Teaching in Egypt

Is now summer and every teacher is enjoying one of the perks of the profession, which is being on vacation! This is the perfect time for teachers to look for new jobs and I decided that I wanted to give a few pointers about what to expect while teaching in Egypt.
 
Teaching is one of those careers that requires patience and  a lot of hard work. It gives us the opportunity to connect and make changes in our students lives. If you are looking for new job in Egypt as a teacher and you are not currently in the country please read these carefully.

1. Your best chance at getting a good salary is to go with International Schools. Salaries depend on qualifications but do not let the fact that maybe you have only one year of experience deter you from taking a good salary. You are not in the US or the UK anymore and things here are different. 
2. Negotiate and Expat package. If you are not in Egypt this the best time for you to negotiate accommodations, transportation and salary. Schools are always stingy and tell you no but you have to be firm about it because after it you cannot change anything.A good salary ranges between $2000-$2600 a month. They pay you monthly.
3. Work permit. This point is very important, must of the schools will either ignore this or tell you that you need to do it yourself. Do NOT let this happen. Mogama is the place where you get visas and believe me it is not apt for foreigners. The place is a nightmare. I know of people that don't renovate their visas just to avoid going there. You do not speak the language and frankly this is not something that is up to you. The school needs to stop being lazy and get this done. Fight it if you have to they are not going to fire you for it. With the new government issues they are actually visiting schools to check this out.
4.  Education in Egypt is Business. This point made me crazy before I really understood it. Is never about the Education and how the child needs this and that. No, is about mommy and daddy paying money, outrageously amounts of money so therefore they now what is best for their children.  You are never good enough. Egyptian parents are the worst, the child is never wrong. Bad thing is they don't just go to you they go the administration and demand to know what is going on. Then the administration comes back to you and says just re issue the test and give him a a review again with the same test. Education much? I think this is why this country is the way it is, lack of good Education! 
5. Never give your number to parents. They will ask, they will demand but you have to be strong! You sanity depends on it! It is not a joke. I always say, I don't remember the number or the school policy is not to give it. I don't care what I use at that moment as long as they don't get it. They can be your worst nightmare, calling you at all hours of the night and talking for hours if you let them. You giving your phone number is like tutoring them whenever the parent feels like it. 
6. Never give 100% They are some great schools here with good administrations... maybe in my dreams. Anyways my point is the more you give to them the more they will exploit you. There is no concept on teamwork on this groups of teachers and everything will fall back on you. Look first how the school works and then follow the example.Working in Egypt is laid back and not fast paced.
7. Brace yourself for Quizzes and Homework.  The amount of quizzes I had to give in one of the schools made me the most unbearable teacher in the universe. I hate for anyone to tell me what is best for my teaching program when they don't know what they are talking about. Can you believe I had to give 2 quizzes a week per each of my classes I had two grades so make that 4 quizzes a week. One page of homework is not enough they ask you to give them at least 10 pages of homework for first and second graders a day! Madness.
8. Changing Schools. For those teachers who want to change schools and stay in the country I have some bad news. Do not expect an expat salary. Is very rare that this happens. After you are here they pay you more than Egyptians of course but not the same as if you were back home making the negotiations. This is one of the things that makes me upset because is just plain ridiculous. Did I just loose my English skills because I am living in Egypt??! 

Consider this tips and try to make the best of it as all of us who are here do. Egyptian children can be difficult and spoiled rotten but overall they are very loving children. Prepare yourself for the personal questions the
little ones do not care about personal space this is Egypt. Be sure to plan carefully and explore before making any choices. I hope you find a good school this year!

My students in an outdoor activity

If you have any questions or comments about your experience feel free to comment! Thank you for reading and following me.

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The Aspects of Expat life

The great guys of HiFX have come up with a campaign which offers tips to people looking to move abroad. When I was approached I immediately loved the idea. I am both happy and excited to be working with them in this new campaign. You can visit their page for more information and other contributions from fellow expats at www.hifx.co.uk/resources/expat-tips/.  In my contribution I decided to start with a list of a few things that future expats may consider. Do you have what it takes to be an Expat?

Let’s find out! Being an expat is not an easy task. You have to think hard and plan ahead. There are some factors you should consider. If you have what it takes, your life will be full of surprises, challenges and adventures.

Here is a list of things that will put in perspective what life as an expat is like and will help you make a decision.

Be ready to miss Special Events: If you are thinking that you will get a flight when your best friend or family member gets married… think again! When you are living in another country and far away from your family and friends it is not going to be easy to attend these special occasions. Not because you don’t want to, sometimes it just might not be possible.  

Social Media and the Internet are your new best friends! If you are not a big fan of social media, well I suggest you reconsider it. Social media is going to be your best way of staying in touch with your family and friends. Share with them your experiences and also for you to keep up with what’s happening back home. It also works as an excellent tool to find expat groups.

Search for words like expats in (country you are going to) you can ask to join them and most of them are very friendly and willing to help you out with any kind of information. I recommend you join before going to that country as it will help you. They have gone through the same things and can lead you in the right direction.

 Language- This is your opportunity to learn a new language! Embrace it. At the beginning is going to be a little difficult but do not despair, keep moving on. I suggest that you try to learn some basics before moving, that way you won’t be so lost. Learning another language can have a positive impact on your CV. If you love languages this is your opportunity to expand your knowledge. Do not make the mistake of thinking that because English is the universal language everyone will understand what you’re saying. You are no longer in your country so not everyone will be happy to talk to you in English and some may not even understand.

When in Rome… Ever heard this saying? Make it your motto for the first few months. Become an observer and try to blend in as much as possible. Some countries are easier than others to adapt to. Be careful and always be aware of your surroundings. Become a chameleon. If you are a person who complains about everything, then maybe you should reconsider the idea of becoming an expat.  

 The eternal tourist: Do you enjoy being a tourist? Well when you are an expat you’re kind of an eternal tourist! Isn’t that amazing? Everything is new for you! Even the smallest things get you excited.  Don’t forget to explore this new place, go out and make new memories.  

 Try new things: Lose your reservations and go all out! This is a time to try things you normally won’t try at home. Don’t be shy! Especially with food! What a wonderful experience is to eat new things! Forget about searching for new recipes, you have the opportunity to learn from the locals.  If you don’t cook, then is your chance to indulge and be happy doing it.  Picky eaters can suffer in an expat life but there are always ways to find your favorite foods.  Choose your country wisely so you do not encounter too many problems in the food department.

 Fight for what you want: This point is very important. For you to be a successful expat you need to be a fighter. Do not give up when loneliness rear its ugly head. Do not consider going back because it just wasn’t what you expected. If you really want to be in that country and enjoy this new path, sometimes you have to fight for it.

I hope that you find these tips useful. I have been an expat for two years and I don’t regret it. Sure there are times I get homesick but I love my life. If you are thinking about being an expat let yourself be captivated by where you’re going it will help you ease in to your knew life to have a little crush on the country. If you want to learn more about my life you can look for me in Facebook and Twitter.