Job Discussion Forums

[Selyer]

Hi. Me again hoping to pick the brains (again!) of those of you in Egypt. Just when I thought I'd narrowed down my future to either returning to the US and going back to school or heading for a Spanish speaking country somewhere, I've got a job offer from ILI Heliopolis. What I need from you experts is your sound advice on cost of living (rent, utilities, internet connection, mobile phones, etc.) and actually living in Cairo itself as a single American female, as well as any input you care to give about the proffered job.

In brief, I've been offered a 12 month contract (Aug/Sept 05 - Sept 06), 20-25 hours per week, mainly adults in winter, YL in summer. Gross salary of 3500-4500EGP. Contract includes some flight reimbursement, housing assistance, holiday package, and paid weekly development sessions. Also the school provides beginner Arabic lessons and orientation to living in Cairo (which I'm thinking would definitely be valuable!).

Thanks, in advance, for your advice!

As an added note, I'd rather not share a flat. Is a single flat going to be doable on this salary? Also, how about safety? Seems all anybody is doing nowadays is handing me news articles about suicide bombers, etc. What's it really like?

[veiledsentiments]

Selyer,

Let me start out with the safety issue. Over the last 20 years, I spent a few years living there and other years visiting. There are hundreds of single Western women living there of all age groups. And I expect that you would be hard pressed to find many of them that are all that worried about safety. Mainly because attacks are aimed at tourists, and if you are living and working there, you usually avoid the tourist haunts. Is there anywhere in the world that is completely safe anymore? Heliopolis is a nice area and practically tourist free. The advice that I give people visiting Cairo as a tourist is to stay off tour buses and away from groups if you are worried at all.

According to my Yahoo currency calculator, 4500 EP is only US$ 777 a month. Does that sound like enough money to you? I know that all is relative, but I haven't earned a salary that small since about 1978. BUT, if you have limited credentials and are just starting out in this field, this may sound fine. You didn't specifiy what their 'housing assistance' consists of... any extra money here? or do they just help you find a room mate? or help you to find a furnished flat? You could live on this amount of money, but not luxuriously. I'm not sure how paying your own rent + cell phone + internet would fit into this budget. Many flats have shared telephones and you are not able to use them for internet. My last flat had this and it was in the posh area of Zamalek and cost 2000 EP a month... (with AC, washing machine, and view of the Nile...)

Hopefully Sekhmet will come on and let you know what she thinks about it. She is in Alex, which is cheaper. But, she may be traveling right now. Maybe we have another current Cairo resident lurking around who can tell you how far that amount of money will go these days.

It would be a fascinating experience, so as long as you don't plan to save, it might be a fun way to spend a couple of years. For language schools, ILI has a pretty good reputation, so you would have no employer horror stories to tell later.

VS

[Selyer]

Thanks for your thoughts VS. You're right about the money. It doesn't seem like much. It's a tiny bit more than what I'm making in Poland and I've got a really good standard of living here. And while I'm able to save money to travel in and around Poland, it amounts to very little savings in terms of value outside of Poland (Germany, UK, USA, etc.). I'm thinking it would be a similar situation in Egypt, but perhaps not quite as nice a standard of living and perhaps not quite as much in terms of "local" savings. (I've got this idea that bills, internet, etc. might cost more in Egypt than Poland?!) The housing assistance, by the way, is help finding a furnished, shared flat not any extra money.

This job offer sort of fell into my lap so I thought I should give it due consideration. As you've pointed out to me in previous posts, with my credentials I really should be looking at AUC or for uni work or something if I'm going to go to Egypt, instead of puttering around with language schools. But I was considering it more for the cultural experience than the money. ILI seems like a good gig for a language school (as concerns the school's reputation as opposed to its pay package). However, after two wonderful years in Poland it has occurred to me that it might be more prudent to find a job that allows me to replenish my savings cushion again. For some reason that thought reminds me of another expense I would (should?!) have in Egypt that I don't have here in Poland--health insurance!

Thanks again for your input. It truly is much appreciated.

[QatarChic]

Heliopolis is quite cheap- but I found Nasr City very cheap as well- depending on where you live- of course a taxi ride to and from work would be around 5 LE. Why not supplement your work at the British Council??? They pay a lot more than the ILI (If I rememeber the pay is around 50 LE or more an hour) and are also very reputable.

Cairo is a BRILLIANT place to live and the cost of living is very cheap say a felafel sandwich would cost you around .5 LE, a kushari 1LE- think also of the weekends you could have there- diving in dahab in the red sea (sharm el sheikh), spending the winter in Aswan, day trips to Alex, camping in Sinai- you could even do trips to Jordan as its close by as well. In terms of money, there are always people asking for private lessons......once you get accustomed to life there, you will never be bored. Cairo is a city which NEVER sleeps, there's so much happening, you would never get bored! I would definitely think about the opportunity of living/working there- it would be an experience you would never forget....

[dmb]

[veiledsentiments]

dmb... you trying to make me spit my tea on the keyboard???

Selyer... you will forgive me for not remembering your credentials, won't you? Do you have your MA yet? Private lessons will add significantly to your income possibilities. I don't know about doing some BC classes - it is a long trip from Heliopolis to Agouza - or do they have more than one location now?

I would have no idea about comparing prices in Poland vs Egypt. Luxuries and imported items can be pricey in Cairo, but you can live cheaply on the local economy. And, there is much to see and you can afford to see most all of it. (ie, you could afford to see Tut's tomb, but probably not Nefertari's which now costs US$ 250 to view...)

VS

[dmb]

Apologies to your keyboard VS. I have never lived in Cairo, only visited. But I do prefer Doha to Cairo.

[Stephen Jones]

The salary is really poor. The Egyptian pound has halved in value, yet the salary is lower than was commonly offered in the mid-nineties.

Money greatly improves one's appreciation of Cairo.

[QatarChic]

dmb- was that a sarcy comment or a real one??

VS Yes the BC has a branch in Heliopolis- just off hijaz street- its a converted villa- not as big as the one in Agouza- but still very much there and popular with residents from Nasr city and Heliopolis

[dmb]

That was an honest comment Qatarchic. I really didn't like Cairo. It was too big, horrible and ugly- and I live/love Istanbul. Doha is much more pleasant

[Selyer]

VS...of course you're forgiven! It's been a year or so since the issue last came up, after all! I just couldn't be bothered to type out all the info again at the time of my last post. I've got an MA in Bilingual/Multicultural education, CELTA B pass and am in the midst of my 12th year of teaching.

QatarChic...does BC hire Americans? I've heard conflicting answers to this question and must admit that some of my English colleagues are agahst at the thought of BC being "tainted" by an American!

Out of curiousity, what's the going hourly rate? QatarChic has mentioned BC possibly paying 50LE/hour. I have a former colleague who is in Cairo now who was apparently offered work at AUC for 35LE/hour. Seems like a rather big jump?

[veiledsentiments]

Selyer,

With my memory, I can barely remember my own credentials. The AUC hourly rate is probably their adult ed department which pays VERY low... which is why most of their teachers are Egyptian.

As to DMB not liking Cairo, it is one of those places that people either love or hate. There seems to be on in-between. Personally I loved it. I only regret that the pollution has become so bad that I really can't take it any more. It needs a younger immune system, I think.

VS

[QatarChic]

Selyer- yes they do but more on an hourly rate not a network position (ie a contract where you are recruited from London, flights included, baggage allowance etc etc) However, other BC Centres around the Globe do not have restrictions. Its true that the majority only employ Brits- but quite a few employ other nationalities. Yes 50LE is a lot its 60LE if you have the DELTA.

[dmb]

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