"Experiences that interrupt our routine rhythms, that give us the chance to experience awe and gratitude, result in adjustments to how we perceive the world” - Jan Fortune
There issomething that shifts when a person leaves an environment to which they’re accustomed. Suddenly, they become aware of how comfortable they are with their daily routines. This is often followed by a sudden gratitude and realization about how important the things are.
For the few times I have traveled, I had never cared what the temperature at my final destination would be like but fortunately for me, I arrived in Hurghada, Egypt at night.
Hurghada, (Pronounced El Garda) is a beautiful resort town located on the Northern Red Sea Coast. Up until the 1980s, Hurghada was known as a simple fishing village. Today, this beautiful city is renowned for attracting millions of European tourists all year round. It has six major resorts namely; El qoseir, Sharm El Naga, El Gouna, El Mahmya and Makadi Bay where I would be one of the 800 young people attending the AIESEC international Congress, a congregation of members from 123 countries that aims at celebrating youth leadership, cultural diversity and global togetherness.
As you leave the airport, you will quickly notice large stretches of sand dunes that span miles besides wide paved highways. Egypt happens to also be one of the ten African countries located within the world’s third largest desert - Sahara Desert. What may not strike you then is what being in a desert country in July means to an ordinary Rwandan that thinks 27’C is too hot. - I found out the next day.
The weather
Egypt is said to have two seasons; Spring and Summer which simply means it is always hot. In this particular time of the year however, the temperatures are known to rise above a blistering 40’C. This kind of environment of course has its toll on certain element of society and visitors.
Before Air conditioning was invented, Egyptians discovered a way of adapting to the high temperatures.They constructed their buildings in such a way that they minimized the amount of light and heat reaching the inside of a building. With almost no rain all year round, instead of slanting roofs, they opted for thick stone slabs stretched horizontally and walls painted white to reflect the light from the sun. As for the tourist, the heat gives you a tan if you’re white and lots of exhaustion if you’re black.
Tourism and its effects
The economy of this Arab republic relies a lot on its tourism sector. By contributing a significant part to its GDP, the sector also employs a sizable number of Egyptian people. Even with the ability to attract 14 million tourists annually, this number has fluctuated over the years as security concerns arose.
Nonetheless, this doesn’t mean the tourists don’t come. Hurghada alone is targeting to accommodate at least 14 million tourists a year- a fact I learnt from my Uber driver, Mohamed.
With several historical sites, it is no wonder it’s referred to as "the land where it all began”. However even this is an understatement to the reality that is Hurghada. I prefer to call it Europe in Africa because of the very many Europeans and very few dark skinned people there. For a second you are not sure if you are still in Africa.
The large numbers of Europeans who go to Hurghada have transformed this former fishing village into an economic powerhouse generating Jobs through various forms of tourism. From different kinds of water sports and aquatic facilities to the night life. There is literally no end to the possibilities. The locals are naturally warm and welcoming which makes the experience all the more pleasant.
On an excursion to the Red Sea, I met Habibi, a local and sea tour guide who has sailed the Red Sea for over 16 years. His job comprises of taking tourists out to sea to enjoy activities like snookering and swimming with dolphins. When I asked him about his experience, his face beamed with the joy of being able to talk about a place he knows so well. He then later shared a remarkable fact.
For a coral to grow about an inch long, it takes five years and with so much tourist activity going on, so many of these corals die and won’t grow back till after five years, according to him, soon there won’t be any corals to see in certain parts of the sea. Corals are especially important mainly because the sea ecosystem revolves around them. It was obvious that tourism does have its effects on nature. Speaking to people like Habibi allows you to learn so much more about the place you are visiting than any other fancy manual. Remember this the next time you visit a new place.
Being a black person in an African touristic city
The issue of color has never been of much relevance to me. Having been born and raised in Africa, I never thought color would ever be something I paid attention to. This was true until I was in a city where 90% of the people I met were many shades lighter than I was. At first you become aware of the overwhelming differences in color and mannerisms. After which you start to think you’re not wanted and before long, you are interpreting the stares as disapproving and perhaps judgmental.
The interesting thing I learnt on this particular trip is we are often the first ones to disapprove of ourselves this is mostly due to the fact that we are also ill prepared, uninformed/ misinformed prior to meeting people of a different race. Just like everyone else, we let our own biases and preconceptions prevail.
In all honesty, there were no explicit or ambiguous acts of disapproval/ racism towards me or my black colleagues yet for some reason we still felt on edge. I feel both sides are victims or their own preconceptions of the other and while you can’t change the other person’s opinion, you can work on informing yours.
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