# Moving to Alexandria



## kitesurfer

HI all,

I am a complete newbie on this forum so apologies in advance if my questions seem ignorant.
It looks like I will be accepting a role in Egypt and will be moving my family to Alexandria (wife and two daughters and myself). We are Australian and have a pretty casual view on the world, just not really that well travelled. 

Has anybody recently moved to Alexandria that can give us some lessons learnt from thier own experiences?

Arrival day....accommodation, transport, where to start?????

Finding an apartment...pitfalls, how to, best expat areas (are any near the beach?), areas to definately avoid when looking.

Getting the kids into international schools ....better quality schools, associated costs (8 & 10 yr old girls)

Opening bank accounts in Egypt......accessibility to funds, international funds access

Clubs, activities or areas to meet other english speaking expats

and anything else you feel may help with avoiding problems when we get there.

Thanks in advance


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## MaidenScotland

Hi and welcome to the forum.

The company you are employed with should sort out accommodation and help you settle in to your new life.
We have a regular poster from Alex who I am sure will help.


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## kitesurfer

I will be employed by an international company that is not based in Alexandria. I was offered fly in fly out from Australia but want to take my family and try the expat life.
From the information I have they will not be providing too much support in the set up. They do provide some funding for living out of country to assist with accommodation and living costs but that about it.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!!


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## kevinthegulf

kitesurfer said:


> I will be employed by an international company that is not based in Alexandria. I was offered fly in fly out from Australia but want to take my family and try the expat life.
> From the information I have they will not be providing too much support in the set up. They do provide some funding for living out of country to assist with accommodation and living costs but that about it.
> Any help would be greatly appreciated!!


There is a significant amount of postings on the forum about Egypt and living here, not so much about Alex, please check out all the info carefully as there is not a massive expat community there and it might not be so easy to meet people, and you will get less advice specifically, also check your employment package carefully, its a big thing bringing the wife & kids here at this time.
There are thousands of expats in Cairo, I would guess you can measure them in 10's in Alex. I would be very wary if you are not going to get too much back up from the company. check it out and make an informed decision.
rgds
Kev


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## DeadGuy

kitesurfer said:


> We are Australian and have a pretty casual view on the world, just not really that well travelled.





kitesurfer said:


> I will be employed by an international company that is not based in Alexandria. I was offered fly in fly out from Australia but want to take my family and try the expat life.
> From the information I have they will not be providing too much support in the set up. They do provide some funding for living out of country to assist with accommodation and living costs but that about it.
> Any help would be greatly appreciated!!


Hi there,

Before I say anything please let me be clear about the facts that I'm not an expat, and that I do NOT live in Alexandria.

It sounds like your family and yourself haven't traveled much according to your words, so I'm sure that also means that neither you or your family been expatriates in any other country either, so you probably need to reconsider relocating your whole family before you come and see for yourself how is it like to be actually *LIVING* in here, cause things aren't usually "nice" in here for many people, mind you the instability that the country's going through these days! 

If your company's policy isn't really clear about what they're gonna be able to offer to help you then that's probably something else you need to worry about!

Best of luck!


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## SHendra

kitesurfer said:


> HI all,
> 
> I am a complete newbie on this forum so apologies in advance if my questions seem ignorant.
> It looks like I will be accepting a role in Egypt and will be moving my family to Alexandria (wife and two daughters and myself). We are Australian and have a pretty casual view on the world, just not really that well travelled.
> 
> Has anybody recently moved to Alexandria that can give us some lessons learnt from thier own experiences?
> 
> Arrival day....accommodation, transport, where to start?????
> 
> Finding an apartment...pitfalls, how to, best expat areas (are any near the beach?), areas to definately avoid when looking.
> 
> Getting the kids into international schools ....better quality schools, associated costs (8 & 10 yr old girls)
> 
> Opening bank accounts in Egypt......accessibility to funds, international funds access
> 
> Clubs, activities or areas to meet other english speaking expats
> 
> and anything else you feel may help with avoiding problems when we get there.
> 
> Thanks in advance


Hey kitesurfer,

I recently left Alexandria after living there for a few years. I can answer a couple of your questions. 

