I was in Cairo back in the early part of 2000, I can only imagine things have changed (and gotten better). Still wouldnt go back there though, all the lifestyle issues i had while making a bad work environment more intolerable werent the deal breakers.
@tgrear2008
I closed my account at BOA when I came back from China (Guangzhou). The reason being that BOA had a branch in HK that you could actually do banking at like make deposits. Since you have the time, you may want to research banks in Cairo and see what relationships they may have with a USA bank. It might make things easier.
Life in Cairo
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wrldtrvlr123
- Posts: 1173
- Joined: Sat Feb 06, 2010 10:59 am
- Location: Japan
Re: Dated
[quote="PsyGuy"]I was in Cairo back in the early part of 2000, I can only imagine things have changed (and gotten better). Still wouldnt go back there though, all the lifestyle issues i had while making a bad work environment more intolerable werent the deal breakers.
[/quote]
Yes, I imagine your intel from 10+ years ago, right before you did a runner, is a bit stale. We loved our time in Alex in 2006 but I would give serious thought to going back now. I would maybe consider CAC even now (especially if I dont have a gig by like March).
[/quote]
Yes, I imagine your intel from 10+ years ago, right before you did a runner, is a bit stale. We loved our time in Alex in 2006 but I would give serious thought to going back now. I would maybe consider CAC even now (especially if I dont have a gig by like March).
To Dreamgiver
No place is totally safe. However, I still feel safer here than a lot of countries (including the UK). There are no gangs of drunk, feral youths wandering the streets
It's a slightly different story for females. Lower class Egyptian men can be complete #$#$ when it comes to women (not just foreigners). There are even websites / applications to warn women of areas where men are harassing women.
The harassment can range from "psssst pissst, pretty lady" to them copping a feel. It's not unheard of for a taxi driver to expose themselves / spank the monkey if they have a female passenger. BUT this is VERY rare.
If you follow simple safety guidelines (the same as you would do in UK / USA) then you will be OK
1) Follow the advice from your embassy
2) Avoid "those areas" - your school should give you advice on that
3) Don't be too obvious / showy with money / valuables
4) Don't wander down unlit streets
5) Find a good, trusted taxi driver (other teachers should be able to give you names and numbers) and stick with them or always be with someone else
6) Always have your mobile and have the emergency numbers from your school
I'm hope I'm not putting you off. The vast majority of Egyptians are decent, good living people who are very kind and will go out of their way to assist.
Cairo is one of those places that you either love or hate - there doesn't seem to be any middle ground. I have female staff who have been here for years and give as good as they get from the pssst squad but I've also had staff who couldn't handle it. Normally if you ignore it you're fine. The other way to deal with it is to scream blue murder and claim he touched you - then step back and laugh as he gets a kicking from others! :lol:
It's a slightly different story for females. Lower class Egyptian men can be complete #$#$ when it comes to women (not just foreigners). There are even websites / applications to warn women of areas where men are harassing women.
The harassment can range from "psssst pissst, pretty lady" to them copping a feel. It's not unheard of for a taxi driver to expose themselves / spank the monkey if they have a female passenger. BUT this is VERY rare.
If you follow simple safety guidelines (the same as you would do in UK / USA) then you will be OK
1) Follow the advice from your embassy
2) Avoid "those areas" - your school should give you advice on that
3) Don't be too obvious / showy with money / valuables
4) Don't wander down unlit streets
5) Find a good, trusted taxi driver (other teachers should be able to give you names and numbers) and stick with them or always be with someone else
6) Always have your mobile and have the emergency numbers from your school
I'm hope I'm not putting you off. The vast majority of Egyptians are decent, good living people who are very kind and will go out of their way to assist.
Cairo is one of those places that you either love or hate - there doesn't seem to be any middle ground. I have female staff who have been here for years and give as good as they get from the pssst squad but I've also had staff who couldn't handle it. Normally if you ignore it you're fine. The other way to deal with it is to scream blue murder and claim he touched you - then step back and laugh as he gets a kicking from others! :lol:
OMG
What a horrible place, I've been to many countries, and even in Cairo I NEVER had a taxi driver expose himself to me and spank his monkey in front of me. What a horrible place, how can you advocate for any culture or place where you have to include such behavior as an example???
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wannateach
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2011 4:31 am
As a girl who spent two years in Cairo (I left in June) I can say that harassment was a part of every day life for me and most of my friends, foreign and Egyptian. I would NOT judge the whole country based on this select group of people. It was an amazing cultural experience, but it did require me to step out of my comfort zone and learn to stand up for myself. I would certainly never describe the whole country as a "horrible place."
Just curious, how did employers react to that blip on your resume when they saw you ran out on a school before the semester was finished?
