Would you let your HS senior go to Egypt with a group?

Parents Forum
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<p>My daughter wants to go to Egypt with a group from her high school. I worry. I recognize that part of my worry is due to the fact that I'm not familiar with the country.</p>

<p>The group plans to stay in tourist areas and not go near the borders. The team leaders seem to think that the biggest risk is from traffic accidents, but otherwise apparently don't feel that traveling to Egypt would be much more dangerous than living in America. I don't know whether they're right, and I am worrying too much, or they're wrong, and as a result won't take enough precautions.</p>

<p>I have read the U.S. State Department information on Egypt. This part concerns me:</p>

<p>"The Embassy has received increasing reports of U.S. citizen women subject to domestic violence, sexual harassment, verbal abuse, and rape in Egypt. Women have been groped in taxis and public places."</p>

<p>I am writing to see whether other parents have personal experience with your child going to Egypt, or advice as to how I can get an accurate assessment of the level of danger. Thanks for any advice you can give!</p>

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<p>It would totally depend on who the chaperones were. Some people are very naive travelers who should not even chaperone a domestic trip.</p>

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<p>How much experience do the organizers have with Egyptian travel? If it’s a well-established tour company with a lot of experience in the region, then you look at the chaperones…</p>

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<p>Our D has been living in Cairo for the past 3-4 years. We’ve visited her twice. If the trip is well organized and the chaperones have experience escorting trips to Egypt I think it would be a wonderful opportunity and not inordinately risky. PM me if you have more detailed questions about Egypt.</p>

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<p>I would just make sure that the kids were chaperoned at all times - not left to wander around the city on their own. Check in to the track record of the company organizing the trip. My D took a trip organized by Smithsonian, and we were very pleased with the organization, the tour guides, etc. Also, do you know and trust the local chaperones (teachers, I assume) who will be going with the group?</p>

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<p>Yes. Like travel anywhere, I’d discuss the issues and safety tips. She probably has more of a chance of getting hurt in a car going to school than taking this trip.</p>

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<p>Is the school/group Jewish or Hebrew? I’d be wary in that instance because of the association with Israel and continuing Egyptian-Israeli conflict, including related terrorism. Otherwise, I agree with the other posters–if everything else checks out, it would be a trip of a lifetime for your daughter! We spent a week there and were overwhelmed by the kindness and warmth of the people, which almost overshadowed the awe of visiting the famous sites.</p>

<p>LOL on the traffic accident comment–it is true, esp. on the highways around Cairo, where cars and donkeys share the road, lane markings and traffic signs are ignored and many drive with their lights off at night!</p>

<p>Note, remaining in “tourist areas” isn’t a reassurance. With few exceptions, most terrorism attacks against US/European tourists have occurred in tourist areas. It’s sort of a “doh” thing–there is a very definite tourist route in Egypt and even within Cairo, and the vast majority of tourists stay in the tourist areas! But I agree, it is best to avoid the Sudanese border area. This means they’ll skip Abu Simbel unless they fly in/out, which is what we did (and so glad we did–a definite highlight).</p>

<p>Also, be aware of the probability your group will be assigned a security detail by the Egyptian government. It sounds good in theory; but I felt like their presence screamed, “target.” We were told we couldn’t travel without them (and we weren’t with a group–just our family of four), and everywhere we went, we saw the uniformed tourist police accompanying other tourists. Serving on the tourist security force is one way for young men to fulfill their military requirement–so there’s a built-in labor force. Maybe it’s so commonplace, then, that no single tourist/group “sticks out.” The fact is, their economy is dependent on tourism, so they are keen to insure everyone’s safety. Egypt’s been the ultimate tourist destination since ancient times–and they want to keep it that way!</p>

<p>I think I understand the response that traveling to Egypt isn’t much more dangerous than living in America. Presumably, the speaker was referring to the fact that domestic crime is very low in Egypt compared to the US. So statistically speaking, you probably have a greater chance of being a crime victim at home than you do a terrorism victim in Egypt. I’m not sure I’m comfortable with the rationale–seems to mix apples and oranges to me. </p>

