What are the top 3 things you like and hate about living in Egypt...

Belal Ismail wrote:

Hi everyone
as you see we want to hear from you the top 3 things that you love and the 5 you hate just be honest and let's share
p.s if you have less or more no problem just SHARE

it's better to mention the city your living/lived in (eg. Nasr City, Cairo)


who will start?

lol - I fear you may have opened a can of worms with this thread

Living in Cairo:

Love: The majority of Egyptians who are welcoming, happy, friendly, funny people no matter what their personal circumstances.

Hate: The thieves who see a foreigner and double (or more) the price.

Love: Feeling safer than I did in the UK (pre revolution, hope to get this back).

Hate: The perverts who think it's ok to say disgusting things to me or to touch me (taxi drivers are the worst).

Love: The weather (apart from June,july & August lol).

Hate: The roads and driving - a lack of proper infrastructure and pathetic driving test - how can anyone be given a licence to kill (driving licence) after driving back and forward between some cones in a closed yard! - surely they need to see how people cope with driving on the busyroads. I also hate the hold ups caused by people looking at accidents or at a person lying at the side of the road after being hit by a vehicle - most of the time they are texting or taking a pic while passing wtf! surely this should serve as a reminder to keep their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel.

Love: The little kids you see playing on the street with nothing more than a deflated football and often wearing no shoes.

Hate: The spoiled kids who think everything should be handed to them on a plate (hate is too strong a word - dislike fits better).

Love: The way people will come together in times of crisis - like during the revolution where Muslims and Christians stood side by side and supported each other and where neighbourhoods set up watches to keep buildings and residents safe etc.

Hate: The class system and racism that exists here.

Ok - I could go on and on but I think that is enough for now but as I started on a 'love' I think I should also end on one....

Love: Egypt and her people

Definitely I don't like the awful traffic jams !

LorriC wrote:

Belal Ismail wrote:

Hi everyone
as you see we want to hear from you the top 3 things that you love and the 5 you hate just be honest and let's share
p.s if you have less or more no problem just SHARE

it's better to mention the city your living/lived in (eg. Nasr City, Cairo)


who will start?

lol - I fear you may have opened a can of worms with this thread

Living in Cairo:

Love: The majority of Egyptians who are welcoming, happy, friendly, funny people no matter what their personal circumstances.

Hate: The thieves who see a foreigner and double (or more) the price.

Love: Feeling safer than I did in the UK (pre revolution, hope to get this back).

Hate: The perverts who think it's ok to say disgusting things to me or to touch me (taxi drivers are the worst).

Love: The weather (apart from June,july & August lol).

Hate: The roads and driving - a lack of proper infrastructure and pathetic driving test - how can anyone be given a licence to kill (driving licence) after driving back and forward between some cones in a closed yard! - surely they need to see how people cope with driving on the busyroads. I also hate the hold ups caused by people looking at accidents or at a person lying at the side of the road after being hit by a vehicle - most of the time they are texting or taking a pic while passing wtf! surely this should serve as a reminder to keep their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel.

Love: The little kids you see playing on the street with nothing more than a deflated football and often wearing no shoes.

Hate: The spoiled kids who think everything should be handed to them on a plate (hate is too strong a word - dislike fits better).

Love: The way people will come together in times of crisis - like during the revolution where Muslims and Christians stood side by side and supported each other and where neighbourhoods set up watches to keep buildings and residents safe etc.

Hate: The class system and racism that exists here.

Ok - I could go on and on but I think that is enough for now but as I started on a 'love' I think I should also end on one....

Love: Egypt and her people

thank you for the honest i had the same issue too even i'm originally Egyptian! but i was living outside Egypt for 14 years and when i return back my Egyptian Arabic wasn't that good
so ppl always treat me like a foreign and some scam or take advantage of me
but after 3 years my Egyptian arabic become almost like the natives and i know more about prices

i love...

1. ancient egyptian temples, monuments, history and the life.

2.love how when i came here ppl were always laughing and friendly when they didnt have much to be happy about.( i think it was the hashish LOL)

3. the freedom of the country as in not too many rule and fines.

