Possible move to Cairo.

Hello Libby1.

Welcome to Expat.com!

Hope other members will be able to inform you.

Aurélie

hi, it is safer here than in the states by FAR :-D I lived in maadi, its great. common sense is all you need.

Libby1 wrote:

Hello, my husband is considering a job change that would mean moving to Cairo Egypt from the USA. We are in our 50's, our children are college age and would not be accompanying us (other than for extended visits.) I have been doing research and I must say the recent election, as well as the increase in crime has me very concerned. My question is this, is it safe (we would be required to live in the Maadi area) to move there now? I think I could handle the culture shock and am up for an adventure, but safety is something that is essential. Thank you.

Thank you, I wonder, what is your opinion on the election run off? The news we get here is that more unrest and violence is probable, and that anti Americanism will rise.. I love travel, and think it could be a wonderful experience, but I also want to make a good choice and not go at the wrong time. Yes, there are many areas in the USA, where common sense is essential too!

DON'T!!!

If I knew what I know now before I came to Cairo 1 year ago I would not have come. I am also in my 50's....and leaving Cairo very soon.....

The best place in Cairo is the departure lounge at the airport!

Yikes! TSL, care to elaborate please?! Would love to hear your thoughts, and what specifically you dislike(or like...if there is anything.) Thanks!

Libby1 wrote:

Hello, my husband is considering a job change that would mean moving to Cairo Egypt from the USA. We are in our 50's, our children are college age and would not be accompanying us (other than for extended visits.) I have been doing research and I must say the recent election, as well as the increase in crime has me very concerned. My question is this, is it safe (we would be required to live in the Maadi area) to move there now? I think I could handle the culture shock and am up for an adventure, but safety is something that is essential. Thank you.

Actually there are many different nationalities in Maadi. so you will enjoy living there.
and you are welcome to Egypt of course, the election will be over within 30 June, so hope every thing will be fine within this date.
there are many places to visit in Cairo and in different cities.
hope you enjoy your stay in Egypt, and if you need any more information, you can check this website as it will help you a lot to hear from the expats in Egypt.

Libby1

I have sent a private message with my thoughts as I didn't want to risk having the thread closed down with my comments on the forum.

id like to see whose hitting on mean 50 year olds lol

It doesn't matter what age you are.

no but attitude and perspective does matter.

I personally dislike Maadi.  I worked for a large organisation last year and was also required to live there.

Working for such a big company, I knew 100 ex-pats, who connected us with many more.  Many, many of the people I know have been mugged or sexually assaulted in Maadi.  Crime there is usually very petty, but disturbing just the same. 

Cairo is safer than most big cities, but you don't want to come here thinking that it is all rosy and nice.  During the revolution, it felt very uneasy and I got out as quickly as I could.

I no longer live in Maadi, but I do love Egypt and will stay here for a bit longer.

Zamalek seems to be safer.

Were the "muggings and sexual assaults" violent in nature? I have heard and read about purse snatching, pick pockets, and sexual harassment in the form of cat calls or vulgar comments, which are bad enough, but actual muggings, assaults are quite scary to me, especially if the police are unwilling or unable to enforce the law.

I definitely don't expect rosy and perfect, and I live in an area in Michigan that has very bad crime IF you go into the wrong areas, but I also don't want to move to an area that I always feel uneasy. The political unrest is scary enough, without worrying about personal crime as well. What areas are considered safest?

Rehab City

I had my shirt ripped open and my chest scratched.  My friend had her bag snatched by some guys in a car...while it was still over both her shoulders.  She had stiches in her head.  My male friend had his iphone stolen and he was beaten up.  There are more...you want to hear them?

Although I still feel safe in Cairo and I don't want to be too negative, these things did happen.  I am always wearing my most conservative clothes when I am harassed.

What a shame that this stuff goes on. I guess it is everywhere. I spent some time in Italy last summer, and was constantly warned about purse snatchers, pick pockets,and car break ins, all targeting tourists. We were careful and had no incidents, but heard about many. Where there is poverty there is crime.

I consider myself to be very careful, but these things sometimes come out of the blue.  I do like Egypt a lot and I recommend that people come and see it for themselves.  I just feel that it is wrong to let people think that Maadi is this super safe utopia for ex-pats.  I don't think its fair not to be honest.

If you are prepared and you plan around being in a less safe environment than usual, you can get by perfectly well and enjoy your life.  Like you say, our own lands are far more dangerous in parts.

