM            

Unfortunately, there is something about the tourism industry that attracts all the male egyptian jerks like a moth to a flame. And unfortunately, this means many foreigners see this worst, bottom-of-the barrel side of egyptian men...they share their experiences on a site like this...and pretty soon the egyptian members who do frequent this site are getting fed up with this small percentage of jerks representing the rest of the nice guys.

posted 01 March 2004 09:30 AM            

I am new to these fora and my story is over on the Gigolos Forum. Anyways, are ALL men involved in the tourist industry jerks as you say or are some of them genuine. The one I know is involved with responsible tourism and left a professional job to do the tourism thing full time. He had done it alongside his university training etc and says he continued it for the 15 years he spent as a full time professional in the health sector. He told me he just got fed up of the other and loved the travel, freedom and adventure. He was married but says he is now separated. When I asked him about his family he told me quite openly about what they all do do etc, and none of them are sick so far ! His parents were not pleased with him for taking this route and giving up his other respectable profession, but, he says they are happy with him now that it has worked out OK.

We seemed to 'click' and he very subtly intimated that he was interested in me and asked me to 'keep in touch'. No more happened than that. I was surprised that keeping in touch involved some rather 'hot' and sexy sms. Phone calls from me (2 in total) have gone the same way and it makes me wonder about his motives. My own are not completely innocent of course but, I don't want to be completely misled. Anyways - just opening up to a wider forum and would appreciate comments.

quote:

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Originally posted by ExptinCAI:
I have to comment that overall, I have met less jerks in Egypt than anywhere else in the world. Sure there's the guys making your life unpleasant if you try to walk down the street... but once you live and work here, the people you meet in everyday life -- work, restaurants, etc. -- are some of the most polite, decent, and generous people I've met in my life.

Unfortunately, there is something about the tourism industry that attracts all the male egyptian jerks like a moth to a flame. And unfortunately, this means many foreigners see this worst, bottom-of-the barrel side of egyptian men...they share their experiences on a site like this...and pretty soon the egyptian members who do frequent this site are getting fed up with this small percentage of jerks representing the rest of the nice guys.

Egyptian men have always retained the charm and manners of our father's generation towards women and it's unfortunate most tourists will never get to experience it.

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posted 01 March 2004 10:09 AM            

So, hot sms's are exactly that 'hot sms's' is that what you want?

If you respond the same way...forget about mutual respect, love....etc...etc....

I would think that someone 'interested' in you would want to know about, you, your family, your background, your work, your environment, your thoughts, your education, and then once he knows all that, and you know all about him, and there is a real 'click', some affectionate talk would be nice, don't you think? and the 'hot talk' could always enter your lives eventually would'nt you say?

Seems to me that the 'hot talk' in this case is too quick!...

All the best,
Monica
.........................................

quote:

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Originally posted by zlna0695:
Hi

I am new to these fora and my story is over on the Gigolos Forum. Anyways, are ALL men involved in the tourist industry jerks as you say or are some of them genuine. The one I know is involved with responsible tourism and left a professional job to do the tourism thing full time. He had done it alongside his university training etc and says he continued it for the 15 years he spent as a full time professional in the health sector. He told me he just got fed up of the other and loved the travel, freedom and adventure. He was married but says he is now separated. When I asked him about his family he told me quite openly about what they all do do etc, and none of them are sick so far ! His parents were not pleased with him for taking this route and giving up his other respectable profession, but, he says they are happy with him now that it has worked out OK.

We seemed to 'click' and he very subtly intimated that he was interested in me and asked me to 'keep in touch'. No more happened than that. I was surprised that keeping in touch involved some rather 'hot' and sexy sms. Phone calls from me (2 in total) have gone the same way and it makes me wonder about his motives. My own are not completely innocent of course but, I don't want to be completely misled. Anyways - just opening up to a wider forum and would appreciate comments.

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posted 01 March 2004 02:42 PM            

That's a pretty big generalization. If you were to compare two clusters - the men who work in tourism and the men who don't...and ask me to compare the two -- then I'd say that the tourism group had a huge proportion of jerks compared to the other group.

Of course, then we'd have to also get into a discussion of how they behave with female tourists and then still marry a respectable, virgin egyptian woman...but that's a whole different story.

And frankly, I would prefer to keep this thread positive.

posted 01 March 2004 05:29 PM            

I agree with you. I have put a question to him along the lines of having more than just passion but also care respect etc. He said he would answer that in an email....I am still waiting. And I will wait!

I like your saying it takes Love to Make Love - I will remember that one .

Thank you

quote:

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Originally posted by Monica:
I remember hearing this sentence 'It takes LOVE to make LOVE'. I find it superbly meaningful!

So, hot sms's are exactly that 'hot sms's' is that what you want?

If you respond the same way...forget about mutual respect, love....etc...etc....

I would think that someone 'interested' in you would want to know about, you, your family, your background, your work, your environment, your thoughts, your education, and then once he knows all that, and you know all about him, and there is a real 'click', some affectionate talk would be nice, don't you think? and the 'hot talk' could always enter your lives eventually would'nt you say?

Seems to me that the 'hot talk' in this case is too quick!...

All the best,
Monica
.........................................

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posted 02 March 2004 03:11 PM            

Here is something positive to keep within the topic

A friend was getting the 'hot talk' from an Egyptian man she met in a chatroom; she told me she did not reciprocate on the same level, but instead turned the conversation into the 'meaning of love and tender care, family, respect etc...', guess what? All positive.

Best always,
Monica

quote:

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Originally posted by zlna0695:
Hi Monica

I agree with you. I have put a question to him along the lines of having more than just passion but also care respect etc. He said he would answer that in an email....I am still waiting. And I will wait!

I like your saying it takes Love to Make Love - I will remember that one .

Thank you

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posted 04 March 2004 06:20 PM            

Thank you for that ! It is easier to fall into the 'cynical' side than to remain open minded. And, with little real evidence one should remain in the 'open minded' camp.
Cheers

Zlna

quote:

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Originally posted by Monica:
Hi zina0695,

Here is something positive to keep within the topic

A friend was getting the 'hot talk' from an Egyptian man she met in a chatroom; she told me she did not reciprocate on the same level, but instead turned the conversation into the 'meaning of love and tender care, family, respect etc...', guess what? All positive.

Best always,
Monica

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