ORIENTATION PACKET FOR
U.S. PARTICIPANTS TRAVELING TO EGYPT
(Disclaimer -The Center does not take the responsibility for the details provided in the packet as the information may be inaccurate or change overtime)
Center for Business Development in Transitional Economies
Institute of International Business
ROBINSON COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY
2009
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 3
HELPFUL WEBSITES 5
PASSPORT AND VISA INFORMATION 6
VISA APPLICATION 6
CAIRO AND WEATHER IN CAIRO 7
PLACES TO SEE IN CAIRO 8
ALEXANDRIA AND WEATHER IN ALEXANDRIA 9
PLACES TO SEE IN ALEXANDRIA 10
CURRENCY, COSTS, CREDIT CARDS, EXCHANGES 11
PACKING FOR YOUR TRIP 12
FLYING TO EGYPT 13
ACCOMMODATION IN EGYPT 14
THE TRIP TO CAIRO AND ALEXANDRIA 14
TRANSPORTATION IN EGYPT 15
HEALTH 17
FOOD 18
ETIQUETE 18
SHOPPING 19
FEDERAL AND GSU REGULATIONS FOR SPONSORED TRAVEL 19
LANGUAGE 20
PHRASE LIST 20
MAPS 23
INTRODUCTION
This orientation packet contains information you may find helpful to prepare you for a successful visit to Egypt. Please do not hesitate to contact the project director or anyone else who has gone before you if you have any questions. Take this material with you for reference along the way. Don’t forget your personal notebook.
Contacts:
Bijan Fazlollahi, Director
Center for Business Development in Transitional Economies
Institute of International Business
Georgia State University
35 Broad St., Suite 830
Atlanta, GA 30306
P: 404-413-7283
e-mail:
Fenwick Huss, Dean
J. Mack Robinson College of Business
Georgia State University
35 Broad St., Suite 718
Atlanta, GA 30306
P: 404-413-7007
e-mail:
GSU Faculty members who traveled to Cairo/ Alexandria:
Dr. Satish V. Nargundkar
Department of Managerial Sciences
Georgia State University
35 Broad St., Suite 827
Atlanta, GA 30306
P: 404-413-7541
e-mail:
Jayant R. Kale, Professor
Department of Finance
Georgia State University
35 Broad St., Suite 1234
Atlanta, GA 30306
P: 404-413-7345
e-mail:
Maury Kalnitz
Director
Executive Doctorate in Business Program
Buckhead Executive Education Center
3348 Peachtree Road
Tower Place 200
Suite 400
Atlanta, GA 30326
P: 404-413-7187
e-mail:
Ken Bernhardt
Regents Professor of Marketing and Special Assistant to the Dean
Department of Marketing
Georgia State University
35 Broad St., Suite 1328
Atlanta, GA 30306
P: 404-413-7688
e-mail:
Rajeev Dhawan, Professor
Director, Economic Forecasting Center
Department of Managerial Sciences
Georgia State University
35 Broad St., Suite 204
Atlanta, GA 30306
P: 404-413-7261
e-mail:
HELPFUL WEBSITES
http://www.egypttoday.com/default.aspx Egypt Today is the leading current affairs magazine in Egypt and the Middle East — and the oldest English-language publication of its kind in the nation.
http://www.egyptembassy.net/ This is the home page of the Egyptian Embassy in Washington DC.
http://cairo.usembassy.gov/ This is the home page of the US Embassy in Egypt
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1108.html This is a U.S. State Department web page with basic information about traveling to Georgia
http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx This is the Centers for Disease Control web-site with health information for travelers
http://www.amcham.org.eg/ American Chamber of Commerce in Cairo
http://commerce.cu.edu.eg/ Cairo University Faculty of Commerce
http://www.alex.edu.eg/faculty.jsp?CODE=5 Alexandria University Faculty of Commerce
Some other useful web-pages
http://www.egyptdailynews.com/ News in Egypt
http://www.esana.org/ Egyptian Student Association in North America
http://www.sis.gov.eg/En/Default.htm Egypt state information service
PASSPORT AND VISA INFORMATION
Non-Egyptian visitors arriving in Egypt are required to be in possession of a valid passport. Entry visas may be obtained from Egyptian Diplomatic and Consular Missions Abroad or from the Entry Visa Department at the Travel Documents, Immigration and Nationality Administration (TDINA). It is, however, possible for most tourists and visitors to obtain an entry visa at any of the Major Ports of Entry.
Past visitors from Robinson College of Business have obtained their visas at the Airport:
1. Pay $15 to purchase stamp at a kiosk. Stick the stamp in the passport.
2. Present your visa application and passport to the immigration agent.
You may take the following into Egypt without incurring customs duty:
· 200 cigarettes, 25 cigars or 200 g tobacco
· 2 litres of alcohol
· Perfume for personal use
· Gifts to the value of EGP500.00
· Cash, traveler’s cheques, credit cards and gold over the value of EGP500.00 must be declared on arrival.
