I'm so upset :-(

Post by **New Gal** » Mon May 18, 2009 4:07 pm

Feels like this move is such an uphill struggle, can't get anything sorted.

Really upset today, sorry for the moan

Post by **Ebikatsu** » Mon May 18, 2009 4:27 pm

Chin up New gal

You don't know what an uphill, backwards and completely in reverse struggle getting anything at all done in Egypt is

Bathe and luxuriate in system and order UK style while you can

Post by **Goddess** » Mon May 18, 2009 4:31 pm

I'll echo Ebikatsu.

Egypt operates on a completely different time system than the rest of the world, and while you may be thinking you have to get things sorted and booked and organised, people over here are just waiting til you get over here before they all leap into action.

My advice - try not to worry about it until you actually get here, everything will fall into place after you arrive.

Post by **New Gal** » Mon May 18, 2009 4:39 pm

Thank you both, really want to do this and know I will inshallah but just thought that cos I am on my own, its sensible to organise a much as possible from here.

Because the job search wasn't going anywhere, I thought, right ok, at least have a flat sorted.

Then the one I liked fell through, thought ok, go to plan B. Someone off the forum has kindly been and checked it out for me today which was really nice of them and have advised me not to go into that apartment.

Then there's the shipping….Luxor is so far from Hurghada, the thought of going there alone to sort customs charges etc is terrifying me as well as how in the world am I going to get someone to drive me there and back?

And these customs charges could be anything they want them to be from what I understand and flirting or crying will only get me so far!

So now I have no job, no flat and a limited amount of money which makes things just that extra bit more difficult.

Brilliant.

But thanks for caring guys, I appreciate it xxx

Post by **Ebikatsu** » Mon May 18, 2009 5:40 pm

A few tips

1) Caaaaaaaaaaaaaalm down

2) Book a rental apartment for just one month max. That way if the neighbours play Beethoven's 6th all day and night, or number 4 has a rooster, you can move the next month. Also the deposit will be much less.
3) Once you have been and settled a month you will have had time to suss the area and look around yourself for something you like and a more permanent place. Don't pay upfront for anything for a year. You might hate it. Might take 6 years for the case to go to court for a refund of your deposit

4) You need to understand the Egyptian mentality a bit. When we go to look at furniture, or a car or a house for sale, we usually intend to buy. Not so the Egyptians. They spend weekends going round stores with no intention to buy and around folks houses for sale making appointments, drinking your tea, eating your basboosa, and trashing your toilets as a weekend afternoon out for the family, sometimes they even line up 3 viewings, as a saturday family picnic including grandparents day out

So because of that mentality, Egyptians don't believe a word till they see the cold hard cash for a transaction, or your physical body presence for a job. They simply don't think we are serious.
So the jobs you are applying for, they really wont take you seriously till you are on their doorstep with your packed lunch under your arm for your first shift. Wait till you get there if is is Egyptian managers you are dealing with

5)Are you still calm?

6) Shipping!!! can you live without it? Will you die without it? because trying to organise and release it might kill you anyway

There is NO way you can do this without help. Especially honest Egyptian Arabic speaking help. We done it. But if I was on my own I would be in a mental hospital or serving a life sentence

It took us 5 days in Port Said travelling back and forth from Cairo each day to release 20 x 6 cubic metre boxes with just used household things and that was with Shipping company help, Egyptian husband, paid agent with a large backhander each day! It's simply not worth the hassle unless Luxor is very different????
7) Save like crazy.

Come prepared for it to be utter chaos and you will be fine

Post by **Jad** » Mon May 18, 2009 6:09 pm

I would underline number 7. Save some money. Don’t be discouraged, but be realistic. Everything can work out if you give it enough time. Savings can buy you that time. Travel light, get a friend to ship you all your stuff , after you settle down .. just my 2 cents.

