When I woke this morning, it was with a queasy stomach and reeling thoughts. "I am leaving for Cairo in 24 hours!" I thought to myself - a city that I consider my "other" home, a city I haven't been to in 4 years, a city that has experienced so much change, both good and bad, in the past 19 months.
When I tell people I am moving to Cairo to teach for 2 years, they inevitably ask the same questions, so I thought I would start off my first post on this blog (I can't believe I started a blog!) answering some of these questions:
Will you be safe in
Egypt?
I've lived in Egypt twice before (for two consecutive summers while studying abroad in college) and not once during those times did I feel unsafe. But that was when Hosni Mubarak was in power and there were police/military figures standing on each street corner.
I've lived in Egypt twice before (for two consecutive summers while studying abroad in college) and not once during those times did I feel unsafe. But that was when Hosni Mubarak was in power and there were police/military figures standing on each street corner.
I was younger then (stupider then) and more likely to go off "adventuring" in areas of Cairo I probably shouldn't have been. But those adventures were always with at least one other person or a group of people. This time, I will be going to Cairo on my own and because of this, I will definitely be more "street smart."
- I will be living in the "burbs" of Cairo.
- I will be living in the "burbs" of Cairo.
My apartment (when I find it) will be close to the school I am teaching at which is in an affluent area of Cairo called Sheikh Zayed City. It is a 30-40 minute drive from Tahrir Square, where the revolution took place. It is an area that was being newly developed when I was in Cairo 4 years ago.
- I will not talk politics with Cairenes.
Four years ago, I would rattle off my opinions to taxi drivers at the slightest provocation. We generally agreed on American politics, except for the time that I told the driver my dad was from Iraq and he said "Oh Saddam good! Thumbs up!"
This revolution is an Egyptian revolution and as an American, I am a guest in their country. I will try to avoid offending anyone, even if I do not agree with their sentiments.
- I will travel with others when visiting other parts of the city.
Four years ago, I wouldn't bat an eyelash at gallivanting around the city, but now that I am older and wiser, I will be smarter about outings. Cairo is the largest city in Africa and the Arab world with a population of 17 million people. It is a city with a low-crime rate in relation to its population, but like any large city, there are areas and elements of the city that need to be avoided.
Where/What are you teaching?
I have a two-year contract teaching at the American International School West Campus.
I will be teaching Kindergarten II (which is the same as kindergarten in the states.) The majority of my class will be Egyptians and I will be teaching every subject but Arabic.
Will you travel while you are there?
Yes! Yes! Yes! This is one reason I wanted to accept this job. Because Egypt is right smack in the "middle" of the world (from the West's perspective), I am hoping to travel to Turkey, Morocco, Jerusalem, and parts of Europe, among other places.
Yes! Yes! Yes! This is one reason I wanted to accept this job. Because Egypt is right smack in the "middle" of the world (from the West's perspective), I am hoping to travel to Turkey, Morocco, Jerusalem, and parts of Europe, among other places.
How will you keep in contact?
I will have Skype (username: bethibrahim), Magic Jack ( I will share the U.S. number later), Viber (if you have the app, you can call my cell for free when I have a wifi connection), an Egyptian cellphone, Facebook, and hopefully I will maintain this blog. So I think I'm going to be ok on the communication front!
Can I mail you stuff?
Can I mail you stuff?
Nope! Unless you ship it through FedEx or DHL (which is really expensive), the mailing system in Egypt is pretty unreliable. I've been told that customs will hold your packages/letters ransom unless you come in person and pay baksheesh or a bribe to get it back. These bribes can be much higher than the worth of the actual package.
When will you visit home?
Because I am teaching at an American school, I get the same breaks as I would back in America, in addition to Muslim, Christian, and Egyptian holidays. Many of these breaks are too short for it to be worth a trip back home. I get a 2 week winter break, so my coming back depends on whether my family comes to visit me or if I have a really bad case of homesickness. During Spring Break, I hope to travel. I will get a 2-month summer break when the school pays for me to fly back home towards the end of June.
Can I come visit you?
Yes please!! I will have a 2-3 bedroom apartment by myself, so you would have a place to stay if you came. I will gladly take you on a tour of Cairo! Just let me know!
Hanna and I visiting the pyramids in 2008.
I have to finish packing now!!
I know everything is going to be great! What you are doing is so exciting :) I can't wait to hear about everything through your blog. I will keep up with it! It was great seeing you in class! You are a great teacher!
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