living and working in libya

8/2/2019 Living and Working in Libya

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Living and Working in Libya20112012


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Libya: A very brief introductionGeography and PeopleClimateReligionCulture

Pre-departure informationCultural informationVaccinations and general health precautionsWhat to takeWhat not to take

Arrival informationSafety and securityPhotographyMoney and banking

Cost of living

DocumentationVisasWork permits

AccommodationFood

General informationCooking (supermarkets)Restaurants

Contents


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TransportPublic transport and taxisDrivingAir transportation

CommunicationsPostal facilities

Telephone and mobile phonesInternet

EntertainmentDaytimeNightlifeExcursions

Foreign TravelNorth Africa and Middle EastMalta and Europe

HealthMedical InsuranceDoctors and Hospital CarePharmaciesOptical CareDental Care

Contents


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This guide is intended to provide you with some basic practical in-formation about what to expect from life in Libya. We hope that youwill find it useful and that it will give you an insight into this uniqueand fascinating country.

Geography and PeopleLibya, officially the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahirya re-public (2003 est. pop. 5,551,000), 679,358 sq mi (1,759,540 sq km), isthe fourth-largest country in Africa and the second largest (afterAlgeria) in North Africa. To its north is the Mediterranean Sea, tothe west it is bounded by Algeria and Tunisia, to the east Egypt andSudan, and to the South Niger, Chad and Sudan. The principal cit-ies are Tripoli (the capital) Benghazi and Misrata. Most of Libya ispart of the Sahara desert; the population is restricted to a coastalstrip along the Mediterranean and a few widely scattered oases inthe Libyan desert, in the south east, and the Fazzan region, in thesouth west.

The discovery of oil in 1958 transformed Libya from a poor agricul-tural country into one of the world's leading petroleum producers,with vast sums to spend on social, agricultural, and military devel-opment. Petroleum accounts for 95% of export earnings and about

a third of national income; Libya is also an important producer ofnatural gas. The majority of the inhabitants are Arabs, but thereare scattered communities of Berbers and, in the southwest, manyof mixed Berber and African descent. There are large numbers offoreign workers in Libya.

Libya: a very brief introduction


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ClimateLibya has a Mediterranean climate. It is dry and hot in the sum-mer, and temperatures can reach as high as 45C. Daytime tem-peratures are often about 30-35 degrees but this is often accom-panied by a cooling sea breeze, and it is much cooler at night.

By November and December temperatures fall and it can be chil-

ly, especially first thing in the morning. In the winter, tempera-tures go down to as little as 6 degrees and heating is quite com-mon between November and February.

ReligionIslam is the official religion of Libya. Most Libyans are SunniMuslims and Islam has a strong bearing on how they conduct

their lives. It is based on some basic tenets known as the FivePillars of Islam. One of these is the commitment to pray fivetimes a day facing Mecca: at sunrise, noon, mid-afternoon, sunsetand, night. On Friday, people gather at the local mosque for pray-er.

Libya has a number of official holidays and religious festivals.The ninth month of the Muslim year, known as Ramadan, is a par-

ticularly holy period. During the month, most people fast (abstainfrom food and drink etc) between sunrise and sunset. When thedaily fast is over, people get together with their friends and familyfor iftar (the breaking of the fast) which is a special experience foreveryone. The two Eid holidays (including Eid Al-Fitr whichmarks the end of Ramadan) are particularly important and an op-portunity for family gatherings.


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CultureLibyan culture is North African. Like most Mediterraneanpeoples, Libyans have a relaxed attitude to work.Libya is renowned for the hospitality of its people. The lat-

ter are generally very welcoming to foreigners. Libyan edu-cational institutions are anxious to cultivate links with thosein the West and increasing numbers of Libyans are going toEurope for their education rather than to other Arab coun-tries.


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Pre-departure informationCultural informationLibyan society is slightly more conservative than that of its neigh-bouring countries. Outlandish dress and hairstyles are frownedupon, this includes tattoos and piercings . Generally, when outsidemen should avoid shorts except on the beach. Women should

dress modestly, preferably long skirts or trousers. Jeans arecommon and acceptable as informal dress.

Arabic is the official language of Libya. Teachers interested instudying Arabic are well advised to buy materials (books, CDs etc)in the UK as there is very little available in Libya.

Vaccinations and general health precautionsLibya is generally regarded as a safe place to visit. Please checkwith your local GP surgery or travel clinic prior to departure foradvice on vaccinations and general health precautions.It is recommended that you take Imodium tablets or somethingsimilar with you, as many staff get upset tummies / diarrhoea, ini-tially in the first week or so until they acclimatise to the food andheat.


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What to takeLight cotton clothes are advisable with a light pullover or jacket forthe summer months. January and February can be surprisingly coldand can also be wet - an anorak type coat is useful.

Smart casual dress is acceptable for the training department. Long

or short-sleeved shirt (with collar not polo shirt or T-Shirt), smarttrousers (not jeans), closed toe shoes (no sandals) are advisable.Given the climate, staff are not expected to wear suits and ties, alt-hough it would be useful to bring a tie and jacket for any formal oc-casions.