Opening a bank account isn't so hard as long as you have a residential visa but I would not advise you to move any savings you have into Egypt. Took me alot of work to move mine out! There not doing personal transfers atm from Egypt. Only way I was able to move mine out was via Western Union and flying with it. Unless of course you've a business etc and can provide proof. So my advise here would be just to use it for basic needs.

In terms of areas it's best to be living near whatever school you decide your daughters to go to since the traffic in Alex's isn't so friendly in the school rush hours etc! You have the British school in Roushdy and theres an American school somewhere to but I am sorry I forgotton the name of the area! My son isn't of school age yet so I didn't have to experience/sort any of this out etc. Roushdy however is a popular expat area and does have a club in this area for foreigners.

As for your hobbies you may not find Alexandria beaches right for you or your family. Out of the years I lived there I never went into the sea.. it isn't so clean. As for sitting on the beach well they get over crowded in the summer time and for your wife and daughters it won't be a nice experience. I don't mean to be putting a downer here just being honest. Min a foreign female step onto those beaches you can consider every local to be like a fly! With the staring etc. However there are some nice places along the coast a little way out of Alex's so I've been told before. Maybe someone else can shed light on that as I never did get far coast wise anyway!

I am only 36 but Alex's made me feel a bit on the older side I didn't find much I did enjoy there or what I did enjoy was limited. Maybe cause I never got lucky in the sense of finding others to enjoy my spare time with. There is the malls and some nice places to eat out etc and so on. But I will admit If I was choosing where to live in Egypt again I'd of gone either to the Red Sea or Cairo cause for expats there's a lot more there for us to do in our day to day lives.


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## marenostrum

SHendra said:


> As for your hobbies you may not find Alexandria beaches right for you or your family. Out of the years I lived there I never went into the sea.. it isn't so clean. As for sitting on the beach well they get over crowded in the summer time and for your wife and daughters it won't be a nice experience. I


Hi Shendra,

Just out of curiosity i have an egyptian friend of mine ans she tells me that in the marina area in the private beaches women can wear bikini's without being hassled.
Is this true or is it another egyptian tale I have been given?


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## SHendra

marenostrum said:


> Hi Shendra,
> 
> Just out of curiosity i have an egyptian friend of mine ans she tells me that in the marina area in the private beaches women can wear bikini's without being hassled.
> Is this true or is it another egyptian tale I have been given?


That's a place I wish I got to many of times!! I heard the same. It's about an hour to 90mins out of Alexandria. I heard of it being so nice there. It's more like a massive resort kind of place I think. So I think you may of heard correctly. A lot of villa's apparantly that go onto the beaches etc. I had a friend who use to go there whenever he had a few days of work. Mainly for the nightlife and the more relaxed life etc.


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## aykalam

marenostrum said:


> Hi Shendra,
> 
> Just out of curiosity i have an egyptian friend of mine ans she tells me that in the marina area in the private beaches women can wear bikini's without being hassled.
> Is this true or is it another egyptian tale I have been given?


You are talking about Marina, which is not in Alex but close to Al-Alamein (of WWII fame). Marina is a big resort, with SOME areas in private beaches dedicated to women only, that's why many Egyptian women like it as they pretend no one can see them in their bikinis. The truth is they can be seen by anyone on the other side of the flimsy partition or, as the crafty Egyptian boys do, from small boats that keep going past the women only areas.

How do I know? I went to "La Femme" last summer, in Marina, nice but not great if you want to spend time with family or mixed group friends as the guys are not allowed in.


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## T24

I am an expat from the US who has been in Alex on and off for the last 15 years. It is a pretty relaxed place and has a couple of areas where expats live. They are mostly Kafr Abdou and San Stefano (Four Seasons complex).

On arrival I would have reservations at either the Hilton (Green Plaza) or The Four Seasons Hotel, depending on where your office will be located. Start looking for housing in the two areas mentioned above.

The are several international schools, but it depends on the budget and the curriculum you are looking for (US, UK, etc).

As for bank accounts it was much easier prior to the revolution. I currently do not bank in Egypt and get local currency as I need it.

I would be happy to help whenever I am in Alex.

