Youssef Nasr Sabet Study Guide

Youssef Nasr Sabet was in my Leap Class last semester, and I didn't know he was from Egypt until I asked him. First thing I thought was that he was a Muslim, but he is actually a Christian which explains one of the reasons why he is here. He agreed for an interview in the Waggoner Library, and I obtained some insight into the environment, culture, and society of Egypt. I even learned about his family, their beliefs, and difficulties.
Hometown and Family Youssef Nasr Sabet came from Assiut, Asyut, Egypt in a small town where destinations were limited because people walked from place to place. They walked to go to church, grocery shopping, school, and to visit their families. The roads they walked on were muddy, kids were barefooted, but family was around everyday. A soccer game was the main entertainment and norm for the kids of his neighborhood. Family visits were also an important part of life. In fact, he emphasized the huge difference between his hometown family life and the average American family. Average Americans seem to be more separate from their families unless it is a special holiday or celebration like Chistmas. For Youssef, family was not limited to the holidays; family time was an everyday thing. It did not hurt that they lived a …show more content…
For instance, his sisters could never walk alone on the streets because of sexual harrassment against women who did not wear hijabs. To this day, there are still accepted beliefs in Egyptian society that say women who dress “provocatively” ask for rape and attention. This affects more Christian women than Muslim because Christians in Egypt do not wear hijabs or conservative clothing. Thus, more Christian women are being harrased than their counterparts. Women feel like they need to hide from the gazes of men when they walk on the streets, and the blame is placed on them instead of on men. For this reason, Youssef never let his sisters walk