# Moving to eqypt - to do or not?



## Almys (Jan 22, 2012)

Hi all

Know there has been several threads about this but need an updated advice. Been offered a job in Cairo in April but with all the media about the elections in europe it is hard to decide wether to do this or not when I will be moving my wife and two small kids (6 m and 3 y) 

What do you think - will Egypt change for the worse or better. Will I still be able to find a good English school and nursery for my kids and will my wife be able to have a somewhere normal life (know that the culture and all that is very different - have been reading all of your input on this matter)?

Thanks


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## hhaddad (Apr 14, 2010)

Hi and welcome to the forum. It's a bit early to ask for advice because of the uncertainty of what will happen in 3 days and also no clear statements coming from the government nor the MB ,Salafi .Things may be clearer in a couple of weeks but again nothing is certain.


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## PaulAshton (Nov 18, 2011)

Egypt in time will get better but I do not feel it will 2012.

I would not make a decision by at least August.

As for a normal life there will be frustrations, when you say normal compared to what it will certainly be an experience :confused2:


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## Whitedesert (Oct 9, 2011)

Personally I think we cannot help you on this one, because nobody really knows what is going to happen tomorrow, never mind next week. You will need to make the decision like we all did, with little real tangible information. Requires a bit of an adventure streak, I think, and a love for the unknown, the very different, the ridiculous, and always understanding that the move is to a 3rd world country, whatever you make of that, or understand it means!


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## Almys (Jan 22, 2012)

Thanks for your quick replies. I know that nothing is certain and nobody really knows what will happen, but I was more looking for your initial thoughts. Is it madness to move my wife and two kids to cairo with all the stories going on up here or is it ok when you have an "adventurer" inside and wants to explore this side of the world?


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

Hi and welcome to the forum

I think I can say that the Egypt I knew from before the revolution has gone and will never return whether that is a good thing or not is really not for me to say, if Egyptians are happy with the turn of events then that is all that matters.
The only thing that I can see that will have an affect on expats is maybe dress code and alcohol. 

Maiden


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## hhaddad (Apr 14, 2010)

Almys said:


> Thanks for your quick replies. I know that nothing is certain and nobody really knows what will happen, but I was more looking for your initial thoughts. Is it madness to move my wife and two kids to cairo with all the stories going on up here or is it ok when you have an "adventurer" inside and wants to explore this side of the world?


Come and have a look for yourself before you burn you bridges Ithink at the moment it's the most sensible way to go about things.


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## ArabianNights (Jul 23, 2011)

I agree with Haddad - you should at least make a visit to Cairo to get a feel for the place. Its a 3rd world country. As you have probably read through my grumbles, I have had many a bad experiences/settling into Egypt and I have traveled and lived in many other countries, though this is my first time living in a '3rd world nation'.... Do I regret coming here? Yes and no. I feel that I will have gained a lot from the experiences here (both good and bad) and it will shape my my personality into the better. I will be able to say in the future that I lived in an Egypt, through its political turmoils, and I will be able to discuss and compare, using a new perspective that I would never have had if I hadn't come here. I came here to improve my Arabic and boy! Has it improved - and that too by the negative aspects of living here. I can comfortably say that I can now swear well in Egyptian Arabic  amongst other things which I could not learn in a classroom. If you do come here, though, make sure you get all the trappings of an expat package that I do not have. In comparison to some expats in Egypt, I live in the slums - but I can only gain the good from the experiences of it


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## marenostrum (Feb 19, 2011)

Almys, to be honest it depends on what you are offered.

With a decent expat package you can have a great life anywhere in the world possibly excluding Afghanistan, Iraq and Colombia.

The life you would lead here as an expat (assuming you are on expat package) would not be the same life most egyptians have to go through.
I know some expats here that don't want to leave cause they know that back home they would have to get the bus to work and get the wife to turn on the washing machine instead of the maid. 

You need a 360 degree approach to decide whether it is worth coming here.
What package have you got on the table?


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## Lanason (Sep 1, 2009)

As my learned friends have said "It depends"

I think a lot has to do with where you are working, where you will live and where your kids will go to school / nursery.

Costs can then be calculated and a lifestyle determined.

Also is the job with:-
a) European / multinational and you can be posted some where else
b) European / multinational but only based in Egypt
c) Local Egyptian company
Makes a difference to your plans


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## JochenvW (Jan 9, 2012)

Almys,

I'm here as an expat with a German contract together with my wife and two sons (6 and 2 years old). Schools (German and English) are good. If everything goes down, we'll be back on a plane to Germany and my company will get me a new job. If your arrangements are anywhere close to that you should come!

Cheers, Jochen


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