Jobs for you in Egypt

International Schools in Egypt expect good behaviour, self discipline and tolerance. The school day usually begins at 8 am and finishes at 3pm. Class sizes vary but in some schools they have a maximum of 15 pupils.

Imagine what you could achieve with class sizes like that, it not only impacts on the way you teach, your relationship with the pupils but also marking time.

Frequently specialist teachers are employed in these schools; which ensures that all pupils have the maximum opportunities to attain their full potential whatever their ability level.

This also means that you may have the opportunity to make effective use of your specialist subject. Secondary schools tend to follow the Cambridge courses I.G.C.S.E./A.S./A.2 and Edexel.

Many also follow the International Baccalaureate. Primary schools/departments tend to follow the English National Curriculum The school year is from September to June with schools usually closing for two months at the height of the summer.

So just imagine being surrounded by the remains of ancient civilizations, living among renowned World Heritage Sites whilst teaching small classes of attentive students. This could prove to be the adventure of a lifetime working and living in Egypt. What are you waiting for?

Living and teaching in Cairo

So you are sold on the idea of working in an International School in Egypt but what are the living conditions for you and your family like?

Cairo, the Triumphant City is one of the world’s largest urban areas. It is the administrative capital of Egypt and close by is almost every Egyptian Pyramid. Here in Cairo ancient and modern live hand in hand. It is a very vibrant city, full of life nearly 24 hours a day.

There is a fantastically eclectic selection of shopping, leisure and nightlife activities. The shopping experience in Cairo is a marvelous example of how ancient and modern live side by side. There are the famous bazaars, unusual small stores and huge shopping malls. Cairo provides a huge variety of everything from antiques to fine clothing and especially jewelry.

In some shops, you must haggle while in others the price will be set. Which type of store provides the best possible deals depends both on the shop itself and the haggling ability of the buyer and seller.

Cairo, Egypt comes alive at night, which is the best time to shop, eat delicious Middle Eastern cuisine, or simply watch the world go by from a pavement cafe. You can dine in a floating restaurant on the Nile, sample an apple-flavored shisha waterpipe at a coffee-shop or see oriental dancers and cabarets at a luxury hotel.

Eating out in Cairo is not necessarily expensive however the tax and tips can push up the final total. The climate in Cairo is hot all year round. The average January temperature is 17.5degC during the day and 8degC at night whereas the average temperature for July is 36.5degC. Just incase you are interested, the annual rainfall is usually 25mm per year and this falls usually between December and March.

Places of Interest

Where do you begin to highlight places of interest in Cairo? There are so many and only a few can be included here. The pyramids of Giza, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world are a prime attraction. First impression of the pyramids can be a little disappointing mainly because they seem smaller than expected this is partly because the city has started to engulf the area but when you spend more time here their power and magic can be seen.

Possibly dating back as far as the fourth century, el-Muallaqa is the oldest Christian place of worship in Cairo. It is called the ‘Hanging Church' because it is built on top of a Roman gate and reached by a stairway that leads to the courtyard. The beautiful interior features three barrel-vaulted aisles, altar screens of inlaid ivory and bone and an exquisite, carved marble pulpit supported by 13 pillars representing Christ and his disciples.

The Egyptian Museum houses the premeier collection of ancient Egyptian artefacts. Here you will find the treasures from Tutankhamun’s tomb a must see for everyone in the area. The museum has an amazing feeling of history it is daunting in the sheer numbers of its antiquities on show and a veritable haven for anyone interested in Egyptian antiquities.

History of Cairo

Cairo was founded in 969AD as the royal enclosure for the Fatmid caliphs, the dynasty which ruled over Egypt. Cairo then replaced Fustat as the capital of Egypt and so it remains to this day.

When Saladin defeated the Crusaders in the twelfth century Cairo became the centre of a vast empire. The thirteenth century saw the rulers change and Turkish military conquerors known as the Mamluks ruled Egypt.

It was during this period that Cairo experienced its most illustrious period. It was also during this period that most of Cairo’s greatest buildings were constructed. Cairo played a key role in the spice trade until the end of the fifteenth century when new trade routes had opened and so its dominancy of the spice trade was thwarted.

In 1517 the Ottoman sultan Selim1 conquered Egypt and so Cairo came under the rule of the Turks. A downturn in the cities prominence followed with it being reduced to a provincial capital. Turkish ruled continued with the exception of a brief interlude (1798 to 1801) when Napoleon’s troops occupied the city. The modernization of Egypt and its capital began in the early part of the nineteenth century under the rule of the “Father of Modern Egypt”, Mehemet Ali. At this time the city was strengthened and its boundaries expanded.

A further spell of modernization took place under Pasha, who modeled the city on the renovation of Paris under Napoleon III. The twentieth century brought with it advances to Cairo’s infrastructure bridge building and flood control encouraged development along the riverside.

During the First World War Cairo became the center for British Military operations in the area and continued to be so until the 1920’s until it was reoccupied by British forces during the Second World War. With the Egyptian Revolution in 1952, the colonial presence in Cairo came to an end. Since then, large numbers of Egyptians from other parts of the country have flocked to the capital, and the government has worked to accommodate a rapidly growing urban population by creating new suburbs.