Saving a conversation Sia showed me on Reddit.
○ I've been to Paris and Rome last summer. Two different worlds I tell you. In Paris even if they know English they will not speak to you. In Rome even if they don't know English they will still try to speak to you.
○ Then you go to Egypt, where they will just keep changing up the language until they find the one you respond to, and will likely be able to sell to you reasonably effectively in that language.
○ Ah, haggling in Egypt. It's usually done like this:
You: How much is this?
Him: 250
You: I'll pay 10
Him: Ok, 100
You: 10
Him: Ok.
○ In my experience it was more like :
H : 250
Y : 150 ?
H : My children will starve to death if you pay 150!
Y : OK, bye.
H : Wait, I'll give you 3 for 50!
○ My Grandfather was living in Alexandria for a few years back in the 90's and had the very same experience. He said, as an American, it was quite jarring and mildly annoying because he had to haggle for everything anytime he went to the markets regardless of the item. His coworker, a native to the area, said that was all part of their custom and to just go along with it so he would not offend anyone. After the first year he got used to it and then wanted to haggle anytime he came back to the states to visit.
When he moved back to the US after seven years he gave me these two tips. 1: Don't go to the market in a hurry, it wont do you any good. 2: Buy the meat with the most flies on it.
○ Yeah, you have to do that around the Arab world, but Egypt and Syria are something else.
What's that about the files?
○ He could have been pulling my leg on this but he was not one to make up fanciful tales. He said some of the meat vendors would spray their product with Raid or some other sort of pesticide to keep the insects off the meat. Best practice was to wash whatever you purchased thoroughly and make sure it was well cooked.
Other fun "facts" he observed while staying in Alexandria. Many buildings would be incomplete or missing their top floors so they could receive a tax break on them. Headlights were optional at night and many just drove with their parking lights on and flow of traffic was dictated by who got there first.
He really enjoyed living there and I think he would have stayed if he had been given the option.
○ And then will never, ever, ever stop trying to sell you some piece of shit souvenir.
○ because you look like a fucking tourist. There, we've identified the problem. Now fix it and you will enjoy your time much more.
○ OK, I should dye my hair black, wear sunglasses to hide my green eyes, wear cheap fake brand clothes with jeans that are too tight, don't carry a camera or a guidebook or a map, smoke cigarettes everywhere I go, don't speak English with anyone, and I shouldn't go anywhere near a tourist attraction. Great. I'll really enjoy my next trip to Egypt much more now.
○ see? now you've got it!
○ Then you go to Egypt, where they will just keep changing up the language until they find the one you respond to, and will likely be able to sell to you reasonably effectively in that language.
○ Ah, haggling in Egypt. It's usually done like this:
You: How much is this?
Him: 250
You: I'll pay 10
Him: Ok, 100
You: 10
Him: Ok.
○ In my experience it was more like :
H : 250
Y : 150 ?
H : My children will starve to death if you pay 150!
Y : OK, bye.
H : Wait, I'll give you 3 for 50!
○ My Grandfather was living in Alexandria for a few years back in the 90's and had the very same experience. He said, as an American, it was quite jarring and mildly annoying because he had to haggle for everything anytime he went to the markets regardless of the item. His coworker, a native to the area, said that was all part of their custom and to just go along with it so he would not offend anyone. After the first year he got used to it and then wanted to haggle anytime he came back to the states to visit.
When he moved back to the US after seven years he gave me these two tips. 1: Don't go to the market in a hurry, it wont do you any good. 2: Buy the meat with the most flies on it.
○ Yeah, you have to do that around the Arab world, but Egypt and Syria are something else.
What's that about the files?
○ He could have been pulling my leg on this but he was not one to make up fanciful tales. He said some of the meat vendors would spray their product with Raid or some other sort of pesticide to keep the insects off the meat. Best practice was to wash whatever you purchased thoroughly and make sure it was well cooked.
Other fun "facts" he observed while staying in Alexandria. Many buildings would be incomplete or missing their top floors so they could receive a tax break on them. Headlights were optional at night and many just drove with their parking lights on and flow of traffic was dictated by who got there first.
He really enjoyed living there and I think he would have stayed if he had been given the option.
○ And then will never, ever, ever stop trying to sell you some piece of shit souvenir.
○ because you look like a fucking tourist. There, we've identified the problem. Now fix it and you will enjoy your time much more.
○ OK, I should dye my hair black, wear sunglasses to hide my green eyes, wear cheap fake brand clothes with jeans that are too tight, don't carry a camera or a guidebook or a map, smoke cigarettes everywhere I go, don't speak English with anyone, and I shouldn't go anywhere near a tourist attraction. Great. I'll really enjoy my next trip to Egypt much more now.
○ see? now you've got it!