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TG12345
Joined: 09 Mar 2007
Posts: 41
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 Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2007 1:28 pm Post subject: Has anyone worked in an international Cdn school in Cairo? |
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Hi everyone,
I'm a 4th year Education student at the University of Winnipeg and will be graduating next year. I would like to go teach in the Middle East, preferably Egypt.
I am meeting some people who are recruiting for an international Canadian school. I will have a Bachelor of Education, TESOL degree (by August), and have a lot of experience volunteering and working as a teachers' aide with EAL students in different schools in Winnipeg. I was told that a BEd is good enough to get hired at an Int'l Cdn School in Cairo.
Does anyone have any experience working in an international school? Is it a decent job?- fair pay, good working conditions, etc.
How much does it cost to live in Egypt? Is it possible to get hired to teach English in a public school as well?
What is life in Cairo like? What are some things people do in their spare time when not teaching? I am also interested in doing some volunteering in my free time, are there oppurtunities?
This may sound like a dumb question, but is it possible to cross over into the Palestinian territories? There is a group there I would like to volunteer with over the summers and am seeing some people tomorrow who are connected to them (http://www.holyland-lutherans.org/).
Thank you for your help and take care!
Regards,
Tomasz |
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stoth1972
Joined: 16 May 2003
Posts: 674
Location: Seattle, Washington
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| Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 5:22 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Does anyone have any experience working in an international school? Is it a decent job?- fair pay, good working conditions, etc. |
If you can get the info on pay and such, I can give you feedback based on what's normal for Cairo. Not sure about this place in particular.
| Quote: |
I have worked in international schools in Cairo, but I believe this one is relatively new. Chances are, if this schools expects you to have a teaching qualification, it's probably a decent place to work. It's the international schools that take people w/ no qualification and no experience that might by a bit questionable. It doesn't mean bad, but just less desireable of a contract that the big name schools (Cairo American College, British International School of Cairo, Modern English, etc.)
How much does it cost to live in Egypt? Is it possible to get hired to teach English in a public school as well? |
This is kinda vague...it really depends on you. Most schools who hire you in your home country are planning to a) fly you over at their expense b) give you furnished accommodation (could be 'shared' if it's one of those schools I mentioned that takes non-qualified teachers/offers lower fees to their students)
That means your expenses will living there are food and taxi. Provided that you don't require luxuries from the homeland (luxuries in Egypt=your favourite Canadian breakfast cereal, macaroni and cheese, oreos, 'foreign products') than you can eat for very little. Your fruit and veg for a week would likely cost no more than a couple US dollars. Pantry items like tomato sauce, pasta, rice, etc. are extremely cheap. If you need to have your pre-made "Prego" or "Ragu", you'll pay through the nose for it. Eating out is extremely cheap...even American restaurants (of which there are loads in Cairo) will cost about a third of their US prices. If you REALLY want to save money on transportation, you can take the metro. This is pennies to get around...Personally, the taxi only cost $0.40 US to get from one part of little suburb to another. A 'big' trip, might cost the equivalent $6 USD (this would be a cross-town journey at the foreigner rate).
Possible to teach in a state school? I've never known any foreigner to do so. Egyptian teachers in govt schools earn a pittance... far less than $100 USD/month.
| Quote: |
| What is life in Cairo like? What are some things people do in their spare time when not teaching? I am also interested in doing some volunteering in my free time, are there oppurtunities? |
Cairo is NEVER dull. Never. There are always things for you to see and do, and many of them cost you very little $$. You can watch the Sufi dancers (whirling dervishes) at the Citadel for $1. You can wander Islamic and Coptic Cairo (this can take many trips), you are close enough to the Red Sea to make a day-trip to Ain Sukhna, rent a feluka (sailboat) on the Nile and take your picnic for $5-7, and go shopping downtown...honestly, life in Cairo is so crazy, that it's never boring. You never think "What will I do today?" because every moment you're there, moving around...It's all one big cultural experience. As for volunteering, I think if you talk to some local expat organisations, you'll find that they are affiliated w/ local groups in which you could volunteer. If nothing else, they could direct you.
| Quote: |
| This may sound like a dumb question, but is it possible to cross over into the Palestinian territories? There is a group there I would like to volunteer with over the summers and am seeing some people tomorrow who are connected to them (http://www.holyland-lutherans.org/). |
Though I'm not positive, I would say 'no'. Not right now. The border is very far from Cairo, and I know that in the past year, Egypt has closed the border because of issues w/ gun running.
