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scottiemac
Joined: 09 Oct 2005
Posts: 2
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 Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 4:34 pm Post subject: Looking for info about: Alexandria American College |
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So I thought I'd consult the ESLCafe experts!
If anyone cares to offer a thought or two, I'd very much appreciate it (and the opportunity of discussing the school and the possibility of life in Alexandria!).
Thanks!
Edit: Wow. I just noticed someone else on this forum with an almost identical user-name. Yikes! Sorry if there is any confusion! |
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ootii
Joined: 27 Oct 2005
Posts: 124
Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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| Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2005 6:01 am Post subject: Re: Looking for info about: Alexandria American College |
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| scottiemac wrote: |
So I thought I'd consult the ESLCafe experts!
If anyone cares to offer a thought or two, I'd very much appreciate it (and the opportunity of discussing the school and the possibility of life in Alexandria!).
Thanks!
Edit: Wow. I just noticed someone else on this forum with an almost identical user-name. Yikes! Sorry if there is any confusion! |
I'm a long and part-time Alxenaria resident. I've heard of it, and as long ago as the mid-80s, but never actually been there. I think its a private affair, so watch out for "American" in the name.
As for life in Alex, I think it's got Cairo beat hands down as a place to live. There are lots of interesting things to do there too, but it still can't compete with Cairo, so not that many non-Egyptian tourists actually go there.
If you go, find an appartment near the centre, between Chatby and Gleem. You can easily find a furnished flat for less than 1000 EP per month, find an Egyptian to front for you and you won't pay through the nose.
Avoid Smouha and the other new developments to the south. Keep fairly near the tram and main roads, but not on either one directly. Bring ear plugs! One of those water filters that you plumb into the mains is also very nice to have. Mains water is clean, but it tastes foul from all the chlorine. Bottled water is available, but hardly anyone drinks it so after months in the bottle it may be less clean than mains.
For a short stay, the military housing complex at Mustafa Kamal is a good bet. If you're in town for longer, try Ibrahamiyyah, Camp Cesar, Sporting, or Gleem. Not too fancy and not baladi either. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2005 3:24 pm Post subject: |
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Great info Ootii... just to add about the water... another way to make the water drinkable is to boil it. The chlorine will boil out quite quickly and 20 minutes will kill most anything. I usually did 10 minutes myself. I used to have a big tea kettle... fill old booze bottles with screw tops... let them sit for a bit before sealing them.
Don't they sell Baraka in Alex? My last stint in Cairo I was paid enough that I didn't have to boil water and just had cases of Baraka delivered. 
VS |
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ootii
Joined: 27 Oct 2005
Posts: 124
Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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| Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2005 3:59 pm Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
| Great info Ootii... just to add about the water... another way to make the water drinkable is to boil it. The chlorine will boil out quite quickly and 20 minutes will kill most anything. I usually did 10 minutes myself. I used to have a big tea kettle... fill old booze bottles with screw tops... let them sit for a bit before sealing them. |
The water's generally safe to drink in cities. You'll get sick if you tank up on it right off the boat. I use to always get sick within a week of arrival, but seem to have developed an immunity to Egypt it long ago.
If you hang with Egyptians, it's impossible to avoid the water. If you're invited to dinner, they'll put two or three glasses of water on the table (or the floor) for six or eight people to share, or pass around an ulaa.
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| Don't they sell Baraka in Alex? My last stint in Cairo I was paid enough that I didn't have to boil water and just had cases of Baraka delivered. |
I prefer Siwa, it's deep well water. I'm not sure where Baraka comes from. You can also get Nestlee - never seen it anywhere else. But bottled or filtered mains really makes no difference to me.
If you're in Egypt for just a couple of weeks, you'd best stick to bottles. Otherwise, relax and learn to live like a native, and without toilet paper.
If you can't live without it, bring your own - and tampax, and floss. Shouldn't there be a packing list somewhere on the Egypt board? |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2005 7:26 pm Post subject: |
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Ootii...
Nowadays one hardly needs a shopping list... certainly not like in the 80's when they had no imports. Now in Cairo, at least, you can find darn near anything... for a price.
Like you, I went ahead and eased into drinking the local water - at least now and again. But, I was younger then.  My digestive system has always been picky. I even drink bottled water here in the US now.
VS
(oh... and I NEVER lived without toilet paper. But it always cracked me up that the toilet paper was just a roll of paper towels cut in half... ) |
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ootii
Joined: 27 Oct 2005
Posts: 124
Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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| Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2005 9:32 pm Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
Ootii...
Nowadays one hardly needs a shopping list... certainly not like in the 80's when they had no imports. Now in Cairo, at least, you can find darn near anything... for a price. |
I bought an appartment in Alex and am there every every summer. The only thing that we still can't find easily is floss.
Don't use toilet paper. (Is this the true confessions corner?) Gone native it seems. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2005 1:13 am Post subject: |
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Well, at least floss doesn't take up much space in one's luggage.
VS |
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