posted
What do you wish that someone had told you before you moved to Egypt?
I'm looking for information, both good and bad. (For example, I wish that someone had told me that 117 degrees in the summer in Phoenix is really dang hot, and that you'll have to drive with pot-holders on your hands until the steering wheel gets cool enough to touch).
Posts: 22 | From: Phoenix | Registered: Sep 2006
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posted
To bring more kitchen equipment with me, so difficult to get hold of quality knives, pans etc
How long everything legal takes and how much you have to pay under the table to get anything done
-------------------- Jane Akshar UK Co-owner of www.flatsinluxor.co.uk Appartments and Tours in Luxor Posts: 2791 | From: www.flatsinluxor.co.uk, Luxor, Egypt | Registered: Jan 2003
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posted
The only good things for a westerner is that almost anything can be home delivered, and cleaning staff are cheap (but tend to break stuff).
Most other daily things will cause some sort of headache sooner or later.
I brought my nice kitchen knife with me, but there's nowhere to get it sharpenned except the man that walks up the steet with a manual grinding wheel on his back. He's not touching it.
-------------------- Happiness is a choice! Posts: 177 | From: London | Registered: May 2006
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posted
..sorry I take that statement back...but am still grrr...my Egyptian friend being spoken to like her hired help did not go down well with me!!
Posts: 854 | Registered: Aug 2006
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posted
Not to believe a word you hear. Unless you can look in your own mirror and honestly say: I have beautiful eyes; I have a beautiful smile etc. because trust me, you will hear it often enough once you get here.
Satanmademedoit: So you are upset because the 'hired help' wasn't spoken to nicely eh? Well while I can understand that because no matter what job anyone has they are still first and foremost human beings, most expats get treated like second class citizens here, i.e. no living allowance, no accommodation allowance, higher rents, higher water, higher electricity etc. Before you even think about it, no we don't get European salaries!
posted
eh noo..you misunderstood me..my Egyptian friend was not hired help and has an excellent profession unlike the expat wife we visited. Expats here in Cairo do very well but this class thing is unbelievable...so if I socialise with poor folk that makes me the same..then so be it!
Posts: 854 | Registered: Aug 2006
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posted
These are a few of the things I wish I had been told:
- Bring a comforter/duvet and electric blanket for winter nights, and thermal leggings and vests for the winter days indoors.
- Bring pillows with you if you like soft western ones that stayed in shape.
- Stock up on soft leather shoes, underwear, tights, and stockings.
- Stock up on tampons to last you until you can find a decent outlet.
- Don't get rid of half your book collection because you think it will be too expensive to bring....you will never replace all those books.
- Don't ship anything you would be devastated to loose or have broken, bring it with you in your luggage.
- You can find most everything that you might want/be used to using in Egypt, but it might not be on your doorstep and you might have to pay a lot for it if it's imported or Egyptians don't use it often.
- Don't believe every promise and invitation, they are sometimes said as a politeness rather than with real intention. But if things do happen the way people say, then feel happy.
- Understand that Egyptians on the whole have a different understanding of time, and their half-an-hour is an approximation meaning a short period of time, and not necessarily 30 minutes by the clock.
- Be prepared for a very rough first year or so until you find your feet.
- You are going to live in a third world, Arabic, Muslim country, it is not like home and don't expect it to be. Take your time and learn what it has to offer, ask lots of questions to try to understand the whys and the hows behind the whats, rather than expecting to live the same lifestyle as you are used to in your country and interpreting everything based on your western values.
- Be prepared to cope with extremes of poverty the like of which you have never seen before, existing alongside extremes of extravagance that you wouldn't have imagined, and a much smaller percentage of the population in the middle than you are used to.
- Status and societal positions are much more powerful determinants of social relationships and the way people treat each other than in the west; it is a much more collective and authority driven culture, and family ties are very much stronger.
- Be prepared to tip most people for even the smallest favours, its the only way some people can get a living wage. But don't imagine that all those who are begging are really as poor as they look.
- Be prepared to meet some of the kindest and most generous hearted people you will ever meet, with the zaniest sense of humour.
Posts: 4576 | From: Cairo | Registered: Jun 2002
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posted
Just reading all this makes me afraid to make my final move. Is it really so difficult to find necessary female toiletries?
Posts: 85 | From: bottom_of_the_barrel | Registered: May 2006
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quote:Originally posted by Nourhan: Just reading all this makes me afraid to make my final move. Is it really so difficult to find necessary female toiletries?
I didn't mean to scare anyone, just help people to realize that life here is not just like life in the west but with more sunshine; its a different culture and you should prepare yourself for many culture shocks if you come to live here from the west. Some people get over them and enjoy life here, for others its too different and they can't adjust. A lot depends on your personality and adaptability, your financial situation, and the supports you have locally.
