Move to Egypt

[Quick Ben]

Hello Everyone

I am travelling to Cairo next week for a final interview for a job with a multinational in Cairo . I am an experienced ex-pat having lived and worked in several countries so i am not too worried about day to day practicalities but I would like a better feel for the current situation in Egypt from people on the ground because i know newspaper reports can give a false impression

1 How safe is Cairo nowadays. are demonstrations limited to known areas which can be avoided ?

2 What effect has the growth of political Islam had on daily life has an expat ? Do you expect this to change after the current elections

3. I will be staying in in Cairo for a few days before the interview. Where should i go to get a feel for the place and maybe meet some people who could tell me more.


Thanks for your help


Ben

[aykalam]

Hi Ben. Welcome to the forum

1. Demos tend to occur in central Cairo, where most of the government/official buildings are, but are not necessarily limited to one particular area. Also you need to bear in mind general security levels have slid in the last year and half . and crime -including violent incidents- are most definitely on the rise.

2. I can only speak for myself, my life has not been affected by "political Islam". Nobody knows what will happen after the presidential elections, it's wide open right now.

3. Zamalek, Maadi and New Cairo are all popular areas with expats. I myself don't frequent expat haunts but other posters may be able to point you in the right direction.

Where in Cairo will your job be based?

[Quick Ben]

Thanks Aykalam

That is useful

The company is based in Zamalek my impression from the company is that it is a commercial area. Is it also a residential or is it more somewhere with restaurants etc where you would meet up rather than live?

How bad is the level of violent crime now is it worse than the rougher areas of London for example? Are expatriates being specifically targeted?


Ben

[Lanason]

My view is still that it is much safer than London
But not as safe as it was.

Expats are not targeted specifically - some rich people are and if you are expat you may therefore been seen as rich. I drive a sensible inconspicuous car and have had no problems

My view is if you work in Zamalek then live there. Saves hours of commuting

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[MaidenScotland]

[QUOTE=Quick Ben;788572]Hello Everyone

I am travelling to Cairo next week for a final interview for a job with a multinational in Cairo . I am an experienced ex-pat having lived and worked in several countries so i am not too worried about day to day practicalities but I would like a better feel for the current situation in Egypt from people on the ground because i know newspaper reports can give a false impression

1 How safe is Cairo nowadays. are demonstrations limited to known areas which can be avoided ?

2 What effect has the growth of political Islam had on daily life has an expat ? Do you expect this to change after the current elections

3. I will be staying in in Cairo for a few days before the interview. Where should i go to get a feel for the place and maybe meet some people who could tell me more.


Hello and welcome to the forum.

Demonstrations tend to be in certain locations, ie Midan Tahrir.. and are relatively easy to avoid, more so if you live and work in Zamalek.. you need never leave the island



Political Islam has had no knock on effect for me however this may all change.. no one knows what the future holds, but as a man it wont really make much difference to your life,


I would guess you will be staying in the Marriot in Zamalek which is pretty handy for meeting lots of expats.. a short walk will take you to La Bodega, Deals, Aubergines, pub 28 , 5 bells. where you will get a feel for life as an expat or middle class Egyptian,

[MaidenScotland]

Originally Posted by Quick Ben

Thanks Aykalam

That is useful

The company is based in Zamalek my impression from the company is that it is a commercial area. Is it also a residential or is it more somewhere with restaurants etc where you would meet up rather than live?

How bad is the level of violent crime now is it worse than the rougher areas of London for example? Are expatriates being specifically targeted?


Ben

Zamalek is a great place to live..it has everything you will need, btw Zamalek is an area on the island of Gezira and Gezira means island in Arabic, if you have a young family you might want to live in Maadi which is more family friendly. All areas are getting more and more dirty.. if you have never been to Egypt before you will be shocked at the rubbish laying around..

Crime is certainly rising but my opinion is that crime was always as high as in any city but was never included in the stats, trying to report a crime here is a nightmare and many simpley dont bother, you are as safe here as anywhere else.

[canuck2010]

Originally Posted by Quick Ben

How bad is the level of violent crime now is it worse than the rougher areas of London for example? Are expatriates being specifically targeted?


Ben

Most crimes are crimes of opportunity, such as a bag snatching or stick-up by a taxi. Egypt is increasingly awash in weapons post-revolution, so the level of violence is going up, particularly outside the city. Of course, most of these crimes do not affect expats. The point is, with continued economic deterioration, overall crime has increased.

Cairo is safe when compared to other African cities, but I don't think you could seriously compare it to London.

If you can get yourself an apartment in a good area with proper security (ie. guard posted 24/7, video camera at the entrance, secure entry), and also a good driver if available, you'll be just fine.

[Quick Ben]

Thanks People

What about the BCA is that a good place to meet people? There seems to be a clubhouse close to Zamalek.

Ben

[Whitedesert]

The BCA is a good place to meet fellow expats. If you work on the Island, live on the Island. The traffic is a Bit*h and getting worse.

[Quick Ben]

Originally Posted by canuck2010

If you can get yourself an apartment in a good area with proper security (ie. guard posted 24/7, video camera at the entrance, secure entry), and also a good driver if available, you'll be just fine.

Thanks Canuck

Why are you suggesting a driver ? What would I be risking by driving myself?

Would it be unsafe to walk round Zamalek on foot ?

Ben