Level IV

Professor: David Bonilla

Student: Sandra Felicelli

Writing.
Choose two headings from the blogs in 1 or the
listening in 4. Write two paragraphs, either about
your country or a country have visited.

Sandra in Egypt
The people

People are attentive, hospitable, and friendly. Their cultural customs

are extremely conservative and in certain places it is necessary to adapt to them for
example to their way of dressing.
But something that really make me feel uncomfortable, is those people who approach me
trying to sell me anything (whatever). A taxi ride, a postcard, a magnet for the fridge, a
handkerchief, clothes, a tour guide to visit a museum, etc.
Nobody understands the word "no". I know that sell souvenirs to travelers on tourist sites
is a common image in much of the world's countries, but the insistence of Egyptian sellers
surpasses those of any country.
Saying 'no' isn’t enough. The war of trinkets exhausts my patience; in some cases, the only
solution with them is to be like Shakira's song: deaf, blind, and mute.

The driving

The traffic here is a big problem, is stressful, since everyone drive very
fast and dangerously, even if they are not in a hurry. The horns don’t stop sounding; the
traffic lights are decorative, the traffic rules don’t seem to exist, it is a generalized chaos.
Crossing the street is a real challenge. After a long time observing the locals, I concluded
that in the middle of all that chaos there is a technique. When there is a clearing between
the cars, take a deep breath, raise your hand towards the cars as a “Stop” sign, close your
eyes, run, and hope that everything goes well… Luckily, I survived!