Just curious, how did employers react to that blip on your resume when they saw you ran out on a school before the semester was finished?
So there is no "exposure" in Western countries? You must lead a very sheltered life! Please note that this is not part of the culture; rather that there are some scum out there (in every country)
If I interviewed you for a post, I would certainly be wanting to know about any unexplained "absence" on your CV. Also, remember that the international circuit is very small. At some point you will come across someone who knows you did a runner and let a lot of students down
If I interviewed you for a post, I would certainly be wanting to know about any unexplained "absence" on your CV. Also, remember that the international circuit is very small. At some point you will come across someone who knows you did a runner and let a lot of students down
Not Really
Im in Denmark, and of all the regions Ive been in Asia and Europe I can say unequivocally that I have never heard or knew of someone (including myself) that mentioned having someone "expose" themselves. I dont lead anything remotely close to a sheltered life, we just know when to keep our clothes on in the rest of the world.
I was in Cairo for less then 2 months around 6 weeks some 8 or so years ago. There isnt an "absence" to explain. I left Cairo (sometime in October), and went to Thailand for the start of their academic term in November. Its not an absence or a gap, its an event that never was.
This topic has come up before on the forum. Yes, international teaching is a relatively small community. However, its a community thats spread out over a big planet, and separated by several if not many time zones. So who is going to find out? What are they going to do cold call EVERY IS in the world and ask "Did so and so ever work there at some point in the past?" As John Abignale said "people only know what you tell them", its been 8+ years, I've changed, heads change, and time has its way on memory. I feel pretty comfortable that that post hasnt been a problem so far and is HIGHLY unlikely to ever be problem. Even if someone ever did, and said "Hey werent you at so and so, and didnt you pull a runner?", my response would be "I sure did, Im lucky I escaped when I did", and then laugh, and then the head laughs, because no head would fault someone for getting themselves out of one of the horrid middle eastern schools, thats whats called "being smart".
Lastly, not to be rude, but i'd never return to Egypt, so i can not imagine a scenario, where you would ever interview me.
I was in Cairo for less then 2 months around 6 weeks some 8 or so years ago. There isnt an "absence" to explain. I left Cairo (sometime in October), and went to Thailand for the start of their academic term in November. Its not an absence or a gap, its an event that never was.
This topic has come up before on the forum. Yes, international teaching is a relatively small community. However, its a community thats spread out over a big planet, and separated by several if not many time zones. So who is going to find out? What are they going to do cold call EVERY IS in the world and ask "Did so and so ever work there at some point in the past?" As John Abignale said "people only know what you tell them", its been 8+ years, I've changed, heads change, and time has its way on memory. I feel pretty comfortable that that post hasnt been a problem so far and is HIGHLY unlikely to ever be problem. Even if someone ever did, and said "Hey werent you at so and so, and didnt you pull a runner?", my response would be "I sure did, Im lucky I escaped when I did", and then laugh, and then the head laughs, because no head would fault someone for getting themselves out of one of the horrid middle eastern schools, thats whats called "being smart".
Lastly, not to be rude, but i'd never return to Egypt, so i can not imagine a scenario, where you would ever interview me.
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wannateach
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2011 4:31 am
Hmm. I went to college in Southern Ohio and I can remember at least 3 occasions when the university sent out mass emails to students to warn us about flashers. My mother works at a university in Northeast Ohio and she's also been warned of reported flashing. So I guess the rest of the world knows when to keep their clothes on- apart from Egypt and suburban Ohio!
I never understood why people gave you so much grief on these forums PsyGuy. But I've got to say, I'm a tad offended by your attitude. I thought international teachers were typically more culturally sensitive. Maybe I have my own bias because Cairo was my first international job. I understand it's not an easy place to live (I had a few days where I didn't want to leave my apartment), but how can you be so judgmental of a culture that you really didn't even give a chance?
And while you may never be penalized for running out on your contract, who do you think took up the slack when you left? We had a few inexperienced teachers who couldn't hack it at my school, and I can tell you that the rest of us did not appreciate the extra work that was piled on us while the school rushed to find replacements.
I think you're missing out on the best part of international teaching. For me, living in Cairo expanded my horizons and made me reevaluate my own worldview. It's made me more patient and more empathetic toward other people.
I'm happy that you ended up in Western Europe. It seems that's where you belong.
I never understood why people gave you so much grief on these forums PsyGuy. But I've got to say, I'm a tad offended by your attitude. I thought international teachers were typically more culturally sensitive. Maybe I have my own bias because Cairo was my first international job. I understand it's not an easy place to live (I had a few days where I didn't want to leave my apartment), but how can you be so judgmental of a culture that you really didn't even give a chance?