It is possible to purchase everyday items at local shops or marketsin Libya. Basic medicines are available, but if you require any pre-scription medicines, you would be advised to take enough stocks tolast the duration of your stay in Libya. Making your own entertain-ment is essential. There are English channels available on TV (CNN,film and sports channels). A supply of reading matter is strongly ad-vised. Kettles are available to buy locally, as are CD-players.

What not to takeAs Libya is an Islamic country, it is strictly forbidden to take alcohol,pork products, any form of pornographic material or any product orliterature with a connection to Israel into the country.Music CDs, cassettes, videos and computer disks are allowed intoLibya, but videos and computer disks in particular are subject to be-ing checked by customs officials.

Please note that Libyan customs officials may conduct rigorous bag-gage checks on arrival in the country.


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Arrival InformationSafety and SecurityOverall, Libya is an incredibly safe country. People are very friendlyand helpful.

It is a good idea to take precautions that you would normally take inany foreign country such as for example not carrying valuablesaround. Libya takes the threat of terrorism very seriously and youmay find that you have to go through security checks in some publicbuildings or hotels.

Please contact the police or your national consulate in Tripoli for anyproblems.

PhotographyIt is fine to take photographs or video tourist sites, however oneshould use discretion when doing so as with every country, peoplemay not necessarily wish to be photographed. Photographingairports, military installations, police stations, checkpoints and bor-der crossings, industrial complexes, oil refineries, andgovernment buildings is strictly forbidden.

Registering with the British EmbassyIt is advisable to register with the British embassy when livingabroad so that if there is any trouble, they are aware of who is there.British and Irish citizens should register by going towww.fco.gov.uk/travel and clicking on register with us boxon theright hand side. Please enter Bells details in the employment

section so that everyones details will be kept together.


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Money and bankingCredit cards and travellers cheques are becoming easier to use inTripoli. Libya is predominately a cash society and it is easy to ex-change dollars and euros at the airport or at local banks There area limited number of ATM machines in Libya that accept visa cards.You are therefore advised to bring spending money in the form of US

dollar bills or Euros.NB All visitors to Libya, irrespective of nationality, should be in pos-

session of a minimum amount of foreign currency equivalent to

500 English Stirling. Failure to comply with this Libyan regulation

will result in instant deportation and a fine to the airline.

Money can be changed at banks and some hotels. Please note thatthe dinar is not a convertible currency, and cannot be bought or sold

outside Libya. Dollars and Euros are the easiest currency to ex-change countrywide.

Cost of livingWhile working for Bell in Libya, there is the opportunity to save quite

a bit of money. There are a number of Western shops appearing inthe country including Marks and Spencer, BHS, Timberland, andMonsoon Accessorize but they tend to be on average pricier than inthe UK. Below are examples of the costs of a few items:-a taxi ride from the villa to the city centre (15 km) LDN 5-7 (2.50-3.50)-phoning the UK by Libyan mobile LDN 0.75 per minute (45p)-1.5 litres of mineral water LDN 0.50 (25p)


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Visas and work permitsIn order to obtain a visa an Arabic translation of ones passport is

required as part of the visa application process (Bell can arrangethis). Please note that the possession of an Israel stamp in a pass-port will bar access to entering the country.

Teachers are usually issued with a six month visa. We are cur-rently looking into the possibility of getting for them either oneyear visas or one year work permits as there is now a possibilitythat these exist. However like all bureaucracy in Libya, this is lia-

Documentation


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Accommodation

Accommodation in TripoliEveryone stays in the villa (numbers permitting) whilst they areeither working in Tripoli or visiting. The 12 bedroom, newly con-structed villa is located on the outskirts of Janzour (a suburb ofwestern Tripoli on the coast - you can see the sea from the villa).There is a Leisure Room in the basement (with weights, an exer-cise bike, a treadmill, dartboard and table football). Every roomhas a satellite TV and mini fridge. Some rooms are en-suite. Foodis prepared by the Moroccan chef and his wife - they are also re-sponsible for cleaning and washing (all washing, bar underwearand socks, is done for you). If you want to cook for yourself that isok. There are also washing machines for washing. There is a 42"

communal TV - and satellite cards so that all sports (football,rugby, cricket etc) can be watched.

Basic informationElectricity is supplied at 220 volts. Plug fittings are of the 2-pin,round continental variety; adaptors can be purchased at Heathrowif necessary and are available locally in Libya.

You may wish to take a travelling iron, and universal-type rubber

sink plugs are a useful extra, as plugs are rare in rooms.


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ZawiyahAccommodation is in a comfortable villa located just outside of Zawiyah. Againthere is a Moroccan couple who organise all the meals and the cleaning and wash-ing.

SirteThe accommodation used is a comfortable villa directly over the road from theGECOL office where you teach. A cleaner comes in to do the washing and cleaning.Food can be provided or you can be given a very generous weekly allowance to pro-vide for yourself.

Other townsIn all of the other locations teachers stay in high quality hotels. Meals, laundry etcare provided.