· Drugs, firearms and cotton may not be brought into the country.
· The export of any antiquity or any item older than 100 years without a license is forbidden.
For further information regarding consular affairs and services, please refer to the Consular Section of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Homepage.
VISA APPLICATION
Fees
Citizen of United States - $15
Visa Requirements
1) Visa Application
2) One 2’’ by 2’’ recent photo
3) Fee
4) For Non-Americans photocopy of green card or valid US visa and photocopy of round trip ticket or itinerary
5) For Business Visa: a letter from the company stating the purpose of the visit and financial guarantee of the company
6) Self-addressed stamped certified envelope for the return of the passport. Via Express mail. Please send STAMPS and label. Via Federal Express and any overnight service, please, send money orders.
Visa application form as well as the addresses of Egypt’s consulates in the US can be obtained from the following website: http://www.egyptembassy.net/servicevisa.cfm
CAIRO AND WEATHER IN CAIRO
Cairo with a population of about 8 million people is located on the banks and islands of the Nile River in the north of Egypt, immediately south of the point where the river leaves its desert-bound valley and breaks into two branches into the low-lying Nile Delta region.
Referring to Cairo often means Greater Cairo, which is composed of Cairo governate, part of Giza and Qaluobyia governates. Since May 2008 Greater Cairo has been divided into 4 new governates: Cairo, Helwan, Giza and 6th of October. Cairo University is in Giza governate, while Cairo governate has the Ain Shams University.
The oldest part of the city is east of the river. The city gradually spreads west, engulfing the agricultural lands next to the Nile. These western areas, built on the model of Paris by Khedive Ismail in the mid-19th century, are marked by wide boulevards, public gardens, and open spaces. The older eastern section of the city is very different: having grown up haphazardly over the centuries, it is filled with small lanes and crowded tenements. While western Cairo is dominated by the government buildings and modern architecture, the eastern half is filled with hundreds of ancient mosques.
In Cairo, and along the Nile River Valley, the climate is hot desert (BWh) according to the Köppen climate classification system, but often with high humidity due to the river valley's effects. Wind storms can be frequent, bringing Saharan dust into the city during the months of March and April. High temperatures in winter range from the 13°C (55.4 F) to the low 20s (70 – 77 F), while nighttime lows drop to below 10°C (55 F), often to 5°C (41 F). In Summer, the highs often surpass 40°C (104 F), and lows drop to about 20°C (68 F). Rainfall is sparse, but sudden showers do cause flooding.
Month / J / F / M / A / M / J / J / A / S / O / N / DPrecipitation (in inches) / 0.3 / 0.2 / 0.2 / 0.1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0.1 / 0.2
High (Temperature in F) / 64 / 66 / 72 / 81 / 88 / 91 / 91 / 91 / 90 / 82 / 73 / 66
Low / 48 / 48 / 54 / 57 / 64 / 70 / 72 / 73 / 70 / 64 / 57 / 50
Places to See in Cairo
Pyramids:
There are over 100 pyramids in Egypt. Most were built as tombs for the country's Pharaohs and their consorts during the Old and Middle Kingdom periods.
The earliest known Egyptian pyramid is the Pyramid of Djoser which was built during the third dynasty. This pyramid and its surrounding complex were designed by the architect Imhotep, and are generally considered to be the world's oldest monumental structures constructed of dressed masonry.
The best known Egyptian pyramids are those found at Giza, on the outskirts of Cairo. Several of the Giza pyramids are counted among the largest structures ever built.
The Pyramid of Khufu at Giza is the largest Egyptian pyramid. It is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still in existence.
The Hanging Church:
Saint Virgin Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church also known as the Hanging Church (El Muallaqa) is one of the oldest churches in Egypt and the history of a church on this site dates to the 3rd century A.D.
The Hanging (The Suspended) Church is named for its location above a gatehouse of Babylon Fortress, the Roman fortress in Coptic Cairo (Old Cairo); its nave is suspended over a passage. The church is approached by 29 steps; early travelers to Cairo dubbed it "the Staircase Church." Up the steps and through the entrance is a further small courtyard leading to the eleventh century outer porch.
Great Sphinx of Giza:
The Great Sphinx of Giza is a statue of a reclining lion with a human head that stands on the Giza Plateau on the west bank of the Nile, near modern-day Cairo, in Egypt. It is the largest monolith statue in the world, standing 73.5 m (241 ft) long, 6 m (20 ft) wide, and 20 m (65 ft) high. It is the oldest known monumental sculpture, and is commonly believed to have been built by ancient Egyptians in the third millennium BCE. The Great Sphinx faces due east and houses a small temple between its paws.
