As a student who has traveled around Europe extensively throughout my semester abroad in Hungary, I wanted to travel somewhere with a completely different culture that would really push me outside of my comfort zone. I ultimately decided to leave the continent and travel to Egypt in Northern Africa. Egypt proved to be a country that is both incredible and absolutely shocking. My week there left a lasting impression on me in a way no other place has.
First and foremost, Cairo is one of the largest cities on earth with about 23 million people calling it home. Much of its massive growth has occurred within the last 30 years and has led to massive overcrowding, completely unregulated construction, and a very loud, polluted, and hectic atmosphere. In addition to the high population density, there is an overall lack of a rigid societal order and rule following which is best illustrated by the chaos on Egypt’s roads. Drivers do not adhere to lanes and drive pretty much anywhere their cars can fit, there are no traffic lights, and intersections are a complete free-for-all between cars, humans, tuk-tuks, motorbikes, and even animals like donkeys, horses, and camels which are still relatively common forms of transportation. Cars and street stalls also occupy most of the sidewalks, so walking in the middle of the street while dodging various vehicles was often a necessity. To add to the mayhem, every car and motorbike constantly honked, often for no apparent reason. This chaos continues 24 hours a day. Outside of the disorder of the city, Egypt has some of the worst poverty I have ever witnessed. I learned that most people in Cairo only make $150 to $200 a month. Thus, many of the prices for everything were incredibly cheap but this poverty was very visually apparent from the dirty streets and haphazard construction of most of the city. All of these factors completely overwhelmed me and experiencing Cairo was the first time I truly felt culture shock. Eventually, I was able to mentally adapt, but I will never forget the feeling of total astonishment and sensory overload brought on by Cairo’s streets.
Besides the culture shocks, I had many incredible experiences in Egypt. The city has an incredible historical heritage with thousands of ancient and medieval structures dotted throughout many different historical quarters. There were areas in Cairo concentrated with Ancient Egyptian, early Islamic, and early Christian architecture. I of course went to the Giza Necropolis, home to the famous pyramids and the sphinx. These structures are absolutely mind boggling to witness in person and can be seen from miles away around Cairo. I also visited Alexandria which contained tons of Roman and Hellenistic structures including a 4th century catacombs situated deep underground which I explored, and an amphitheater.
