Egypt Today (anyone with a recent perspective?)

[bombayrichard]

Hi Everyone,

I taught in Cairo pre-revolution, ten years ago, and loved it. Is there anyone that is currently living in Cairo that could share with me if you still feel safe and are enjoying it? I was in Maadi, and loved the shops and safety (it was a police-state, after all). Anyone that is actually living there with thoughts on returning? Thank you!

[MizMorton]

Bumping this because I have the same question.

[eriniggy]

I was there during the 2012-2013 school year, during the reign of Morsi. I never felt overly unsafe. The US embassy is very good at keeping expats up to date on protests and areas of high tension. I traveled throughout the country with no problems. The media hyped up quite a bit of what was happening in Egypt post revolution. That being said, I can only speak for the time I was there. With new tensions in the ME, especially regarding ISIS, I would be a little more cautious about ground travel in the region, especially near the Libyan border. My guess is Cairo and Alex are just as safe, if not safer under Sisi than when I was there. From what friends have told me, life is slightly more peaceful now than it was two years ago.

Egypt is a lovely place. The people are wonderful and there is plenty to do and see. I loved my time there, but it's not for the faint of heart. Especially if you're a female. It can be a a lot to handle. Total shock to the system and you definitely need to prepare yourself and be ready for anything.

[shadowjack]

I currently have friends there. They signed up for another year.

[PsyGuy]

I disagree, everything worth seeing can be done in a week, unless your a closet archeologist and really, really love museums. The people arent wonderful, they smile while lifting your wallet. The cuisine is uninspired and there are too many rules and not enough fun.

[Khalida]

I'm finishing the first year of a two-year contract and I'm absolutely delighted with my situation here in Cairo. Very happy with the school, curriculum, and students, plus the admin and parents are very supportive. I've found a beautiful apartment and am able to save $$ every month. Plus I'm learning Arabic which is one of my life goals.

As a single female I feel very safe here, have had a couple of arguments with taxi drivers trying to overcharge, but otherwise, the people have generally been very friendly and welcoming.

I've been on vacations to Europe and to the Red Sea where I tried scuba diving for the first time, fantastic! Plus there is so much to do and see in Cairo itself.

To be sure, it is not like North America in so many ways and one does need to be flexible and open-minded in order to make the most of it. This is true to some degree for any international posting. Personally, I'm looking forward to staying many more years here.

Good luck to all still searching!
Khalida

[wrldtrvlr123]

PsyGuy wrote:
> I disagree, everything worth seeing can be done in a week, unless your a
> closet archeologist and really, really love museums. The people arent
> wonderful, they smile while lifting your wallet. The cuisine is uninspired
> and there are too many rules and not enough fun.
___________________________

Wow! You must have barely managed to see everything then. LOL.

Actually, I disagree with your disagreement. That MAY be true for Cairo (although a case could be made against it) but there are certainly many other worthwhile sites and attractions in the country that would take at least a year or even two to fully experience due to available holidays and "best times" to travel/tour certain areas. For example, going to the Valley of the Kings in the summer is not the ideal time/way to tour. If you are not interested in amazing antiquities and/or hate the desert I guess that wouldn't apply, but then Egypt would be wasted on you anyways.

[PsyGuy]

I spent 15 minutes at the Pyramids, took a picture, looked for a few minutes and was ready to get out of the heat. Cairo is like a weekend, Alexandra a day. If you did Egypt over the summer as a travel trip destination you can do it in a week.

[wrldtrvlr123]

PsyGuy wrote:
> I spent 15 minutes at the Pyramids, took a picture, looked for a few
> minutes and was ready to get out of the heat. Cairo is like a weekend,
> Alexandra a day. If you did Egypt over the summer as a travel trip
> destination you can do it in a week.
----------------------
Brought to you by the, "I don't like it, so it must suck" school of thought.

