Hello to all expats !!

Hello Joe....ya hala

Really quite a big change from Paris to Tarablus lol.

How did you find the country? Did you like it? Please share your experience. Probably coming soon too to Tripoli inshaAllah.
Where did you study Arabic?

Hello Cosmo,
Big change indeed !! Why narrow our minds ;-)

Well, actually the 1st contact with Tripoli was quite positive !
Since my expectations were close to zero, I was nicely surprised ;-)

I was offered good job opportunity, that was my main motivation to come to Libya. So I'm working too much (not having anything else to do...) but my overall impression stays positive.

Housing is affordable: You can find big nice villas for the same price of a 70sqm appartment in Paris !

Prices are close to Europe as for restaurants and other goods. Fruits, veggies and meat are quite cheap. Missing some Margherita though to complete a real nice BBQ !

Driving is quite scary at first... Every driver seems to have a scratch time to beat ! But I got used to it... I've learened to drive in Lebanon, so road jungle is not new to me ;-)

You can find some nicely decorated restorants & cafés, but I really miss pubs & bars where people mingle...

Tourism & sight seeing is quite interesting ! Tripoli, Sebratha, Leptis, Ghadames, trips to the desert, firecamps on wild beaches....

Looking forward to get to know some expats, as life here is narrowed to your groups of contacts, even though you can meet very nice people on the street.

BTW, I have lebanese origins, which probably explains why I was not completely "lost in translation" ;-)

If you need any more specific info, just ask.

Cheers
Joe

Welcome Joe...it must make things easier having a handle on the lingo

Hello frenz

My name is yasir and l am a Graphic web designer looking for job in Libya. Can someone tell me whtas the percentage like to get a job here now as many part of the world is affected by recession. looking forward to work and live in Libya.

Regards

Sandman6 wrote:

Welcome Joe...it must make things easier having a handle on the lingo

Hello Sandman6.
It sure does... Therefore if I can be of any help, don't hesitate.

qaliz wrote:

Hello frenz
My name is yasir and l am a Graphic web designer looking for job in Libya. Can someone tell me whtas the percentage like to get a job here now as many part of the world is affected by recession. looking forward to work and live in Libya.
Regards

What makes you think that Libya is unaffected by the GLOBAL economic downturn?

Well done Joe! I prepare myself the same way... expecting zero to be surprised lol. I suppose all the Arabic countries nearly have the same feature....or close to each other.  Though, as I hear, Libya is going to be the second UAE soon....it has good opportunity for that.

Thank you for your info and experience, it is quite encouraging actually lol.

Looking forward to visit the country!

P.S.By the way..how is the situation with good GYM clubs ( Europe style clubs), swimming pools (though there's Mid.Sea). Are thEy available.

Thank you!

to Cosmopolitan

Good, hope to see you soon in Libya then...

Regarding Gym, yes there are many GYM clubs here that fit european standards as for equipments quality, cleaness, services like sauna & massages.

Al Sultan Gym is very good, with several branches all over tripoli. Fees are about 50 dinars for 3days/week access.
There is also a very nice gym at the Corinthia hotel, but I didn't check it personnaly.

Cheers

Thanks a lot Joe!!!

I'll be in touch!

All the best!

re gyms and beer

ay are very good quality.  From my experience in Gaza and Jordan, I imagine these are for men only.  Am I correct?  If so, are there gyms for women and how do they compare?  Given my experience before I was planning on bringing a cross trainer/eliptical machine with me (the kind that does not require electricity.

Joe, you mentioned sipping a Becks.  Am I correct that you reference the non-alcoholic form or do you have a supply line I need to tell my husband about?

True that the ambiance in those gyms is quite manly !
I'm not sure about the Corinthia gym though, I strongly think it is mixed.

As for the Beck's I was unfortunately mentionnig the "light" version. However underground supplies are existing for any other kind of alcoholic beverages.

Hello Joe and hello to all expats in Libya,

I would like to welcome you in my country and I hope you enjoy your stay in Libya. I noticed that all of you didn't express interest in meeting libyan people. Is that because you are not interested or you think libyan people are not so friendly?  Anyway, I'm an open minded Libyan girl and I would love to meet people from different back ground to exchange thought and ideas.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Regards,
Nanny

Hi Nanny, welcome on Expat.com,

Nanny Mohamed wrote:

I noticed that all of you didn't express interest in meeting libyan people.