Post by **New Gal** » Mon May 18, 2009 6:20 pm

Ebikatsu wrote:A few tips

1) Caaaaaaaaaaaaaalm down
2) Book a rental apartment for just one month max. That way if the neighbours play Beethoven's 6th all day and night, or number 4 has a rooster, you can move the next month. Also the deposit will be much less.
3) Once you have been and settled a month you will have had time to suss the area and look around yourself for something you like and a more permanent place. Don't pay upfront for anything for a year. You might hate it. Might take 6 years for the case to go to court for a refund of your deposit
4) You need to understand the Egyptian mentality a bit. When we go to look at furniture, or a car or a house for sale, we usually intend to buy. Not so the Egyptians. They spend weekends going round stores with no intention to buy and around folks houses for sale making appointments, drinking your tea, eating your basboosa, and trashing your toilets as a weekend afternoon out for the family, sometimes they even line up 3 viewings, as a saturday family picnic including grandparents day out
So because of that mentality, Egyptians don't believe a word till they see the cold hard cash for a transaction, or your physical body presence for a job. They simply don't think we are serious.
So the jobs you are applying for, they really wont take you seriously till you are on their doorstep with your packed lunch under your arm for your first shift. Wait till you get there if is is Egyptian managers you are dealing with
5)Are you still calm?
6) Shipping!!! can you live without it? Will you die without it? because trying to organise and release it might kill you anyway
There is NO way you can do this without help. Especially honest Egyptian Arabic speaking help. We done it. But if I was on my own I would be in a mental hospital or serving a life sentence
It took us 5 days in Port Said travelling back and forth from Cairo each day to release 20 x 6 cubic metre boxes with just used household things and that was with Shipping company help, Egyptian husband, paid agent with a large backhander each day! It's simply not worth the hassle unless Luxor is very different????
7) Save like crazy.
Come prepared for it to be utter chaos and you will be fine

Thank you lol,I'm not usually such a raving lunatic honest

I will take all that into consideration, I did intend to just pay for one month and take it from there.

With the shipping, it may well come to me either not taking loads of stuff or doing several small boxes and leaving them with friends to post out. I am really not prepared to go all the way to Luxor and fight for my stuff, its not worth it and its not safe to do all that. WAY too much hassle.

I think my fear is that I have booked the flight and now have literally got nothing to go too, no job, no flat and with most of my stuff in England! I have a week booked into a hotel, all inclusive type thing with the original intention of using that week to do serious job hunting and then move into the flat a week later having also used that first week to set up etc.

Its now looking like I will be going stir crazy that week trying to sort a flat and job, fab!

Money....not going to have much with me, 5k if that so I will probably end up doing a cleaning job...hell no. I'll do bar work if push comes to shove but can't do cleaning etc. Anything else will do!!!

As for having som help, from who?! Lol, I do know some people from my visits but I'm a bit funny about people getting too involved and anyway, they are so lax at returning phone calls/texts/emails that I cant really ask for help!

Thanks for all the advice, I do appreciate it and am starting to breath again now xxx

Post by **New Gal** » Mon May 18, 2009 6:21 pm

Jad wrote:I would underline number 7. Save some money. Don’t be discouraged, but be realistic. Everything can work out if you give it enough time. Savings can buy you that time. Travel light, get a friend to ship you all your stuff , after you settle down .. just my 2 cents.

Thanks Jad xxx

Post by **Ebikatsu** » Mon May 18, 2009 7:32 pm

Are you travelling Egyptair? they have always been great with in in excess baggage allowance

Especially if it is low season and to a red Sea resort because they say they take diving into consideration as well with equipment.

Posting stuff will cost the earth and might get lost!
Try to make a few trips before hand when the fares are really cheap and fill your suitcase and I'm sure someone will look after stuff for you in Hurghada. before your final move

I doubt you will find cleaning work though. That is mainly done by Egyptian maids for very little money

If you need help, don't be afraid to ask

Post by **Hurghadapat** » Mon May 18, 2009 8:08 pm

Have to agree with them all and i certainly would not ship anything out till you well and truly settled as for posting well most apartments don't have address so you would need to get a post box then you have to pay import duty on parcels and not everything arrives just seems to disappear off into the ether.Last time i went out which was last year i flew thomas cook and took 30kilo of luggage and paid £80 excess baggage but if you pay online for excess baggage with TC you get it a bit cheaper. Best one to fly with is egyptair they not strict at all with excess baggage flew back to uk with them had 28kilo and payed no excess.

Post by **Ebikatsu** » Tue May 19, 2009 7:17 am

Last time I was 11 kg over and they didn't bat an eyelid

Post by **Lisak** » Tue May 19, 2009 7:23 am

Just a thought New Gal. Have you considered just going out for a month? That way you get a taste of what it would be like to live there. Whilst you are there you can set up interviews with people face to face. You can suss out what you will be able to buy and not be able to get hold of and take stuff over to leave there for your next trip.
Paying for an extra flight might just make it all worth it to find the flat you want, find the job you want and also see if you actually do want to live there.
I did an month in Luxor late last year and it certainly opened my eyes and gave me a little taster to 'proper' daily life as opposed to a holiday.
Don't rush in to this, you have all the time in the world. Hurgada isn't going anywhere, dont make it a waste of time and money (especially money)
So my advice, have a trial month and still see if you feel the same and if you do great, you will have 20 kilos worth of stuff to leave over there for your new life.