Good luck on your travels to Alex. I enjoy it a lot and hope you do the same. 



kitesurfer said:


> HI all,
> 
> I am a complete newbie on this forum so apologies in advance if my questions seem ignorant.
> It looks like I will be accepting a role in Egypt and will be moving my family to Alexandria (wife and two daughters and myself). We are Australian and have a pretty casual view on the world, just not really that well travelled.
> 
> Has anybody recently moved to Alexandria that can give us some lessons learnt from thier own experiences?
> 
> Arrival day....accommodation, transport, where to start?????
> 
> Finding an apartment...pitfalls, how to, best expat areas (are any near the beach?), areas to definately avoid when looking.
> 
> Getting the kids into international schools ....better quality schools, associated costs (8 & 10 yr old girls)
> 
> Opening bank accounts in Egypt......accessibility to funds, international funds access
> 
> Clubs, activities or areas to meet other english speaking expats
> 
> and anything else you feel may help with avoiding problems when we get there.
> 
> Thanks in advance


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## marenostrum

aykalam said:


> The truth is they can be seen by anyone on the other side of the flimsy partition or, as the crafty Egyptian boys do, from small boats that keep going past the women only areas.
> 
> .


Again, I admire their determination


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## knife edge

Hello Aussies,
I've been living in Alex since 2002. Don't know where you are going to be working, Alex or free Zone Borg el Arab [outside Alex] or wherever . 
I don't have any school age kids, but the British School, just behind the British Consulate has a good reputation, but costs a bit. There are others but Google 'Schools in Alex' Egypt to check.
Schools here are closed at the moment, they have looong summer holidays [mid May to mid September], so if you are coming soon, it will give you time to decide.
If you want to be based in the city, the British School is in Kafr Abdou, in Rushdy, which is where the British school is located. Many expats have flats in that area, many from Australia and New Zealand too.
Good place to meet other foreigners, parents and probably teachers, is The Portugese Club, also in Kafr Abdu. It has a horrendous annual fee for membership, but you can pay on entry about LE20 per person [I think] and get cheap drinks, live music, sometimes, darts, pool, good fun and information. 
If you want to live outside the city, [I live in Agamy, about 25 minute drive from downtown Alex] it is a great place to live with nice beaches and friendly local village atmosphere. But ... maybe mean a trip imto the city for schoolkids, [school bus?] unless you organise car pool stuff.
Sadly, since the Revolution, there doesn't seem to be as many foreigners around here in Agamy, maybe Alex too; but I think this is temporary.
Personally, I bank with Barclays which are as rubbish as anywhere else in the world, but WTF. Citibank is supposed to be good, handles transfers, foreign currencies etc ok, maybe needs [as Barclays does] minimum foreign currency deposit.
Re accomodation, really your employer should try to arrange something, otherwise, check into a hotel, cop hold of friendly staff member, or foreigner at Portugese Club, and check out prices, get them to accompany you to to suitable places and negotiate ... hard!!!
If you have a vague idea how much you want to pay per month, I can maybe let you know what you get for that.
You will be surprised, [or not] how helpful other expats [or hotel staff - for a fee of le 100] can be, also for crap like cleaners, schools, internet connection ideas etc.

Anything else you want to know, just ask on here. Please!!!
BTW. You are all going to love it here! People are so very friendly, [unfortunately they all think we are millionaires but soon learn that we are stingy *******s] and the general atmosphere is relaxed and actually a bit bone idle; So be patient.


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## knife edge

BTW. You do NOT need residency visa to open a bankaccount here. [I opened one on a 6 monthly visa] All the banks with International names, Barclays , etc, have English speaking staff, are quite conversant with foreign workers here and there is no need to be paranoid. Cheques take 30 days to clear, should that be a problem, cash transfers about 5 days, plus a small fee, usual greedy banking crapola. Use of chegues is rare here, [they tend to be used as IOU's] but ATM cards are easily available but require local currency account - you need to change, if necessary, into Egyptian Pounds a minimum amount to cover withdrawals.


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## SHendra

knife edge said:


> BTW. You do NOT need residency visa to open a bankaccount here. [I opened one on a 6 monthly visa] All the banks with International names, Barclays , etc, have English speaking staff, are quite conversant with foreign workers here and there is no need to be paranoid. Cheques take 30 days to clear, should that be a problem, cash transfers about 5 days, plus a small fee, usual greedy banking crapola. Use of chegues is rare here, [they tend to be used as IOU's] but ATM cards are easily available but require local currency account - you need to change, if necessary, into Egyptian Pounds a minimum amount to cover withdrawals.


Hey Knife, Just curious was this before or after the revolution?

