Egypt mums?

[Mavornia]

Hello

Just wondered if there are any other mums here based in Egypt?

I'm fairly new to the forum and 12 weeks pregnant with my first baby.

where in Egypt are you Mavornio? I spent a year studying over there in Alexandria a very long time ago and loved it.

Hi Saadia

I'm based in Alexandria - still getting used to it but I think I'll settle in well. I'm making good progress with my Arabic lessons and it should make a big difference when I'm able to converse freely.

It's hard coping with the crazy traffic and I miss being able to go out and take a walk whenever I feel like it - you have to go to a sports club/park/beach, you can't just head out for a stroll.

It's also very packed - but not as crazy as Cairo so I'm lucky in that respect.

Are you back in the UK now?

Yes Mavornia I've been back here for ages. I only spent a year over there, just before the Gulf War started. I was studying here for an Arabic degree and had to do a year abroad so attended lessons at Alexandria University's Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language Centre. I'm ashamed to say I never really got the hang of colloquial Arabic though.

It must have changed a lot since I was there. I remember going to Montazah and Maamura, and often ate at the Trianon. Also loved the Pizza Hut by the sea. In fact I put on a lot of weight as the food is all halal and so I had a lot of fast food. I would love to go back one day with dh and the kids.

Are you settled over there? How long have you been there? I agree Cairo is very very congested but Alex wasn't too bad when I was there.

I moved over in March 2005 and got married in Sept 2005. We've been living with my in-laws since then but we have finally finished our apartment (thank goodness - I get on well with them but a year in someone else's house is a bit too much...)

I spent most of the summer in Montaza as we have a cabin there - it makes a nice change from the hustle and bustle of the city centre. I also go in winter as we have 2 dogs and I like to run them on the beach when it's not crowded.

I love Trianon - they have a couple of them now. They have also have Costa Coffee in City Centre, a large shopping mall which has opened since you were there. And Starbucks is about to open - I'll be able to get my caffeine fix freely now (only one a day while pregnant though!).

Colloquial Arabic is so different from classical - it would be hard to master both in a year. You should be proud of what you managed to do!

How is the pregnancy going - any sickness, when are you due?

I'm amazed that there's a shopping mall, and coffee places - we always had to make do with Nescafe sachets.

I'm afraid my accomplishments are not as good as you think. I did a four year degree course in English/Arabic, with one year spent in Egypt, so really should have been better at spoken Arabic. Some of my friends became very fluent though.

How do you find the medical facilities over there?

Yes, a year with in-laws must have meant a lot of compromising. Is your apartment near them?

The cabin in Montaza sounds lovely. It doesn't look like there are other mums in Egypt on MN but you never know someone could join. It's lovely for me to chat about Alex though, my time there was very happy. I always found it a very safe place - I don't know if that is still true. My friends and I would wander around the city at 3am and not feel the slightest bit worried.

Well, I have type 1 diabetes so I'm actually back in Northern Ireland at the minute. I had my first scan here (nearly 13 weeks now) and I'll be giving birth here. I'm going back to Alexandria in two weeks and I'll come back to Belfast late December. Unfortunately my husband had to fly back to Alex before me for work and missed the scan but I've got the ultrasound pictures for him (looks more like a prawn than a baby though

I have a good doctor in Egypt but I was nervous about having my first baby there, especially with the diabetes. Basic care is good but nursing and aftercare is awful and I worry about how they would deal with any complications. All the in-laws will be coming over here for the birth in April though...

I've been very lucky so far - hardly any sickness and not really tired - though I take to my bed at any given opportunity!

I remember when I first went to Alex 8 years ago - there is such a difference now. I was thrilled when Starbucks finally arrived in Belfast, nevermind Alex (slave to global consumerism that I am!). The Bodyshop is opening soon too. There are even a couple of Chinese and Italian restaurants too which makes a nice change, especially as I don't eat meat.

Living with the in-laws was not ideal - my mother in law is very nice but very overbearing and everyone is always shouting and screaming at each other in the course of a normal conversation. I used to find it very unsettling as my family is so quiet but it's funny now. We'll be living 5 minutes away from them - still, better than in the same house!

Sorry, I didn't mean to ramble on so much. It's lovely chatting with you though, especially as you've been to Alex. Are you expecting a baby at the moment too?

That's good that you haven't had any sickness, and better to have the baby in Northern Ireland. The scan must have been lovely (a prawn .

When I was pg with ds2 he looked really odd in the scan and I was really hoping it was a boy as he would have looked like a very strange girl. BTW I have two dss. Ds1 is now 4.5 and just started Reception this year. Ds2 is 2.5 and is with me all day. Not currently pg and unlikely to be again, but you never know. I did at some stage want a daughter but now am perfectly happy with my two.

It'a a shame about your husband having to go back, but I guess it's unavoidable.

Chinese and Italian restaurants - lovely. We did once manage to find a Chinese place but the prices were extortionate, probably because they had to import the ingredients. Also found a couple of lovely Indian restaurants in Cairo (I was really missing my mum's cooking).

You must have got used to the in-laws now. Are they a big family? Sounds like they will be really involved with the baby, which is nice as I think there are many advantages to having extended family around.

Yes it is nice chatting, I have such fond memories of Egypt. I guess you plan to stay settled there. Do they have direct flights to Alex now?

Just reviving this thread in case there are any Egypt mums about?

No but I'm in Khartoum and travel occasionally to Cairo...

Hi Zorra,
I've been living out here for three years (teaching) and have just found out that I'm pregnant! We'd like to give birth out here (heard some positive stories, but also some negative ones) but not 100% decided yet - waiting for the next scan and then will start visiting hospitals I think.
I keep trying to tell myself that so many babies are born here every day that it'll be fine!

Well, Sudan is a lot behind Egypt for healthcare, lots of people go from Khartoum to Cairo for treatment / births etc! I couldn't see the point in travelling and not going all the way home so I just went back to the UK for mine. If i think of anyone who just went to Cairo I will point them in the direction of this thread :)
Good luck!

Hi, i'm Egyptian and i live in Cairo, you are welcome to ask me about anything, i am also moving to London within 4 month to join my husband so any advice would be highly appreciated :)