if it did, there would not be work for many
of these people. There is a saying that relates to the socialist
system in the former Soviet Union that applies well to the
Egyptian government employees: “The government pretends
to pay us, and we pretend to work.” This kind of experience in
Egypt can be frustrating for both the person seeking help and
the office workers. But do not forget that the United States also
has a formidable bureaucracy—think about filing income tax,
or what an Egyptian has to go through to get a visa to visit the
United States.