I have a child who is half Egyptian and was on a tourist visa for a little while as I had a job renewing my residence visa. No bank would let me open an account without a residence visa even though I could prove I also had a foreign income and savings! After a lot of dancing about I finally got a new residence visa and went and open an account with Barclays. British embassy sent me to them and explained my situation at the time I needed to move my funds out of Egypt etc etc as I was leaving. Barclay's was 'no problem'. 

I got the account but when I went to move my funds they declined to allow me to do so unless I have a business reasons and proof or an invoice for said amount. They would not allow a transfer based on personal reasons. So I started to walk around other banks asking about it and each one was saying the same. It something to do with a current ruling from Egypt central bank, even moneygram refusing transfers without the above said reasons. I could only move mine by Western union at small amounts and flying with the rest. 

So I am curious if what you said is from before the Jan25 stuff or it another case of one rule for one and different for another (which is common in Egypt!  ) lol. ?


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## knife edge

SHendra said:


> Hey Knife, Just curious was this before or after the revolution?


Ahhh. I got the account waaay back. Do you think it's all changed now, or just a temporary 'emergency' panic thing?
Around and soon after the revolution there was a lot of stuff in the news about the Egyptian state bank [???] complaining about dwindling foreign currency in the country and inward transfers seemed to be taking a bit longer to actually get into personal accounts, some of us were speculating about the connection.
Possibly the Op should check out HSBC whilst still in Oz, they can probably give a better overview of how things stand now.Perhaps possible to arrange account before travel?


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## SHendra

knife edge said:


> Ahhh. I got the account waaay back. Do you think it's all changed now, or just a temporary 'emergency' panic thing?
> Around and soon after the revolution there was a lot of stuff in the news about the Egyptian state bank [???] complaining about dwindling foreign currency in the country and inward transfers seemed to be taking a bit longer to actually get into personal accounts, some of us were speculating about the connection.
> Possibly the Op should check out HSBC whilst still in Oz, they can probably give a better overview of how things stand now.Perhaps possible to arrange account before travel?


Ya I think it be like this for sometime where people can't transfer for personal reasons. Getting money into Egypt easy but out no not atm. As for Opening an account that's easy enough long as the person has the right visa.


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## kitesurfer

Thanks all for the advice. We have managed to do a lot more research and are little more informed.
I have also received more information from my employer, but will be visiting Alex on my own first to check things out.

When opportunities come up you can't let them pass by......


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## islander

So what's the state of play with your plans to go to Alexandria?

We're thinking of going this year and are at the research stage. Just trying to gauge things and make the right family decision.

Any members out there who can tell us about internet access, the cost of living and whether you would recommend buying a car or relying on public transport.

Many thanks.


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## knife edge

*internet?*



islander said:


> Any members out there who can tell us about internet access, the cost of living and whether you would recommend buying a car or relying on public transport.
> 
> Many thanks.


:ranger:
Hi, internet is a doddle these days. Most people I know use a USB/Sim card thing [ie Vodaphone ]and reload monthly. I pay LE49 and it's fine fast and trouble free. Easy and cheap to set up.. Many coffee shops have free Wifi, [whatever the hell that is haha]

Used cars are ridiculously expensive imho here, compared to most things.Taxis are cheap around the city, and if you plan on living in the city, parking can be a pain. But you can soon gauge whether a car is a better option. Driving here can be hair raising at first, and is a bit of an art.
Trams are snail slow, but fun for once. Buses are ok and dead cheap, but the scruffy ones are insanely hot, with no a/c.Ii am not even going to try to advise on cost of living, but someone on here will I bet.


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## islander

knife edge said:


> :ranger:
> Hi, internet is a doddle these days. Most people I know use a USB/Sim card thing [ie Vodaphone ]and reload monthly. I pay LE49 and it's fine fast and trouble free. Easy and cheap to set up.. Many coffee shops have free Wifi, [whatever the hell that is haha]
> 
> Used cars are ridiculously expensive imho here, compared to most things.Taxis are cheap around the city, and if you plan on living in the city, parking can be a pain. But you can soon gauge whether a car is a better option. Driving here can be hair raising at first, and is a bit of an art.
> Trams are snail slow, but fun for once. Buses are ok and dead cheap, but the scruffy ones are insanely hot, with no a/c.Ii am not even going to try to advise on cost of living, but someone on here will I bet.


