It’s not exogamy that bothered them the most. I do believe
it’s a deeper psychological urge that led to us being put under a microscope
for scrutiny and such.
Booking the ticket was not the issue; embarking on the
Egyptian traditions-laden bus was. We’d like to think of it as a funny little
escapade. He’s a westerner, she’s Egyptian, in Egypt. The fact that it’s not
the other way around made it rather fun, albeit two-faced.
It’s mere hypocrisy
to be fine and accepting for an Egyptian guy to be with a foreign
girl/girlfriend, but to be with a foreign guy when you’re an Egyptian girl,
it’s a taboo, especially if he’s from a different culture, set of traditions
and rather liberal background.
Our first few checkpoints were smooth, and being chilled and
very relaxed played a major role in that. The last one, however, was a little
bit scary. They pulled us aside, asked about how we know each other. We simply
said, “We’re engaged!” Horror took over these guys in uniform. My ID clearly
states I’m a Muslim. So, how could that possibly be? The fact that he’s the
blonde, rough-looking guy with a laid-back attitude made him the center of
attention and consequently got me interrogated by a high-ranking official. Now,
that was fun.
Official: Is he Muslim, too?
Me: He’s studying to be one.
Official: Does your family know?
Me: Yes.
Official: Does he have any Islamic books on him.
Me: (Right! Because we all go around carrying something to
prove we’re more superior than others) I don’t know. You’re gonna have to ask
him.
Official: Can you ask him for us?
Me: Absolutely.
Now, I don’t know how to put that, but being treated as a
low life just because, is utterly disgusting, to say the least.
We talked heaps about this for so long and told friends who
were scared for us, and even though we were laughing all the time, it didn’t
make me feel any less bitter.
I know for a fact that if the shoe was on the other foot and
I was the Egyptian guy, it’d have been a token of victory and pride. But my
genitalia failed me, yet again, in this country.
