Most Egyptians value their family, neighborhood and customs above religion, nationalism or economic success. Their family and neighborhood networks give meaning and support to their lives; and taken together, they serve as an enormous organic network, hard for Westerners to fathom - let alone penetrate.
Take a simple example. If Amal, Egyptian-American and publisher of this site, wants to rent a car in Alexandria, she doesn't go on the internet, or dial phone directory information, she calls her cousin who lives in Alexandria and gets the low-down from him.
So scroll though these pages and connect like an Egyptian.