# is cairo doable with a 3 year old?



## wishingstar (Jun 28, 2011)

hello
After some advice really im looking to move next year to be with my partner in cairo but i have what will be a 3year old from a previous relationship.I have never been but am going in a few weeks to check it out and do some thourough research.

he thinks we are better of relocating to either the uk or somewere more english(i dont speak arabic but can get by with french).he is from cairo and loves it his family are there and are aparently suportive but he is really worried i wont adapt and my daughter would be confused.Im not deciding till ive visited but after much traveling around the world i no im pretty adaptable and that they have english speaking nursrys and schools.And think it would be an amazing place to grow up in with the mix of culture.we will be visiting the uk frequently too and i intend to do volenteer work and ocassional english lessons.Am i looking at this too simply or would it be mad to even think?


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## Lanason (Sep 1, 2009)

phew - thats a heck of a first post - too many questions to be answered and we really need to know more info, if you really wanna know if we think it will work for you.

so step back ask a couple of initial questions - the normal issues are:-

- where will you live
- who with
- will you work
- where can the child go to school
- long term or short term......
etc
etc
etc


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## wishingstar (Jun 28, 2011)

hello

thanks yes i think i was getting slightly overwhelmed at the enormity of the information i need.

I will be living with my partner and 3year old, im unsure of the area he presently lives with his parents when not on business this seems normal for unmarried men there.
But he thinks we are better living in a more uk friendly area as they are in Abbasia i have no idea what its like there but he hardly spends time there and says it isnt the same things im used to ect.I dont need to work but i would prefere to as am very independant my experience is in retail management but i would only be prepared to work part time till my daughter is older.
I think the main concern is he thinks i would be constantly harrased like when i stayed with a friend in tunis and with a toddler he belives it would be too stressful.
We are looking at this as a long term permanent move as we intend to get married in the future but im more concerned in it being right for my child first.
many thanks


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## Sonrisa (Sep 2, 2010)

Unless you and your partner (hopefully husband to be, as "partners" here don't go down too well) have the means to provide your child with the education of the british/american/french schools (and they are very expensive, dont even consider going public), health insurance and a house for yourself and your family, forget it.

You will not get a job in retail. English teacher is your best bet.

Things are getting dificult in Egypt . Personally I think you are much better off in Edgware Road. Same same.


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## marenostrum (Feb 19, 2011)

wishingstar said:


> hello
> After some advice really im looking to move next year to be with my partner in cairo but i have what will be a 3year old from a previous relationship.I have never been but am going in a few weeks to check it out and do some thourough research.
> 
> he thinks we are better of relocating to either the uk or somewere more english(i dont speak arabic but can get by with french).he is from cairo and loves it his family are there and are aparently suportive but he is really worried i wont adapt and my daughter would be confused.Im not deciding till ive visited but after much traveling around the world i no im pretty adaptable and that they have english speaking nursrys and schools.And think it would be an amazing place to grow up in with the mix of culture.we will be visiting the uk frequently too and i intend to do volenteer work and ocassional english lessons.Am i looking at this too simply or would it be mad to even think?


How stable are you financially?

If you have money you can have a great life here if not you will not like it.

Abbasyia, not sure how good this area is but as your husband is egyptian you may want to live in a different area from that of your inlaws. 
Egyptian in laws are a pain in the ass to the square root of the tenth power


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## hurghadapat (Mar 26, 2010)

wishingstar said:


> hello
> After some advice really im looking to move next year to be with my partner in cairo but i have what will be a 3year old from a previous relationship.I have never been but am going in a few weeks to check it out and do some thourough research.
> 
> he thinks we are better of relocating to either the uk or somewere more english(i dont speak arabic but can get by with french).he is from cairo and loves it his family are there and are aparently suportive but he is really worried i wont adapt and my daughter would be confused.Im not deciding till ive visited but after much traveling around the world i no im pretty adaptable and that they have english speaking nursrys and schools.And think it would be an amazing place to grow up in with the mix of culture.we will be visiting the uk frequently too and i intend to do volenteer work and ocassional english lessons.Am i looking at this too simply or would it be mad to even think?


Don't really want to appear as being rude...but....if you want to teach English then you really need to improve your spelling.


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## aykalam (Apr 12, 2010)

wishingstar said:


> hello
> 
> thanks yes i think i was getting slightly overwhelmed at the enormity of the information i need.
> 
> ...


