Top 5 tips to live in Egypt

My best advice: learn arabic. This will help you in EVERYTHING!

I  strongly agree to you Caty....

B4 giving you the 5 tips,I would like to ask you if you intend to move to Egypt.I have no clue why you look for such as this info.Coz if is that the case,then I can write a life long essay about it.

Hello meme1 > we launched this topic just to have some tips for future expat who want to live in Egypt. Please do not hesitate to share your experience on the subject > Your top 5

I thank everyone for their contribution on this thread.

If tht's the case then i enumerate the following:
1.as a beginner if you decide to move on exploring the city alone,then be ready to deal with scams everywhere.GPS is not helpful all the time.
2.don tip if you don feel to do it,if you accept to do it then you will be asked for more. About me,i never tip anyone except when it was the case,but just coz my intention and not to be asked.
3.clothing: millions of do's and dont's,sink in google and u get a better opinion.
4.crossing a street is an art,as well as in many domain of living,it's a concept in Egypt.no rules,no rules,no rules.never run across the street under any circumstances.
5.harrasement: it's high in Egypt,never reply to any barking dogs,nor place an eye contact.

Never argue with drivers, especially those who drive taxis, microbuses, and mini pickups. You can find yourself in a very deep rooted problem and can sometimes turn violent! Road rage will not get you anywhere. My best advice is to ignore it.

If you're renovating your home or any other home service, please do not pay in full amount. Always leave a little deposit because if you pay for a service that is not complete, you will get scammed. There are some serious scam artists here. I have to re-do everything for a third time and its very sad because it is literally your blood, sweat, and tears that you put into renovations. This is a reminder to pay for your services after you are completely satisfied with your end result. I wish someone have told me this sooner. I spent over 5 digits renovating a brand new home, TWICE, and i still have to knock everything down and re-renovate for a third time.

Don't bother upsetting yourself when people try to give you false appointments or promises, especially with delivery! I have been waiting for 1 month to have someone come in and change my gas for my kitchen stove. Each time I call and complain, they give me a 48 hour deadline for delivery. I had to resort to one of those electrical plug-in counter stoves and I hate cooking with electricity. The food is not as tasty and it takes much longer to cook! This issue is also true for everything else like waiting for a delivery of some sort. Also, If you have warranty on a product or service, don't expect immediate results after things go down for you. Anything that sounds "free" or replaceable, will also take you another few months!

I was always never too fond of the idea of excessive calling/messages! I think this is stalker behaviour. Expect this from anyone and everyone. Usually, when someone calls, we see the missed call. Here, they will call you until you get annoyed and answer. It is the norm here. I am still bothered by it because I find such a habit compulsive and rude and very low class. Especially for businesses, I think its very unprofessional and desperate!

People here are very nosey. They will bud in, they will always offer their input, and they expect you to take their advice even if you don't agree. Don't even bother trying to explain your point of view on anything, its like talking to a wall. People here think differently and their brain only comprehends what they want to understand. At first i found this very annoying and thought people live behind a rock but eventually, I accepted the fact that you can't expect everyone to level up with you. Their brain mechanism just won't allow it so i no longer blame them.

My best advice is to try to keep to yourself as much as possible. Also, learn where to put boundaries.

am glade u admited they re animals

No, they are not animals. You are misinterpreting the point i was trying to make. Simply put, and i am sure this goes for everywhere else in the world... you cannot expect everyone to think and behave the same way as you do. Especially, if you have had a different upbringing. What they deem normal we may see it as the opposite and vice versa. Its just frustrating at first and then you get used to it. This is simply a tip for expats not to get all worked up.

P.S...my examples don't pinpoint the general population.

Hello anne 4,

Thank you be careful not using offensive languages and pay attention not to go 

This page is on "Top 5 tips to live in Egypt".

Thank you to stay in the subject,

Marjorie

Here are my top 5 tips for living in Hurghada, Egypt

1. Dress conservatively and do not speak to people in the street you do not know... this will earn you respect.

2. Always get a price for a taxi and make sure you have the exact money - you can ask other people on Hurghada Facebook forums for the appropriate fares ( pages like Hurghada Residents)

3. Be super careful when buying Real Estate. Do lots of research and and make sure that the lawyer you use has been recommended to you by another expat... an Expat that you know very well. There have been cases of Europeans scamming other Europeans here in Egypt. Also the lawyers recommended by Embassies cannot always be trusted - beware!

4. Learn about the culture and embrace the differences between European culture and Egyptian culture. A lot of it is hard to understand from our point of view, but if you speak to Egyptians and they explain the cultural differences it makes more sense.

5. Become part of the Egyptian community. You will be welcomed and it is nice to learn from each other's cultures. I am very good friends with a young Egyptian woman and she is learning how to care for her new baby from me and I am learning about Islam and Egyptian culture from her - we just love each other and it is making my time here very special.

1) Make sure you always carry small bills and coins, no one has change EVER.
2) When in a taxi, don't get in unless they turn on the meter. They may charge you a crazy amount if they know you're foreign.
3) Be careful when using your phone in crowded areas, there are a few bad apples. Had a few close calls with ssnatch-and-grabs.
4) Don't trust Google maps, phone numbers are wrong/missing, no street view or traffic and business' don't appear where they should be. Just ask around (a few times)
5) Everything is fairly cheap but NOTHING is free. If a taxi, tour guide,  souvenir stand, etc. tell you not to worry about the price or its free, walk the other way.

When planning to move to Egypt, I recommend the following. The country and people are nice but you, upon arrival, will face the administrative hassles, procedures and slowliness that are just normal in the country.

1. Try to inform yourself using Internet and forum. Ask questions and try to make friends from abroad. If they are kind enough, they may be of great help.
2. Is you are lucky enough to have a well organized and proactive embassy, use it. Not all foreign countries have such helpful representation, but if yours is like mine, it is worth paying a visit as it will save you time and money.
3. Get along with other expats. No one can help you better than someone who had to face the same problems as yours.
4. Join an expat association, a private expat club or other groups of such kind. There are plenty. It's mostly free, nice mood and rich of hints and bits. Making friends help you feel better and supported, but keep in mind friends are not there to do things in you place but to support you ... and share time.
5. You can get pretty much anything in Egypt from locals for a tip. It's money for sure but not a lot. Paying 20 Euros to get something while avoiding to waste hours in waiting lines is, believe me, truly worth the spending.

Enjoy you stay.

1 I'd say work on being assertive.  Pushovers are walkover.  Fight, argue and complain to not be treated like a dumb expat. most folk crap themselves when people argue back, especially the men as many women here are not assertive.  Be strong, be wise. 

2 Don't fall for bs, you're not the queen on Egypt and he's known you 36 hours, he doesn't love you. Remember, we are walking wallets.

3 remember, if something.looks to good to be true, it is

4 when taking work, haggle, argue and raise your monetary worth, if you don't you will find yourself on a low salary and it's your own fault.

5 have a plan b.  Have money put aside for emergencies, know where your passport is and never.... never.... do anything you would not do in your own country.  You are a guest here, it is a privilege,  not a right.

peanuts, I love this........good, clear and sound advice. Thank you