Cairo Citadel:
The Saladin Citadel of Cairo is one of the most popular tourist attractions of Cairo, Egypt.
The location, part of the Muqattam hill near the center of Cairo, was once famous for its fresh breeze and grand views of the city, and was fortified by the Ayyubid ruler Salah al-Din (Saladin) between 1176 and 1183 AD, to protect it from the Crusaders.
It is sometimes referred to as Mohamed Ali Citadel, because it contains the Mosque of Mohamed Ali (or Muhammad Ali Pasha), which was built between 1828 and 1848, perched on the summit of the citadel. This Ottoman mosque was built in memory of Tusun Pasha, Muhammad Ali's oldest son, who died in 1816.
The citadel stopped being the seat of government when Egypt's ruler, Khedive Ismail, moved to his newly built Abdin Palace in the Ismailiya neighborhood in the 1860s.
The Egyptian Museum:
The Egyptian Museum was first built in Boulak. In 1891, it was moved to Giza Palace of "Ismail Pasha" which housed the antiquities that were later moved to the present building. The Egyptian Museum is situated at Tahrir square in Cairo. It was built during the reign of Khedive Abbass Helmi II in 1897, and opened on November 15, 1902. It has 107 halls. At the ground floor there are the huge statues. The upper floor houses small statues, jewels, Tutankhamon treasures and the mummies.
The Museum also comprises a photography section and a large library. The Egyptian museum comprises many sections arranged in chronological order
1. The first section houses Tutankhamon’s treasures.
2. The second section houses the pre-dynasty and the Old Kingdom monuments.
3. The third section houses the first intermediate period and the Middle Kingdom monuments.
4. The forth section houses the monuments of the Modern Kingdom.
5. The fifth section houses the monuments of the late period and the Greek and Roman periods.
6. The sixth section houses coins and papyrus.
7. The seventh section houses sarcophagi and scrabs.
ALEXANDRIA AND WEATHER IN ALEXANDRIA
Alexandria, with a population of 4.1 million, is the second-largest city in Egypt, and is the country's largest seaport, serving about 80% of Egypt's imports and exports. Alexandria is also an important tourist resort.
Alexandria extends about 32 km (20 miles) along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in north-central Egypt. It is home to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (the new Library of Alexandria), and is an important industrial center because of its natural gas and oil pipelines from Suez, another city in Egypt. Alexandria University is very close to the Library. Alexandria was also an important trading post between Europe and Asia, because it profited from the easy overland connection between the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.
In ancient times, Alexandria was one of the most famous cities in the world. It was founded around a small pharaonic town c. 334 BC by Alexander the Great. It remained Egypt's capital for nearly a thousand years, until the Muslim conquest of Egypt in 641 AD when a new capital was founded at Fustat (Fustat was later absorbed into Cairo).
Alexandria was known for the Lighthouse of Alexandria (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World), the Library of Alexandria (the largest library in the ancient world) and the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa (one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages). Ongoing maritime archaeology in the harbor of Alexandria, which began in 1994, is revealing details of Alexandria both before the arrival of Alexander, when a city named Rhakotis existed there, and during the Ptolemaic dynasty.
Alexandria has a Mediterranean climate mild rainy winter, hot humid summers. January and February are the coldest months with high temperatures ranging from 12°C (53°F) to 18°C (64°F). Alexandria experience violent storms, rain and sometimes hail. July and August are the hottest months of the year with a monthly average high temperature of 31°C (87°F). While autumn and spring is the ideal time to visit Alexandria with temperatures averaging 22°C (71°F).
Month / J / F / M / A / M / J / J / A / S / O / N / DPrecipitation (in inches) / 2.2 / 1.1 / 0.5 / 0.2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0.4 / 1.1 / 2.1
High (Temperature in F) / 63 / 64 / 68 / 73 / 79 / 82 / 82 / 86 / 82 / 81 / 73 / 66
Low / 48 / 50 / 52 / 57 / 63 / 68 / 72 / 73 / 72 / 64 / 59 / 52
Places to See in Alexandria
Library of Alexandria:
The Royal Library of Alexandria or Ancient Library of Alexandria in Alexandria, Egypt, was once the largest library in the ancient world.
Generally thought to have been founded at the beginning of the third century BC, it was conceived and opened during the reign of Ptolemy I Soter, or that of his son Ptolemy II of Egypt. Plutarch (AD 46-120) wrote that Caesar accidentally burned the Library down during his visit to Alexandria in 48 BC. However, this version is not confirmed in contemporary accounts of the visit. It has been reasonably established that the Library or parts of the collection were destroyed on several occasions, but to this day the details of these destruction events remain a lively source of controversy based on inconclusive evidence.