[eriniggy]

I also disagree, psyguy. Yes, the pyramids are a 15 minute, snap a picture, and move on attraction, but there are plenty of other activities. Khan al khalili Market, Egyptian Museum, City Stars, Coptic Cairo, Citadel, Memphis & Sakkara Pyramids, Al Azhar park, mosque of Ibn Tulan, feluccas, Cairo Tower, Darb....that's not even scratching the surface. Plus as Khalida mentions, the true gems of Egypt arel outside of Cairo - Ain Sokna, Dahab, Sharm, Black Desert, Alex, Siwa. I sadly did not have time to venture to upper Egypt in the time I was there, but I've heard it's wonderful.

Definitely plenty to do if you put your mind to it.

[PsyGuy]

@wrldtrvlr123

Isnt "sucks" the working definition of "I dont like it"?
Wouldnt "sucks" but "its really awesome" be an oxymoron?

@eriniggy

Khan al khalili Market: You can buy junk anywhere. Great place to have your wallet lifted.
0 time.

Egyptian Museum: Museum, mummies, moving on.
Maybe if I ran out of something to do and I can get a sarcophagus souvenir in the gift shop.

City Stars: An AWESOME mall/shopping complex. Still its a mall, its shopping, its holding someone purse for a LONG time.
0 time.

Coptic Cairo: Yay Churches, the source of regulating all fun in the world. Seen one seen them all.
Maybe an hour.

Citadel: Yay another fort/battleground, if wasnt for the fact that there were so many battles fought in so many places, wed have fewer of these. It is inspiring though.
Half a day tops.

Memphis & Sakkara Pyramids: If youve seen one pyramid youve seen them all.
0 time.

Al Azhar Park: Park, and a real fake one at that, I want real nature, not just a really big lawn.
Picnic lunch for a few hours, and the girl better have a harem girl outfit back at the hotel.

Mosque of Ibn Tulan: Another name for a church. Still need a photo op
15 min.

Feluccas: Not my thing, some people this could be an attraction. However, you can see boats and water in a LOT of places that dont require being in Egypt.
0 time.

Cairo Tower: Its a tower, go up - take a picture - go down.
10 minutes

Darb: Art museum, theres this place called the Louvre, they have art, and you dont have to be in Egypt.
0 time

Good thing you were only scratching the surface because unless that picnic Al Azhar Park leads to a some genie fun back in the hotel, thats pretty much a day at most.
Every country has tourist stuff, visit on your holiday (isnt that why you became a teacher at least a little bit for those summer off), then you can see the "stuff' and you font have to put up with living there. A week done, 2 weeks if you "want to put your mind to it".

[wrldtrvlr123]

PsyGuy wrote:
> @wrldtrvlr123
>
> Isnt "sucks" the working definition of "I dont like it"?
> Wouldnt "sucks" but "its really awesome" be an oxymoron?
>
------------------

Yes, but you seem to feel that if you don't like something then it has no value or worth. There are many things/places/people that I do not like or do not like as much as I like other things/places/people. I can still, however, accept that other people may like them or value them and I try not to dismiss those things as unworthy for anyone else. You seem to have a problem separating the two concepts.

[PsyGuy]

@wrldtrvlr123

Is that not what discourse provides but a forum to express ones opinions, -, conclusions, position, etc?
I accept that other have differing views and experiences, their experiences, etc do not invalidate my experiences. Does not perception differ, am I less entitled to determine value than others?

[Heimtun]

I agree with wrldtrvlr123; I'd also love to hear what parts of the world PsyGuy considers worth living/visiting for more than a week. Not that it matters much, because I can tell that his priorities in exploring an area/culture differ from mine. Out of curiosity's sake, though, and to help me understand the lens through which he's coming from when making his evaluations.

[vandsmith]

you said it. it doesn't really matter. because you have your own opinion, brain, perspective. if anyone is getting their feathers ruffled by psyguy, relax, you shouldn't be. it's just his opinion, on a free open public forum.

i for one take his cultural opinions with a grain of salt, but the other technical stuff seems to be ok.

as for the OP, some of my friends went there on vacation, and like any country, a week is probably not enough for an in-depth discovery.

good luck!

v.