Dear Alexandrians,
People often think that no one can be a stranger in their own country. However, that’s not necessarily true. Egypt is so diverse to the point that people can tell where you’ve grown up just by the way you talk. This can be both a blessing and a curse. With most company headquarters located in Cairo, many Alexandrians find themselves forced to move to the big city to pursue competitive jobs. They move to Cairo, usually not knowing what they’re doing and just wing it.
The first shock is usually expected and its Cairo’s traffic. What’s not expected, however, is that the traffic gets more and more unbearable every day! Alexandria is much smaller than Cairo, therefore, traffic never gets as congested the way it does in the capital city. You can go from one end of Alexandria to the other in 45 minutes, even if it’s rush hour. Try doing that in Cairo!
Via Sleemit
It often feels like traffic translates into the workplace as well. The workplace environment in Alexandria is much more relaxed because after all, the demand is smaller because of the difference in size. At first, this shift is hard for Alexandrians who are not used to long working hours but Alexandrians are hard workers and quickly get used to the shift and adapt. Another problem Alexandrians face at first is figuring out what to eat. There are different restaurant chains in Alexandria and Cairo, with only the big ones in common. The good thing is that Alexandrians are quickly introduced by their coworkers to a vast array of new food options and cuisines and actually prefer the wide selection of restaurants in Cairo. So at least that’s a big plus.
Via Wiffle
This following issue is pretty severe. It is the most common and most annoying problem that all Alexandrians face in Cairo. The difference in dialect! It starts off with a few words that Alexandrians say differently such as: “nazalt and nezelt,” “falafel and ta’ameya,” “mastika and leban” and the list goes on. Alexandrians’ co-workers almost always make fun of them for the differences in pronunciation and everyone usually has a good laugh over it. It is safe to say though, that Alexandrians usually adapt quickly and become fluent in both dialects.
A final issue that Alexandrians face is an issue that any mover deals with. Where to go when you need to buy something? Alexandrians are used to having certain shops in certain areas where they can find whatever they need. When they meet this challenge in Cairo, they usually face some hardships. The solution is usually calling a fellow Cairo co-worker and hoping that they would know a shop that is nearby. If not, the person might have to drive for hours to get what they want.
Via Reddit
In a nutshell, any person that moves to a new city or a new country will face similar problems and challenges. The difference is that Alexandrians are moving inside the same country and still face the same challenges. To be honest, most, if not all, Alexandrians, in time, fall in love with Cairo and rarely leave, even during vacations. Cairo is bigger and has more options and is truly a city you can fall in love with. So, to all my fellow Alexandrians who have just recently moved to Cairo, I promise you it gets better and it will feel like home sooner than you think!
Sincerely,
Your Alexandrian-who-fell-in-love-with-Cairo Friend