As for the other issue, we have had this discussion so many times here, so I won't go into great detail, but Egyptian women, on the whole don't use tampons, so they are usually only sold in areas where there is a demand for them, i.e. where a large number of ex-pat foreigners shop. What are now seen as necessities in the West are not necessarily so everywhere in the world.
Posts: 4576 | From: Cairo | Registered: Jun 2002
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quote:Originally posted by newcomer: These are a few of the things I wish I had been told:
- Bring a comforter/duvet and electric blanket for winter nights, and thermal leggings and vests for the winter days indoors.
- Bring pillows with you if you like soft western ones that stayed in shape.
- Stock up on soft leather shoes, underwear, tights, and stockings.
- Stock up on tampons to last you until you can find a decent outlet.
- Don't get rid of half your book collection because you think it will be too expensive to bring....you will never replace all those books.
- Don't ship anything you would be devastated to loose or have broken, bring it with you in your luggage.
- You can find most everything that you might want/be used to using in Egypt, but it might not be on your doorstep and you might have to pay a lot for it if it's imported or Egyptians don't use it often.
- Don't believe every promise and invitation, they are sometimes said as a politeness rather than with real intention. But if things do happen the way people say, then feel happy.
- Understand that Egyptians on the whole have a different understanding of time, and their half-an-hour is an approximation meaning a short period of time, and not necessarily 30 minutes by the clock.
- Be prepared for a very rough first year or so until you find your feet.
- You are going to live in a third world, Arabic, Muslim country, it is not like home and don't expect it to be. Take your time and learn what it has to offer, ask lots of questions to try to understand the whys and the hows behind the whats, rather than expecting to live the same lifestyle as you are used to in your country and interpreting everything based on your western values.
- Be prepared to cope with extremes of poverty the like of which you have never seen before, existing alongside extremes of extravagance that you wouldn't have imagined, and a much smaller percentage of the population in the middle than you are used to.
- Status and societal positions are much more powerful determinants of social relationships and the way people treat each other than in the west; it is a much more collective and authority driven culture, and family ties are very much stronger.
- Be prepared to tip most people for even the smallest favours, its the only way some people can get a living wage. But don't imagine that all those who are begging are really as poor as they look.
- Be prepared to meet some of the kindest and most generous hearted people you will ever meet, with the zaniest sense of humour.
Great post Newcomer and I agree with all of it, especially the thermals!!!!!!!
Posts: 2791 | From: www.flatsinluxor.co.uk, Luxor, Egypt | Registered: Jan 2003
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posted
wow how cold does it get in the winter? we get below freezing in the states and it snows all the time . i was in egypt in feb and it was beautiful .all you needed was a light jacket at night. durning the day it was like 70 degrees
Posts: 9443 | From: USA...... | Registered: Jun 2006
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posted
In Cairo it goes down to about 9 degrees centigrade at night in December, January, and February. This doesn't seem cold, but if you live in a house that is made of concrete blocks, with no insulation and no central heating, as is the case in the majority of houses, you will need to put on extra layers of clothes indoors, particularly at night time. Outside the temperature will usually be cool, but indoors it will be cold. Although saying that there have been days when sleet fell in Cairo, and when it rained for several days in succession, you really needed warm hats and gloves outside too. Further south and on the east coast will be warmer.
Posts: 4576 | From: Cairo | Registered: Jun 2002
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posted
It is the contrast that really gets to you, the day might be sunny warm but when that sun goes down it is like opening a freeer cabinet. I finally got an oil filled radiator for my bathroom last year and after the year before, when I froze when I got out of the shower in the morning and would often delay until mid afternoon, it was lovely to have a nice warm bathroom.
-------------------- Jane Akshar UK Co-owner of www.flatsinluxor.co.uk Appartments and Tours in Luxor Posts: 2791 | From: www.flatsinluxor.co.uk, Luxor, Egypt | Registered: Jan 2003
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posted
wow i didnt know that . i was very comfortable in feb.my husband had a jacket on and i had shorts on lol.the roads here get very icey and hard to drive and it snows bad. my fingers last year almost got frost bite on them because it was so cold.thats what i call cold.
Posts: 9443 | From: USA...... | Registered: Jun 2006
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posted
It's different when you are outside as you are usually moving around, but indoors you tend to sit and relax...I have been sitting in Cairo shivering indoors with a frozen nose and fingers, wrapped up in blankets, and gone outside to warm up! Now, I make my back room my winter sitting room, as its smaller and easier to heat, and I put the heater on, seal the windows, and close the doors and it gets nice and cozy.
Posts: 4576 | From: Cairo | Registered: Jun 2002
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posted
Mickey, if you snuggle up to your husband at night, you'll stay cosy and warm!!