<p>Anyway, good luck reaching a decision! What an exciting opportunity!</p>

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<p>A friend’s daughter went on a college sponsored trip to Egypt this spring. She had a wonderful time and never felt unsafe. She didn’t mention having a security detail but she did say there were a lot of armed soldiers in the streets. They went out in groups and there was always at least one male student with the girls. The only time she felt uncomfortable was at the hotel swimming pool. They were the only women and felt they received unwanted stares.</p>

<p>Biggest problem according to her was sand in her camera.</p>

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<p>Wow, thanks for all the responses so far. dadx3, I’ll pm you next. </p>

<p>The trip is not with a tour company or an organization such as the Smithsonian, but one of the teachers lived in Egypt for several years.</p>

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<p>Egypt is an amazing country and its people are very charming. While you should definitely let your daughter go, it might be good to inquire exactly how much experience the chaperones have had in third-world travel. Your daughter WILL get harassed, but by street entrepreneurs trying to sell you anything from postcards to money exchange to hashish (as my 16-year-old said during a visit to Cambodia, “here the shopping follows you around!”).</p>

<p>Your daughter’s greatest risk is that she will get sick briefly – even when care is taken, an inexperienced first-world stomach has trouble adjusting to unfamiliar microbes. Here’s a hint: if it’s healthy at home, it’s probably NOT over there – fried street food is generally safer than a salad. Drink bottled water, which is cheap over there. Bring along anti-diarrhea medicine just in case it’s time for a plane flight.</p>

<p>Let her google the concept of baksheesh, so she rewards small services, yet teach her to say no politely to random begging, especially from handicapped children (children are sometimes intentionally deformed to provide an ongoing meal ticket for a large family via tourist donations). </p>

<p>Finally, haggling is an art-form, but is necessary for buying souvenirs. Rules of thumb like “offer half” don’t work because many savvy locals just up their original asking price while others start with fairer prices. In general, one should praise the merchant’s wares, but plead poverty, and walk out of the store at least once before making an offer. If you do this twice and you don’t get chased, you’ve probably pushed your discount too far. At the same time, try not to push TOO far – that extra 50 cents you might pay is meaningless at home, but can make a big difference to a local businessperson.</p>

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<p>Second that on the anti-diarrhea meds. When my H and S have travelled abroad, the stuff they got sick on was not the fried food, but the things that seemed healthy. Fresh fruit and salad are the things that “got” to them.</p>

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<p>Make sure she dresses modestly, and doesn’t wander off on her own, or even with a group of just students. @LoremIpsum lol, it’s not just 1st world stomachs which cannot take developing countries’ food, the opposite is true as well. My “developing country stomach” had a hard time adjusting to US food.</p>

<p>Dressing modestly is quite important. Also, prepare her for the poverty she will encounter. Some sensitive kids might find it depressing but make sure she knows how to handle beggers, that non means no etc. And beware of pick pockets!</p>

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<p>To prevent stomach ailments, take acidopholus pills (available in grocery store vitamin counters). DH traveles extensively in the 3rd world, often had to eat highly suspect foods, and hasn’t gotten sick once since doing the acidopholus thing. (Before, he got sick very often.)</p>

<p>As to safety in Egypt – Europeans go to Egypt all the time. They rave about the country and how inexpensive it is. Unless you’re dressed like a Dumb Ugly American and/or are behaving badly in public, then a trip to popular tourist destinations in Egypt shouldn’t be much less safe than most other popular tourist destinations around the world.</p>

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<p>I have to agree with what everyone has said, in particular to the above statement. I think Americans can be easily targeted, especially seeing as they tend to hang together in touristy places. I just told my neice who is living in Paris to stay away from places Americans frequent: certain night clubs and restaurants. And pay attention to what is going on around you, just like you should in any city. </p>

<p>good luck with your decision.</p>

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<p>SamuraiLandshark, my screen shows that you have made over two billion posts on CC. How exactly did you manage that?</p>

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<p>Smoke and mirrors. Or my mad skills at voodoo. You decide. ;)</p>

<p>Seriously, it was some sort of bizarre cyber glitch on the part of the CC site when I signed up.</p>