Packing for a trip takes a lot of thought and organization. Trying to put everything you think you may need into one or two bags is, for me, much like moving day. The process is even more confusing because I am traveling to a Muslim country where Western styles and attitudes are not always appropriate.
As the journey to study in Egypt begins, I contemplate facing the differences between Western and Eastern societies. The most common advice I have received over the past couple of months relates to being a Western woman in an Islamic culture. Dress modestly, and act discreetly! So, how do I pack in order to adapt to a society where women play different roles and must meet unfamiliar expectations?
Both East and West often have misconceptions about women. Westerners think that every woman in a Muslim country must wear a veil; Muslims view Western women as “loose” and immoral. But these are false stereotypes that are often perpetuated by many in the media of both societies.
Although women are given a variety of rights in the Quran (the holy book of the Islamic religion), politicians throughout history have often used laws concerning women to define the religious orientation of a particular government. Muslim women constantly struggle against inequality and restrictions on their activities. Prior to the rise of worldwide women’s movements in the 20th century, Egyptian women were considered inferior to men. They were expected to rely on and comply with their male relatives’ decisions, received little or no education and held low social and economic status in society. Women were traditionally preoccupied with household tasks and childrearing.
But times are changing. Arab women are being allowed to enter professions such as law, medicine, education, engineering and politics. However, Islamic traditions, such as the veil, remain a symbol of a Muslim woman’s subordinate position in society. The head covering, known as hijab, actually represents Islam’s belief in resisting extramarital relations and temptations, because a woman’s hair was historically regarded as a sign of her beauty.
Today, such traditions in Egyptian society are more a reflection of conservatism than of oppression, due to the strong influence of and emphasis on traditional family and religious values. As a visitor to Egypt, I am expected to, and should, respect these customs.
So, I must hang up the sleeveless shirts, the tight pants, the short skirts and the see-through fabrics that are a common sight at State Street bars on Saturday nights. For the next six months I will dress more conservatively and ignore the possible verbal harassment I am told women may experience when walking down the crowded public streets of Cairo.
Wearing anything I please and going anywhere I want is a freedom I enjoy living in the United States. But neither culture is better than the other. I will not be sacrificing my independence as a woman; instead, I will grow as a woman from being exposed to and experiencing the life of a woman in Egypt. Each society has good and bad qualities; each contributes to the exoticness of our planet. Understanding and respecting each other’s traditions will only improve relationships between countries and people, which is vital in our ever-shrinking, technologically based world.
As a western woman in an Islamic world, I must adjust my mindset, adapt to the prevailing customs and norms of Middle Eastern society and make full use of the opportunity to build a bridge between two very different, unique worlds. It is now time to begin this adventure.
Natalie J. Mikhail ([email protected]) is a junior majoring in journalism and international studies.