Greetings, ladies and gentlemen.
I hope everyone is doing great. I've just recently found this website, in need of honest help.
I would like to start by saying that i honestly love Egypt, in the full sense of the word. Ever since i was just a kid, everything about Egypt just seems extremely interesting to me. It's a place that i really care about, even though i've never been there.
I'm from Venezuela, a south-american country. My native language is spanish, of course, but i speak fluent english. I also have, officially, italian and spanish nationalities (and passports too), because of my parents (my father is italian, and my mother is from Spain). I understand italian too, though i'm not fluent at it. Recently, i started learning arabic, which was one of the languages i've always wanted to learn. I started just a few weeks ago, and i'm doing it mostly as a hobby. I'm learning classical arabic. After that, i want to learn the egyptian dialect, which personally i think is it the most important of all the dialects, and the most insteresting one, at least in my opinion.
I apologize if it sounds like i'm talking too much about myself, but it is necessary.
The reason why i'm writting this topic, it's because i need your help, your personal advices. I'm thinking about moving to Egypt.
I know, i know. Egypt is going through a very tough situation right now, i'm very aware of that. I've read tons of news, from different sources and websites, to get a full perspective of the things going on there. But, i still think moving to Egypt would be a good idea, at least for me.
I'm going to be very honest with you, as i always am: my life feels like a zoo right now. I'm not going to explain my personal reasons, i don't think anyone wants to hear them or would find them interesting either. But i can tell you this: the current situation in my country, Venezuela, is extremely horrible.
15 years ago, a new goverment took the lead in Venezuela, with promises of making the lives of venezuelans much better...but it turned out to be the most corrupt goverment in the history of the country. If you see the news in Venezuela, you could think it is a wonderful place to live, but it's not, believe me. The goverment has the control of all of the media, and that's the reason many people outside do not know that we are going through hell right now. They are have been slowly transforming our country into something like Cuba.
I could gave you all of the details, if you like, but i'm going to make this very resumed:
Venezuela has the second highest inflation in the world. I think only Syria has a highest inflation rate, because they are at war. Venezuela is a country that has oil, tons of it, and many other resources. And yet, we have a ridiculous amount of inflation, which makes life impossible. Inflation goes up every week, and i'm not joking. Only this month (December), we had over 40%...40% in one month. Now, imagine 15 years of it.
Venezuela is the most insecure and violent country in the american continent. Caracas, capital of Venezuela, which is my home city, is the third most violent city in the world. My best friend was murderer two years ago. A month ago, i was working at a store, and got robbed when i was arrived to open it. Only this year, i've been robbed 3 times, in different places. It is honestly horrible. You don't only risk your life, but you also lose eveything you're working so hard to get. You cannot go anywhere at night. If you're not home at 9 PM, you're in trouble. And what's worse is the fact that the law does not work at all, for anything. Every murder, every robbery, every crime commited, is not punished. Maybe one out of 500 cases are solved. The police and the military are extremely corrupt, to the point that they work alongside the criminals in many cases. Please believe me when i tell you this.
Over the years, the people over here became very rude and uneducated, they throw garbage everywhere, everythings is always filthy, no one respects anyone's personal space, nor do they have consideration for their neighboors. It's difficult to explain in detail, but it's just not a nice place to be. You just want to get home and rest.
Minimum wage is useless. Minimum wage in Venezuela is 3000 BSF ("BSF" is our currency). When you go to the market, assuming you're just one person, you spent around 1.800 BSF (if you are clever and know how to save some money) in just one visit to the market, and you have to visit the market AT LEAST 2 times a month. A car, a regular car, i'm not talking about anything fancy, costs around 380.000 BSF, which means you need at least 120 minimum wages (assuming you don't spent any of that money), and the interest fees are up to 22% in each quote. I don't even want to mention houses and apartment prices, but just so you can get an idea of it, a regular apartmente costs around 3.200.000 BSF. Just impossible to buy, even if you're a professional with very high income. The only people that are able to buy houses or things like that it's because they sold an old apartment they had, or that was left to them by someone who died. You can verify all of this information if you want.
Bottom line is, i don't want to be here anymore. I'm young, iŽm 23 years old, i have the desire to work, and i want to make a life for myself. Right now, living in Venezuela is not living at all, is more like...surviving. It's really a shame, Venezuela has the potential to be the greatest and richest country of the world, but the people here have become too corrupt and uneducated. It's not even a third-world country anymore, i would put it much, much lower than that. People like to be poor over here, they don't expect great things out of themselves. Mediocrity is Venezuela's flag ever since this goverment began. I'm not going to be like that, and i will not do bad things or sell myself to corruption.
Now that you've read that, i would like to hear advice from you. I'm aware of many things about Egypt, because i like to be very well informed. But of course, i'm sure there are many, many things i do not know, and that's why i need your help on the subject.
I'm a high-school graduated, i never went to college here because our education level is very bad, and universities are very expensive. So i started working right away, as soon as i graduated i started looking for a job. Simple jobs, mostly. I'm willing to do any type of job, as long as it is legal, and as long as i recieve the propper instruction. And i am also looking to get a college degree, it' not that i don't want one, it's just that i do not want to obtain it here.
I don't spend a lot of money, i just spend on important and necessary things. Luxeries can wait, specially if i'm moving to Egypt to start a new life.
I like to earn my money, i don't want anything just given to me. But, i'm not a fool either. I'm not going to sacrifice my health for nothing, that means i just want my rights as a worker to be respected.
I'm a simple person, really. Not problematic at all, i don't even drink or smoke. In my free time i like to do sports, or if i am on vacations, i like to travel. I'm not the typical party-lover, like most westerns are. I'm just a bit different in that sense.
So, knowing all of that, what do you think? What's your personal opinion about Egypt? Is it a good place to live? Can a person earn a good amount of money without selling their soul? Does the law work? How much do you normally spent on food and stuff like that? How much does a car cost? An apartment? How does the people over there treat you? Is the language barrier too much of a problem? How do relationships work over there? Is it complicated because of traditions o religions? How are the insecurity levels there? Can you walk along the streets without being too afraid of getting robbed (or worse)? Etc.
I need as much advice and information as you can give me, as much detailed as you can, if you have the time, of course. Numbers, salaries, religion, lifestyle, costs, etc, all you can tell me. It would be very much appreciated, believe me. Everything, everything you think that could help me, please let me know. And, if i can help you in any way, or there is something you want to ask, about myself, my country, language, or any other thing, let me know too, i will gladly answer or help you.
On a final note, i would like to say this: yes, i know there are other countries which could be MAYBE better options. Most people like to think about living in USA, or Europe. I'm aware of that. It's just that everything in me, every cell in my body feels like i should try living in Egypt. Hard to explain, and kind of dumb, i know, but, it's just like that.
Thank you, to everyone who has taken the time to read this. And specially, thanks on advance to those who may be willing to aid me. It would mean a lot to me, honestly.
Again, thanks!
Have a good day/night, i really hope i get to talk with some of you!