I know Abbasiya, don't even consider moving there! Is good for food shopping though, great veg and fruits at very good price :clap2: but I disagree with your partner, you will be harassed regardless of where you live in Cairo, fact.

If you want to work in Egypt make sure that you have a job lined up before moving, otherwise you will be pretty much limited to school jobs. 

Whatever you decide to do, don't burn your bridges, just in case life in Egypt does not work for you


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## mamasue (Oct 7, 2008)

aykalam said:


> Whatever you decide to do, don't burn your bridges, just in case life in Egypt does not work for you





I totally agree....Hurghadapat and I both moved to Egypt, lived there a few years, and decided it wasn't for us....
We both had somewhere to go back to.
Also.... I wouldn't rush to marry your guy until you know EVERYTHING about him.... a very low percentage of Egyptian/foreigner marriages actually work!
He'll more than likely try and hurry you into marriage.... it's the Egyptian way.
I apologise if I sound cynical.... but I lived in Egypt for many years, and saw this situation so many times!
Also.... as others have said.... unless you canafford to have your child educated privately in a good international school, I definitely wouldn't even consider going there!


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## RPC (Mar 17, 2011)

Sonrisa said:


> Unless you and your partner (hopefully husband to be, as "partners" here don't go down too well) have the means to provide your child with the education of the british/american/french schools (and they are very expensive, dont even consider going public), health insurance and a house for yourself and your family, forget it.
> 
> You will not get a job in retail. English teacher is your best bet.
> 
> Things are getting dificult in Egypt . Personally I think you are much better off in Edgware Road. Same same.


I totally agree with Sonrisa!


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## SHendra (Oct 18, 2010)

I also agree with what most people said here. Egypt the kind of place where you either need some good expat work package or able to live on savings etc or its a very bland way of living. Esp when a young kiddie involved too. Everything costs.. even going for a walk in a park!!

I recently left and the main reason for me leaving is I'd never of been able to pay for the schooling he would go on to need there. My son only 14months old but he be starting nursery soon!


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## Eco-Mariner (Jan 26, 2011)

I once met an elderly UK lady who was writing a book on Ex-pats living in Egypt.
She said she was going to give it the title *"TURN LEFT AT CAIRO."*

I wonder if it was ever published?


Eco.


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## tt05 (Feb 21, 2011)

I just came across this blog and thought about the thread you started.

Living in Egypt: Love And Hope Spring Eternal

Hopefully it is helpful


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## hurghadapat (Mar 26, 2010)

Eco-Mariner said:


> I once met an elderly UK lady who was writing a book on Ex-pats living in Egypt.
> She said she was going to give it the title *"TURN LEFT AT CAIRO."*
> 
> I wonder if it was ever published?
> ...


Not selling it on Amazon yet....maybe she's still :typing:


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## mamasue (Oct 7, 2008)

It'll be a fascinating read for a lot of ex-expat ladies if it gets published!!


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

and I bet we will recognise every character lol


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## wishingstar (Jun 28, 2011)

thanks everyone for you replies its much appriciated

he(my partner/bf) has known me nearly 6 years and we have only recently since jan been together well trying to see each other as often as posible every 2/3weeks but i presantly have lots of family comitments till next year.
In the time weve known each other he has gone from when we first met (never wanting anything serious with anyone) to being compleatly in love with me and back then i felt i was far too young for that so broke up the relationship.fast forward to a year ago he got back in touch saying he often thought about me ect and had feelings still and id always felt like that too.
So i hope and feel i know him very well but my childs father has taught me you never really know anyone.
But like pp said im trying to find out everything cause if it was just me id be there allready because of my child i really need to be secure he has suggested we live in the uk for the education or ireland or canada as he can get work there easy with his company but i no deep down he loves cairo and his mum and sister are there.
By moving there or being with him permanently i will have too cut all ends here finacially as my childs father presently supports me although we are not together(its a controll issue)I am genrally a bad judge of charactor to be honest.
As bad as this will sound i am used to a very comfortable life as is my child and dont no if i would be able to have that in cairo or even how to go about it. and yes im shocking at spelling lol, and am not a practicle person unless its something artistic so i really think id be a terible teacher.
sorry not too sure what im asking for now but thanks for the help


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## meb01999 (Mar 13, 2011)

i have a three year old here in cairo. it's *doable* - but you won't be providing a life like you would be back home...

to find a nice school - you will pay AT LEAST 40,000LE a year - and most likely you will pay much more.

if you wish to live in a house - expect to pay a great deal - 500thou to a million LE at bare minimum. apartments are small - and not at all like european/american housing.

cars are old (or extremely overpriced). drivers are unsafe. always.

pollution is OUTRAGEOUS. trash is EVERYWHERE. parks are not cared for.

i will not be raising my kids here - as i don't have the immense amounts of money needed to have a life similar to that back home. i think my children deserve far more than what is available to them in egypt.