4. a visa at airport and can stay as long as we want with renewal for americans(hope thet doesnt change with the problems now)

5 the sense of community how if there is a fender bender the ppl come to help and see who is right and stop ppl from fighting over it.

6.the hospitality of city people and country people especially they make too much food. :-)

7. love the food

8. how each city has its own special feel. i love the red sea especially!


dislikes..(dont want to say hate)

1. the garbage thrown around

2. the water sucks

3. the way egyptian kids have no manners and run around and scream too much. very annoying.

4. the foreigners who think they own the place and walk around half naked in red sea *gags* lol with no respect to the costoms

5. the guys selling stuff who catcalls and pushy when you say no.

6. the little kids who come begging at the car window for money and if i have none they stand there..its sad that kids have to beg around for money in the streets. :-( instead of being a kid.

7 that its always sunny and rarely cloudy and rain :-( awwwwwww

8 how the men have to travel for work because they cant make enough money where they live so they have to resort to going far and being away from their family.

9. most of all i dont like how we have to pay to get a package international even if its personal not from a store. :-(

thecrazypoet wrote:

I live in Alexandria
I hate
1. the lies that many of the people do
2. the thieves who try to steal once they know your not Egyptian
3. the fact that most Egyptians don't appreciate what they have at hand and have no clue what so many people around the world would do to have what Egypt has

I love
1. how the people can be friendly
2. the beauty of the country well at least Alexandria
3. true freedom that most people don't recognize

Alexandria has a great weather & Sea

yes, alex is very pretty also..and has temples:-) but the red sea has the clear blue water and colorful fishies and reefs.

another thing you reminded me about some people dont appreciate what they have.
i have helped people here before and they actaully threw it back in my face later like i did it for myself as a good deed! when i did it kuz i cared about them not for myself. i wasnt rich to be helping someone..like how in islam u should help people with charity but not if you are poor yourself lol. even during ramadan people said the charity of the food was because theyre muslims and have to.. like theyre not kind or something.. its really crappy seriously to think this way. no one will help if they dont care.. religion or not.

Belal Ismail wrote:

thecrazypoet wrote:

I live in Alexandria
I hate
1. the lies that many of the people do
2. the thieves who try to steal once they know your not Egyptian
3. the fact that most Egyptians don't appreciate what they have at hand and have no clue what so many people around the world would do to have what Egypt has

I love
1. how the people can be friendly
2. the beauty of the country well at least Alexandria
3. true freedom that most people don't recognize

Alexandria has a great weather & Sea

layla1313 wrote:

i love...

1. ancient egyptian temples, monuments, history and the life.

2.love how when i came here ppl were always laughing and friendly when they didnt have much to be happy about.( i think it was the hashish LOL)

3. the freedom of the country as in not too many rule and fines.

4. a visa at airport and can stay as long as we want with renewal for americans (hope thet doesnt change with the problems now)

5 the sense of community how if there is a fender bender the ppl come to help and see who is right and stop ppl from fighting over it.

6.the hospitality of city people and country people especially they make too much food. :-)

7. love the food

8. how each city has its own special feel. i love the red sea especially!


dislikes..(dont want to say hate)

1. the garbage thrown around

2. the water sucks

3. the way egyptian kids have no manners and run around and scream too much. very annoying.

4. the foreigners who think they own the place and walk around half naked in red sea *gags* lol with no respect to the costoms

5. the guys selling stuff who catcalls and pushy when you say no.

6. the little kids who come begging at the car window for money and if i have none they stand there..its sad that kids have to beg around for money in the streets. :-( instead of being a kid.

7 that its always sunny and rarely cloudy and rain :-( awwwwwww

8 how the men have to travel for work because they cant make enough money where they live so they have to resort to going far and being away from their family.

9. most of all i dont like how we have to pay to get a package international even if its personal not from a store. :-(

thanks for sharing

i reaaaaaaly dislike the ability of the Egyptians to adopt with the bad things like living in places where the smell of the garbage makes you sick if you pass beside it

about the customs and taxes
i payed the double price of the Amazon Kindle to get it
and about 3 times of iphone 3G (at the time) and i get it cheaper than Egypt