The worst criminals in Egypt are not the poor...

Hello all
this is quite refreshing - an Expat.com with expats who actually seem to speak some sense!!!
No seeing Egypt only through rose coloured spectacles / No Cairo is the safest place on Earth / No Maadi is the oNLY place for an Expat to live in Cairo!!!
What rubbish!
I wouldn't want to live in Maadi if you paid me - overcrowded, the last time I was there filthy, shops that charge what they like because expats are stupid; narrow horrible little streets, and from what I can see apart form a few places the accomadation isn't so good.

The only thing that Maadi has going for it in my opion is that because it is viewed as being this area where all the expats live - some nice shops / restaurants are located there. 
But these can ge got to by driving in your car!! (or even by taxi). (white Taxi or else you will get screwed there catching that as well).

I am a mamber of another expat site and all you get is that Egypt is the safest place on Earth! No harrssment!! No crime!! Safer than anywhere.
WHich over the last year or so is blatently untrue.
Carjackings everywhere - day and night. Theft is increasing. SO are pickpockets, etc. 
And to be honest as a woman (and i have lived on and off in the middle east for years) I can honestly say that I have never been anywhere where the harrassment of women is so entrenched in the culture, so blatent and so vulgar!  The gestures and verbal harrassment do get me down alot (and I dress OK ) and can you believe it happens to my 10 year old daughter as well which is more than a little bit sick.
DOn't get me wrong everywhere has good and bad areas / good and bad points.
SOme days I like living in Cairo - some days I will be honest I hate it!
I am a walking purse ready to be screwed and taken advantage of at every opportunity; and ready and willing to be abused and harrassed at every opportunity!!
Wow - if felt good to get that off my chest - I answer questions on other websites in such a roundabout way it is very stressful!
Becuase I also think that to give this rosy rosy, hunky dory picture of this country / city - where everyone is fab to foriegners is wrong.
ANd why am I still here - that's easy my other half is Egyptian so we are here for a couple of years building up his business.
And Yes he agrees with everything I say - even though he wishes he didn't have to!

Thank you Biffy,

What other sites do you go on if you don't mind me asking. I might need to read some of the positive posts about Cairo too! I am getting depressed reading all the negative...lol. What part of Cairo do you live in? What do you think is the best/safest/cleanest area to live in....or are they all bad?

The harassment sounds horrible....as a married middle aged woman in the US, I am basically ignored by men. It would be quite unsettling to have so much negative attention. Maybe a very loud whistle blown in their ears might deter it? ha.

Does anyone know of a website with actual crime statistics for Cairo?

Hello Libby1
Come to Cairo, it's not quite as bad as it might sound, or maybe it will be for you? it really depends on what you expect
Has lived in Egypt since the 26th March - we chose New Cairo - something called Hay el Diplomasieen - Small compound that is not finished but it is clean and peaceful and no pollution, and safe.
But IŽm in Maadi or Nasr City very often - I have not had any bad experiences yet

Hi
not everything is negative - but some of the negatives like the harrassment do hav an impact on what you do.
There are parts of Cairo I hate to go out in / wander down the street because of this.
And I am sorry - the harrassment if you are a woman - if you walk / go around Cairo is as bad as it sounds, and many people have had worse experiences than me.

I live in 6th October - due to where I work (my Husband can work wherever he has his laptop and phone!!
It is a little quieter, but if you need the hustle and bustle it isn't so far away - and to be honest thay have most things here now - and new places are opening every day.

But there are many nice places to live around Cairo in the new settlements.  Alot of people do seem to like Maadi - but I also know people who live there for one reason or another - but don't really like it so much!
It depends on your preferences.

There are many different kinds of expats here as there are eveywhere:
there are those who live in an expat bubble - never to meer anyhone local / go to any more local places / shop in the souk!!!
Not prepared to experience any of EGypt - just live as much like they would in there own countries as possible - and the only criteria you have to have to be their friend is earn the same money / live in the same place / drive the same kind of car/ etc. / etc.

Then there are people like myself who hate the mentality of living in a foriegn country and never venturing further than the shooping mall / italian restaurant (for example) - I like to trya dne xperince the local flavour of the country.
But the EGyptians do make it hard work - by the way they treat eveey foriegner as a walking wallet and try and screw you on the price of everything; the way that they do harrass you.