Post by **New Gal** » Tue May 19, 2009 10:18 am

Hello all and thanks so much for your comments, suggestions and reassurances.

I think what the most likely solution is that I will take what I can on the flight, just the essentials and pay the excess fee, no way will I be taking just 20 kilos, am over that when I go on my hols and my luggage consists of mini skirts and flip flops!

I will then leave stuff with family and friends so that if/when they come out they can bring me bits and if they don’t come out, once I am settled into a place, they can send stuff over to me.

Trips back and forth arent a viable option for me prior to the move and don’t know whether they will be once I am there, obviously will be back after a few months or so, maybe, lol so will take some stuff then too.

And I cant leave stuff or ask anyone to take a few bits for me as I don’t know anyone who is going to Hurghada any time soon!

Thanks again for all your help, I feel much calmer now!

Maybe people are right and this move means that I part with some practical as well as other baggage, pun intended!

Its just my beloved shoes I will miss, Imelda has nothing on me, seriously, I'm not even joking…theres a whole premier collection in storage that I havent even touched yet…

Thanks again, you are all fab xxx

Post by **New Gal** » Tue May 19, 2009 10:21 am

I think the bigger issue isnt my luggage, its that I am so stressed that I will probably be refused entry into Hurghada at the airport on the ground that I look like the biggest mong that they have ever encountered, sleep deprivation due to thinking through the night and stress = really bad skin and bags under the eyes!

Post by **Hurghadapat** » Tue May 19, 2009 11:20 am

Just a little tip to make life easier out there don't dress like a tourist or they will treat you like one and when you live there you certainly wont want loads of fashion shoes not comfortable when it's hot all you need are toe post style believe me and you can buy them out there.Don't eat out all the time it will literally eat your money excuse the pun

remember Hurghada is mainly for the tourists so most restaurants price accordingly.Summerland which is just behind Sherry St.does good food and is more or less egyptian prices.

Post by **New Gal** » Tue May 19, 2009 11:25 am

Hurghadapat wrote:Just a little tip to make life easier out there don't dress like a tourist or they will treat you like one and when you live there you certainly wont want loads of fashion shoes not comfortable when it's hot all you need are toe post style believe me and you can buy them out there.Don't eat out all the time it will literally eat your money excuse the pun remember Hurghada is mainly for the tourists so most restaurants price accordingly.Summerland which is just behind Sherry St.does good food and is more or less egyptian prices.

Thanks hun xxx

Post by **Ebikatsu** » Tue May 19, 2009 12:59 pm

Hurghadapat wrote:Just a little tip to make life easier out there don't dress like a tourist or they will treat you like one and when you live there you certainly wont want loads of fashion shoes not comfortable when it's hot all you need are toe post style believe me and you can buy them out there.Don't eat out all the time it will literally eat your money excuse the pun remember Hurghada is mainly for the tourists so most restaurants price accordingly.Summerland which is just behind Sherry St.does good food and is more or less egyptian prices.

great point HP
bringing plenty shoes as a tourist is fine because you will spend most of your time in a hotel or by the pool or clubs etc so you can wear nice heels.
Problem is when you have to get on microbuses, up and down 2 foot high cracked pavements, through trash heaps to buy your bread, or go to Dahar to post something when you live here your heels will be ruined in a week

Post by **New Gal** » Tue May 19, 2009 2:30 pm

Ebikatsu wrote:
Hurghadapat wrote:Just a little tip to make life easier out there don't dress like a tourist or they will treat you like one and when you live there you certainly wont want loads of fashion shoes not comfortable when it's hot all you need are toe post style believe me and you can buy them out there.Don't eat out all the time it will literally eat your money excuse the pun remember Hurghada is mainly for the tourists so most restaurants price accordingly.Summerland which is just behind Sherry St.does good food and is more or less egyptian prices.
great point HP
bringing plenty shoes as a tourist is fine because you will spend most of your time in a hotel or by the pool or clubs etc so you can wear nice heels.
Problem is when you have to get on microbuses, up and down 2 foot high cracked pavements, through trash heaps to buy your bread, or go to Dahar to post something when you live here your heels will be ruined in a week

Wow, what a life I will be having out there, I can't wait!

Post by **Ebikatsu** » Tue May 19, 2009 3:43 pm

That's why we are all sitting back and waiting for your update a year after living here

Post by **New Gal** » Tue May 19, 2009 5:13 pm

Ebikatsu wrote:That's why we are all sitting back and waiting for your update a year after living here

Gits