Introduction

In the summer of 1969,  my parents packed our movable belongings, and we all moved from a small farm in Waterbury, Vermont to Cairo, Egypt.  My father was a university professor and had obtained a position at the American University in Cairo, my mother obtained a position teaching English as a foreign language.  I was to live there until I became an adult. After I graduated with honors from The American University in Cairo, I returned the USA to do my graduate work at University of PA.  I also married, raised 3 sons and now I am raising my grandchildren.

 All my life I have told the tales of climbing mango trees, herding goats, swimming in the Nile and other adventures. It was a simpler time of donkey carts, very old fashioned telephones and open vegetable markets. I have heard that now they have been replaced by cell phones and malls. My recent surgery and ill health has made me aware that my stories are unique and need to be written somewhere to be enjoyed or criticized.  

As I traveled thru the world, people everywhere were amazed that I lived in Egypt, but I was dismayed by their response. they always and without exception said in the very next line something that included the pyramids….”did you see the pyramids” or what are the pyramids like?” After that there was the jokes of “walk like an Egyptian”.

Egypt is beyond the pyramids. It is a shame that Egypt is trapped by its antiquities like it’s frozen in time. Yes Egypt has wonderful pharaonic artifacts. It also has amazing Islamic and Coptic ones too. Egypt for me will never be that pile of rocks in the sand just passed the Mina House. Egypt is its people. The people of Egypt are for me personally, the most generous and loving people on the planet.

This Blog is simply a memory of times gone by. I will try to write all down as many experiences as I can remember and I will try to keep them in some semblance of order.