Stay Healthy
You’ve come a long way and spent a lot of money to study in Cairo. It would be unfortunate to spend much of your precious time sick. Invariable, most students do get at least some stomach problems at some point. If you do, eat light food until you get better, like rice and yogurt, and be more careful about your food. Good nutrition can also help in protecting against other health problems, like fatigue and colds. Take your vitamins and drink plenty of water.
Food
Be careful. Avoid drinking the water. Bottled water is ubiquitous and cheap. Eat in clean looking restaurants or at home. Produce is very cheap. Make sure to scrub the fruits and vegetables before eating them, pealing them if possible, and soaking them in some water with vinegar to kill the bacteria. Be very careful and accustom your stomach to Egypt a little bit at a time. Avoid juice places (especially sugar cane juice) the first few weeks as well. Many stomach problems originate here. Delivery and fast food is so convenient and relatively inexpensive that many students depend on it heavily. Avoid too much fast food, for obvious health reasons.
Exercise
Most people in Cairo do a lot of walking. This is the best form of exercise. If you would like to do more, there are several gyms (including separate gyms for women). Many of the men’s gyms also offer martial arts classes. Some of the sporting clubs also allow guests to use their facilities, and some offer separate and private swim times for women. (Muhajiba swimsuits can be bought from a store in City Center mall. The store is on the east end of the mall, two floors above the entry level.)
Dental Work and Optometry
Dental work is safe, good, and inexpensive in Cairo, as are eye exams and glasses. If you need a procedure done, you can feel safe having it done here. Sometimes your embassy can make some recommendations for doctors. (A list is available at the American Embassy.) Al Noor Eye Hospital offers 10 LE eye exams with the most modern equipment. Inexpensive, but good quality, glasses can be found at Malika (see map). The bigger chains (Baraka, Maghrabi) offer designer glasses, but can be just as expensive as back home!
Medical Attention
There are hospitals mentioned in this guide with good doctors. If you need a special doctor, see if your embassy has any recommendations. All doctors speak English.
|