If you have more questions, please feel free to send me a private message. I can let you know if what they're offering is a reasonable package. |
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TG12345
Joined: 09 Mar 2007
Posts: 41
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| Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 1:55 am Post subject: |
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| stoth1972 wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Does anyone have any experience working in an international school? Is it a decent job?- fair pay, good working conditions, etc. |
If you can get the info on pay and such, I can give you feedback based on what's normal for Cairo. Not sure about this place in particular.
| Quote: |
I have worked in international schools in Cairo, but I believe this one is relatively new. Chances are, if this schools expects you to have a teaching qualification, it's probably a decent place to work. It's the international schools that take people w/ no qualification and no experience that might by a bit questionable. It doesn't mean bad, but just less desireable of a contract that the big name schools (Cairo American College, British International School of Cairo, Modern English, etc.)
How much does it cost to live in Egypt? Is it possible to get hired to teach English in a public school as well? |
This is kinda vague...it really depends on you. Most schools who hire you in your home country are planning to a) fly you over at their expense b) give you furnished accommodation (could be 'shared' if it's one of those schools I mentioned that takes non-qualified teachers/offers lower fees to their students)
That means your expenses will living there are food and taxi. Provided that you don't require luxuries from the homeland (luxuries in Egypt=your favourite Canadian breakfast cereal, macaroni and cheese, oreos, 'foreign products') than you can eat for very little. Your fruit and veg for a week would likely cost no more than a couple US dollars. Pantry items like tomato sauce, pasta, rice, etc. are extremely cheap. If you need to have your pre-made "Prego" or "Ragu", you'll pay through the nose for it. Eating out is extremely cheap...even American restaurants (of which there are loads in Cairo) will cost about a third of their US prices. If you REALLY want to save money on transportation, you can take the metro. This is pennies to get around...Personally, the taxi only cost $0.40 US to get from one part of little suburb to another. A 'big' trip, might cost the equivalent $6 USD (this would be a cross-town journey at the foreigner rate).
Possible to teach in a state school? I've never known any foreigner to do so. Egyptian teachers in govt schools earn a pittance... far less than $100 USD/month.
| Quote: |
| What is life in Cairo like? What are some things people do in their spare time when not teaching? I am also interested in doing some volunteering in my free time, are there oppurtunities? |
Cairo is NEVER dull. Never. There are always things for you to see and do, and many of them cost you very little $$. You can watch the Sufi dancers (whirling dervishes) at the Citadel for $1. You can wander Islamic and Coptic Cairo (this can take many trips), you are close enough to the Red Sea to make a day-trip to Ain Sukhna, rent a feluka (sailboat) on the Nile and take your picnic for $5-7, and go shopping downtown...honestly, life in Cairo is so crazy, that it's never boring. You never think "What will I do today?" because every moment you're there, moving around...It's all one big cultural experience. As for volunteering, I think if you talk to some local expat organisations, you'll find that they are affiliated w/ local groups in which you could volunteer. If nothing else, they could direct you.
| Quote: |
| This may sound like a dumb question, but is it possible to cross over into the Palestinian territories? There is a group there I would like to volunteer with over the summers and am seeing some people tomorrow who are connected to them (http://www.holyland-lutherans.org/). |
Though I'm not positive, I would say 'no'. Not right now. The border is very far from Cairo, and I know that in the past year, Egypt has closed the border because of issues w/ gun running.
If you have more questions, please feel free to send me a private message. I can let you know if what they're offering is a reasonable package. |
Thank you so much for all this information, I look forward to staying in touch with you. I just pm'ed you recently, please check it. Thank you again so much.
Tomasz |
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vashdown2
Joined: 14 Feb 2007
Posts: 124
Location: Paris, France
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| Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 7:13 pm Post subject: |
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Hi,
I am currently working for an NGO in Minia and was recently invited to Palestine to do some consulting for a local NGO in Hebron. Apparently to get there, I would fly from Cairo to Amman, Jordan and then have a car or bus waiting to drive me into Palestine.
You could do the same. |
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TG12345
Joined: 09 Mar 2007
Posts: 41
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| Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 11:26 am Post subject: |
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| vashdown2 wrote: |
Hi,
I am currently working for an NGO in Minia and was recently invited to Palestine to do some consulting for a local NGO in Hebron. Apparently to get there, I would fly from Cairo to Amman, Jordan and then have a car or bus waiting to drive me into Palestine.
You could do the same. |
Thank you, vashdown2. I was wondering as well about Rafah crossing, isn't there a border between Egypt and Gaza? How much would it cost to get in via Jordan? Thank you.
Tomasz |
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