Living in Cairo and Damascus
As an American student living in Cairo or Damascus, you are subject to the laws of Egypt or Syria. You are a representative of CASA and the American University in Cairo or the University of Damascus. How you behave reflects directly on your home institution, AUC, the University of Damascus, and our program. Even when freedom of expression permits, propriety requires a restrained exercise of personal and academic freedom. Sensitivity, understanding, and cooperation are necessary to anyone traveling in a foreign country.
Women may receive considerable harassment on the streets. Occasionally it will be physical, but mostly it will be verbal. The best way to handle the harassment is to try and ignore it. Even though you may make sincere efforts to fit into the culture, both in terms of appearance and manner in which you carry yourself, there will be times when hassling and harassment occur anyway. You may feel frustrated, angry, intimidated or a mixture of all of these. During the orientation process in the first week of the program there will be discussion on strategies for minimizing harassment.
You will be asked for your religion on all official forms. It is expected that you will answer the question. It is wise not to categorize yourself as agnostic. Universities in the Middle East are more politically sensitive than in the U.S. You must take great care in explaining your own personal political thinking.
Maintenance Allowance
CASA Cairo Summer-Only and Full-Year fellows will receive 2100 Egyptian Pounds per month as a maintenance allowance for rent and food. CASA Damascus fellows will receive 450 US Dollars per month as a maintenance allowance for rent and food. The Cairo allowance is distributed in cash from the cashier's office on the first of each month while Damascus fellows will receive it as a direct deposit in their US bank accounts. This amount is sufficient for single students assuming that you share an apartment (two or three persons to an apartment), and prepare most of your food at home. You may need to supplement your CASA stipend with approximately $100 per month for any additional expenses and travel. Summer Fellows will receive two months of allowance, and Full-Year Fellows will receive twelve months of allowance.
Receiving Money from Home
Cairo
ATMs are widely available for use in Egypt. The most dependable ones are found at AUC and major hotels. Debit cards issued by major U.S. banks and financial institutions like HSBC work well; however cards issued by smaller credit unions, etc may pose some problems. Egyptian ATMs disperse currency in Egyptian Pounds, and are usually subject to fees from your home institution and the owner of the machine. This should not be your exclusive source for money while in Egypt, but it will probably be your primary means of accessing funds. You may want to bring some money in the form of U.S. dollars and Travelers Checks. You may cash these for Egyptian Pounds at any American Express Office and some Exchange Bureaus. Some recent CASA fellows have a second debit card from a different bank, in case they are not able to withdraw funds from one of the accounts. Some fellows have also made use of a Paypal account or Skype account.
Most fellows find they do not need an Egyptian Bank Account, however there is a branch of the Commercial International Bank (CIB) at AUC, and students are allowed to open an account there with a minimum of $1000 or the equivalent in Egyptian pounds. No one writes checks in Egypt; transactions are strictly cash. Egyptians who do keep checking accounts use them very rarely, and only for major purchases for which they know in advance a check will be acceptable.
Your family should never send you checks through the mail. Western Union has so far been the best way to remit funds to American students in Egypt.
Damascus
ATMs are widespread and the ability to withdraw from overseas accounts is normal. Due to United States sanctions against Syria, some American banks, and Credit Unions in particular, will not allow you to use your ATM or credit cards in Syria. Please check your bank’s Syria policy before arriving. You may have to open a new bank account if your cards are restricted in Syria.
American and international banks tend to charge flat service percentages for ATM and credit card services in Syria. To maximize money withdrawal cost efficiency, check your bank’s fee policy before arriving.
Syria is a cash society; credit cards are rarely accepted outside of major hotels. However, if you wish to travel in the region (i.e. to Lebanon, Jordan, etc.), credit cards are useful. Additionally, credit cards can be used to purchase airline tickets.
Travelers’ checks are not widely used. They can be exchanged at various banks for hard currency, but are rarely accepted in restaurants, hotels or stores.
There are still many restrictions on international banking in Syria. International money transfers out of Syria through the banking system are difficult. If you would like to send money internationally, you can open an account at a private bank in Syria. Also, Western Union’s services are available and very reliable; the company charges a sliding percentage from the amount you will send.
How to Receive Mail
Cairo
It is advisable not to have packages sent to Egypt unless absolutely necessary. AUC automatically pays for customs duties, and then notifies students of the cost and will not relinquish the package until the student pays the duties. The duties are often surprisingly and prohibitively high. Refer to the Luggage section on the Preparing page for information on customs duties.
Your address while at the American University in Cairo will be:
CASA/Arabic Language Institute
American University in Cairo
P.O. Box 25ll
ll3 Kasr Aini St.
Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt
Telephone for AUC: 011-20 2 -794-2964
Dial CASA direct: 011-20 2- 797-5057 (OR 5059)
Fax for CASA: 011-20 2- 795-7565
AUC will provide an optional email account for all CASA fellows. Your email address will end with @aucegypt.edu. The code for your name will be assigned after your arrival.
Damascus
Regular international mail between Syria and the U.S. is slow but can be reliable, as long as the sending party in America ensures from its chosen sending company that the mail item will reach. There are two types of regular mail in Syria: regular mail and registered regular mail. You are encouraged to use registered regular mail, which is also slow, but delivery is guaranteed. Students do receive large packages through the mail system, though duties may be prohibitively high.
As a CASA student, you may receive mail at the University of Damascus address:
Higher Language Institute
Campus of Humanities
Mezzeh Highway (Fayez Mansour Street)
Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic
Tel: 009631133925843
All mail is inspected upon delivery.
The DHL express mail service is available in Damascus if you need to send with speed efficiency and guarantee. Recently, the US government has prohibited DHL from delivering certain mail items to Syria. If your family and friends plan to send you mail from America via DHL, ask them to ensure that what they're sending is deliverable.
