Prepping for the Move...?

forafriend · #1 (**permalink**) 16th August 2012, 12:10 PM

Hi all, I just came for a bit of advice but not for me. One of my very good friends is moving to Egypt within the month (UK origin) and I want to buy her a couple of presents that are useful and fun. I've already found a book entitled 'My First 100 Words in Arabic' but I'd love to know whether there are books/stories of expats out there she could read, or anything else you guys would have found useful when you first got out there?

hurghadapat · #2 (**permalink**) 16th August 2012, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by forafriend

Hi all, I just came for a bit of advice but not for me. One of my very good friends is moving to Egypt within the month (UK origin) and I want to buy her a couple of presents that are useful and fun. I've already found a book entitled 'My First 100 Words in Arabic' but I'd love to know whether there are books/stories of expats out there she could read, or anything else you guys would have found useful when you first got out there?

Hello and welcome to the forum.

An excellent book for her to read is Fatwa: Living With Death Threat gives an excellent insight as to what can happen

"Things you would have found useful when you first got there".....difficult one that as you normally don't start to miss things until you have lived there for awhile,then you start to get the cravings.

Have you checked that the book you have bought is Egyptian arabic...a good one to start with is Lonely Planet Egyptian Arabic phrase Book.

speedwing · #3 (**permalink**) 16th August 2012, 05:58 PM

I agree with you, the Lonely Planet is a really good one as most people just buy Arabic phrase books not realising there is a difference with Egyptian Arabic

MaidenScotland · #4 (**permalink**) 16th August 2012, 09:48 PM

This forum is useful, give you friend our address..

forafriend · #5 (**permalink**) 20th August 2012, 09:28 AM

hi guys, thanks, that's great - i'll hunt for the lonely planet guide and also pass on your details so she can come and chat! i was thinking of this book (first 1000 words in arabic by heather amery - forum won't let me put the link to the amazon site!) for her as a bit of a joke but she also has a little toddler going out with her. do you think this would be a good way to start basic arabic or is egyptian arabic too different?

MaidenScotland · #6 (**permalink**) 20th August 2012, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by forafriend

hi guys, thanks, that's great - i'll hunt for the lonely planet guide and also pass on your details so she can come and chat! i was thinking of this book (first 1000 words in arabic by heather amery - forum won't let me put the link to the amazon site!) for her as a bit of a joke but she also has a little toddler going out with her. do you think this would be a good way to start basic arabic or is egyptian arabic too different?

Egyptian Arabic is what your friend needs... all Arabs tend to understand Egyptian Arabic due to the film industry..

As a new poster you are not permitted to link or give recommendations.. once you are a regular poster you can.

Maiden

Helen Ellis · #7 (**permalink**) 22nd August 2012, 07:18 PM

I love the Michel Thomas Egyptian Arabic course, but it's expensive. Other than that get them a wind up torch that will also charge a phone, for the power cuts!

Gounie · #8 (**permalink**) 23rd August 2012, 11:13 AM

Marmite!

hurghadapat · #9 (**permalink**) 23rd August 2012, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gounie

Marmite!

Lol....love it or hate it.... but you can buy it in egypt,expensive but it is mported.

One thing i always had brought out was fabric elastoplast...the long strips so you can cut your own...egyptian plasters are always waterproof ones that don't stick out of water never mind in it.

Julianne · #10 (**permalink**) 12th September 2012, 03:04 PM

Hi forafriend,

There is a definite difference between the arabic in the my first thousand words which is modern standard arabic and Egyptian Arabic - some Egyptians will understand some modern standard arabic whilst others will not however, Egyptian Arabic is recognised by most arab speakers. It's a bit like the difference between the Queens English and dialect of words used in various parts of the UK - both correct but sometimes difficult to understand.

If you're friend is wanting to learn modern standard arabic then tell them to check out Mastering Arabic which is a series of books and cd combination, grammar and script so they can learn the whole language - book one is just short of o level standard whilst book two covers o level to a level.

I came back to the UK 4 years ago speaking Egyptian arabic but have been at college for the last 2 years learning MSA, reading and writing and can vouch that the languages have similarities but are unique in their own right. Certainly in parts of Sinai, MSA is understood - hope this helps :-)