Villa in Tripoli


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Food

Cooking (supermarkets)There are plenty of supermarkets which are generally wellstocked - bring your own Marmite though!

General informationTo avoid any digestive problems, you are advised to drink bottledwater. Mains water is normally chlorinated, and whilst relativelysafe may cause mild abdominal upsets. Drinking water outsidemain cities and towns is likely to be contaminated and sterilisation

is essential.It is strongly recommended to avoid dairy products, which arelikely to have been made from un-boiled milk. Meat and fish dish-es should be well-cooked, preferably served hot. Food containingsalad or mayonnaise might be risky. Vegetables should be cookedand fruit peeled.


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RestaurantsWhile some hotels and restaurants serve typical Libyan cuisinethe majority tend to offer standard international dishes. Most ofthe chefs are from other Arab countries, notably Morocco.

Most towns have Turkish and pizza restaurants and there areplenty of fast food Kebab shops around. Obviously there is morechoice in the capital, Tripoli .


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TransportPublic Transport and taxisTransport to and from work is provided by Awardbrand. To getaround town taxis and micro-buses are cheap. To travel be-tween towns there are shared taxis - internal flights are alsoavailable for longer journeys.

DrivingBritish Passport holders need an international driving permit todrive in Libya . Driving is on the right and it is a requirement towear seat belts. The standard of driving is quite poor so cautionmust be exercised as drivers tend to drive quickly and often will

not follow traffic rules.Petrol is very cheap-if travelling by car best to ensure there isenough petrol, as petrol stations can sometimes be widelyspaced. If driving on desert/country roads, beware of sand blow-ing over into the road or animals crossing.

Air transportationIt is possible to fly to most countries from Tripoli airport and

there is a growing number of flights available from Bengha-zi airport.

Jamahiriya Libyan Arab Airlines, Buraq Air and several othercompanies operate internal flights from Tripoli and Benghazi toother airports in Libya.


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CommunicationsPostal facilitiesPostal services to Libya are unreliable, and Bell forwards rea-sonable amounts of post (NB not parcels) via courier on a regu-lar basis. This takes 7 10 days. Letters to be sent in this man-ner should be addressed to:

Your Name, c/o Libya Awardbrand Contract, Bell Contracts De-partment, Hillscross, Red Cross Lane, Cambridge CB2 2QX

Letters from Libya often seem to take a longer period of time toreach their destination.

Telephone and mobile phonesThere are plenty of international telephone offices in all towns.

A SIM card costs around 15 dinars to buy and can then be toppedup using a voucher system. Please make sure your mobilephone isn't locked.

InternetThere are internet cafes in all towns - the connection isn't al-ways super fast. It is also possible to buy dongles allowing youto connect to the internet using your own laptop. This technologyis quite new in the country so best to check out the deals whenyou arrive.


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EntertainmentDaytimeThere isn't a great deal of organised entertainment in the countryso an amount of self sufficiency is required. Visiting local marketscan pass an afternoon or evening . In Tripoli, teachers have beendiving and most locations offer something of interest to visit - Ro-man and Greek remains and of course there are always desert

trips at weekends. Once you get to know your students you willprobably be invited to a Libyan wedding or on day trips.

NightlifeA Libyan evening out generally means drinking coffee and smokingshisha.

Excursions

Tripoli is one of the most attractive cities in North Africa. It is wellworth spending time discovering the old city with its fascinatingsouks and ancient mosques. The capital is also home to theJamahiriya Museum. Libyas spectacular World Heritage sites are

not to be missed. These include: Sabratha, Leptis Magna, Cyreneand Apollonia, and the Old town of Ghadames.


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Foreign Travel

North Africa and the Middle EastThere are opportunities to travel to neighbouring countries toexplore other parts of North Africa and the Middle East.You can travel to Egypt and Tunisia overland - although youshould check in advance to see if there are any restrictions inplace - border crossing times can be long depending on howyou are travelling - independently or as part of an organ-ised group.

Malta and EuropeMalta is a favourite holiday destination for Libyans given itsproximity to Libya. Rome, Paris and London are also very popu-lar and easy to get to.


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HealthMedical InsuranceBell has comprehensive insurance cover with First Assist in casestaff require emergency hospital treatment in Libya or repatriationto the UK or a third country in order to receive medical assistance(number of First Assist is on the insurance card). Staff are alsofully covered by the health insurance in case of serious illness.

Doctors and Hospital CareHealth facilities are not up to European standards but are ade-quate - in case of illness Awardbrand will organise for you to seean appropriate medical practitioner.

There are hospitals in all locations - although private clinics often

offer a more specialist treatment. Making appointments to see adoctor is easy and an Awardbrand or a Bell representative can ad-vise you on this.

PharmaciesThere is an abundance of pharmacies in all towns in Libya, but ifyou need specific medication it would be advisable to bring a sup-

ply with you.

Optical CareOpticians offer a high standard of service and are much cheaperthan in the UK.

Dental CareMany teachers have had dental work done in Libya and have found

the standard of care high and good value for money.

living and working in libya

Documents