As I sat in the darkened room, I mentally composed the next email I would have to send back home to all my family and friends. It was going to shock them all really dramatically, considering all the lies I told them before leaving, and I was so tickled by this thought that I laughed out loud. The sudden noise must have startled the chickens in the room beyond me and they started up another loud round of cackling. I heard my children echoing my laughter as they cracked up from all the funny sights and sounds around them in the ‘chicken room’ where they were still playing.
It was impossible to compose my next bombshell of an email with all the racket of children and chickens, so instead I turned my memory back to the email I had sent to my father before leaving for Egypt. I had tried to lie to him as little as possible… all of it was true except for the pesky little part about reserving judgement about marrying Mohamed. I fully intended to marry him within hours of my arrival, and the clergyman was booked already for the ceremony! I just didn’t have the heart to tell Dad, or anybody else, for that matter, the whole crazy insane, deliriously exciting truth. This had been the best I could manage, under the circumstances:
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From: k_aisha@hotmail.com
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To: dad@pacbell.net
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Subject: I’m not lost!
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Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1999 22:29:37
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Hi!!!
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Thought I was lost in cyberspace, eh?
Well, I was/still am… but I think I’ll go check out the guy on the other end of the line in another week… I know you heard a bit about this already from the rumor mill, but here’s the official version: I’m taking the kids to Egypt on Tuesday, July 27, and we’re returning back home on August 10!
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Here’s the actual itinerary just for good measure:
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Lv 7/27 from Newark, NJ, 8:30 pm, British Airways flight 184H
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Ar 7/28 into London Heathrow at 8:30 am
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Lv 7/28 from London Heathrow at 4:45 pm, British Airways flight 155H
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Ar 7/28 into Cairo, Egypt at 11:35 pm
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We come home after two weeks, can you believe it?!
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Lv 8/10 from Cairo, Egypt at 8:45 am, British Airways flight 154H
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Ar 8/10 into London Heathrow at 12:00 noon
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Lv 8/10 from London Heathrow at 3:05 pm, British Airways flight 185H
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Ar 8/10 into Newark, NJ at 5:55 pm
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We plan to drive up to Mom’s house the day before the flight out, and we’ll stop there on our way home, too – it saves us almost $1000 to fly out of Newark, and we get a little visit with Mom, too.
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We plan to be in a hotel on the beach in Alexandria, Egypt, for the first few days, and then I expect to be at the home of:
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Mohamed Abdel Hamid
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[Address and phone number removed for privacy]
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He’s very sweet, 46, a retired Egyptian High School Principal,
gentleman farmer (chickens!)
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With a home on the farm property that he’s currently remodeling, and also has a 4 bedroom apartment in a nearby city. He is also a Canadian citizen and lately became an immigrant from Canada to the U.S. after receivng his green card. However, he’s back in Egypt now after inheriting the family estate in the countryside and that’s why he’s retired at 46. He has been single for three years, and has 4 children. The oldest son is a surgeon at the City Center Hospital, his daughter is a chemistry teacher at a local High School, and of the two other sons, one is a lawyer living in Canada and the other is still at a University in Egypt, studying Business Admin.
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Mohamed has asked me to marry him, maybe you heard about that, too… I’m reserving judgement on that subject! I can’t tell you if I’ll have good news or bad, but I think the kids and I are going to have an excellent time for two weeks living like Egyptians and checking out all the sights!
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By the way, I did not allow him to pay for our transportation… I don’t want that kind of favor to create any obligation… but he offers us every hospitality while we are there and that was something I agreed to. I have three return tickets, so I feel covered and I’ll just save all the other decisions for later, when we get there and have time to check it all out and see if it matches up… It’s all very interesting, not to mention that he is verrry romantic and sweet, and (hahaha naturally, since I wouldn’t be writing to him if he didn’t…) he professes undying love for me!
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Well, on the one hand, I’m very hopeful, of course, but on the other hand, I’m carting around a grain of salt the size of a pyramid… For sure, I’m going to be positively knocked flat if it all works out! I sure hope he’s for real, but even if he’s not, the kids and I are going to have a blast! I’ve got enough in the bank to cover a contingency plan if it happens that it doesn’t work out and I decide to keep myself and the kids in a hotel the whole time. I won’t accept the least bit of pressure, especially not with my kids with me… though I feel sure I’m actually safer with them than without them, just like when we met you and the rest of the family in Rome last month,
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I noticed that a woman travelling with her children receives far more respect than a woman travelling solo… and I believe this is even more true in a middle eastern country than in Italy.
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So, anyway, we’re excited, to say the least! Sorry it took so long to write. I wasn’t lost, just busy all over the net trying to learn very quickly as much about Egypt as possible.
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I love you both and send you millions of hugs and kisses and more email to follow soon
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;^****))))
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P.S. I’ll call before we leave. I thought I might call tonight but it’s late and I still have one more email to write (yes, I’m sure you can guess to who!)
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;^)
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P.S. Remember this face, you’re gonna love her:
;^)
such an exciting post!
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Thank you very much – follow me here for more to come! I swear it’s all true, I’ll be posting our emails so you’ll watch it all unfold just like I did. ;^)
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What an interesting story! Can’t wait to read more!
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Thanks! The next episode is almost ready!
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Thank you for the compliment and the link!
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I’m hooked. This sounds so impulsive and adventurous. I love it!
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LoL Thank you very much! I love your site too, especially your recent posts of Ireland.
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Sweet! Hope it works out for you and the kids!
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Thanks, it’s turned out more wonderful than any dream, exactly as my husband promised!
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wow! this some letter to send your father. i’m totally wide eyed and expectant – what happened??!! hopping over from the YW grid
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Lol thanks! I’ll keep posting another episode each weekend in the moonshine grid – it’s fun!
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Waaah…now I want to go there! What an exciting story.
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Please come! But I tell everybody, Egypt is an “E” Ticket ride! (do they still use those in Disneyland? Maybe I’m showing my age lol)
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Wow–I’m looking forward to hearing more of your story.
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Thanks – I’m glad to have you along for the ride! ;^)
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Wow… what a cool post!
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Thank you very much – I’m glad you liked it!
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Gosh. This is true? Once again I feel very land-locked and unadventurous. Can’t wait to read more.
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Yes, every word is true! I’m happy you’ve joined me here, thanks!
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It really is an intriguing story.
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Thank you for joining me here!
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I think it’s very courageous of you to share your story like that!
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Thanks! I love retelling it because it’s really spicing up our life as I’m reliving it! ;^)
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Wow, following you on your amazing journey:)
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Thanks very much, so glad to meet you! ;^)
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Wow, what an fabulous adventure
Mollyxxx
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Lol and it’s not over yet! Thanks for reading and so happy to meet you!
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Aisha: I have only gone thru 2 episodes and feel totally connected to you. I understand completely how you could change your life like that. I just have to tear myself away but will continue soon. I admire your strength and your decisions. I knew a woman once who took her young daughters to live in France against all odds and knowing not a single person there. It was the very best year of my life.
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