There is only a few messages in this discussion ... maybe you should start another discussion and present yourself?

Nanny Mohamed wrote:

Is that because you are not interested or you think libyan people are not so friendly?

Nobody said something like that ... I don't understand how you came to this conclusion ?

Hello Nanny, ya hala,

Thank you for your post and warm welcoming! Surely I'm interesting in Libyan people, so other members do. From what I heared till now, Libyan people are so kind and welcoming!
As i guess, in this room people are trying to collect more information about the country from the eyes of foregners, though not all of us with the same opinion and attitude.
I strongly beileve you have a nice country and warm people and looking forward to visit it soon!

All the best!

Thank you for your quick response. Actually I came up with this conclusion from my experience as an Arabic lady lives  in an Arabic society who travelled to many countries. I noticed that foreign people don't usually mix with the local people. I really don't know whose mistake is. Also, noticed that Arab or Libyan people who live in Europe and America don't mix with the citizens. Can you help me and give me an answer for that.

ı am so sad to hear that from you nobody said that,you wellcome too I have many friends even a short time passed since been here.And we have a very good comunicate in beetween.
regards
winafrica

Nanny Mohamed wrote:

Hello Joe and hello to all expats in Libya,

I would like to welcome you in my country and I hope you enjoy your stay in Libya. I noticed that all of you didn't express interest in meeting libyan people. Is that because you are not interested or you think libyan people are not so friendly?  Anyway, I'm an open minded Libyan girl and I would love to meet people from different back ground to exchange thought and ideas.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Regards,
Nanny

In the short time we've been in Libya, we've had mixed experiences with the local people, good and not so good.

In the area where we live, the reaction has been positive and we've been made to feel very welcome by out Libyan neighbours. My wife was invited around to our neighbour's house, offered coffee and sweets and left with a litre of fresh milk (for our young daughter), which was straight from the cow. All this from people who don't speak a word of English and my wife who doesn't speak Arabic. I've also had positive interactions with both young and older generation Libyans, who seem to enjoy practising their English!

On the other hand, my wife (who happens to be vaguely attractive) seems to attract the wrong kind of attention from young males in the age group 18-30, who take great delight in shouting various "comments", even when we are both together. My wife does not cover her head (she is not a moslem, so why should she?) but does not dress provocatively when in public. I'm guessing that this is all just male bravado based upon the fact that there is no emancipation of the female sex in Libya? It's rather annoying, but nothing more.

Nanny Mohamed wrote:

Thank you for your quick response. Actually I came up with this conclusion from my experience as an Arabic lady lives  in an Arabic society who travelled to many countries. I noticed that foreign people don't usually mix with the local people. I really don't know whose mistake is. Also, noticed that Arab or Libyan people who live in Europe and America don't mix with the citizens. Can you help me and give me an answer for that.

Well Nanny,

Speaking for myself, I am happy to be in Libya, even though all my contacts with Libyan people were not always positive.

I am sorry that you have had this bad impression, but on an Expat.com you shall find expat people sharing information and helping each other out !

This does not mean we are closed to the foreign community.
It is a matter of affinities...

Ciao

Regarding Mr. Sandman6 comment about libyan men shouting at his wife because she attractive and doesn't cover her hair, I would like to let you know that libyan men love to hit on women in the streets and they don't care if she's pretty or not or covering her hair or not. As long as she is a woman..this is the only thing they care about. Don't think that because they don't mix with females..this is not true..because all of these men have libyan girl friends, but still can't help hitting on women in the street. We say that our men take this hapit from the Italian men who occupied our country for a long time.

Send my regards to your wife and tell her not to worry about that, it effects all libyan women. By the way, I'm libyan and Idon't cover my hair.

"libyan men love to hit on women in the streets and they don't care if she's pretty or not or covering her hair or not."

I've lived in other countries and parts of the US where this behaviour of men was the norm.  It's not fun.  It can be oppressive at times, especially on those inevitable hard days when everything seems to go wrong.  But eventually I learned to ignore it most of the time. Afterall, it's a great adventure (and a privilege) to live as an expat.

