The surprising happiness of young women in Egypt

Back from intense trip to Egypt and no this blog will NOT be about the ancient and awesome attractions. Per usual, my favorite activity was watching people. In the virtually unliveable city of Cairo, my eye was drawn over and over to the young women - to their joie de vivre. 99% with heads covered, they have made scarfs a Muslim Fashion Statement - you go girls. Required modesty is pushed to its limits: no bare arms allowed but they wear tight tunics over tight jeans and boots. This was endearing but the quality that drew my attention was their lightheartedness everywhere they strolled, in groups, alone, with boyfriends (all in jeans), an intoxication with life that I realized is sadly missing from their much less limited, far more affluent American counterparts. I haven't worked this out at all. The unemployment in Egypt for university graduates is huge. Few will find jobs in the fields they're trained for and are lucky to find waitress gigs etc. Single women don't - can't -live alone, etc., etc. Maybe a relatively innocent adolescence is their main advantage. To me, mother of a teenager, this is a priceless interlude for these Egyptian young women.