Wednesday, March 11, 2009

This one time, in Egypt

I was walking down the street alone in the bright daytime in Sharm El-Sheikh. This egyptian man saw me walking, and approached me like I've always been approached as a tourist. I was walking on the median of a big street with no cars (I've actually found that I feel safer in the middle of the street than on the sidewalk), so he actually had to walk out to the middle of the street to meet me.

I kept on walking until he said "hello friend." From the way he looked and walked I could tell he was a touter of some sort. I didn't feel like he was going to beg for money.

I said "hello" but continued to walk, although a bit slower just because of curiosity. The man asked me "where you from?" like usual. I responded with "korea" like usual. He smiled at my response. Then he put out his hand for a handshake.

I've not realized this until traveling to these other countries, but when someone pulls out their hand for handshake, it's natural instinct to pull out your own to complete the gesture.

Something felt weird about the man or the situation though that day. I pulled out my hand instinctively but then I decided not to while my hand was moving there. So I pulled back, looked at him in the face and said "sorry". I gave a shrug, looked forward again and kept walking away. He had stopped walking because of my apparent rejection.

I felt weird and also was unsure if what I did was necessary but I moved on emotionally very quickly. The guy yelled out at me, "what the hell man? You can't even shake my hand?" and then a couple seconds later added, "why do you have to be an asshole?" I grinned after hearing that.

I felt bad but I also felt even more justified after hearing that. I don't want to deal with people like that on the street. I'm more choosy about handshakes now and I don't feel weird about it.

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