Thanks for all the posts and info. Still don't know if we are coming, but personally I want to wait to see how the upcoming election effects life there. I wish you all the best...stay safe!

There is no such thing as statistics in Egypt!  They just don't do them!

I have friends who are attempting big research projects and they can't get real statistics on anything.  That sort of logic doesn't work here, so no -one will ever really know. 

They say it's comparatively low in general and I think that's true.  However, I have in the past tried to have people charged (for taking cash out of my bag and for dealing drugs on my street every weekend) and the police simply refuse.  They like to pretend that they care about the criminal's future and that you should have compassion, but what they really care about is not having to do the paper work.

No. You won't find statistics. 

You will find lovely, sun ripened, fresh fruit and vegetables cheaper than home, good weather, interesting sights, great places to travel and lots of cats. 

I believe that people respond to their environment and historical influences.  Here you have a lot of very negative concepts to think about, but people are still not as 'bad' as you would expect under these extreme circumstances.  There is compassion, despite everything.  It is very, very peaceful.  If you think about it, they have the right to be enraged to the point of violence, but I rarely see a real fight anywhere-not like 2am on a Saturday in Glasgow where the street are full of black Marias anyway.

Flipping heck - what not see a fight here in Cairo - they will fight about everything -and they do!!
As for not being as bad as Glasgow on a Saturday night - it is worse sometimes and to be honest they will fight about anything - and all this with no 'drink' inside of them!!
Also right now you have to take care becuase whilst one EGyptian just wants a fisticuffs fight - you never know what is lurking underneath peoples dashboards in peoples pockets right now!!

I have commented to my Husband on many occasions since coming to live here (rather than just visiting ) that EGyptians can't stop fighting!!
And as for the black marias - well they just don't have them like that - also over the last 15 motnsh the police haven't been out controlling ANYTHING never mind a good fight.
We have decided that it is i the blood - they are a hot people with volatile emotions and fighting ust seems to be ingrained!!

My husband got set upon by a microbus driver who had hit our car - and when my Husband got out to look at the dameg the guy just started to shoud and hit him!!!

So I don't know where you drive in Cairo - but fighting goes with the temper!!!

Hi, thanks for the additional comments.

Is it real fighting (physical) or arguments (verbal)? Also, I am curious... what are black marias? I don't think we have them in the USA. We do have plenty of "thugs" who carry guns and are not afraid to use them. I live near the two highest "murder capital" cities in the USA, but my small town is very safe. Here, it depends where you go...and avoid. But, sadly random violence is hard to avoid. Several employees of my husbands company have recently been the victims of crime in Cairo (theft, carjackings etc.), so it seems as if everything is on hold for the time being.

I sure hope the elections prove to be beneficial for the people there. As well as for the expat community.

hello all....just wondering if things have changed much since the presidential election is now completed?

not as much as u imagine, but it changed slightly to better conditions, just wait and see, it gonna be better and better, he didn't receive the authority yet

It is way too early to comment.

The new president has no government to govern (SCAF dissolved tghe parliament) he has no powers as yet and hasn't even been sworn in as president yet!!

It is now a game of waiting and watching and seeing which way the pendulum will swing.  Will he go for a more secular government (like Egypt has and Turkey / or will it swing so far the other way so as to reach the situation in Iran.?

He has gone on record over the last few days in saying that yes he is a member of the brotherhood - but he doesn't hold all thier principals / views.  He has actually gone on record as saying that this might upset many people in the brotherhood - but so be it.
He was educated out of Egypt in the USA, and has also lived and worked outside of Egypt - and he realises that the Very conservative Islamic views may not help him in his cause.
I think he realises that he has a country to think about and run now - and that country has other religions.  Also he must realise that if Egypt was to lean too far then the money / investment the country would lose is huge - the tourist indutry would be decimated overnight!!!

So I think (I hope) that he is sensible and isn't afraid.
He has also stated that the security of the country is one of the first things that the new government must tackle - but again how can he do this without a parliament and no powers as yet.

I think so far all he has tried to do is answer some of the rubbish that is being written about him - and he has been shown his office!  So now it is a kind of 'watch this space' kind of game.
But one thing you can be sure of he will do what he thinkgs is best for the Egyptian people - whether it benefits the expats or not - just as any other country would!!

But it is going to take time
Whatever happens there is no quick fix.
And after what happened to the british journalist in Tahrir Square this week there is a long way to go!!