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## wishingstar (Jun 28, 2011)

Hi

thanks for the reply, do you find there is enough to do with your child or is it just very difficult day to day? A few ppl have said prams ect are v hard to navigate and that they dont go to coffee mornings ect due to harassment?
I dont really enjoy driving here so doubt id even attempt it there either.But really would want a house or appartment with space as she is a ver active child we walk miles and she is always in the garden beach or woods.
I think we will have to asses the finacial situation as if we cant provide the same leval that she has at the moment or if not we will have to consider either staying here or somewere else.
thanks


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## SHendra (Oct 18, 2010)

wishingstar said:


> Hi
> 
> thanks for the reply, do you find there is enough to do with your child or is it just very difficult day to day? A few ppl have said prams ect are v hard to navigate and that they dont go to coffee mornings ect due to harassment?
> I dont really enjoy driving here so doubt id even attempt it there either.But really would want a house or appartment with space as she is a ver active child we walk miles and she is always in the garden beach or woods.
> ...


It can be hard pushing a pushchair/pram about cause most of the pavements are uneven, and that's if there is a pavement at all. Your find a lot of people even walk on the side of the roads by the parked cars due to the pavements. I found this and hated pushing my boy about in these areas but sometimes there isn't much of a choice. Also I'm sure they must of existed somewhere but while I was living over there I never came across an apartment block where the lift was big enough to just push a child in while still in his/her pushchair. So it was always a lot of effort going out! Nevermind getting home with the shopping. I really do feel for the wheelchair bound people in Egypt.. there is no system at all. When you think our children are only in a pushchair for a couple of years etc.

I been back in UK now around 2 months and since returning I found my day to day life become a breeze. Because of all the choices I have for myself and my son. We go swimming, safe clean swimming pool often. Mums and tots, I have woods near my home with squirrels etc to go explore etc etc. Even the sea just 20mins away if I desire, easy to reach and noone to hassle me or rip me off along the way.

I will say however I do not regret my time in Egypt and it did teach me a lot. So much so that the life we can give our kids on near on nothing in the UK is a huge expense over there and very limited. I found my day to day life there hard going and very restricted and even a lot of times pretty much housebound. I was living 2mins walk from the sea but it wasn't the kind of place foreigners could just skip to with their kids to play, just not safe and over crowded. Same for the parks.. some are nice to walk around, ones that took cared of well but your find it hard going to find a SAFE play area in one for a kid to play in.


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

A year or so I told about my evening walk which lasted about 50 minutes in which I counted how many times I had to step off the pavement due to parked cars or some other obstacle I gave up counting near the 200 mark.. this was an every day occurrence not a one off so doing it with a push chair must be a nightmare also remember the pollution and your child is sitting at exhaust level


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## tt05 (Feb 21, 2011)

I have two strollers that we use. One is a jogging stroller that we brought with us from the US. I use that one the most because it has large tires (almost like a bike's tires). Like already said- there may or may not be a side walk. A lot of times it isnt worth it to get the stroller on the sidewalk because it either ends right away, there is trash in the middle, it's crumbled and you cant get over it or there is another street right away. I usually walk on the side of the street. Most cars keep their distance...most.

I'd imagine most expats are here from some sort of company and they're paying for their apartment. I know ours is paid by my husband's work. No way would I of moved here and paid what they ask for rent. 

The annoying things right now are what to do on the weekends. No parks- or if there is one I'm always worried about broken glass or trash in general and swimming pools are scarce- we can't get into Maadi House and Katamaya is too far...may look into it though. Would really like a pool. 

I have only been here since April, so I really can't give an accurate long-timer's perspective. We like it so far, have met a lot of great people but I'm not here for the long haul.


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