Posts: 1056 | From: UK, Middle East & Europe | Registered: Jun 2006
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posted
But the problem is getting into bed with cold sheets and having to cope with his cold feet...an electric blanket makes all the difference Posts: 4576 | From: Cairo | Registered: Jun 2002
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posted
and thermal leggings and bed socks can be bit of a passsion killer, can't they?!
Posts: 1056 | From: UK, Middle East & Europe | Registered: Jun 2006
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quote:Originally posted by micky azzam: wow i didnt know that . i was very comfortable in feb.my husband had a jacket on and i had shorts on lol.the roads here get very icey and hard to drive and it snows bad. my fingers last year almost got frost bite on them because it was so cold.thats what i call cold.
Hi, It is a very different cold in Egypt. It is cold here in Finland also but I have never been really freezing but in Egypt in January I was freezing. My husband has been adapting very well to our climate he likes our 4 different seasons.
Posts: 523 | From: Finland | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
i knoe what ill do . makre my husband get in bed forst have the bedalready warmed up for me and then jump in cause he is really hot . lol
Posts: 9443 | From: USA...... | Registered: Jun 2006
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posted
Make sure you have been wearing thermal socks before you do or he'll jump right out when you get in Posts: 4576 | From: Cairo | Registered: Jun 2002
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posted
My hot water bottles are very precious, make so much difference to having a toasty warm bed in winter.
Egyptians mummify themselves in these lovely warm fleecy blamkets with just the tip of their nose peeking out lol but I like my sheets and having cotton next to me in bed
-------------------- Jane Akshar UK Co-owner of www.flatsinluxor.co.uk Appartments and Tours in Luxor Posts: 2791 | From: www.flatsinluxor.co.uk, Luxor, Egypt | Registered: Jan 2003
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by newcomer: These are a few of the things I wish I had been told:
- Bring a comforter/duvet and electric blanket for winter nights, and thermal leggings and vests for the winter days indoors.
- Bring pillows with you if you like soft western ones that stayed in shape.
- Stock up on soft leather shoes, underwear, tights, and stockings.
- Stock up on tampons to last you until you can find a decent outlet.
- Don't get rid of half your book collection because you think it will be too expensive to bring....you will never replace all those books.
- Don't ship anything you would be devastated to loose or have broken, bring it with you in your luggage.
- You can find most everything that you might want/be used to using in Egypt, but it might not be on your doorstep and you might have to pay a lot for it if it's imported or Egyptians don't use it often.
- Don't believe every promise and invitation, they are sometimes said as a politeness rather than with real intention. But if things do happen the way people say, then feel happy.
- Understand that Egyptians on the whole have a different understanding of time, and their half-an-hour is an approximation meaning a short period of time, and not necessarily 30 minutes by the clock.
- Be prepared for a very rough first year or so until you find your feet.
- You are going to live in a third world, Arabic, Muslim country, it is not like home and don't expect it to be. Take your time and learn what it has to offer, ask lots of questions to try to understand the whys and the hows behind the whats, rather than expecting to live the same lifestyle as you are used to in your country and interpreting everything based on your western values.
- Be prepared to cope with extremes of poverty the like of which you have never seen before, existing alongside extremes of extravagance that you wouldn't have imagined, and a much smaller percentage of the population in the middle than you are used to.
- Status and societal positions are much more powerful determinants of social relationships and the way people treat each other than in the west; it is a much more collective and authority driven culture, and family ties are very much stronger.
- Be prepared to tip most people for even the smallest favours, its the only way some people can get a living wage. But don't imagine that all those who are begging are really as poor as they look.
- Be prepared to meet some of the kindest and most generous hearted people you will ever meet, with the zaniest sense of humour.
Great post, also stock up on clothes and makeup.
Posts: 116 | From: Egypt | Registered: Sep 2002
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As a small comment on people treating others badly, I've seen it just as bad from locals and expats alike. Locals do it because of the extreme class mentallity, and expats do it usually from frustration and stupidity. Expats are noticed more because of their directness, and because they can't use the tricks that locals use due to a lack of local language (so many mind games).
-------------------- Happiness is a choice! Posts: 177 | From: London | Registered: May 2006
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posted
Fair point Gentle_Giant. Also I see that the rich as they call themselves,expats and Egys never tend to socialise together. I took an Egyptian to a party and you would have thought I had committed the ultimate sin...lol!!
Posts: 316 | From: UK | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
Bringing electric blanket this time and warm sports clothes for wearing in the house and warm slippers for my feet....brrrrrrrrrrr..cold here today and no sun and only October. Will be nice to be back in Egypt soon and have some warm weather before needing my electric blanket...
Posts: 91 | From: Egypt/Wisconsin | Registered: Feb 2006
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