The United States Postal Service provides an “m-bag” service to send and receive print material (i.e. magazines, books, etc.) for a discounted rate. For more information check the USPS website.
Clothing and Other Necessities
Cotton clothing will be the most comfortable during the warm months. Translucent or transparent clothing is inadvisable for both men and women, and sleeveless or tight-fitting clothes should also be avoided. Shorts are unacceptable for both men and women, except in resort areas. Women can wear pants, including jeans, year round. Women may want to carry a scarf with them for certain occasions. We do not advise men or women to wear native Egyptian clothing on the street. Egyptians generally consider this to be in very poor taste. Men should bring a suit jacket and tie, and women should bring something formal for special occasions like dinners, nightclubs, etc. Bring sturdy, comfortable walking shoes and sandals. Full-year students will need more than one pair. Since Cairo and Damascus can be cold during the winter, and there is usually no indoor heating, full-year students should bring warm clothing, including sweaters, knee socks, long johns, gloves, hats and a good all-weather coat with a zip-in lining. Egyptian and Syrian washing machines can be tough on the clothes. Unless you have a budget for dry-cleaning, do not bring your best clothing.
WOMEN
Summer: Winter:
cool, loose dresses and skirts
wool dresses and skirts
slacks and jeans
warm sweaters
blouses, pantyhose, tights, knee socks
lightweight sweaters, long underwear
1 evening outfit
heavy coat with zip-in lining
1 formal outfit
closed toe, sturdy shoes
pajamas
boots
cotton underwear
bathing suit
hat or scarf for daytime tours
casual shoes (walking shoes, tennis shoes, sandals, flip flops)
dress shoes
MEN
Summer: Winter:
slacks and jeans
warm shirts
casual shirts
warm sweaters
white shirt
warm socks
lightweight sweaters
long underwear
lighweight sports jacket
wool sports jacket
pajamas
heavy coat with zip-in lining
cotton underwear
closed toe, sturdy shoes
bathing suit
boots
hat for daytime tours
casual shoes
(walking shoes, tennis shoes, sandals, flip flops)
dress shoes
Miscellaneous Suggestions
The following is a list of items you may find helpful to bring. Many of these items are available in Cairo, but they may not be as good as those found in the US.
A water filter to avoid having to buy expensive bottled water
Answering machine
Portable phone
Converter for appliances
International Student Card
International Drivers License
Preferred brands of medical supplies
Contact lens solution
Deodorant
Feminine hygiene products
Battery powered alarm clock
Headlamp
Hand sanitizer
Books
You should bring with you the Hans-Wehr Dictionary and any other reference materials you think may need. The Lonely Planet guide to Cairo and the Lonely Planet guide to Syria/Lebanon or any of the student guide tour books might prove helpful if you plan to travel between the summer and fall semesters or after the summer session before returning home. Cairo: A Practical Guide is available at the AUC bookstore and lists all major attractions, restaurants, and shops in Cairo. Many students of Arabic benefit from Damascus’s rich book culture as book fairs and stores are ubiquitous. CASA makes an arrangement with one of Damascus's bookstores for you to buy class books, texts, and dictionaries. If you would like to contact individual bookstores, please refer to this popular website for addresses and telephone numbers.
Electrical Equipment
The electrical current in Cairo ranges between 220-240 volts alternating at 50 cycles per second. Standard current in the US is between 110-120 alternating at 60 cycles. The higher voltage in Egypt can be "stepped down" to 110-120 by transformers. Thus, in terms of voltage, American electrical equipment can be operated in Cairo.
The difference of ten cycles per second is not of great significance for operating most equipment. Appliances incorporating electric motors simply tend to operate more slowly. However, in appliances, which utilize the alternation in current to produce a given speed, the difference can be disastrous. Electric clocks cannot be adapted and should not be brought. Battery powered alarm clocks are expensive in Cairo, so bring one from home.
Computer Equipment and Internet Access
You will need to bring a laptop with you. We strongly recommend that you bring a PC and not a MAC. Much of the software developed by CASA at both locations runs better on PCs. Both campuses have wireless access and internet cafes exist everywhere. Be sure to bring the appropriate plug adapters for your computers. A flash drive is also required, since you will be responsible for acquiring daily listening and reading assignments from one, main CASA computer.
Damascus: Wireless internet is on the rise in Damascus, but is by no means reliable or ubiquitous. If you would like to use internet in your home, ask your landlord to activate your land telephone line. Through that, you will be able to use dial-up internet, whose speed is sufficient to carry on clear voice conversations via Skype. Dial-up internet cards can be purchased at most supermarkets and convenient stores though be sure to ask for the terms and conditions of each service before purchasing a card. Syriatel, Syria’s main telecommunications company, has recently introduced a new wireless service. For a one-time payment of 15,000 Syrian pounds (roughly over $300), you can purchase a wireless card that provides access to the company’s satellite internet infrastructure, depending on where you are in the city. If you decide to pursue this option, ensure that your home falls within the Syriatel wireless internet coverage area.
Photography and Supplies
You are welcome to take photographs in most Middle Eastern countries. However, photos of airports, bridges, military areas and certain other special installations are forbidden in Egypt and Syria due to security concerns. Film and batteries are cheaper in the US so bring a good supply. Color film can be developed in Cairo and Damascus, but the quality of film processing is uneven. Some people send color film to the US to be developed.
CD Players and Blank CDs
Please bring a CD player and an ample supply of blank CDs with you for use in your Egyptian Colloquial class and for homework preparation. Electrical equipment, as a rule, is considerably more expensive and of lesser quality in Egypt than it is in the US. The CASA office in Cairo will provide assistance in duplicating CDs for fellows' use.