And while you may never be penalized for running out on your contract, who do you think took up the slack when you left? We had a few inexperienced teachers who couldn't hack it at my school, and I can tell you that the rest of us did not appreciate the extra work that was piled on us while the school rushed to find replacements.
I think you're missing out on the best part of international teaching. For me, living in Cairo expanded my horizons and made me reevaluate my own worldview. It's made me more patient and more empathetic toward other people.
I'm happy that you ended up in Western Europe. It seems that's where you belong.
So
So aside from the email warnings, have you ACTUALLY had a cab driver flash you, and spank his monkey in front of you? A simple yes or no will suffice, I care less about rumors and stories and more about actualities, I'm betting the answer is no....
I suffered, I don't need to suffer greatly before I'm entitled to an opinion. I'm very culturally sensitive, and despite being my first overseas post, I know "bad" when I'm in the middle of it. Being culturally sensitive does not mean I enjoy discomfort, pain and suffering. I tend to avoid those things. I gave Cairo a chance, I don't owe them anything more.
Cairo expanded my horizons as well, it expanded them out of there. I'm sure that my departure, was a surprise and a burden to the teachers I left behind. I'm not sorry, not one bit. While I wasn't able at that time of my life to form a definitive philosophy on the experience I can now. I'm in this world and this one life for me, no one in the world short of a spouse or my parents is going to care more about me, then me. I care more about me then I do those teachers, those kids, the owners and the community I left in the lurches. I'm important and I care about myself first. I've found in education that if you let them admins, parents, and fellow teachers will take advantage of you if you let them. Being a teacher will "eat you up" if you let it, that's how teachers get burned out, they keep giving, and giving, until they are used up, and then they discarded. There is nothing noble about suffering, that's just what people tell themselves, who can't get out of their situation.
I'm happy I ended up in Europe as well, though i miss urban Asia at times.
I suffered, I don't need to suffer greatly before I'm entitled to an opinion. I'm very culturally sensitive, and despite being my first overseas post, I know "bad" when I'm in the middle of it. Being culturally sensitive does not mean I enjoy discomfort, pain and suffering. I tend to avoid those things. I gave Cairo a chance, I don't owe them anything more.
Cairo expanded my horizons as well, it expanded them out of there. I'm sure that my departure, was a surprise and a burden to the teachers I left behind. I'm not sorry, not one bit. While I wasn't able at that time of my life to form a definitive philosophy on the experience I can now. I'm in this world and this one life for me, no one in the world short of a spouse or my parents is going to care more about me, then me. I care more about me then I do those teachers, those kids, the owners and the community I left in the lurches. I'm important and I care about myself first. I've found in education that if you let them admins, parents, and fellow teachers will take advantage of you if you let them. Being a teacher will "eat you up" if you let it, that's how teachers get burned out, they keep giving, and giving, until they are used up, and then they discarded. There is nothing noble about suffering, that's just what people tell themselves, who can't get out of their situation.
I'm happy I ended up in Europe as well, though i miss urban Asia at times.
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lightstays
- Posts: 116
- Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2011 9:07 am
- Location: Americas
I don't know Psyguy's experience in Egypt exactly and I'm not trying to defend his decision to leave, but what bothers me so much in some of these threads is this idea that international teachers in some parts of the world should just expect to suffer.
@ wannateach
"Took up the slack"? "Couldn't hack it"? What is this? The military?
No one owes a bad experience anything, especially when you have been misinformed or misled. If a teacher finds suffering noble, they should join a cloister. There are far more effective ways to expand one's worldview than putting up with some joke of a teaching position in a massively unpleasant environment.
@ wannateach
"Took up the slack"? "Couldn't hack it"? What is this? The military?
No one owes a bad experience anything, especially when you have been misinformed or misled. If a teacher finds suffering noble, they should join a cloister. There are far more effective ways to expand one's worldview than putting up with some joke of a teaching position in a massively unpleasant environment.
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dreamgiver
- Posts: 82
- Joined: Sun Sep 25, 2011 11:00 am
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lightstays
- Posts: 116
- Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2011 9:07 am
- Location: Americas
Thanks
I think its the third tier schools that facilitate the "you have to stick it out or you wont ever be hired again" mentality. In my opinion its better to get out fast and quickly, as its easier to hide a runner that was short, then one that was long. If you get out fast you can move on to something else, so that a month or two will be easier to hide/conceal/bury. Sticking it out for a semester or year just creates more problems for the teacher even if they get released or get a positive reference. A conversation you dont have to have is better then one that no matter how you explain may be viewed negatively. You never know how a head or recruiter is going to feel or respond to such an experience, but if there isnt an experience to discuss, then you dont have to worry about it.