Big Changes
12 Comments Published by Tom Gara on Saturday, December 8 at Saturday, December 08, 2007.
Egypt has been my country for two of the last three years, and it will always be a home for me. And Egypt Today / Business Today Egypt has been the best job I've ever had (OK, second best...)
I am saying goodbye to both of them. I gave notice to my boss today, and will be finishing up here at the end of January. In the first week of February I'll be moving to Abu Dhabi, and a new job. I'll be working as a business reporter for a new daily newspaper being set up there.
There's not many times you will ever get the opportunity to be a part of a team that launches a major new regional daily newspaper, and doing that, in the region of the world that I love - and being on the business team, which is the story of the Gulf, working for an ex-WSJ foreign editor - is something that I am totally psyched for.
It's going to suck saying goodbye to the country and people I love. I've got six weeks to worry about that though. Expect the blog to get progressively overloaded wih soppy odes to the finest of friends and definitive images of Cairo and testimonials to the City Victorious etc....
Otherwise, be on notice people. Cairo times are coming to an end. Visit, frollick, etc. while the good times last. And I'll be earning a proper adult salary in an internationally significant currency for the first time in a while, so all those people I've been promising to visit, prepare for a mauradering Tom, loaded with petrodollars, at your doorstep at a moment's notice.
I am saying goodbye to both of them. I gave notice to my boss today, and will be finishing up here at the end of January. In the first week of February I'll be moving to Abu Dhabi, and a new job. I'll be working as a business reporter for a new daily newspaper being set up there.
There's not many times you will ever get the opportunity to be a part of a team that launches a major new regional daily newspaper, and doing that, in the region of the world that I love - and being on the business team, which is the story of the Gulf, working for an ex-WSJ foreign editor - is something that I am totally psyched for.
It's going to suck saying goodbye to the country and people I love. I've got six weeks to worry about that though. Expect the blog to get progressively overloaded wih soppy odes to the finest of friends and definitive images of Cairo and testimonials to the City Victorious etc....
Otherwise, be on notice people. Cairo times are coming to an end. Visit, frollick, etc. while the good times last. And I'll be earning a proper adult salary in an internationally significant currency for the first time in a while, so all those people I've been promising to visit, prepare for a mauradering Tom, loaded with petrodollars, at your doorstep at a moment's notice.
Thorough congrats, Tom!
check my blog :)
That is frickin' awesome!
Biggest congratulations Tom! :)
Just so you continue writing here from time to time.
Seems like a very interesting venture. I wonder how free the newspaper will be and if will practice any self-censorship on matters regarding Abu Dhabi, the UAE and other sensitive topics. A no-holds-barred newspaper with major backing would be a great thing for both the Gulf and wider ME.
Congrats on getting a gig with it, Tom!
Hey Dude,
again - awesome!!! I'm really proud of you. I hope your first stop on your petrodolars-spending-route will be PL.
Actually I cannot believe it. I remember calling you to tell you you wuold be the next MCP of AIESEC in Egypt and look how long you stayed!!! Congrats Gara. I hope Abu Dhabi gives you a reason to come to NYC.
Congrats Tom! Looking forward to reading more great stuff from you :)
Tom.. congrats!! You are now officially part of the superficial life of the UAE... ahah, how strange. :)
Whenever you are bored in AUH feel free to drop by and visit in Dubai. Would be great to catch up after all this time!
All the best!!
Ana
congratulations Tom! That sounds like a whole new adventure for you.
Congratulations Tom...
It will be wierd coming back to Cairo to know that you are not there (although we do not catch up as much as we should)
I will definitely be in the UAE in the Spring and I have to definitely get to see you there...
All the love from Rotterdam - home to your best job ;)
Hey Tom,
Are you the author of "The Next Big Thing" article? If you are, I couldn't agree more on this sentence "This relates closely to the second factor: it remains difficult to monetize Arabic language websites, with Arab-language advertisers largely avoiding internet advertising,".. I am the founder of a mobile social network (www.rannatweb.com) with 27,000 hits per day, and over 18 million page impressions per month, and around 300,000 registered users, and it is very hard to monetize this traffic. Anyhow, if you got some free time, drop me a line at webmaster[at]rannat.com, it wold be a pleasure to speak with you.
Thanks