Thank you for the speedy reply.

I suppose cost of living is all relative.

If we make the jump it will be with wife and children in tow. She is up for the challenge but does have concerns. By no means is my wife a flashy dresser and would be totally respectful of local standards, but we have read horror stories of prods, pokes and gropes.....yuk!

Are these scare stories? I really don't want to spend my days worrying about her taking a bus to a friend's house and she will not want to be stuck indoors.


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## kitesurfer

islander said:


> So what's the state of play with your plans to go to Alexandria?
> 
> We're thinking of going this year and are at the research stage. Just trying to gauge things and make the right family decision.
> 
> Any members out there who can tell us about internet access, the cost of living and whether you would recommend buying a car or relying on public transport.
> 
> Many thanks.


Islander,

I have accepted the job and will be going over to start on the 20th July Much like you are thinking, I will be doing my first commute to check things out and make the decision on whether to bring the family or not.
From the research I have done, and reading through the countless threads on this site I 'think' we will be doing it together. 

Let me know how you get on and maybe we can catch up over there. Sounds like we will be in the same boat.


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## kitesurfer

*Mobile phones???*



knife edge said:


> Hello Aussies,
> I've been living in Alex since 2002. Don't know where you are going to be working, Alex or free Zone Borg el Arab [outside Alex] or wherever .
> I don't have any school age kids, but the British School, just behind the British Consulate has a good reputation, but costs a bit. There are others but Google 'Schools in Alex' Egypt to check.
> Schools here are closed at the moment, they have looong summer holidays [mid May to mid September], so if you are coming soon, it will give you time to decide.
> If you want to be based in the city, the British School is in Kafr Abdou, in Rushdy, which is where the British school is located. Many expats have flats in that area, many from Australia and New Zealand too.
> Good place to meet other foreigners, parents and probably teachers, is The Portugese Club, also in Kafr Abdu. It has a horrendous annual fee for membership, but you can pay on entry about LE20 per person [I think] and get cheap drinks, live music, sometimes, darts, pool, good fun and information.
> If you want to live outside the city, [I live in Agamy, about 25 minute drive from downtown Alex] it is a great place to live with nice beaches and friendly local village atmosphere. But ... maybe mean a trip imto the city for schoolkids, [school bus?] unless you organise car pool stuff.
> Sadly, since the Revolution, there doesn't seem to be as many foreigners around here in Agamy, maybe Alex too; but I think this is temporary.
> Personally, I bank with Barclays which are as rubbish as anywhere else in the world, but WTF. Citibank is supposed to be good, handles transfers, foreign currencies etc ok, maybe needs [as Barclays does] minimum foreign currency deposit.
> Re accomodation, really your employer should try to arrange something, otherwise, check into a hotel, cop hold of friendly staff member, or foreigner at Portugese Club, and check out prices, get them to accompany you to to suitable places and negotiate ... hard!!!
> If you have a vague idea how much you want to pay per month, I can maybe let you know what you get for that.
> You will be surprised, [or not] how helpful other expats [or hotel staff - for a fee of le 100] can be, also for crap like cleaners, schools, internet connection ideas etc.
> 
> Anything else you want to know, just ask on here. Please!!!
> BTW. You are all going to love it here! People are so very friendly, [unfortunately they all think we are millionaires but soon learn that we are stingy *******s] and the general atmosphere is relaxed and actually a bit bone idle; So be patient.


Knife Edge,

I am really surprised at the number replies to this thread and cannot thank you all enough for the information you have given.

One more question: I will be coming over on a FIFO basis from Australia for the first 3 months with my family staying in Australia until about Sept/Oct. To stay in touch I have gotten Skype sorted out, but was wondering what the mobile phone situation is like. 
I was hoping to buy an iphone 4 (unlocked) from Aus and get a prepaid card or sign up on a contract in Egypt. This will at least give me a contact phone number while I am over there and give me the ability to call the family at home. It can then be ongoing once the family come over.
I can get an Australian plan but the international calls and roaming are hugely expensive. Have heard that calls from Egypt to Aus are much cheaper with an with an Egyptian card or plan.

Can anybody advise on options?

