Misr American College, Cairo

newchapter · Post by **newchapter** » Sun Jan 05, 2014 9:43 am

Anyone have anything recent on this school? Reviews are a few years old.

shadowjack · Post by **shadowjack** » Sun Jan 05, 2014 11:20 am

Friends taught there recently. They liked it. Seems like they take good care of you.

newchapter · Post by **newchapter** » Sun Jan 05, 2014 12:57 pm

Thanks, Shadowjack! Boy, you know everything! What do you think the climate is like in Egypt now for westerners?

shadowjack · Post by **shadowjack** » Sun Jan 05, 2014 5:57 pm

I don't know everything, but I do know a fair number of people :-)

Sh*t happens everywhere. Teaching is impacted in Egypt, don't kid yourself. Expat families have left, teachers are avoiding Cairo because of publicity, but the Egyptian and other non-expat families are staying.

My friends have not felt any overt anti-Western sentiment directed at them. They have recently gone touring around Cairo and the Red Sea and have also been out to the eastern oases.

Even Mrs. Shadowjack just commented that it seemed like the hype was a bit overdone in Egypt...but who knows for sure. Things can change in a minute.

It might not be my first choice, but it is not a bad place to be in comparison to some other places.

IAMBOG · Post by **IAMBOG** » Mon Jan 06, 2014 11:46 am

I live in Cairo. The violence and politics don't really impact us on a daily basis. It's not in your face. We do miss school days because of unrest and also when there is an election or a trial (Morsi's starts again January 8th). We're missed twelve days of school so far this year. I don't actually think it is dangerous for foreigners, you are much more likely to get hurt in a car crash (the driving here is horrendous).

However, not knowing how this is going to turn out and not knowing when or if it will all blow up again is worrying and drags you down after a while. I think this probably affects families more than singles. We left Cairo for the summer on June 26th 2013 and everything was calm, although demonstrations were planned for June 30th. June 30th saw a second revolution and prolonged bloodshed over the summer. We returned in mid-August to a nightly curfew and severe tension that went on for months.

We're back in the UK right now and have just read that 11 people was killed in Cairo on Friday. It's always more unsettling to hear these things when you are out of the country.

Over the next few days there are some significant events taking place and we are once again wondering what might happen. It gets a little unnerving and unsettling. Some schools have already decided to close until January 19th.

January 7th - Coptic Christmas
January 8th - Morsi's trial
January 14th / 15th - referendum on the new constitution
January 24th - anniversary of the first revolution

We were planning on staying another year, but are now looking to move on.

newchapter · Post by **newchapter** » Mon Jan 06, 2014 4:12 pm

Thanks, IAMBOG...I am in the states and the young student from Univ. of MD was killed at a protest...was that last spring? Anyway - that hit close to home for me...I've had some interest from a school in Egypt and I know others are heavily trying to recruit...wondering if it's because teachers are leaving...I would imagine there are tons of westerners living in Cairo...just wondering how a single blonde female would do/feel in Egypt.

Thanks so much for your personal insight!!

shadowjack · Post by **shadowjack** » Mon Jan 06, 2014 5:29 pm

newchapter - you would have LOTS of invites for boyfriends! hahaha

Seriously, I can't answer how a young single blonde female would do in Cairo, but I believe the American citizen killed in Egypt was in Alexandria, was actually at the protest, and had a camera and had been taking photos (please if anyone has heard differently, correct me!).

First of all, if there is a protest in the Arab world, avoid it like the plague. In fact, if there is a protest in any country you are teaching in, avoid it like the BUBONIC plague. Second, when there are large groups of angry non-Western people around, avoid it like the plague. Finally, when there are large groups of angry non-Western people around protesting and you are thinking of taking photos to show the folks back home...well, you got it, avoid it like the plague.

Had that person just stayed away, they would be alive today (well, most

newchapter · Post by **newchapter** » Mon Jan 06, 2014 9:00 pm

Thanks, Shadowjack, that's great advice...just wondering how the protest and political climate affects people just going about their daily lives...

Ha about the dates! I am way too Western for my own good...not into cooking or taking care of men...not that I'm a feminist or anything I'm just not good at it.