The Apinautica - Chapter 8 Egypt (Part III)

[emo_snal]

I probably should have posted these Egypt sections in closer temporal proximity, being as the whole section was already written before I posted the first one. Ah well. On the plus side I just finally finished the Turkish chapter that comes a bit after this, and I'm thus finally finished with 2013! But anyway, for now, the third and final Egypt

Comments

[lookfar]

Wow, what a life.

[sallymn]

The food looks wonderful (though I am glad there were no actual bird tongues involved), compliments to your hosts!

[wantedonvoyage]

During our Egypt trip we got the pleasure of visiting several people's homes. The one family had a servant, who was barefoot and seemingly mute. I got the sense we were not supposed to see her there or acknowledge her existence in any way; it was discomfiting.

[emo_snal]

From the behavior I saw she might not have been actually mute just not expected to talk? Unless she was actually unable to answer her "masters" when addressed. Definitely I found their attitudes towards women very disturbing.

[wantedonvoyage]

That's what I meant; she was not meant to have an idea or opinion. Just do what you're told. It was super cringe.

Those guys didn't talk down to the women in the family, though. Another Egyptian guy I knew at that time who lived here tried that with his non-Egyptian girlfriend in front of us... once. She put a lid on that real quick (relationship did not last long).

[emo_snal]

Yeah it was weird. The guys seemed nice, and the wives and daughters were smiling and there seemed to be genuine love there but for all I try to be culturally understanding I don't like this women-are-second-class-citizens not one bit. And yeah I'm sure the fact that the girl you saw was a servant probably meant she was treated like a 4th class citizen. Ugh.