Regards
Simon


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## islander

I've been researching this and it does seem that it is much like the UK in that you really need to know what your current usage is and compare all of the available options. I have a couple of phones - one on Vodafone and one unlocked so I'll probably get a Vodafone sim card to start and buy a USB dongle:

Personal main page

I'm trying to find out about the cost of sms and calls back to the UK from Egypt but expect that I'll have to wait until I hit the ground.

Mobinil offers the following:

ekit, Egypt SIM card

And Etisalat:

???????

Anyone got any particularly strong views on any of these carriers?


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## GM1

islander said:


> I'm trying to find out about the cost of sms and calls back to the UK from Egypt but expect that I'll have to wait until I hit the ground.


just search the websites, for example Vodafone: International calls main page
World in your hands:
* Monthly subscription of 10 LE
* Call setup fees is 1.5 LE
* call 1.99 per minute


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## GM1

edit:
choose between * Monthly subscription of 10 LE
or * Call setup fees is 1.5 LE


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## knife edge

I use etisalat USB. Pay LE49 per month, buying topup card [prompted by test 3 days before]. 
No problems, fast, suits my need, you can pay more for more capacity [Dunno? Downloading videos etc may use a lot?]
Works fine for me.
Only problem was shop wanted the contract in the name of a Egyptian citizen - maybe 'cos the application requires ID number. Small inconvenience, easily fixed.


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## GM1

I have one from Vodafone with my Dutch passport (with residence visa)


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## knife edge

Sorry, meant 'resident.'


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## islander

And without a residence/resident's visa? Are we looking at payg?


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## knife edge

Yeah, PAYG. Easy cheap. I think my contract is in the phone shop guy's name. No problem, you don't get bills, just buy a LE50 Etisalat card every month and text it onto your USB sim card. You, with a job, could ask a colleague to get it set up for you.
One good things about Egypt is rules are bendy, most things are doable.


Oh ****. Just realised we're talking about PHONES not internet access.
Oh I got PAYG Mobinil on me phone, texting to England is much cheaper than the other way round.
Calls are cheaper too from mobiles to mobiles. I think.


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## SHendra

It may of improved etc but I was with Voda for mobile calls no problem on that. 

But would not reccomend them for a dongle use. I found that whenever you checked your usage it was misleading. It was not showing your usage for say using sites like you tube or torrents so it got me thinking I had a few GB to use up before the end of month which was not the case and got me landed with a big bill! (hope that makes sense lol). Voda is good however for ADSL lines.

From my view point I always felt etisalat usb thingy offered more and clearer priced packages.


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## knife edge

Yeah, Etisalat is rated the best, fastest, easiest, and technically unlimited, goes slower when you do Skype, Youtube etc.
If I was the OP, I would start with them @ LE49 pm.[500MB] Then if you need more, you can upgrade by text [check the cost online, and buy the card first] I do loads, got internet all day.
Like Mobinil best for phones.


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## RPC

knife edge said:


> Yeah, Etisalat is rated the best, fastest, easiest, and technically unlimited, goes slower when you do Skype, Youtube etc.
> If I was the OP, I would start with them @ LE49 pm.[500MB] Then if you need more, you can upgrade by text [check the cost online, and buy the card first] I do loads, got internet all day.
> Like Mobinil best for phones.


.... rated by who?!?! .. Might be the cheapest but not the fastest or best .. It seems to me they have connection/coverage issues.


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## Traveling_wife

*Things to do in Alexandria Egypt*

Hello, 

I am an expat wife who has been traveling wherever my husband is assigned to work. We permanently reside in the US but this year he is contracted to work in Alexandria Egypt and I want to be there for him too. We currently stay here in Smouha. I am really getting bored here and would love to find some productive things to do. I also would love to meet other expat spouses and good people in the area. I am looking into getting Arabic lessons and join some charities or volunteer work. Do you guys know any good places that can offer that or any thing that I can do around here? 

Thank you and hoping for your favorable responses! God bless!


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## hotcoco

Ciao...Wondering if you moved and got settled in Alex. My husband and I will be relocating there the first week of September and are also looking for a decent neighborhood to set up house for the next few years. Also it would be great to meet some fellow english speakers to enjoy the adventure. We have been on the road for a number of years and have lived in many countries of various states of developement....it's all in the attitude and those you share it with...has your wife been able to identify any social networks for expats? Look forward meeting your family in the coming weeks.


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