Hello there,

I am an expat. in Libya for ten days now. I've been here twice for short term visits. This time, I am here for quite sometime. I've been trying to search for a decent gym, other than Corinthia, but couldn't find any. Sultan are very hostile to females, and mostly men even during the mixed hours. I thought to go jogging along the Cornish/ sea side... but alot of people advised me not to unless i have a "MAN"with me, otherwise, i would be harrassed by almost every single man in the street.

So guys, if you know of a good decent, clean and professional gym for ladies only or mixed, kindly let me know of it.. and also if you know of a café that makes a good coffee???

Hi Karen,

Well there is a nice café in the "Souk al Talata" mall, on the big smelly roundabout, it's called Caracalla Café. It has nice cofees and pastries, and a very nice seaview.

I am happy to announce that the Mediterranean School of Business in collaboration with with the BT Server Training Center is launching an executive seminar series starting June 15th in Tripoli Libya. If you are interested in upgrading your management skills register today by following this link

http://www.msb-online.org/home/index.ph … Itemid=140

or contact Ghalia Gargani, Director of Development at [email protected]

Expat Joe wrote:

Hi Karen,

Well there is a nice café in the "Souk al Talata" mall, on the big smelly roundabout, it's called Caracalla Café. It has nice cofees and pastries, and a very nice seaview.

Also a CaraCalla coffee shop on Gargaresh Road, about 1km up from the smelly roundabout on the left side, right opposite the now demolished mental hospital.

Thank you Joe and Sandman for the suggestion... I tried that one at el Talat mall.. it isnt too bad. I discovered a good gym in Mokhtar St.... it is decent and big

hello there any Libyan from the state in here

Coffee at Karakala is quite OK, but if I must drink it alone, it's sad .... so the point is to socialize and meet new people. So, anyone available to seat and talk by coffee at Karakala ?

I forgot some important thing:  Nobody avoids Libyan friends, I want to believe all of us are non xenophobic ... I have noticed many libyan ladies are quite good looking, but to be seen with foreigner male is a PROBLEM for them, even if they get liberal views .....

How about a bottle of Marco's flash and a dodgy kebab from the place by the Arches?

Hi Nany

Regarding above subject kindly be informed that bad and good people everywhere and it is not depend on your roots but it is depend on education and gow up so it not fault of all people like libyain i treat with many  libyai bastarded and i treat also with many gentlemen and smart libyain so everyone is embassdor to his or her country so Nanny don't be upset regarding above subject and it is your role as embassdorfor his country and frnackly i have bad experience about libyain but when i fly there i find differnet and i find same that i know so be flexabile for discussion i Egyptian & muslim and and i suffer here coz of many bad behave and i see many good manners and your fingers not the same so take it easy and god bless u and god bless your country.

regards

I'm suddenly filled with the urge to over-punctuate...

Just replying to the gym question re the Corinthian. Yes its mixed, mostly foreigners from what I have seen(the ones who have a membership). One room has universal machines and a few free wieghts, one room is cardio with the usual machines, 2 pools , one indoor and one out. Not bad for a hotel - I have seen worse.

hi all, i m relocating to Tripoli end of March. Looking for a 1 bedroom furnished flat in the city for long term. Can i get a decent flat in the accessible location at budget LYD800/mth? Please advise. Appreciate your help.

Welcome for the new members,as far as i read everybody wants to meet or try to socialize,it is really hard to make friends here becouse there is not enough places for that like local pubs or community centers or libary etc.. also it is about the culture please dont get me wrong but Libyan culture is not so extroverted since i compare with Turkish,North American and European cultures and i dont want to tell it should be like others every country have their unique culture and it makes them as they are. We are all openminded becouse we are sahering our opinions and ideas and we can discuss it on this form.

very educational blog.
cheers.

This is good blog and thanks to Nany who hilighted what I always wanted to say.. thanks Nany

Nanny...Thanks for bringing up such a subject.

Truly getting to know and meet friends from this site would be such fun. It is very rare to meet open minded person; expats and locals as well. I hope some day we could get together and have a little chat over a cup of coffee or a roll of nice Shawarma. What do you think?