7 Egyptian Habits We Need To Give Up

We all have personal bad habits we need to quit, try to quit but also fail to quit. That’s okay. As long as there’s progress and as long we keep trying, we are bound to get there one day (fingers crossed). But there are certain bad habits that are only associated with Egyptians, which we don’t seem to be even trying to give up. But, we badly need to start taking action ASAP and quit them, as it’s a wonder they have survived all these years to begin with. Read with the intention of quitting! 

1- Making plans we don’t intend on following up with 

When we get back in touch with old friends and acquaintances by coincidence, we start out great and normal; we catch up and ask about all the expected topics such as work, family, relationships. But, somehow we fail to end the conversation at the right point. We get flustered therefore, end up making plans with them and exchanging our new numbers, even though we have no intention of actually “hanging out”. It’s either we are incapable of ending a conversation at “it’s been great seeing you” or it’s in our nature to prolong anything and everything.

2- Making empty offers (3ezomat El Marakbeya)

Seriously, it happens all the time; at restaurants with the waiter telling you “khali 3alena el maradi”, during cab rides when the driver tells you “khale ya basha” or at kiosks when you ask for the price and the guy tells you “3alashanek bebalash”. And there are many more where those came from! We both know I’m gonna end up paying anyway, so why even? What if I tell you okay and walk away? You can’t blame me for that and I think that next time, I just might!

3- Constantly complaining about the state of our country

We relentlessly complain about all that is negative about Egypt without considering the fact that we contribute to that negativity. We resent how the streets are full of rubbish, and yet we add to it everyday. We complain first and then think “oh, wait a minute, I do that”, while it should be the other way around. It’s seriously time we stop complaining and start changing the things we can in fact change and have the power to do so such as: driving recklessly and with no rules, throwing garbage anywhere, crossing the streets at dangerous times, etc.

4- Sticking our nose in other people’s business 

We, Egyptians, have a unique knack of interfering in what doesn’t matter to us just because we are a curious culture. Street fight? Let’s all meddle in the action. Car accident? Let’s park in the middle of the street and be entertained spectators. Two people broke up? Let’s pretend we’re friends and ask for the full ugly breakup story. And the list goes on and on.

5- Judging people based on their religion 

This has to be the worst of all. We’ve all heard it, someone telling us, “ahh I never liked her to begin with, kan shaklaha mesee7y”. What does that even mean? Is this logic you speak? How can someone look “mesee7y” and how can someone look “Muslim”? It’s time we gave up old fashioned and backward ideologies because they are ruining the peace that should be bestowed upon all humankind.

6- Taking forever to decide what/where to eat 

Our love for food will be the end of us. Just think about how much time we waste at the office/at home/with friends deciding on what to order, what to eat and where to go out tonight. We would be millionaires if our love for food consumption was just a little bit more under control.

7- The minimum charge policy

There is no such thing as a minimum charge cover anywhere else in the world except in balad el 3agayeb masr. And it’s even more annoying that waiters tell you “enta tab3an 3aref en fi minimum charge 100 geneh lel fard” after you sit down and start to take your order. La2, I honestly didn’t know because why would I? And why didn’t you tell me before I sat down?