Welcome to my blog about my experiences while living in Algeria!I’ve completely changed the direction of my website, AlgerianWonders.com. I’ve set it up to import Ebay’s auction feed for all their Algerian items. There is some really cool stuff, such as banknotes, stamps, old books, etc. Lots of collectors items. I love it. Please stop by if you get a chance.
Cheers!
Starting February 22nd, 2008 there will be an extra number appended to mobile phone numbers in Algeria. It will be added to the front of the area code. And it will be a duplicate number. For example, if the mobile number is 072-66-65-99, 072 being the area code, then the new number will be 0772-66-65-99. So you just double the number in between the zero and the first number in the sequence.
For international callers you will omit the zero and add 213 to the front. So the new number to dial would be 213-772-66-65-99.
I guess this goes to show that mobile phone use in Algeria is still on the up and up with no plateau in sight. Anyway…
If this is still confusing, feel free to post your questions in the comments.
Are you preparing for your next holiday? Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to do some of that preparation from home? Not having to go out to the shops after being tired from work? Popping in and out of all the travel accessory shops to make sure you are getting the best deal can be very time consuming and exhausting, to say the least.
There is a solution. And it is ShopWiki.com. They offer shopping comparisons. What that means is they aggregate products and prices from many competing online merchants so you can easily find the best prices available in a jiff.
For example if you search for luggage, you will get 997 results with the store that has the lowest price featured. It makes it so easy!
But it doesn’t stop there. They also have some very informative articles, such as Travel Organization. And a whole page of related articles one would find useful just before a trip.
In short, if you are searching out the best deals on the net, ShopWiki.com should be your first stop.
Happy Traveling!
The insurance industry in Algeria is very different than the United States. There is not the fear of getting sued at every turn if you screw up. Most people work out disputes privately. You will never find anyone yelling, “You’re going to hear from my lawyer!”. LOL. Even, most small businesses remain uninsured against theft or damage. Insurance is just another, often seen as expensive, expense. Plus, you will find the mentality, which I see as pretty apathetic, that what happens is going to happen. Forget considering risk and using your God given common sense and weigh the odds. For example, allowing small children to sit in the front of a moving vehicle. (I’ll always complain about this as it only takes a minute to buckle them up in the backseat, so so stupid some people are!) Anyway…
Life insurance is not very popular in Algeria. I suppose if you are filthy rich, you’d look into it. But for the average person, they would rely on one’s family to take care of his/her loved ones who are left behind. Which has it’s pro’s and con’s. A woman who is widowed, for example, may become dependent on her husband’s family for support. If his family was never very kind with her to begin with, she could really be getting the short end of the stick at every turn. As a women, I certainly never want to be a dependent on anyone. I am an adult for crying out loud. But many women accept this circumstance for themselves. And the men think that’s enough for them.
Car insurance is required here. But, it is not very expensive even with full coverage. And most cars are still paid in full when bought, though car loans are becoming more popular. So, car owners can get away with the minimum coverage. I think my husband payed about $160 for 2-3 months coverage. Plus, you have to consider car theft is pretty low. People guard their cars like hawks. People either park their cars in locked garages(steal bars and all) or park in a 24 hour guarded parking lots.
As for home insurance. Home insurance is pretty non-existent. Unless, again, if you are a very rich family. The homes are made with bricks and cement, so the risk of fire is very low. And it’s sort of hard to break in to a place with several steal doors before you reach the main living areas of the home. It’s kind of like living in a fortress. And ALL the homes are like this. I believe it became like this during the war. As far as having coverage if someone is injured in your home. Well, if the family feels responsible they will probably help with fees if they can afford it. And bring them cake and fruits while visiting the injured person.
There is health insurance. Mostly used by the elderly and retired as it is supplied for by the government. But, the patient must first pay the doctor and submit the forms for remittance. They must wait for the government to reimburse them. Emergancy care is free. Outpatients have to pay at the public hospital. But if you have money you will certainly choose private care. The hospitals lack privacy and from what I’ve seen are pretty filthy, germs germs germs, blahh. I’ll save my rant for another posting.
So, there you have it. If you have questions, please feel free to leave it in the comments. Or if you know something I don’t. 
Do you live in Algeria and have a website or want one? Or do you create Algeria related content on the web? We want you!
Please join my group over at Facebook, Algerian Webmasters. The group will be geared towards providing resources for Algerian webmasters, newbies and old-hat alike. It will also be used for finding link exchanges, social promotion and much more.
I’ve been thinking of starting it for some time now and just got to it today. My feeling is why aren’t more Algerians using the internet to make some money when so many are struggling to earn so little when they can earn the same amount on the internet with very small time investments. But, there is a learning curve to knowing how to accomplish that. And I just hope that I can help hurry that curve along more quickly and help someone achieve some sort of financial success.
So, if you are interested or know someone who may be, please visit the group’s page and press the join button.
Thanks!
Just some pics I took out shopping with the kids.
This is an auto detailing supplies shop on the main boulevard near our home. They sell everything from decals to steering wheels and hubcaps. Unfortunately, like many of the products found in Algeria, they are China imported knock-offs. I’m not really sure where one would go to get the good stuff. ‘Ain’t no Pimp My Ride kind of shops or garages round these parts.
This is an auto care products shop, a block off the main boulevard near our home. They sell everything from oil, batteries, to window washing fluid. When passing by we usually see them installing fresh car batteries into customers vehicles. It’s actually a very quiet shop most of the time. My daughter always wants to play with the car batteries when we are passing by. And the shopkeeper always gives her a ‘look’.
Anyway….
Happy Detailing!
Grilling in Algeria is a yearlong activity. It is not seasonal as it is mostly in the states. You will find many of these outdoor, natural charcoal burning grills around town cooking up very delicious skewered meat for the lunchtime crowd. And at Eid, when they kill the kibsh/lamb, it is a must to have at least a small one to cook up all that yummy fresh meat!
This a gas grill. It can be located indoors or outdoors. This particular grill is located out in MIL’s kitchen garden. It is used for cooking flatbreads, blackening green peppers, burning excess feathers off chicken, and cooking oversized pots of couscous sauce. It can be hooked up to a portable gas tank, which are very popular at the beach, or up to the main gas line.
Happy Grilling!
Considering my next vacation…
Perhaps a Costa Rica Vacation? With beautiful coastlines and clear waters, it looks like a very romantic paradise.
Perhaps a Cabo San Lucas Vacation? Another tropical hotspot. Very catered to tourists and lots of fun spots. I love a good night club. Which they don’t have here in ol’Algerie.
Have you been to either? Is the airfare cheap enough? Let me know what you think. thnx.
If I haven’t mentioned it before, there is a nice blog that includes photos of Algeria Maps. Most of which are satellite imagery from Google Earth. But, Djamel, the blogger has presented some very interesting stills for his readers. You should pop by when you have the chance.
Cheers!
Technorati Tags: algeria map, algeria, map, google earth, satellite, algerian maps
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