posted
Help is a popular keyword at ES, for engaging the attention of all philantropic folks here so I though I use it too )
I need to go to a marriage party in Upper Egypt soon, somewhere around Assiut, I believe, but a village totally totally near mountains. Am thinking of all the creatures that might be living out there (have a vivid imagination ...
So, anyone, have any experience how horrible it might be, do I need sleep halfway in air, tied up under the roof? Although I understand if people live there it must be livable and maybe animals will prefer to leave home these days for all this noise they make at marriage parties?
Also all cultural advice is very welcome. Shall I let the bride borrow my makeup or not? Shall i take candies for children? Of course my bf will come with me, since he is invited, but anyway, some third party opinions is also so good. Of course I will be sleeping with women and he with men that is clear from beginning, my god my vocabulary is still so short, but I can say "halas" and "mashi" and "yalla nam", Egyptian films are very helpful for a beginner, so I guess i'll survive.
Gibraltar Member # 7492
posted
You will see no scorpions in cold weather, snakes can not live where there are plenty of people, they hide away. Culture is differnt from town to town in Upper Egypt, keep quiet, you will be welcomed whatever you do as a guest. Good luck.
newcomer Member # 1056
posted
From having stayed in the area in a village with a wonderful, overly generous, and kind Egyptian family, you can safely sleep on a bed, in fact as the nominal foreign guest, you may even be given the best room to sleep in by yourself while all the other women bunk in together in another room. Although you may be sleeping in a room next to the prized cow! But if that's the case, at least you'll have fresh frothy milk for breakfast!
From what I was told there are not many people who go into the mountains on the east of the Nile as they are mainly inhabited by bandits, and the police even fear to go there. How much that was local legend or actual fact I don't know! Most of the villages seemed to be on the west in the area I was in, maybe further south it is different; I was in a village north of Assuit.
I didn't actually attend a wedding party, but a nearby one did keep us awake until the early morning as the loudspeakers blasted out Arabic music all night! But my guess is that you will probably be made almost as much fuss of as a foreign guest as the bride. Be prepared to be the centre of attention!
The people were very curious and all the ladies of the village came round to look at the foreigner guest and talk about me. Some of what they said I understood and responded to, which shocked some of the ladies as they thought I didn't realise what they were saying, but its amazing how much is communicated by body language and looks! And much can be communicated back in the same way.
But despite that, I loved my time there, and would love to go back one day...all that fresh air and fresh food after Cairo was a dream!
nevermind Member # 6674
posted
[QUOTE]Originally posted by newcomer: Thank you Gibraltar and newcomer. No scorpions in winter, that's good to know . And yes, I am a bit afraid of too much attention, and it is clear the bride should have the focus, but if i serve as something that makes her party extra important ands memorable, then that's OK I guess.
Yes I think they are something like bandits there or at least the guys here try make me feel so but so.. they still have families and wives they love and they do not shoot people whom they consider friends, do they? They just have a different set of rules from the rest. Maybe will help gain insight or something.
Aaah.. that brought me to the problem of what to wear.. I mean i do not want create any scakndal and indeed most women i my country are more shy and covered than a lot of women here a country of large contrasts, but if I am to serve as a bit of entertanment, I'd better at least be a good one. Artificial nails is probably not my cup of tea exactly, i am the girl who always had fingers covered with ink at school and now I suually burn them in oven every other day, but still.. I do not wish to be too au courant and culturally adjusted, that would be simply too boring and not t\what they expect. My business costume ? (I brought one I used to wear when I still worked in the office) it is a very nice pale pink, the Egyptian kind of "pretty" ) But high heels are really nasty for running in case anything extreme should happen. My colonial costume? looking like British female anthropologist in jungle. But it is brown and really not festive at all, more like military. My bright red Adidas pants and matching jacket? They have zippers full length on the sides so you can open for hot weather (revealing some net inside) and if any of the females likes them I can even let go of them, buy new back at home. I have even some long flowery dresses but it will be cold at night an party is open/air I assume and I am not so much a bellydancer as to keep warm, I mean I am an aspiring one but my bf always says I shake the wrong parts . Or maybe still a dress cvered with this red jacket, I mean one should wear some great colours for a wedding party, right?
posted ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
so I though I use it too ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
that is clear from beginning, my god my vocabulary is still so short, but I can say "halas" and "mashi" and "yalla nam", Egyptian films are very helpful for a beginner, so I guess i'll survive.
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
. Or maybe still a dress cvered with this red jacket, I mean one should wear some great colours for a wedding party, right?