From: zaccardi@sunkat.East.Sun.COM (Kathy Zaccardi - Sun Federal Mkt. Segment Specialist)
Newsgroups: rec.travel
Subject: trip to Jordan & Egytp
Keywords: Arab culture & travel
Date: 6 Nov 92 18:59:09 GMT
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From Kathy.Zaccardi@East Fri Nov  6 13:37:48 1992
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Date: Fri, 6 Nov 92 13:37:40 EST
From: Kathy.Zaccardi@East (Kathy Zaccardi - Sun Federal Mkt. Segment Specialist)
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To: khaled@zeus.csc.ncsu.edu
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I found this dialogue of interest since I am an American woman married to a naturalized
Jordanian and we visited Jordan and Egypt this past July-my first trip.  

I found Jordan, friendly but the woman for about 95% covered their heads with scarves and
wore long garb over regular clothes. Many I met, carried this into the house as the strict
interpretation is to cover and not wear make-up in front of any man other than your husband.
This also included brothers!  This was Amman.  In Irbid, a little more of a large country town,
many woman chose to uncover once in the house.  The weather didn't seem to be a factor.  July
is hot no matter what and no one I met had AC.

What I did enjoy was the level of education these women displayed and their knowledge of the 
United States.  But for all their education, subservience to the man, though subtle was not
to my taste.  Though I do not subscribe to the Madonna style of fashion and behavior, I do not
think that showing an ankle should drive a man stark raving mad, nor is it a sin.

I only visited Cairo for a few days, but this is what I observed.  Women for the most part covered
their heads, but used more colorful materials.  They were also not as obsessed as Jordanian woman
about stray locks of hair peeking out.  Older female girls were dressed both ways and the only
fashionable woman I saw were in the Marriott where we stayed.  However, dress ran the gamut.
Many Saudis and Kuwaitis vacation with their families in Cairo.  I would see most men in what I
call the Lawrence of ARabia flowing white robes which in the Middle East on an Arab man looked
appropriate.  But most of the woman were draped in heavy black with covered faces to the point of
not even being able to see their eyes.  They usually had several children and several servants, 
probably from Sri Lanka who also covered but showed their faces. Some vacation. I don't know how the covered
women saw where they were going.  In some cases the husbands of the covered women wore designer
jeans, summer short sleeve shirts and comfortable shoes. What a double standard. 

I really enjoyed Egyptians as a people because they were so friendly and smiled a lot and tried
to be helpful.  I never felt threatened when we walked the crowded streets or bazaars.  I truly
want to return to Egypt and see other places.

It's true that headlights as a rule were off at night and the driving was wild.  But those cab
drivers and tour guides know what they are doing.  There seems to be a whole set of informal
driving rules everyone accepts and abides by which is more than I can say for drivers in the 
Washington, DC metro area who are selfish, nasty and unyielding.

We got the impression from our private tour guide that Christian, Moslems and Jews had lived
together for over a thousand years in Cairo and quite happily.  We visited all three religious
areas of the city, although too briefly.

I hope that I have not offended anyone with my comments, but this is how I say it.  Even my
husband doesn't always agree with my views but we are together.

Regards,
Kathy Zaccardi-Kurdi