My time in Egypt was life-changing, here’s why I’ll never return.

Egypt is home to some of the most heralded sacred religious and cultural sites around the world—with some dating back several millennia. I was in constant awe of the sheer age and maintained quality of the historical artifacts all around me. This, however, does not negate the poor experiences I had during my time. 

Before I speak on the negatives of my time spent here, I would first like to highlight the reasons as to why this experience was life-changing. The staff at Freedom Hostel in Downtown Cairo were nothing short of knowledgeable and kind. I felt such a genuine feeling of trust and comfortability there that I did not feel anywhere else during my stay. Even though the hostel is situated in the chaotic downtown Cairo, it was a place of tranquility and peace after a busy and hectic day of sightseeing. 

 Although I often felt that I was treated as a walking dollar sign, some locals still attempted to make conversation with me without attempting to sell me something or lead me back to their shop. Simple smiles in the streets were often traps to get me to buy something, but sometimes they weren’t and I just had to take the risk. On the topic of perceptions, Egypt is also one of the few places I have traveled where I was not made to feel bad about being from the United States. Many locals found my country fascinating and did not immediately resort to insulting my home country, unlike some Europeans have. 

I was well aware before my arrival to Egypt that there was no way in which I could blend into the local environment. Modest clothing, no jewelry, and basic Arabic phrases could never conceal my Western identity. What I did not expect however was how vulnerable my foreign status made me. Upcharges, stares, and being followed by vendors for several city blocks began to make me unwilling to leave my hostel after the second day. One of the worst experiences of this trip (and probably in all of my travels thus far) occurred in Al-Muizz Street, just west of the very popular Khan el-Khalili market. I was whistled at, stared at, followed, and even had my arm grabbed by vendors attempting to sell me a product, refusing to listen to my repeated “La Shukran” (no thank you). Although I understand that some only stare due to the curiosity behind the fact that I was a red-headed American, I can safely say that this was not the case for the majority. I was a guppie in a sea full of piranhas and all of the tactics I learned to deter this harassment did not work. 

Scamming tourists has become a staple of Egypt, unregulated and often unpunished. During my third day, I had had enough and decided to finally stand up to these bullies. I had the opportunity to visit the Coptic neighborhood in Cairo on my trip. Before entering the compound of the Greek Orthodox Church, a man at the gate said that it cost 3500 EGP (roughly $80 USD) to enter, but that I could just pay when I leave. This immediately made me suspicious and caused me to google the price to enter this church. Spoiler alert: it’s free. This happened after two consecutive days of dealing with this behavior from random scammers. I felt such a sheer level of anger and frustration that I left the compound immediately to report him to the tourism police down the street. To my surprise, they were shocked that this was occuring. They asked me to point him out, and I (awkwardly) obliged. I was then given a free tour by an expert guide who thoroughly apologized for this experience and asked if I would like to press charges (I declined due my irrational fear of foreign police forces). I was later informed that the man at the gate of the compound turned out to be a worker for the church. This means he already earned a salary from his job; as well as free housing, food, and healthcare through the church. This marked my end for the sympathy I had for these scammers. 

Looking back now, there are several things I wish I knew before my voyage to Egypt. I felt that I was properly prepared, but I ran into several situations I was not made aware of on the internet prior to my departure. Here is a non-exhaustive list of 5 things I would tell myself I could time travel to a week earlier. 

1. Swallow your pride and book the tour guide. 

Before departing for Egypt, I was convinced that I could tackle this country head on as a solo-traveler. Although I was successful in this endeavor, much of my trip was made to be far more difficult than it had to be. Having never been to the Middle East, I was largely unaware of many red flags and who I could trust. I could never tell when a worker was simply enforcing the rules of the site or if they were attempting to take advantage of me. A guide provides a sense of security, since at least one person in the group can speak Arabic and is aware of who to look out for in these areas. 

2. Stop being a friendly American to harassment.  

Like I said earlier, this was my first endeavor outside of the cultural west. One aspect of that meant that my friendly midwestern demeanor translated to an invitation to further  conversations I had already attempted to shut down. I was very confused as to why locals were not listening to my ‘no’s and would continue harassing me. I finally began watching other tourists interact with these men and I realized a stern, cold ‘no’ is necessary in this situation. I experienced a lot less difficulty from vendors after picking up this trick. 

3. Have an assortment of payment methods (but not too much). 

Egyptian businesses vary in which kind of payment methods they accept. For example, 

the visa I purchased upon entry at the airport was only able to be purchased in US bills. The Uber I took to my hostel was paid by credit card. When I arrived at my hostel, I could only pay for my stay in Egyptian Pounds. I could never guess which form of currency was preferred when I entered a new establishment. That being said, I would recommend not carrying over 1000 EGP on you, as scammers may see this amount of money in your wallet, making you a target. 

4. The Tourism Police are there for you, but advocating for yourself is necessary. 

Nearly every historic and cultural site around Egypt is lined with posts of police checkpoints specifically there for your safety. As said before, my irrational fear of foreign police forces hindered my ability to utilize their support for the first few days, but I was so grateful once I did. Many local agents can’t tell who is taking advantage of you, because scammers thrive on you being isolated and without choice. Scammers in Egypt are masters in their craft, making it virtually impossible for the tourism police to hold them accountable unless a tourist directly complains about a specific person on the premises. It may seem scary, but this accountability breaks the cycle and discourages similar future behavior. 

5. You will find much more security and safety in a group. 

It took me a while to notice that a large reason as to why I was yelled at was particularly because I was by myself. I couldn’t really tell until I was invited to dinner by a group from my hostel. The walk was about 5-10 minutes, but it felt like a night and day difference. I was not called, yelled at, or really even stared at much when I was in a group. I’m not really sure as to why being alone made me such a target, mostly because I had never been made to feel that way on any other solo-trip. 

This was my first endeavor outside of the cultural west and taught me immense lessons in the one short week of my visit. This was the first country I visited where I felt truly conflicted on the beauty and ugliness of this country rearing their strength right in front of my face. Although I feel that Egypt was a one-and-done destination for me, I don’t feel that I could ever discourage anyone from visiting.